Hybrid Cars... all hype?

KaGee

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A lot is being said how these are the cars of the future. I saw a consumer activist on TV over last weekend (forget her name or organization). <br /><br />Did you know that even if gas exceeds $4.00 per gallon, due to the up front additional cost of these vehicles that it takes 7 years for you to realize any savings by purchasing one? :eek: And that figure does not take into account any additional maintenance costs.<br /><br />I think all the hype is all a bunch of PC houey to me. I'll be keeping my V-6 ESCAPE TYVM. :cool:
 

kenimpzoom

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Envirowhacos dont care about the cost savings, they just worry about pollution.<br /><br />Little do they realize that making and disposing of the batteries is probably worse than buring all that gas.<br /><br />Ken
 

Boomyal

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Originally posted by KenImpZoom:<br /> Envirowhacos dont care about the cost savings, they just worry about pollution.
Undoubtedly true KIZ but I venture to say that there are two other big motivations for the Envirowhacos. For some, in their mind, it is their ticket to Heaven. For others it is a means to making a living, sucking the life out of all of the gullable fools.<br /><br />Talk about religious Zealots!! :rolleyes:
 

tommays

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

We have electric forklifts and propane forklifts<br /><br />The battery chargers on the big 36-volt batteries use massive amounts of fossil fuel generated electricity for an 8-hour run time<br /><br />A similar lift will run for days on a small tank of propane<br /><br />Nobody will tell you how much fuel it takes to charge the batteries on and electric car because it takes A LOT and that would kill their selling point<br /><br />tommays
 

QC

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Some hype, some reality. Your economics are pretty good, but the fact is that you can also get some of the money back in tax credits and in some states almost all. The irony is that diesels get better efficiency under most operating conditions, but there are US and CA emissions regulations that make them hard to certify. Also, if you commute mostly on the highway, the benefits of a hybrid largely evaporate. They are best in stop and go traffic.<br /><br />This same evaluation is why most diesel pleasure craft are upside down compared to gasoline. Even with maintenance etc. they simply don't payback unless you are in a commercial operation.<br /><br />The Enviro-whackos don't care as others have stated. Many of them actually don't like the hybrids though as it extends the use of petroleum. Kills you slower, but still kills you. To them, Oil Companies and Auto Manufacturers are the new Tobacco Companies . . .
 

Limited-Time

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Hybrids original concept was to reduce pollution, not save on gas. The increased fuel mileage is a by-product, if you will, of the reduces emissions. The cost is not a concern of the environmentalist pushing for their development. But it is a huge issue for the manufacture’s who are in business to make money, not to produce environmentally friendly cars.
 

QC

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

LT,<br /><br />You are right and wrong. In the States emissions were a driver to Hybrids. In Europe efficiency equals emissions (they talk Carbon based emissions and "pollutants" separately), so they believe that anything is cleaner that gets better fuel economy . . . Hard to figure out what to do if you are a manufacturer. Hybrids allow them to reach out to both markets.
 

KaGee

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

QC, I believe she accounted for the tax break in her statement.<br /><br />Due to the shortage, most of these cars are being sold right now at list - plus. Reminds me of when Honda's were being sold the same way. Then they built a plant in the US and know we ship the buggers back to Japan!<br /><br />Added fuel to the fire... if we all had one of these cars today, we would be in the same oil delema in another 6 to 7 years... according to the "experts".
 

ZmOz

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Originally posted by KaGee:<br />Did you know that even if gas exceeds $4.00 per gallon, due to the up front additional cost of these vehicles that it takes 7 years for you to realize any savings by purchasing one? :eek: And that figure does not take into account any additional maintenance costs.
Depends on what your other car used to get and how much you drive. For some people they save money the first month. If you drove a Geo Metro 15 miles a day you wouldn't see much savings, but if I drove my 454 pickup 200 miles/day I'd probably see savings alot sooner.<br /><br />You're right though, most people are too dumb to realize they could have just spent the extra money on a gas gift card for themselves and got a normal car.<br /><br />I was having a very entertaining discussion about this with someone on a Jeep forum a few weeks ago. A guy there had a Cherokee that got 18mpg and had to drive something like 100 miles a day. He spent $20,000 on a brand new honda hybrid and was BRAGGING about how he's saving like $5000 a year. I did all the math and showed him how in real life he actually threw away about $15,0000 over 5 years. All that time he could have just been driving his jeep for cheaper, and been driving a much nicer looking, more comfortable, and safer vehicle!<br /><br />Now if they'd just come out with a DIESEL hybrid that you can charge at home they'd really have something. If a non hybrid diesel VW can get 50mpg it's stupid to buy a hybrid that only gets 40-50mpg...
 

QC

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

ZmOz,<br /><br />Point well taken, but you assume in your anlaysis that they didn't have to buy a car. That is valid, but KaGee's original look assumes that a car WAS being replaced. So let's say it is your first car, for a kid.<br /><br />Shows how you can make figures work for and aganist anything. Tmake a real fair comparison there has to be some guidelines. You could compare a used Yugo :eek: against a new hybrid too and it might take 100 years to get your money back. Probably more . . . ;)
 

ZmOz

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

No matter what your current vehicle situation is...buying a $20,000+ car to SAVE money is like moving to Alaska because you like the heat. The limited supply of these things makes absolutely no sense, I guess it's just more proof this country is overflowing with morons.<br /><br />If gas prices are a problem for someone, they should be driving a $3000 used vehicle with NO PAYMENT! There you go...it's like free gas!
 

QC

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Originally posted by ZmOz:<br /> No matter what your current vehicle situation is...buying a $20,000+ car to SAVE money is like moving to Alaska because you like the heat.
Agree.
 

oddjob

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Gas prices are a problem for me ..and 3000.00 is what I paid for my last vehicle. I just filled up at lunch and it was 50.00 even....... :( ...<br /><br />Oh and for the record ...in florida you have to be a lead foot to avoid getting run over by a soccer mom in a surburban.
 

Haut Medoc

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

98b50cf6.jpg
<br /> Do you think that the owner of "Absinthe" drives a hybrid?.. :D I'll ask him next time I borrow a cup of sugar.......JK
 

ZmOz

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Originally posted by oddjob:<br /> Gas prices are a problem for me ..and 3000.00 is what I paid for my last vehicle. I just filled up at lunch and it was 50.00 even....... :( ...
Soon I'll be driving a $3000 vehicle with FREE fuel...as soon as I can find a good diesel truck for around $3k. Just put in a 250 gallon waste oil tank to fill with free "gas". :D Suck on that, Exxon! :mad:
 

QC

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Originally posted by ZmOz:<br /> Soon I'll be driving a $3000 vehicle with FREE fuel...as soon as I can find a good diesel truck for around $3k. Just put in a 250 gallon waste oil tank to fill with free "gas". :D Suck on that, Exxon! :mad:
:confused: If you're planning what I think you are, you better set asside lots of dough for injectors, oh maybe a fuel filter say every 10 minutes, line up a friend with a tow truck while you are at it. And you should save for the smoke tickets and tampering penalties too.<br /><br />All sarcasm asside. Are you really thinking that waste oil will do the trick? You mean used fryer oil? Lube oil? Lots of BS out there. Modern diesels are not that friendly to fuel changes despite what you might have read . . . ;)
 

rolmops

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Great feeling to write about morons who try to make a difference.But who is the real moron?The guy who does not want to change and thereby condemns himself to becoming completely dependent on imported energy or the people who try to use alternatives? Common sense would send gasguzzlers the way the dinosaurs went.Or, if you prefer to use gas, you better take some courses in islamic religion because they will have this whole country dangling by the b*lls because of fuel dependency.
 

ZmOz

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

Originally posted by Quietcat:<br /> :confused: If you're planning what I think you are, you better set asside lots of dough for injectors, oh maybe a fuel filter say every 10 minutes, line up a friend with a tow truck while you are at it. And you should save for the smoke tickets and tampering penalties too.<br /><br />All sarcasm asside. Are you really thinking that waste oil will do the trick? You mean used fryer oil? Lube oil? Lots of BS out there. Modern diesels are not that friendly to fuel changes despite what you might have read . . . ;)
Sounds like you need to read up a little more on waste oil. Lots of people sucessfully run diesels on used or new veggie oil, as well as lube and hydraulic oils. Veggie oils are filtered and run straight in modified engines or made into biodiesel which will run in any diesel engine. My company burns huge amounts of veggie oil in diesel generators. It burns cleaner than regular diesel and lubricates everything much better.<br /><br />Many companies that own fleets of diesels dump their engine oil directly into the fuel tank of the vehicle. They have special pumps that pump out the oil via the dipstick tube, filter it, and pump it into the fuel tank. Some trucks even have a system to automatically burn their crankcase oil so you never have to change the oil - just top it off. <br /><br />As for my own vehicle, I'm looking for a truck or a blazer with a 6.2L diesel. I will be burning re-refined engine oil at a finished cost of about $0.10/gallon. :D
 

Boomyal

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

ZmO, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the details of this one. :cool:
 

theriver

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Re: Hybrid Cars... all hype?

From hybridcars.com<br /><br />"How often do hybrid batteries need replacing? Is replacement expensive and disposal an environmental problem?<br /><br />The hybrid battery packs are designed to last for the lifetime of the vehicle, somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, probably a whole lot longer. The warranty covers the batteries for between eight and ten years, depending on the car maker. <br /><br />Hybrids use NiMH batteries, not the environmentally problematic rechargeable nickel cadmium. "Nickel metal hydride batteries are benign. They can be fully recycled," says Ron Cogan, editor of the Green Car Journal. Toyota and Honda say that they will recycle dead batteries and that disposal will pose no toxic hazards. Toyota puts a phone number on each battery, and they pay a $200 "bounty" for each battery to help ensure that it will be properly recycled.<br /><br />There's no definitive word on replacement costs because they are almost never replaced. According to Toyota, since the Prius first went on sale in 2000, they have not replaced a single battery for wear and tear."<br /><br />Personally, I'd love to get a 2006 Lexus RX400h
 
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