this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2024
39 points (95.3% liked)
NZ Politics
560 readers
2 users here now
Kia ora and welcome to the NZ Politics community!
This is a place for respectful discussions about everything that's political and kiwi
This is an inclusive space where diverse opinions are valued, but please don't be a dick
Banner image by Tom Ackroyd, CC-BY-SA
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Utes are a Swiss army knife of a vehicle, they may be worse at one job, but they're good enough at being a trade vehicle and a weekend vehicle that you can just have one to do everything.
Sure, as I said they have their place. But does a mum need one to drop her kids off at school? Does an accountant need one to meet a client?
We aren't talking about tradies or people towing boats (there are better towing vehicles btw), we are talking about all the spotless rangers and hiluxes clogging up city streets.
How do you know they're not towing or hauling camping gear over the holidays? Just because you don't see them doing it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
Other vehicles are more comfortable, safer and can haul just as well or more. I personally haul a trailer using my SUV, and it does the job fine. It could haul a boat no problem (I don't have a boat, obviously). There is no reason for a ute to haul a boat.
So, you're part of the problem.
Of having large vehicles on the road? Sure, I never claimed I wasn't. But I tend to only use it for long trips with the kids, hauling a trailer or going somewhere I need AWD. The rest of the time, including to and from work, I drive a hatch back that uses 20% the fuel and easier to park.
How much fuel could you buy for what it costs you to buy, register, and insure another car? How much mileage do you need to do to recoup that cost?
If I had a ute, I wouldn't drive it to work either, so I don't know what your point is.
You didn't answer my question. It costs at least a grand a year to register, WOF and insure a vehicle, plus it takes up space, and that's before things like depreciation etc.
That would buy a lot of fuel for the ute.
I answered what was going to be your followup question.
You are wanting me to answer with some large number, and then you will point out if I had a ute I would save all that money! I could do all the things with one vehicle!
Except I wouldn't. I wouldn't drive a ute to work, because I don't need it and it wastes fuel. It would sit at home just as much as my SUV, and more in fact because they are less comfortable for taking the whole family on a trip. I can't get 7 in a ute, but I can in my SUV.
So my point is, even if a ute could do hauling and commuting, it would cost me just as much because I would still have two vehicles.