Letters to the Editor
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Wrong
>Considering the energy used in auto manufacturing
>it is never better to buy a new car. Period. End
>of story.
Wrong. As others have already pointed out, older cars are a huge source of air pollution compared to newer vehicles. That pollution causes damage, which requires energy to repair (how much energy goes into treating a single individual for lung cancer, for example).
Older cars also tend to require more maintenance as they age, which comes with its own energy cost - parts, fluids, labor. They also tend to be less safe than newer vehicles with their sophisticated traction and stability control systems, passive restraints, and sturdier construction. Injuries caused by auto accidents also have a high associated energy cost, especially if they cause lasting disability.