Re: [T3] Hybrids

["knowonelse@sbcglobal.net" <knowonelse@sbcglobal.net>]

<x-flowed>I plan 5 years out. I expect gas to hit and stay 
at $3/gallon this summer. When I can't telecommute, 
I drive an hour away. I needed a car to replace 
the one at 315K that still gets a respectable 22mpg. 
It won't last 5 years at the mileage I put on it,
but will with the low miles my son drives, so I
still have a minivan to use when needed.

My real world Prius driving in hilly country in the
winter has been around 48 mpg. I expect higher mpg
when it gets warmer. I rarely drive far enough
around town to warm it up, so the engine runs more
than the power requires to reduce emissions by
getting itself up to temperature.

You bet there are people messing with their Prius.
Everything from changing wheels, which negates the
tire pressure sensors, to hacking into the computer
and messing with settings, to other hacks to gain
more data on the components in order to get even
higher mileage. In a 11 mile mixed terrain street
loop (not a track) a group of drivers got 110 mpg 
average from an entire tank. Some seriously twisted
geeks out there with motor oil in their blood.

Unfortunately Consumer Reports recent article had
an error, corrected it shows a Prius saving more
than a similar car after about 3 years. I plan on
having it for at least 10. I could have bought a
used one, but with the tax rebate, I came out
better buying new.

The Prius has been on the market since 1997, so
it's more than a couple of years experience now,
and as I said before, only one known case of a
battery having a problem, not failing, apparently
one cell failed, not the entire battery.

I'm doing my part, I feel better doing it,
and my daughter loves the sound system, and
now wants it when she is old enough to drive
instead of my wife's 4Runner. For some reason
she doesn't want to drive the Sqbk. If I put in
a serious sound system, maybe, maybe...

Jeff  '67 Sqbk

> > Are there people out there who are trying to "mess with the original 
engineering" on their Prius? I suppose it's inevitable.... <<

> > Most people who "do the math" realize that the amount of money they're
paying extra for these hybrids will, in most cases, never offset the lower
amount of gasoline they will use over the lifetime of the car. But still
they buy. Why? They want to do SOMETHING to help. >>


> > But the point is, by
> > buying one of these, you are doing your part. Apparently, the "local
> > yokals" understand this as well, because hybrids are at least selling well
> > enough that companies are starting to produce them across more model
> > lines.
> >
> >     


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