http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/edito...asp?NewsID=188

Enjoy!

Tony

 

I was walking out of McDonalds the other day and a Prius pulled up. The driver stopped and started telling me that he got 40 mpg. I told him that if I wanted that kind of mileage I could just buy a diesel volkswagon. He got ticked and drove off. Who goes around bragging to strangers about their fuel mileage, seriously

 

You probably have not spent any time at the tdiclub.com. These people are seriously NUTS about their cars, diesel, and mileage!

And, yes, I do own a TDI! And, the mileage is that great! Well, the '06 will do 38-39 for my wife's commute in traffic, we can get ~42-43 on a long stretch of freeway, say about 500 miles or more!

Tony

 

If I had the bucks I would get a passat TDI wagon, but I don't so I am working on fixing up this old IDI diesel jetta.

As far as that article goes, I can see where those batteries would add big time manufacturing costs, but to say that the Prius is only going to last 100k and that POS hummer is going to go for 300k seems disingenuous to me. Every toyota I ever had was just getting broken in at 100k and I've had several well over 200K and still going strong. My brother has a 91 Camry wagon that is fast approaching 300K.

 

Very interesting article... I did not know the prius was only expected to last 100K... is this true? Does it have to due with the batteries? Cost to replace versus cost of new car? If it is true - you better watch your mileage in those 5 years you have to wait to see cost benefits....

 

I think the reason they are saying the prius is only good to 100k is because of the life expectancy on the batteries. At least that's the only thing I can think of because every toyota I know of has been to heck and back and is still ticking.

 

hybrid cars look great on paper but have a long way to go. IMO, I see them as cars for people who need to feel better about themselves. THese are the same people who spend money to reduce their "carbon footprint" among other lunacy. The writer has a point, get a plain jane tiny import with a tiny motor and a stick shift and overall you are better off or get one of the VW diesels.

A battery is a battery and we all know what happens to those. That is why i would not have one in my car or buried behind my back seat.

 

Well, I wouldn't be too harsh on the Prius buyers. Someone has to provide a market for new technologies like that so that they can get improved and perfected and manufacturing can get large enough to make it more cost effective.

I'm not all that interested in hybrids, but I'm glad they are out there and that people are clearing the trail for hybrids to get better in the future. I do think they should be doing much better with mileage than they are so far.

And yes, batteries are always a weak link. I've built a few solar electrical systems and lived with a couple of them and batteries are the weak link in that arena too.

 

Sounds like a good description of hummers as well....

 

fwiw, there is a rebuttal article floating around the net on this subject as well... I think it was written by Toyota.

 

Talking about the Prius. On the radio the other day they had an discussion on how efficient they are. Can't remember who done the survey, but it takes 50% more energy to produce a prius than it does a hummer! The lifespan is also about half. You might be able to find the article at www.boortz.com Later, Tony

 

The Chevy Volt, now thats a hybrid im buying when it comes out.

 

cool car. that will be my next hybrid. i think that the life expectency is being downplayed. i'm in the prosses of changing my batts and got 230,000m out of them. i own the insight btw. i admit that the pack is pricey--if you buy it from the dealer. honda wants 3211.87-and that dosent include labor. i oppted to rebuild my pack my self, 647.00. like said before, some people do buy these cars to "feel good" about themselves, and don't use\drive the vehical the way it was intended to be. me personaly, i own one simply because of the 5,000ish i save in gas.

 

I looked at the place (Sudbury, Ontario) noted in the article on Google Earth. Anybody know where this environmental mess is?? It looks like west of the town . There seems to be a lot of mining there. There are a couple greenish yellow ponds there that might be settling ponds.

The little hand will give you exact coordinates in the lower left of the screen.

Any comments??

 

I can't wait for the diesel Accord. That will be quite a machine. Hope I can pay off my CTD by then.