Tiffany Farrow/The Valdosta Daily Times Michael Goodloe and his son Marcus check out an F-350 Super Duty truck while shopping for a vehicle earlier this month at Tom Davis Used Cars in Valdosta.

VALDOSTA — While gas prices fluctuate, it’s easy to remember both the good and the bad times. Just two months ago, prices had spiked up to $3 per gallon again, a drastic change from the 88 cents and 99 cents drivers paid in the late 1990s.

The price consumers pay is directly tied to the price of crude fuel, but it is supply and demand that can affect the bottom line. The more fuel that the economy demands, the more expensive the fuel can become. One would think that this knowledge would drive consumers to purchase smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

According to statistics from AutoCount, Automotive News Data Center (ANDC) and other organizations, this is not always case, especially in the South Georgia area.

AutoCount reported that the Chevy Tahoe ranked first in new vehicle sales for the Valdosta market with the Ford F150 coming in at a close second. In fact, there were only two cars, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, on the Top 10 list. The rest were sport utility vehicles (SUV) and full-sized trucks like the GMC Yukon, Chevy pickups and GMC Envoy.

The Top 10 list for used cars was very similar, with the Ford F150, Dodge Ram and Ford Explorer at the top. There were three cars, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord and Honda Civic, on the list.

It seems the nation as a whole is a bit more cautious, with six of the Top 10 best sellers being cars — Toyota Camry (3), Honda Accord (5), Honda Civic (6), Chevy Impala (7), Toyota Corolla (8) and Chevy Cobalt (10), according to the ANDC. The organization also reported that the best-selling vehicle in the United States so far for 2006 has been the Ford F-Series, a collection of full-size trucks, followed closely by another large truck, the Chevy Silverado.

CarSmart.com reported the Top 10 most popular used car list to include four SUVs and six cars while the Top 10 most popular new car list included seven cars, two mini-vans and one SUV. The Web site also provided a list of the Top 10 most fuel-efficient vehicles. However, only three of these were also on the most popular list.

While the nation as a whole is buying more cars, the Valdosta area doesn’t seem to be phased by high gas prices and large vehicles. But why?

About.com suggested five reasons why people buy these gas guzzlers: they need a combination of pulling capacity and passenger seating; they feel an SUV is a safer vehicle because it’s larger and heavier built; they want the cargo capacity and feel the SUV holds more than a station wagon; they want a vehicle that will get around better in snow; and they want the off-roading capabilities.

It also asserted that people may buy large vehicles because they can afford to pay the higher prices. While it may not fit actual needs, Americans “appreciate good styling, and SUVs are currently en vogue.”

Regardless of the reason, statistics show people shopping in the Valdosta market are consistently choosing larger vehicles over smaller cars, a trend that will probably continue.

The best solution — practice fuel saving tips to reduce demand as well as pollution.



Fuel-saving tips:

Source: Auto Junction

Do not use the clutch too much.

Switch the vehicle off at red light stops.

Drive in the gear corresponding to the speed.

Get your vehicle serviced regularly.

Avoid “Jack Rabbit” starts. Not only do they increase fuel consumption, but they are hard on your tires. Anticipating stops and avoiding abrupt stops will decrease fuel consumption and increase the life of your brakes and tires.

Avoid unnecessary steering wheel movement since each sideward movement of the tire causes fuel-consuming drag.

Maintain a steady speed.

Accelerate slowly on gravel or slippery roads.

Avoid unnecessary braking.

Take advantage of rolling resistance rather than heavy braking to help slow you down. This deceleration technique is one of the best for fuel saving.

Avoid using the air conditioner at lower speeds.



Also remember…

Revving the engine just before turning off the ignition costs extra fuel and may cause engine damage.

A poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by up to 50 percent.

Driving at 90 kilometers an hour rather than 100 can reduce fuel consumption by 10 percent.

Under-inflated tires can increase fuel consumption by 5 percent.

A loaded roof rack will increase fuel consumption by as much as 5 percent in highway driving.

Even an empty roof rack can increase consumption by 1 percent. If the carrier is not attached to the vehicle, remove it when not in use.

Changing spark plugs regularly can save a lot.





According to the U.S. Census Bureau, SUV registrations in Georgia increased 114 percent between 1997 and 2002.



Valdosta Market, Top 10 New Car Sales

Source: AutoCount

1. Chevy Tahoe (SUV)

2. Ford F150 (Truck)

3. Honda Accord (Car)

4. GMC Yukon (SUV)

5. Dodge Ram (Truck)

6. GMC Sierra (Truck)

7. Chevy C1500 (Truck)

8. Toyota Camry (Car)

9. Chevy K2500 (Truck)

10. GMC Envoy (SUV)



Top 10 for best mileage (highway)

Source: CarSmart.com

1. Honda Insight (66 mpg)

2. Honda Civic (51 mpg)

3. Toyota Prius (51 mpg)

4. Volkswagen Golf (44 mpg)

5. Volkswagen New Beetle (44 mpg)

6. Toyota Corolla (41 mpg)

7 Volkswagen Jetta (41 mpg)

8. Toyota Yaris (40 mpg)

9. Honda Fit (38 mpg)

10. Toyota Camry Hybrid (38 mpg)