Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > General Discussions > Off-Topic Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-25-2006, 05:46 PM
whunter's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 17,416
The future of driving in the USA

pastmaster
Location: Alma, MI

Todays and future transportation...
-------------------------------------------------
I was pondering the future of driving in the Nation, and think that an exchange of ideas on how we are coping with it may be of help to us in general; a discussion if nothing else.

From buying and riding bicycles to the same for a good Mule and wagon!


Note:
Redirects are in "Diesel Discussion", "Tech Help" and Links due to general interest and the expectation that most vehicles discussed will not be MB = the actual thread is in Open Discussion.
All data directly related to this topic is welcome.
Have a great day.


Last edited by whunter; 04-25-2006 at 06:10 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-25-2006, 06:37 PM
Cabernet red, actually
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Willamette Valley, OR
Posts: 503
In the future all cars will have so many gadgets/gizmos that it will take ten years of training before you are even able to change the oil on them.

But if you own a shop and have connections with insurance companies, you will be rich!!
__________________
Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-25-2006, 06:45 PM
engatwork's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Soperton, Ga. USA
Posts: 13,647
You will soon be seeing more little cars like this

Honda Fit

I looked at one of these while at the Honda dealer this weekend test driving the Honda Ridgeline and was pretty impressed.
__________________
Jim
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-25-2006, 07:13 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 255
Quote:
Originally Posted by engatwork
Honda Fit

I looked at one of these while at the Honda dealer this weekend test driving the Honda Ridgeline and was pretty impressed.
You were impressed? I bought a Fit Sport over the weekend...
__________________
--
Steven Harrison

1993 300E2.8 - 196K
2001 E320 4MATIC - 86K
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-25-2006, 08:30 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Albuquerque, NM USA
Posts: 1,947
The future is (should be) diesel.

The only "crisis" is now Americans must pay same as rest of the world.

Kind of funny, actually.
__________________
Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-25-2006, 09:19 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Rockville MD
Posts: 833
I suspect we will be learning lots of lessons from Europe. They have had high quality small cars for decades, whereas in the US small still equates junk. One thing is for sure: The future is NOT mass transit. After 15 years of subway ridership, I finally have a job where I don't have to take the subway, and I am not going back.
__________________
1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-25-2006, 09:30 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 255
Quote:
Originally Posted by raymr
I suspect we will be learning lots of lessons from Europe. They have had high quality small cars for decades, whereas in the US small still equates junk. One thing is for sure: The future is NOT mass transit. After 15 years of subway ridership, I finally have a job where I don't have to take the subway, and I am not going back.
I'm from the UK, so I'm probably biased but I think that mass transit works - when I was living and working in London I didn't own a car, and I managed with the above-ground trains south of the river (where I lived and worked), or the tube when north.

In Seattle, they're converting the three-stop underground bus tunnel into light rail, with one station just one block from my office downtown. If they'd connect central Kitsap county to it, I'd take that light rail in a heartbeat.

There were plenty of small cars in the UK/Europe that are coming over here. I saw a couple of Toyota Yaris' (one of the cars that we were also considering, but went for the Honda Fit as mentioned above), and when mentioning to my relatives that I had a 'small 2.8 liter' engine, some of them revealed that they had 1000cc engines in their cars.
__________________
--
Steven Harrison

1993 300E2.8 - 196K
2001 E320 4MATIC - 86K
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-25-2006, 09:45 PM
TheDon's Avatar
Ghost of Diesels Past
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 13,285
Quote:
Originally Posted by engatwork
Honda Fit

I looked at one of these while at the Honda dealer this weekend test driving the Honda Ridgeline and was pretty impressed.
same exact thing as an Aveo/scion XA... well it appears.. same class .. if its diesel i might change my mind about it. does it got that vtak yo
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-25-2006, 09:57 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Posts: 8,150
We will learn not to commute so much, doesn't matter what in. Europe is way ahead of us, in spite of the fact that the US had the best mass transit systems in the world in 1950...

Watch for the mass migration back into the cities -- no way to get there from the 'burbs inside a decade.

Peter
__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-25-2006, 10:08 PM
Strife's Avatar
General Purpose Geek
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: KY USA
Posts: 2,238
Quote:
Originally Posted by psfred
We will learn not to commute so much, doesn't matter what in. Europe is way ahead of us, in spite of the fact that the US had the best mass transit systems in the world in 1950...

Watch for the mass migration back into the cities -- no way to get there from the 'burbs inside a decade.

Peter
Sadly, I think that this is true. We really screwed ourselves by building out with no mass transit. When I think of all of the lost opprotunities I saw in Chicago alone for light rail, it makes me sick.
__________________
86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-25-2006, 10:09 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Rockville MD
Posts: 833
Quote:
Originally Posted by smharr4
I'm from the UK, so I'm probably biased but I think that mass transit works - when I was living and working in London I didn't own a car, and I managed with the above-ground trains south of the river (where I lived and worked), or the tube when north.

In Seattle, they're converting the three-stop underground bus tunnel into light rail, with one station just one block from my office downtown. If they'd connect central Kitsap county to it, I'd take that light rail in a heartbeat.

There were plenty of small cars in the UK/Europe that are coming over here. I saw a couple of Toyota Yaris' (one of the cars that we were also considering, but went for the Honda Fit as mentioned above), and when mentioning to my relatives that I had a 'small 2.8 liter' engine, some of them revealed that they had 1000cc engines in their cars.
Mass transit works in Europe because everything is so close together AND its something everybody wants. But your Seattle example is already qualified with an IF. Same as my experience: IF only the trains were more reliable, IF they were less crowded, IF it went where I wanted to go, IF they maintained the air conditioning, IF it didn't cost me $1200 bucks a year for this priviledge (thats with employee subsidies). The DC metro is supposed to be one of the best systems in the country, but its design is outdated and replacing it is out of the question due to cost. If I never hear the ding-dong door closing chime again while jammed between someones briefcase and some fat woman's elbow, its fine by me! Yes we have lack of commitment to real mass transit. In reality, a step by step approach is needed, and the first step is to turn all those SUV behemoths into flower planters ASAP.
__________________
1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-26-2006, 01:19 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 783
Public Transit

I used to ride public transit when I worked at CNN. It was a really enjoyable experience actually. I would drive my new Volvo to the marta lot (a whopping total of 2 miles both ways) and park it there for the day. Jump on the train and ride it all the way down to CNN center. It worked well because I lived near a station with parking and CNN center had its own train stop. The only mileage I put on the new car was personal mileage and the 2 miles a day to and from work. There were problems of course when I needed to go somewhere for work I could not just jump in the car out of the parking deck I would have to take the train to my car and then drive to where I needed and back to the station and take the train back.

The main problem with public transport is that most public transport systems are considered "low end". Most of the riders of the public transport system ride it because they cant afford cars. Therefore the public transport people have no real desire to provide a decent experience. Here in Atlanta the trains going to the airport and to other downtown areas are rather efficient while the rest of the system is total crap.

I have considered doing public transit but there is not a train station close to me anymore. Additionally you do spend more time taking public transit then you do driving due to waiting for the train/bus and walking to your destination.

Until we overcome the "low end" idea of public transit most people will consider themselves above riding it. For example take prepaid mobile phone service. Here in the US it has not caught on well because of the "low end" connotations and its being marketed towards buyers with sub prime credit. In Europe most mobile phone service is prepaid because there is no stigma attached to being frugal.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-26-2006, 01:31 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 783
Quote:
Originally Posted by engatwork
Honda Fit

I looked at one of these while at the Honda dealer this weekend test driving the Honda Ridgeline and was pretty impressed.
Hmmm... Im not impressed.... 38mpg? The VW Golf TDI 4 door has the same utility and MUCH better fuel economy..... If I was going to sacrifice my comfort in a small car I would want a better return for what I was giving up.....
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-26-2006, 01:59 AM
compress ignite's Avatar
Drone aspiring to Serfdom
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: 32(degrees) North by 81(degrees) West
Posts: 5,554
Diesel/Electric

There is a reason that trains use Diesel/Electric engines...scale: energy produced versus economy.

The U.S. is being forced to continue Enslavement to the same energy con-
sortium that has profited from our needs since the 1890's.

We can produce more than we need in fuel requirements ;wether "BIO" or
"Syn" fuel in renewable resources.(From corn/soybeans/sugarcane OR..OR..
Synthetic from COAL [with the only by product being CO2 , which would be
sold to the oil producers to pressurize the old wells to increase production]

What's left of the AMERICAN farmers would love the opportunity to grow
renewable energy .

"F": The Idiots inside the Beltway in D.C.(Who are only looking for the next
Jack or Jill Abromoff) Elected and Lobbiests,The oil consortium who seeks
to maintain status quo,The IDIOTS at FORD and G.M. who refuse to give
us SAFE fuel efficient vehicles{the jackasses didn't learn from V.W. in the
'60s nor the Japanese EVER SINCE.}
'Call your U.S. Senator(s) and Congressperson(s) and tell them that they
will be depending on their retirement (unless we can get lucky and revoke
it!)
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-26-2006, 09:03 AM
Ta ra ra boom de ay
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 1,915
Quote:
Originally Posted by psfred
...Europe is way ahead of us, in spite of the fact that the US had the best mass transit systems in the world in 1950... ...
There used to be miles of trolly tracks here in my county. People didn't have cars at the rate they do now and then the inerstate system turned an all day drive into an hour commute. They ripped up all the trolly tracks and replaced them with a smattering of buses. Now the tracks are begining to be laid down again, on a smaller scale.

It will be interesting to see how future housing prices are affected by their proximity to a train stop.

__________________
-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831799-post13.html
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831807-post14.html
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:53 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page