Anybody interested in hybrids?

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  1. pjdscott profile image68
    pjdscottposted 16 years ago

    I ask since we drive a Toyota Prius, having recently traded in for the 2008 model. Our 2005 version was superb and the new model even better. The car salesroom had a push to sell some, and we got the T5 spirit showroom model for the price of the T5. They also gave us a complimentary solar panel that charges the car battery!

    If you want to post about hybrids, do leave a message. With the price of petrol/gas increasing by the day, it's great to have a car that is extremely economical, yet highly practical. Obviously it is not a performance car (!) but I have long gone past the stage where I want to tear from 'A to B' in a massive hurry. In fact, the Prius has made me change my driving style and I really enjoy my driving once again!

    PJD

    1. profile image48
      McCarthyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Hybrids suck and are designed for <snipped--homophobic>.

      1. pjdscott profile image68
        pjdscottposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        McCarthy - you might have noticed the title of this forum and you're not interested in hybrids...why don't you start your own forum with your own special interest?

  2. Misha profile image65
    Mishaposted 16 years ago

    Yeah, they definitely became an economically viable option with the rise of price of gas. I still drive regular cars though smile

  3. DJ Funktual profile image68
    DJ Funktualposted 16 years ago

    I want one but I unfortunately can't afford it.  I was in a bad wreck over Christmas Holiday and my Corolla is now deceased.  I had to take the $ and get a truck to haul my DJ equipment but I hate that now I'm an SUV guy.  Yuck!  Black Ford Explorer.

  4. SparklingJewel profile image66
    SparklingJewelposted 16 years ago

    I just bought an '08 Kia Spectra5. Not a hybrid but great gas mileage, up to 32 highway.

    I pick it up on Monday...can't wait ! smile It has taken a long time for me to build credit for a brand new car, having been a single mother of 4 for so many years.

    I am going to take a long Victory drive on Monday ! big_smilebig_smilebig_smilebig_smilebig_smile

    1. pjdscott profile image68
      pjdscottposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Many congrats SparklingJewel! I hope you have many happy years of motoring. DJ Funktual - at least you got sorted out with another car and (presumably) we not badly injured. It sounds as if you walked away from the crash.

    2. JoeSlick profile image61
      JoeSlickposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Did you get a good deal?....careful. That is what I do at Smart-Car-Buying.com
      Joe

  5. Mark Knowles profile image58
    Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

    As a European, I find it interesting what Americans consider to be good gas mileage. The average in Europe is 40 mpg.

    So that Kia is well below average for a European car, but very efficient for an American car (average 20.4 mpg)

    Misha - are you a hypermiler?

    1. pjdscott profile image68
      pjdscottposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Likewise Mark - I'm also curious (and somewhat staggered by Misha's response - I'm sure he is not alone!). If my mpg dips below 50mpg (in the winter, when it is below freezing), I'm extremely upset! I would guess our average winter mileage is around 53mpg for urban driving, 55mpg for long distance.

      In summer it rises to 56/59mpg - last year, driving back from Italy (1500 miles), we averaged about 62mpg! Being a hybrid it is automatic - however, you need to drive very carefully to get these mileages - see funride's hub:
      http://hubpages.com/hub/MY-HYBRID-CAR

      That's just as well since petrol/gas in the UK are one of the most expensive in Europe.

      Funride - your new civic looks superb - it's an excellent car with beautiful engineering.

      Peter



    2. Marisa Wright profile image85
      Marisa Wrightposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Me too.   I will never forget arriving in Australia 20 years ago, and discovering that the car my British boss had been chauffeured around in (by a driver with a peaked cap and a uniform) was considered a lady's shopping runabout (it was an Opel Astra).   

      At the time, Australians believed that any car less than 2.5 litres was only for tootling around town.  As soon as you had to transport a few kids, or drive out of town, you needed a big four or preferably a big six!   Thankfully things have improved a bit since then, but there are still far too many big four-wheel drives being used on five-minute journeys.

      When I was a kid, we used to regularly go on holiday to the other end of Scotland by car - Mum, Dad, four kids and the budgie (in his cage on someone's lap).  We didn't have a people mover (not invented then) or even a big car, but we fitted in perfectly well, thank you.

      1. pjdscott profile image68
        pjdscottposted 16 years agoin reply to this

        Things are definitely changing in these parts, even though there are still too many unnecessary 4x4/people movers around. One of the reasons we got such a great trade-in price for our 2005 Prius was that the salesman said it would be sold to someone in London, probably within two weeks. Why? Because the Prius is one of a few vehicles exempt from the congestion charge, currently £8 per day (about $15.50). That's £40/$77 a week or £160/£310 a month, just to access London, for the cost of a yearly £10 administration fee. Former mayor Ken Livingstone wanted to increase it to £25 a day, but it remains to be seen what Boris Johnson will do. Manchester looks as if it will introduce a similar charge.

        The congestion charge has been an outstanding success in removing traffic from central London, although some businesses will say they have lost revenue, and others state they had to add the cost to customers' delivery charges. In London cycling, walking and using public transport have all increased.

      2. profile image48
        McCarthyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        Who are you to decide that there are too many 4-wheel drives on the road.  If I want to drive a tractor-trailer to the store to get milk, then I will.  These pollution scare tactics don't work anymore.  Most people are smarter then that.  I say "most" because obviously if you believe it, then there are still suckers in this country.

        1. pjdscott profile image68
          pjdscottposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          I 'm suggesting there are 'unneccessary' 4x4s, typically people who live in cities and don't need the traction to use tarmac. If you don't think the world is warming, then ask the Yup'ik Eskimos in Alaska - they recently had to migrate because the homes they and their ancestors have had on the ice for the past 2000 years has melted:

          http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 … matechange

          I'm not suggesting for a moment that anybody driving a 4x4 caused such damage but it has to come from somewhere...and the automobile is one of the suspects...

    3. LeoneL profile image69
      LeoneLposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Would I be right if I think that you would prefer clean diesel over hybrid?

      I know European automakers are investing not on hybrid vehicles but on the development of efficient and clean diesel engines (and also pointed out by VJnator). 

      The only Japanese automaker I know of which follows this thinking is NIssan.  Maybe because of Ghosn being the CEO of Renault.

  6. Misha profile image65
    Mishaposted 16 years ago

    What is hypermiler?

    Nowadays I mostly drive Murano - and it averages 15-16 MPG.

  7. Mark Knowles profile image58
    Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

    There are a bunch of American drivers who claim to get extremely good mileage from normal cars by driving in a certain way - they call themselves  hypermilers

    15 mpg @ $12 a gallon. Hmmmmm.......

    Coming soon to a gas station near you. How long before it is $1 a mile?

    1. Misha profile image65
      Mishaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Mark,
      If/when I can't afford it, I just let it go and start driving something smaller. smile
      It's a family car, and since I haul the kids around while my wife is on her regular job, I drive it smile
      And yeah, I can drive like a hypermiler - but it often becomes too boring tongue

      Funride,
      You should look into CRX HF from late 80s. They are extremly hard to find in a good shape nowadays, but if you manage to find one I bet you'll like it smile They are manual, fun to drive, and make more than 50 MPG on a highway. smile

      Pjdscott,
      It's a family car - see above smile We also have two regular civics that we use when don't need to haul kids, and they average in the 25-30 MPG area.

  8. funride profile image67
    funrideposted 16 years ago

    Thank you Peter wink. Finally a thread where I can brag about my new Honda civic hybrid 2008 big_smile.

    http://z.hubpages.com/u/230333_f520.jpg

    I love it even though the older one made better mileages. That´s the price for having an automatic drive roll.

  9. thranax profile image71
    thranaxposted 16 years ago

    Hybrids will be taking up most of the market. Just this morning on the news they said theres a 6 month wait on Prius and a few months wait on the other hybrids (most of them). Its really remarkable the new cars that run on hybrid technology or just the electric only cars are making there way to being widely available to all persons of low and high income.

  10. Sprinkler Man profile image58
    Sprinkler Manposted 16 years ago

    I just received an email about a car developed in Japan that runs on nothing but H20 - Thats water you know.

    http://www.reuters.com/news/video?video … Channel=74

    This is the 2nd generation of water 4 gas.

    And yes the water for gas technology does work and there is plenty of proof that it works.

    SM

    1. Misha profile image65
      Mishaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Please, I would love to see it. smile Proof, not youtube videos showing beer can attached to engine. At least dyno results from trusted source smile And no, what Reuters reporter wrote is not the proof - he obviously does not understand at all what he is writing about.

      1. thranax profile image71
        thranaxposted 16 years agoin reply to this

        It would be interesting to see proof honestly, because if there isn't any then the water for gas theory isn't right. I do know there is an Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Car (you can see GM's at this page:
        http://www.gm.com/explore/technology/fuel_cells/ ).

  11. pjdscott profile image68
    pjdscottposted 16 years ago

    Like Misha, I want to see actual proof of these developments. The hydrogen concept trials look like they might work and will have a serious impact on world politics if cheaply, commercially and widely available. I wonder what the oil-producing nations are thinking about the future? Will the black gold have the same political power and influence as it did in the twentieth century?

  12. WeddingConsultant profile image64
    WeddingConsultantposted 16 years ago

    I LOVE the Honda CRX.  I had an Si and it was a ton of fun to drive.  I think I paid like $1000 for it and it lasted for many years.  Then I sold it to my brother and he had it for years.  Boy do I miss that fun little car.

    And Misha why are you talking about MPG?  I thought you telecommuted to work?

  13. Misha profile image65
    Mishaposted 16 years ago

    My wife still commutes, and I still have kids to haul around smile
    And heck, I just love to drive smile

  14. WeddingConsultant profile image64
    WeddingConsultantposted 16 years ago

    You love to drive?  I would have NEVER thought...!

    1. thranax profile image71
      thranaxposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      I didnt think that eather!! No wai.

  15. pjdscott profile image68
    pjdscottposted 16 years ago

    I see latest developments by third-party engineers on the Prius include a version with solar panels. Now that makes a lot of sense...

    When we got our car, the garage gave us a small solar panel to keep the 12v battery topped up.

  16. dynn profile image60
    dynnposted 16 years ago

    this new technology still expensive in my country.

  17. pjdscott profile image68
    pjdscottposted 16 years ago

    It's expensive in a lot of countries dynn. However, as more people become interested, the price will decrease. Incidentally, these are my updated mpg figures which include US gallons (quite different from the Imperial gallons I previously quoted):

    Toyota's best-expected economy for the 2008 Prius on 'Extra urban' (ie., motorway/freeway continuous driving) is 67.3mpg [80.82mpg US gallons] whereas I managed 64.5mpg [77.5mpg US gallons] on a long drive in good weather conditions.

    The Toyota urban figure is 56.5mpg [67.85mpg US] - even in winter, when economy is not so good due to cold engines and the disadvantage of driving through cold air - I still get around 53-55mpg [63.6-6mpg US].

    For more info you're most welcome to read my latest hub.

    Peter

    1. profile image48
      McCarthyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Economy is actually better in cold weather because the air is denser.  try again

      1. pjdscott profile image68
        pjdscottposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        I completely disagree - economy is better in warmer weather than colder because (a) engines require less energy to reach warm operating temperatures (b) warm engine oil creates less drag on moving parts. The only disadvantage in very warm weather is requiring constant air conditioning but that is balanced in cold weather by requiring cabin temperature. In winter stop-start/short journeys are particularly damaging to your fuel economy because the engine does not have time to reach a satisfactory operating temperature - you might notice that your choke (particularly automatic versions) insists on higher revolutions of the engine when it is cold. Higher revs = lower fuel economy.

        McCarthy - I don't know if it is cold at the moment where you are but to prove my point, try leaving your vehicle outside all night, as opposed to leaving it covered/garaged, and then see whether being left outside gives you better economy. I look forward to your results.

  18. Scott Mandrake profile image60
    Scott Mandrakeposted 15 years ago

    Getting back to hybrids<insert ominous glare here> I have always wondered at the wisdom of operating a simultaneously underpowered gas engine on the freeway, and underpowered electric motor in the city.  I guess you can't have the best of both worlds.... unless you go full electric that is.

    Scott

  19. RavynSteel profile image68
    RavynSteelposted 15 years ago

    I drive a gas/petrol hybrid car and it's great, except in cold weather when it really just doesn't want to get going! But once the engine has warmed up it's a nice economical car, which still has decent pick-up even though a hybrid loses an average of 5bhp after a conversion. But the best thing is the peace of mind; knowing I can fill up and run 2 separate fuel tanks provides no end of comfort on long journeys!

  20. VJnator profile image61
    VJnatorposted 15 years ago

    The idea of Hybrids is a good one. I think the only issue the world-market will have is that the  pricing is off on Hybrid cars. Consumers will have to analize their needs and odds, if a more expensive Hybrid (cost of purchase and almost non-negotiation power for the buyer) will make up for their spending on gas and the mileage they drive over the period of time they own the vehicle,.

    In Germany, where I am coming from, the Diesel is the "golden way" for almost 70% of all car buyers. VW, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi and the french manufacturers Renault and Citroen selling 2/3 of their fleet in Diesel engines. The rest of the Gas engine production will be shipped oversee, like to the U.S. As you may know the phrase of "Clean Diesel Technology" is appearing more and more in the U.S. media, and that is also the reason why BMW North America will release this month the first BMW Diesels in form of BMW 3 Series and BMW X5 SUV's.

    I myself drive a MINI Cooper. The first one with a less horse-powered engine brought me up to 40 mpg. I traded it for more fun and SPEED to an turbo-charged S-Model, which still brings me around the 35 mpg mark.

  21. pjdscott profile image68
    pjdscottposted 15 years ago

    Some great points here about hybrid and new diesel. Somthing we have not yet discussed are emissions - for all its improved economy and reduced noise, diesel is still a major polluter when compared to petrol/gas and has some way to go before/if it matches petrol/gas.

    It will be interesting to see if Obama continues his green crusade by encouraging US car manufacturers to make hybrids. This would have a potential double impact of lowering US greenhouse gases emissions and possibly stimulating the automotive industry, providing the cars could be produced at a reasonable price.

    What about LPG (ie, what we Europeans refer to as 'gas'! Although I'm using 'gas' here as meaning the same as petrol, since HubPages is predominately US)? In Italy hybrid conversions mean dual petrol/gas and LPG, where the latter is extremely cheap.

  22. ocbill profile image52
    ocbillposted 15 years ago

    I certainly am. I want the one that gets 100 mpg a normal 6 cylinder. They were displayed on the news and should be available by 2010 or 2011. So, if we let US automakers die then private party hybrid makers will get a license to sell even quicker.eh?

    1. pjdscott profile image68
      pjdscottposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      We're all interested in that! Surely it is an opportunity for the US to make specialised hybrids for the mass market, using all its technological experience and expert workforce. It's the way to go, although the Bush family might not make so much on the sales of gas/petrol!

  23. WHoArtNow profile image71
    WHoArtNowposted 15 years ago

    Your talking about 55 - 60 mpg, yet with a good diesel you can get similar numbers. I get an average of 54 mpg if I drive carefully in the Skoda Fabia Vrs.

    Oh, and it's modified, had a MANUAL 6 speed gear box, and if I feel like putting my foot down, it goes like a bullet.

    Here in the UK hybrids haven't really taken off, but in the last few years diesels have grown massively in popularity, mainly because of the common fuel rail engines becoming more efficient and quieter.

    1. pjdscott profile image68
      pjdscottposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed, WHoArtNow - my main problem with diesels is (a) emissions and (b) in the UK diesel is more expensive than petrol! It's one of the few European countries where this is the case.

      1. WHoArtNow profile image71
        WHoArtNowposted 15 years agoin reply to this

        Don;t I know it! Although the gap is much smaller now. But the gains I get from the extra mpg over a petrol with similar speed and power output is worth the extra few pence. Plus the extra torque is amazing! So easy to overtake!

        Yes the emissions aren't as good, but my carbon footprint at work and home is very very low so I guess I'm covered!

        1. pjdscott profile image68
          pjdscottposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          I would have to admit that the Prius is not great for acceleration, even with its 1.5 litre engine. If I was doing a lot of driving on single carriage roads, then it might be a problem.

          On the plus side, the automatic gearbox is fantastic in traffic, especially stop-start. The car has radically changed the way I drive, and made me less manic and more relaxed.

          Incidentally, it is not my intention to critise people for making a choice to go with diesel, 4x4 or the like. It's still a free world (mostly!), and that choice is up to each individual. My low carbon footprint created by our car is balanced by the amount of flying that I have had to do recently!

          1. WHoArtNow profile image71
            WHoArtNowposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            If it's for sale, people will buy it. I have no problem with people buying whatever they want either, I'm more worried about how they drive and not what they drive!

  24. WHoArtNow profile image71
    WHoArtNowposted 15 years ago

    Thought I'd do a little Hub on the best economical cars.

    http://hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-Most-Economical-Cars

    I wonder how many people will be surprised by the hybrids?!


    I wasn't...

  25. WHoArtNow profile image71
    WHoArtNowposted 15 years ago

    Spam Spam Spam Spam

    1. pjdscott profile image68
      pjdscottposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Yes - and note (a) striped url and (b) it should be "some good deals", not deal, Mr or Ms Spammer.

 
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