LS1powered_Z28

Wow, I am highly disappointed with some of the thoughts in this thread. It is so upsetting to me that I actually had to go back from a couple years ago and find my password so I can make a reply to this thread. First let me say that I am an avid fan of this site and I love to see the wonderful things going on in the automotive world through the articles on this site. But rarely do I ever find something I feel I have to comment on. Then I read this thread and I about wanted to punch a baby! (sorry for the violence) So some of you say that the answer to consuming less fuel is by raising the tax rate on fuel ....... Wow, I'm shocked that it could be this simple. I'm also shocked that with what's going on with fuel prices right now you would even sugguest it. Well, frankly it can't be that simple. Raising the fuel tax will not help anyone... It may discourage a few Americans from buying gas guzzleing vehicles that they probably shouldn't but in the long run it will hurt the economy (hard, I might add) and it will not do anything to better our dependency on oil. Here's why- when taxes go up, practically no matter what tax it is, the middle class people of the US suffer. The middle class is the US economy's bread and buttter. If the fuel tax was raised, folks in the US would be spending more money on fuel, plain and simple. This leaves less money for them to buy other things, like "NEW more efficent cars." So simple folk will simply suffer through it and buy the gas they need to get to work and drop off the kids at school (I don't know about you guys but I took the bus to school everyday when it was too far to walk). I live in southern california and I know first hand the over abundance of large gas guzzling cars on the road. It's simply rediculus that people gripe about gas prices already ($3.30 a gallon currently today) and get into thier brand new v8 toyota tundra with 13 mpg. We ourselfves are to blame. Vehicles are getting bigger and bigger and the fuel consumption is not being helped by the fact that there are more and more cars driving on the road now compared to eve 10 years ago. Try finding a parking spot in southern cali everyday. It will drive you nuts. But back to the subject, raising the fuel tax IS NOT the answer. I know you guys on here are smarter than that. Come on, be more creative guys and gals. Now on another side of this point, what happens when you do make more effecient cars and trucks. Well, lets see....... it's kinda simple, you send less on fuel and consume less gas therefore should have more cash to buy other things, like maybe retail goods. You put more money into the economy, pretty simple huh. Not to mention that the price of regular goods produced here in the US and "transported" here will cost less because retailers will not have to spend as much getting them to you.... Transport costs go down. There is a bright side here. If fuel tax was to go up, due to tax or anything else, the cost of goods goes up. That screws with the bread and butter of the economy. Not a good idea unless 6 bucks a gallon of milk is alright with you. I'm not really in favor of it. So whats a good solution, well hmmmmm..... ? Lets build more effecient vehicles, so we don't have to use as much fuel. Lets not punish the manufactuer for making inefficent cars and trucks but more the buyers of these vehicles( change the gas guzzler tax anyone ?) . That would discourage people from buying the not so effiecent cars and if the people don't buy them the manufactuers will not sell them and be forced to make better cars that folks will buy. So all this talking about 4% bettter and 20% less fuel consumtion by so and so time is what needs to be done. Even though I have no idea where they came up with the numbers because I simply can not see how the relate ( 4% over ten years does not equal 20% less fuel consumption), I agree that Mr. Bush should HELP come up with a plan to make our fuel consumption go down. It can only help us and our economy, not to mention might clean up the air around here. But for god's sake, no more taxes, especially on gas ! Stop even thinking like that. Bush has had his work cut out for him since he has been in office, he's not perfect but. ....... the next time to say that George is the worst president ever , ask yourself if you think you can do better ? And if you think you can do better, why are you not doing anything besides sitting there and critizing something that you have never done. What good do you do by complaining about Mr. Bush and not doing anything to help the situation. Stop listening to the masses of people that say lots but do nothing..... Stop being a follower.... I may not agree with Mr. Bush but I support him in all his efforts. Oh, and for the guy that said that Mr. Bush doubled his salery while in office............ ahhhhhh, dude, might wanna research that a little more. Cause he isn't granted the power to do that. Where did you hear that anyway ?

#3 #1 Man, im kinda disappointed, i thought mine would really do better. Oh well on to the next one. I really need to get photo shop. ms paint is so difficult.

thats better, thanks this one was hard, it took me forever to think that idea up.

Hey, what happened to mine ? I did have a link to mine at least. I couldn't attach it for some reason so i had a link to it. here it is again. THIS LINK WAS MY ENTRY

I was a Union worker for a while. I don't believe Unions are a bad thing, but I believe the overall equation is simple. If your biggest competitor can manufacture something for half the price as you can and put out the same or close to the same quality, you will be undercut. Therefore you lose the price battle. Which leads to lost profits. So to become profitable you have to cut cost and "be competitive" Heres were the problem with unions come into effect. Unions are simply not going to be competitive. This gives the manufactuer no alterative but to get away from unions. If you can't compete, you do what you have to to compete. Unions need to compete to lower costs. Heres my solution, Have multiple unions that can bid on jobs and make promises to quality work. Similar to planning a building. Contact out for the same job and find the right mix. Unfortunatley, the price at which unions work, give little choice to manufactuers. Its the same with all business, if someone was selling a car across town for 1/3 less for the same car as you are looking at, would you really pay the difference ? Same holds true in business. BTW, there are reasons that executives make the kind of money they do. For many of them, stock in the company is part of thier pay. That means they, just like the unions , are going to do everything they can think of to turn a profit and please stock holders. It is not going to end, ever. Don't be complaining they they take home so much money and no one else does. They got thier by thier performance somewhere else. Ask Leah Iococa (^sp) if he ever took a pay cut because he didn't turn a profit. See what he says.

Gratz to you too Buddy, I knew you were gonna win. When I addmitted to myself that your idea was much cooler than mine I conceaded right then. BTW, just courious, what was the bonus points thing all about ? What do ya have to do for that ?

Umm, can I do Two totally different entries ? I mean totally different ... I'll give you a hint on one I'm workin on. See if you can guess what this one is ? Any clues ? You'll never guess Hmmmm, what are they ? Vroom

I love GM because they simply make the best cars. Case and point - my car and personal favorite - The Camaro The Corvette, the GTO, "Cadillac", Buick GNX, "SS" (superduper sport), the real meaning of the word TRUCK, 1935 Suburban, Nascar (hehe), NHRA, Corvair (hey, we all gotta learn), Quad four, Hot rod, Small block, Big block, Bel air, Avalanche, when you say Impala to a normal person they don't think of the animal, Malibu - see above ^, Horsepower measured in HP, not Kilowatts, ........I could go on forever but GM embodies the phrase "the American Dream." No one has ever said, my dream car is a 67 Toyota. lol And if they did, they need to be shot.

Here is my entry. Um, i had another idea for this one, can i do two entries ? Well , I call it the Chevy Tracker SS. chop

hmmm, umm, how are you supposed to chop this one ? it's already radical enough isn't it ?

hmmm, i might just get in on this one. i just got a weird idea.

ima gonna have to go with 3 (totally nice concept wish i woulda thought of that el camino idea, think i'd change the rear window line a little though) and hmmmmmm. ... ... .. .. .. ah #1 i guess. wow, not a lot of entries in this one. i wanna do another one now, whats next ?

And heres my entry for the rear.

Had some time off this week and decided to get in on this one so here's my entry for the front.

<------------ is a Camaro owner. If I got a new one it would be my 5th Camaro to date. Hell yes I would buy one. I plan on having one Camaro from every generation. I even like the Camro better than the Corvette. Yeah the new Z06 is freakin amazing, but I would hold true to my first love. GM bring it back and bring it with authority.