When ya live in the great white north, an SUV is a necessity.
I've been driving 4x4 LandCruisers, Wagoneers, or Suburbans for 30 years.
You can't count on plowed roads, and when you have to get somewhere, having
4 wheel drive and the ability to haul people in relative comfort gets to be
kind of important.
The original Brook Stevens designed Wagoneers were originally made by
Willys/Jeep, then Kaiser/Jeep, then Jeep AMC, and finally Jeep Chrysler...
with nearly a 30 year production run. When Chrysler was making them, they
began to get the plush carpet, the leather seats, etc. They became
comparatively expensive... and they, along with Range Rovers, became the
choice of mall shoppers in towns near me like Lake Forest, IL (where folks
could afford to buy whatever they wanted). The FJ80 Landcruisers circa 1990
notched it up a bit with a redesign, and luxury built in. From there...
"mall rated" SUV craze took off.
I agree that 90% of SUV owners drive them for status, ego, or because
everyone else does... but some of us drive them because it's a safer way to
haul family in bad weather.
Speaking of International... they had a division in my home town, and one
year, nearly every mid manager and up got an International Scout. They were
everywhere.
-----Original Message-----
From owner-spridgets at autox.team.net [mailto:owner-spridgets@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Mark Hineline
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 9:34 PM
To: Frank Clarici
Cc: Spridget List
Subject: Re: Can't Make it Here Anymore
In the late 60s my family had what would have been the ultimate vehicle
-- today. It was an International Harvester Travelall. I drove it to my
high school prom. Wouldn't you know? It wasn't so fashionable back in
1970.
I hate fads, and SUVs are a long-running fad -- a crummy, gas guzzling,
sleazy, creepy social darwinstic fad.
On Jan 6, 2006, at 7:16 PM, Frank Clarici wrote:
> Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
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