It appears the overall trend of people simply not buying anything new continues. Partly due to the economy, but I believe in part due to so many promises on the horizon. I know my wife has decided to keep her current vehicle a bit longer (she wants an Escape hybrid)until there is more competition and availability in that market.

Well all this proves is that if you're giving $10,000+ on incentives for trucks/large SUVs, they will move off the lot to a certain extent. The auto companies have seen the writing on the wall, they've slashed the number of shifts and closed down numerous truck/SUV plants.

The incentives played a part and the falling price at the pump didn't hurt. But the predictions of $150 - $200 for a barrel of oil did not come true. I think there were a lot of people that have a need for a truck or SUV that have been sitting on the sidelines just waiting to see what happened. Well, the summer driving season didn't exist, the 'Storm of the Century' didn't arrive and the dollar is getting stronger.

When GM and Ford depend on trucks and SUVs for profits, this is a bad trend. They could have changed their ways years ago, but waited until $4 per gallon of gasoline prices crushed them. That does not look like smart management to me. The rank and file will suffer for the bad management yet again and will continue to do so until something fundamentally changes.

Joseph,

The Dodge 2500 with the cummins diesel will routinely get 21 to 24 MPG depending on driver and axle/OD. I spoke to one oner of said vehicle who drove from Kalispel, MT to Wenatchee, WA and claimed 30 MPG. He said he cheated, though, he had a $450 custom chip in place of Dodge std. I also talked to a rancher near Omak, WA who had a 1999 Ford 250 with the 7.3L engine and he claimed 22mpg pulling a horse trailer with steed inside. Diesels in bigger pickup trucks(never talked to Duramax owners) can routinely get in excess 20mpg. Soon several of these manufacturers will put a smaller diesel into smaller pickups. I will venture a guess that prudent eco-drivers (ie non-Texans) will be able to routinely get 25+ mpg.
Rikiki

PS I can blast Texans because I am no longer one.

Rikiki,
The new emissions regulations are killing the improved economy of the diesels. The Ford trucks went from around 18MPG with the 6.0L to around 13MPG with the 6.4L. That was mostly due to the regeneration cycle that is needed to clean the particulate filter to meet the current and upcoming standards for particulate matter. This is and will continue to be installed on diesels to meet this new standard. I have also heard of the 7.3l getting around the 20 mark. Why do you think there was a drop in MPG even as the displacement dropped in 2003 with the 6.0L? It was because of the new emissions regulations that required the use of EGR systems and other devices to drop the nox to much lower levels. The use of small diesels will not be able to provide the improvement in fuel economy that you want due to the emissions regulations we in the US have chosen. There is a trade off clean air or low CO2 and good fuel economy. The use of the chip you reference gets that increase in economy by increasing boost and changing fuel timing. What does that do? It increases NOx and PM output, making the rig not meet clean air standards. Your friend with the ford truck and the chip that claims 30MPG is a liar or the trip was just down a pass. That being said, most of the fuel guzzling rigs on the road today are gas powered.

Ok kids I'll put the controversy to rest. Yes, there is a sizable population that needs pickup trucks. There are also a large number of people who own pickup trucks that don't need them. The difference now is that now the humiliation of a $100+ fillup far surpasses any feeling of being macho driving one.

Anon

You are partially correct, the product category I alluded to was too broad. People, please do some research before you buy. Some of the tuning boxes and power chips especially the older technologies are FMS (Fuel Management Systems) ONLY. However, the newer 'chips' they are actually programs now, no physical hard chip, manage not only the fuel but timing, boost(turbo) and the re-circulatory system. Most models sold in the US are de-tuned to fit or wrap around some Cafe threshold. Nearly every diesel that has been produced by the car companies over the last decade can get increased fuel efficiency AND lower emissions with a proper electronic tune.

JW

The guy with the 2001 DODGE diesel from Kalispel (with the chip)claimed 30mpg. The rancher from Omak with the 1999? Ford 7.3L diesel claimed just over 20mpg (with 5th wheel horse trailer in tow).

I concur with the statements about fuel usage and pollution. I don't think, however, that a national standard is necessary or wanted especially in long driving distance states like TX, WY, MT, ND, SD, UT,etc.... big distance between cities and mostly open spaces. We had separate and more stringent controls in CA (they still do)long before Feds got involved. If you lived between Sacramento and the Oregon border you wonder about the need for tight pollution controls when most of the pollution blows in from the SF bay area (except if they still burn rice stubble).... same from Stockton to Bakersfield.

If the rules were applied to specific areas/states where the rules are really effective, I think the savings in fuel in the broad, nearly empty, expanses of USA would certainly help the imported oil problem.

Back in the early 60's, one of my neighbors had a VW truck with the same 4 banger that I had in my VW Van. That worked..had to use gears to get up beyond Auburn and Blue canyon to Truckee,... but it worked. VW has had for several years now a compliant diesel in the Jettta and other TDI's that routinely get over 45mpg. Seems to me that a proven engine placed into a smaller (like the 60s version VW pickup) more modern truck frame would be an excellent small truck... Maybe they already have that in Europe. Makes a lot of sense to me for the USA. Especially outfitted for the surburbanites.(4 doors and small cargo bed)

Rikiki

These stats seem to demonstrate that we will buy just about any monster vehicle if the price is low enough, regarless if we need it or not.

What an odd behavior.