Down at the automobile showroom, red-hot gas prices are melting the rules — altering what customers buy, how they negotiate and what they can get for their old cars. For many, costly fuel has brought a growing sense that big and inefficient vehicles are a luxury they can no longer afford.
"Put the letter V and the number eight together now, and it scares people," said Santa Monica Nissan salesman Adam Escobar, who was taking a smoking break on a quiet weekday afternoon as he waited for the occasional customer. "The first question they ask now is, how much does it cost to fill the tank?"
Los Angeles Times via Yahoo! News
