Author Topic: What do you drive?  (Read 115197 times)

Offline Daigo-Bah

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #90 on: May 13, 2007, 01:09 AM »
I drive a 2006 Mercury Milan, silver, and my wife drives a 2001 convertible Sebring.
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Offline name

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #91 on: June 5, 2007, 09:09 AM »
I had a long trip last week to make for work - from Johnson City, TN to Oxford, MS - 530ish miles each way.  I took the company car, and was expecting the usual Impala.  Instead, the motor pool guy grinned when I got there and gave me the keys to a brand new, two week old Prius Hybrid with less than 1200 miles already on it.

Fun!  Had to show me how to operate the thing - a lot of the fundamental controls are really pretty different.  530 miles and filled up the 11 gallon tank once each way - averaged 52ish mpg on the way south, and 49.5 on the way back north.
« Last Edit: June 5, 2007, 11:23 AM by name »
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

Offline ruiner

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #92 on: June 5, 2007, 09:48 AM »
The Prius is the most innovative car of our generation - it's a blast to drive and the controls are just plain cool.  From the push button start to the touch screen computer - the car rocks.

I had a chance to test drive one and I was blown away by the overall driving experience.  The car literally shut off at every stoplight and I had to question if the car was even running.

Offline Darth Slothus

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #93 on: June 5, 2007, 10:35 AM »
Fun!  Had to show me how to operate the thing - a lot of the fundamental controls are really pretty different.  530 miles and filled up the 11 gallon tank once each way - averaged 52ish mpg on the way south, and 49.5 on the way back north.

Wow! that's great mileage-how does it work? Does the engine shut off in the city and change to electric mode?

DS

Offline name

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #94 on: June 5, 2007, 11:27 AM »
it's constantly adjusting between the electric motors on the wheels and the combustion engine - sometimes utilizing both.  It all just depends on how much torque is needed.

In town, when you stop at  light the entire engine shuts off - electric and gas - until you lift the brake.  Then, like a golf cart, the electric motors kick on to bring you up to speed then the gas starts up as an auxilliary.  On the interstate, turn on the cruise control and it flexes depending on need - climbing a hill is all gas, level surface it shares both engines, or goes on just electric, or uses neither and coasts.

Constantly adjusting...there's a computer display that continually indicates where the power is coming from.  It's a wonder I didn't wreck watching the animations shift on it.
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

Offline Darth Slothus

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #95 on: June 5, 2007, 12:03 PM »
If it's part electric are there facilities to 'charge it up' in places or are they still rare?
I know at one of my local WalMarts they have parking reserved for electric cars but...there is no hook-up equipment in place.
The car sounds fun though..at least you get to learn something new about driving/operating a car instead or the same ole same old.

DS

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #96 on: June 5, 2007, 12:15 PM »
the gas engine costantly recharges the battery while running.
This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

Offline Darth Slothus

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #97 on: June 5, 2007, 01:13 PM »
Nice

Offline ruiner

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #98 on: June 5, 2007, 01:17 PM »
You should test drive one, that is, if you can find one.

Our dealership here in Iowa sold darn near twenty four of them in two weeks - all brand new with a sticker of $25K.


Offline Darth Slothus

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #99 on: June 5, 2007, 01:20 PM »
25K seems like alot..is all that a payment for technology or dealer mark-up? Isn't this a small car?
Will look into it, thanks.

DS

Offline Morgbug

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #100 on: June 5, 2007, 07:02 PM »
I'm still reluctant to look at hybrids seriously.  I think they're a great idea but for two points:

size = safety.  Sorry, but I travel a two lane highway and until they go back to shipping by rail I'm opting for what little size I can afford.  No, a head on with a semi is not something I'll survive in my Altima either, but a lot of other types of collisions are more likely to be survived in my Altima than a Prius or Smart Car or whatever else tiny little auto they make. 

Fuel economy: sounds like the Prius has a good handle on stuff, because a lot of hybrids such as the Ford Escape actually have lower highway ratings than their straight gas brethern due to the weight of the batteries.  Prius must be the exception rather than the rule, though I'm curious to know what the fuel economy of the closest thing to a Prius (non-hybrid Prius?) would have been too.  Of my 60 mile (one way) commute, about 3 miles is at 30 mph, the rest is at 60+.

Oh wait, there's a third point: it's freaking cold here in winter and I don't trust something electric to start up all that well.  -30 C on a regular basis does a really good job of sucking all manner of battery to the point of being dead.  I don't think the engineering on these batteries is up to life on the Canadian prairies yet. 
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Offline Dr. Zoltar

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #101 on: June 10, 2007, 01:38 AM »
Between my wife and I we own 3 cars:

2005 Mini-Cooper S Convertable
1996 Honda Accord
1973 MG BGT

And yes, the Mini-Cooper is extremely FUN to drive.   ;D

Offline JediJman

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #102 on: June 24, 2007, 03:42 PM »
I'm still reluctant to look at hybrids seriously.  I think they're a great idea but for two points:

Another fun fact on Hybrids - The Ford Escape advertises 28 miles per gallon compared to the Ford Escape Hybrid at 34 miles per gallon.  Over the course of 100,000 miles, that 6 mile per gallon difference saves you alsmot $1900, but the Hybrid Escape costs a good $6-8k more than the regular version.  What a great deal!  Here's another fun fact: Has anyone done any research on what the impact of making a hybrid car battery is on the environment?  From what I've read, you will do less damage to the environment by driving a non-hybrid in the overall scheme of things.  :-\
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Offline Deanpaul

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #103 on: June 24, 2007, 04:24 PM »
I'm still reluctant to look at hybrids seriously.  I think they're a great idea but for two points:

Another fun fact on Hybrids - The Ford Escape advertises 28 miles per gallon compared to the Ford Escape Hybrid at 34 miles per gallon.  Over the course of 100,000 miles, that 6 mile per gallon difference saves you alsmot $1900, but the Hybrid Escape costs a good $6-8k more than the regular version.  What a great deal!  Here's another fun fact: Has anyone done any research on what the impact of making a hybrid car battery is on the environment?  From what I've read, you will do less damage to the environment by driving a non-hybrid in the overall scheme of things.  :-\

You might be referring to a study by CNW Marketing Research.  They're an Oregon company, and like anything one needs to follow the money and consider the source.  However, they do make some valid points regarding the whole life environmental cost of hybrids compared to other SUV's.  Their story is sets fuel economy claims against the cost to manufacture, transport and reclaim materials used in new Hybrid class vehicles.  They consider the Jeep Wrangler the most environmentally friendly vehicle because it uses "established technologies that need less energy in manufacture and many parts that are shared among other vehicles, reducing the energy used in manufacture. They also have a longer life cycle."

So take it for what it's worth, considering the money most likely behind the study.  There are people here who would be willing to present data to suggest EP1 was the best film in the saga.

Links:

2007 models added to CNW Marketing Research study:
http://cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/

How Green is Your Car:
http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=222582

Flutterby™, a San Francisco blogger who cites the CNW research:
http://www.flutterby.com/archives/comments/9141.html
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Offline Rob

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Re: What do you drive?
« Reply #104 on: June 24, 2007, 04:59 PM »
We added a second car last month for the girlfriend to take with her to school.  We went with the Nissan Versa - like this, but in black: