Minivans, Big Cars, SUVs and High Gas Prices.

In the early '70s during the oil embargo, I can remember very vividly when I heard the statement: "There is no market for a small car in America". Oops! Enter Honda, Toyota and other innovative automakers whose independent thinking guided them enough to ignore such nonsense. Well, since then gas has risen from $.45 to $4.09 a gallon and here we are again. While the Toyota Prius has a 6 month waiting list, GM and other car manufacturers of large fuel inefficient vehicles are suffering and who's to blame? Advertisers make us believe that if we don't drive a minivan with 50 cup holders and 5 flat screen TVs or a three axle, four door truck or the coolest monster SUV, that we are just not "with it". I don't know about you, but personally I never thought that advertisers were smarter than me to the extent that they know better than I what I really need.