Where Do You Stand Now?

[zelio]

Yikes! That is even worse! Anyone got an Elgin handy? LOL :-) Z

 

[Rickb]

I'm curious, Edward. Why are you even considering the Elio? All the things you think are poor sellers are the very things I and many others love about the Elio. I love the looks, I love the 3 wheels and I firmly believe there are enough intelligent people out there willing to move away from BIG VEHICLES. I frankly hate big vehicles. I love the feel of driving something small and limber. I am fully aware small vehicles may not appear to be as safe but I consider them safer because the drivers tend to be more responsible. I can understand, sort of, needing a big truck to pull your big trailer/camper/small vehicle. What do see being towed behind those big gas hogs? Small vehicles. I have neighbors who traded in their big truck because they sold their 5th wheel. They bought something similar to the PT Cruiser and they love it. For one thing they are both handicapped and had a hard time getting into and out of their truck. For another they hated the mpg with the truck. They could not afford to go anywhere with it. Since they bought the smaller car they have taken several trips including the one they took the week they bought it. Instead of coming directly home from Eugene where they bought it, they drove up the coast for several days. They were thrilled. You are young so are only seeing one side of the demographics here. By all means, choose another vehicle if you don't like the Elio. In the mean time, please go rain on someone else's parade. Z

Z, I think Edward is actually an Elio fan and buying it as a commuter vehicle to save some money like a lot of others. Just pointing out what he thinks might be some marketing hurdles. I'm old and think Elio will fly......it is what Elio means it to be for a lot of different people for a lot of different reasons.

 

[Craig]

I'm curious, Edward. Why are you even considering the Elio? All the things you think are poor sellers are the very things I and many others love about the Elio. I love the looks, I love the 3 wheels and I firmly believe there are enough intelligent people out there willing to move away from BIG VEHICLES. I frankly hate big vehicles. I love the feel of driving something small and limber. I am fully aware small vehicles may not appear to be as safe but I consider them safer because the drivers tend to be more responsible. I can understand, sort of, needing a big truck to pull your big trailer/camper/small vehicle. What do see being towed behind those big gas hogs? Small vehicles. I have neighbors who traded in their big truck because they sold their 5th wheel. They bought something similar to the PT Cruiser and they love it. For one thing they are both handicapped and had a hard time getting into and out of their truck. For another they hated the mpg with the truck. They could not afford to go anywhere with it. Since they bought the smaller car they have taken several trips including the one they took the week they bought it. Instead of coming directly home from Eugene where they bought it, they drove up the coast for several days. They were thrilled. You are young so are only seeing one side of the demographics here. By all means, choose another vehicle if you don't like the Elio. In the mean time, please go rain on someone else's parade. Z

Once a sh-t stirrer, always a sh-t stirrer.
People like this don't have the brains or money to implement their own ideas into the car without forcing others to bow to their whims and spread their wealth. Rather socialistic if you ask me. JMO

 

[zelio]

Z, I think Edward is actually an Elio fan and buying it as a commuter vehicle to save some money like a lot of others. Just pointing out what he thinks might be some marketing hurdles. I'm old and think Elio will fly......it is what Elio means it to be for a lot of different people for a lot of different reasons.

I honestly can't see buying a vehicle I hate simply to save money on commuting unless there are no other options. To me buying anything one hates is a waste of money because it will get used as little as possible. At least that is my experience. I was coerced into buying a car I hated at a dealership and ended up making double car payments until it was paid off enough so I could turn around and sell it while I drove another car. I even filed a complaint with the company - Toyota - and what they did was refer my letter back to the dealership!!! I think my blood pressure just shot remembering that! LOL Z

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

PJ, are you the same guy that screwed up pickup trucks by lopping 2' off the box to add more dang seats? If so, we need to talk!

I ( and I'd bet a lot of the people I see driving solo every day on my 45 mile commute) could care less if the back seat holds 2 rug rats.

Anyone up here will need 2 cars anyway. The single rear wheel will be a real handful when there's 2 tracks through the snow. I will be feeding the Silverado those days.

 

[Edward]

I frankly hate big vehicles. I love the feel of driving something small and limber. I am fully aware small vehicles may not appear to be as safe but I consider them safer because the drivers tend to be more responsible.

I hate big vehicles as well. But there are small vehicles (like a Corolla or Civic), and there are SMALL vehicles, like the ForTwo. The SMART car is held in near universal contempt by nearly everyone I know. Not dislike, "oh it's not for me" out and out CONTEMPT, because regardless of facts or advertising, they cannot see how an occupant of want wouldn't be killed in an accident.

I honestly can't see buying a vehicle I hate simply to save money on commuting unless there are no other options. To me buying anything one hates is a waste of money because it will get used as little as possible. At least that is my experience. I was coerced into buying a car I hated at a dealership and ended up making double car payments until it was paid off enough so I could turn around and sell it while I drive another car. I even filed a complaint with the company - Toyota - and what they did was refer my letter back to the dealership!!! I think my blood pressure just shot remembering that! LOL Z

Zelio, Rickb hit it on the head. In my introduction I stated that I don't like the look of it and all of my friends were already laughing at me for even considering it, but at the end of the day, I could care less what the vehicle I'm driving looks like if it gets me to work reliably. The fact that the Elio will save me roughly $3000 per year in gas for the same price of the used car I'd probably be buying when my Chrysler finally blows up means I want it.
My needs for a commuter vehicles, in order are:

1. highway capable
2. enclosed
3. cheap
4. efficient

Everything else is details. But my point, as you stated, is that I am not typical.
I hope the Elio gets built. If it does, I see it fulfilling a niche market and staying afloat for a while. But I frankly don't see it becoming a mainstream vehicle like many people here do. Long term success will likely be dependent of getting bought by a larger brand to support them, like SMART has the backing of Mercedes.

 

[Rickb]

I honestly can't see buying a vehicle I hate simply to save money on commuting unless there are no other options. To me buying anything one hates is a waste of money because it will get used as little as possible. At least that is my experience. I was coerced into buying a car I hated at a dealership and ended up making double car payments until it was paid off enough so I could turn around and sell it while I drive another car. I even filed a complaint with the company - Toyota - and what they did was refer my letter back to the dealership!!! I think my blood pressure just shot remembering that! LOL Z

I agree.......wouldn't buy a vehicle I hated either..........I like Elio's style and it has to be comfortable to drive with reasonable road handling capability too. Sorry.......I may have been the indirect cause of your BP spike!

 

[zelio]

I agree.......wouldn't buy a vehicle I hated either..........I like Elio's style and it has to be comfortable to drive with reasonable road handling capability too. Sorry.......I may have been the indirect cause of your BP spike!

Obviously I was not as assertive back then as I am now. LOL :-) Z

 

[Rickb]

I hate big vehicles as well. But there are small vehicles (like a Corolla or Civic), and there are SMALL vehicles, like the ForTwo. The SMART car is held in near universal contempt by nearly everyone I know. Not dislike, "oh it's not for me" out and out CONTEMPT, because regardless of facts or advertising, they cannot see how an occupant of want wouldn't be killed in an accident.


Zelio, Rickb hit it on the head. In my introduction I stated that I don't like the look of it and all of my friends were already laughing at me for even considering it, but at the end of the day, I could care less what the vehicle I'm driving looks like if it gets me to work reliably. The fact that the Elio will save me roughly $3000 per year in gas for the same price of the used car I'd probably be buying when my Chrysler finally blows up means I want it.
My needs for a commuter vehicles, in order are:

1. highway capable
2. enclosed
3. cheap
4. efficient

Everything else is details. But my point, as you stated, is that I am not typical.
I hope the Elio gets built. If it does, I see it fulfilling a niche market and staying afloat for a while. But I frankly don't see it becoming a mainstream vehicle like many people here do. Long term success will likely be dependent of getting bought by a larger brand to support them, like SMART has the backing of Mercedes.

The problem with the Smart is not safety but rather it's butt ugly (IMO), overpriced, and low mpg for it's small vehicle class. The Elio is much Smarter for 2 in so many ways. The Smarter Car for Two! Marketing genius!

You are an Elio supporter and the 4 commuter vehicle needs you list echo Paul Elio's and he throws in anticipated 5 star safety. Your friends and family will understand and even like the Elio when they see yours.

 

[Folks]

I wish people would not use the phrase "butt ugly" around us Element owners. I even popped the big "H" Honda insignia off the back of my Element just to make it more "butt beautiful".