Oh...My...Goodness! Hybrids anyone?

[KenpoEMT]

To make a long story short I traded in the...Hemi...

May the Hemi rest in peace... *taps plays in background*

 

[Rich Parsons]

Talking about the price of gas, when it broke the $2.50 a gal mark in Dallas I told the wife something has to give. It kills me to get rid of my Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with a hemi but at 10 mpg in the city and 14 on the road. And my wife drives a Jeep Liberty 4x4 that on a good day will get 17mpg I started thinking time to downsize. We looked on the internet and I asked my Dad (he works for an extended warranty company) what cars seem to have less breakdowns. He said go with a Hyundai. To make a long story short I traded in the Jeep and the Hemi and dropped my payments by a little bit, I dropped my gas bill every month from around $500 to around $250 maybe less I just got the new cars today.. And now I have two cars with 100k mile warranties and both get around 33 miles to the gal.

Hyundai is a little skewed right now as they have the longest factory warranty, so the after market warranty for them does not start until 10 years out, which is where most of the serious cost starts to occur.


PS: Contact me if you need a name change

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Why, when every vehicle in production would be 10 times the bomb they are today? Think about a little minature Hindenburg-waiting-to-happen in the trunk of every car/truck on the road...

Nah. Likely won't happen.

They're working on taking carbon fibers and using them to safely store the hydrogen. It won't go off even in a collision, most likely. If engineered right, it may be safer than gasoline.




Regards,


Steve

 

[KenpoEMT]

But it's another arm of this movement, the Set America Free alliance (which also counts Woolsey among its members), that has identified a Holy Grail of sorts. Co-founded by Frank Gaffney, the neoconservative chief of the Center for Security Policy, the group is touting the idea of a car that gets 500 m.p.g. of gasoline.

QUIT TOUTING, AND GET TO WORK, MR. GAFFNEY!!! ...lol
Those are some great links there Rich.


...and gas has gone up yet again (locally). My station, which was at $2.09 and then $2.37, is now at $2.49. The nearest town is still holding steady at $2.59. In the last few weeks I've seen a $0.40/gallon increase...this is unreal, man. I wonder if the station owner was just trying to keep his prices reasonable at the start of this 'petroleum maddness'.

It has been a few years since I've ridden a motorcycle, but maybe it is time to start looking into buying another one. Hmmm...hydrogen powered motorcycles... I could buy a hydro-davidgen... :lol:

 

[Phoenix44]

Went up 4 cents/gal since yesterday. $2.61/gal regular self serve cash only.

 

[Makalakumu]

It's 2.70 up here in Superior WI.

A little about Hydrogen...

Hydrogen is an energy carrier. It takes energy to get energy from Hydrogen. For example, if one is going to release hydrogen via electrolysis of water, electricity is used to produce the hydrogen. And, as of now, this energy is non-renewable, rather dirty, and growing more expensive. Further, energy is actually lost when producing hydrogen by the various methods.

This is the biggest problem facing the hydrogen economy. In order for this to work, we need a cheap, renewable, and clean source of energy to produce the hydrogen.

 

[Rich Parsons]

It's 2.70 up here in Superior WI.

A little about Hydrogen...

Hydrogen is an energy carrier. It takes energy to get energy from Hydrogen. For example, if one is going to release hydrogen via electrolysis of water, electricity is used to produce the hydrogen. And, as of now, this energy is non-renewable, rather dirty, and growing more expensive. Further, energy is actually lost when producing hydrogen by the various methods.

This is the biggest problem facing the hydrogen economy. In order for this to work, we need a cheap, renewable, and clean source of energy to produce the hydrogen.

And it is just now getting to 50%+ Efficiency on the input to output. Ihave heard it is better, now, but have not read it so I do not quote a higher number.

 

[swiftpete]

Well I've just worked out what we pay in England. Typically pumps are priced by the litre and an average price at the moment where I am anyway, is 87.9pence per litre. It's more expensive down south but anyway...Doing the appropriate calculations (1 gallon = 3.7843 litres, 1 USD = 0.56 GBP) means that we pay the equivalent of $5.96 a gallon. So even the most expensive of your fuel prices is still only about half what we pay! I'd love to be only paying those prices! So you're not that hard done by really..If you have a thirsty turbocharged car like me then it can cost you a bit to keep on the road.
But who wants to drive round in a little shopping trolley?

 

[Rich Parsons]

Well I've just worked out what we pay in England. Typically pumps are priced by the litre and an average price at the moment where I am anyway, is 87.9pence per litre. It's more expensive down south but anyway...Doing the appropriate calculations (1 gallon = 3.7843 litres, 1 USD = 0.56 GBP) means that we pay the equivalent of $5.96 a gallon. So even the most expensive of your fuel prices is still only about half what we pay! I'd love to be only paying those prices! So you're not that hard done by really..If you have a thirsty turbocharged car like me then it can cost you a bit to keep on the road.
But who wants to drive round in a little shopping trolley?

Do you know the tax percentage on the cost of fuel?

I do not know, but have heard the in the Euro countries there is a much higher tax on a unit of gasoline to be used for infrastructure.

Just curious.

 

[KenpoEMT]

...we pay the equivalent of $5.96 a gallon...

$6/gallon... :anic: *faints*

 

[Rich Parsons]

From Consumer Reports Oct 05

Fuel Economy "Why you're not getting the MPG you expect"

I suggest you check the whole article out, stop by online at www.consumerreports.com in a couple of months, when it goes to archives, or the news stands right now.

A table from their article (* per class the worst vehicle in being inaccurate in city MPG, they are in order of the worst of the worst at the top. *)

Vehicle Type --- Make & Model ----------------- City MPG
--------------------------------------------- EPA ---- CR -- % Short
Small SUV ---- Jeep Liberty Diesel Ltd. 4WD - 22 ----- 11 -- 50%
Hybrid ------- Honda Civic Sedan ------------ 48 ----- 26 -- 46%
Large Sedan -- Chrysler 300 C --------------- 17 ----- 10 -- 41%
Midsized SUV – Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXTLT4WD 15 ----- 09 –- 40%
MiniVan ------ Honda Odyssey EX ------------- 20 ----- 12 –- 40%
Luxury Sedan – BMW 7 Series 745 Li ---------- 18 ----- 11 –- 39%
Pickup ------- Dodge Ram 1500 SLT CrewCab 4WD 13 ----- 08 –- 38%
Family Sedan – Oldsmobile Alero GL ---------- 21 ----- 13 -- 38%
Large SUV ---- Dodge Durango Limited 4WD ---- 13 ----- 08 -- 38%
Small Sedan – Ford Focus ZX4 SES ------------ 26 ----- 17 -- 35%




I really recommend checking out this article, and then discussing the issues with the EPA and the NHTSB with your congresspeople and senators.


PS: Gas is now $2.89 at the cheap locations and $2.95 to $2.99 for regular most places.

 

[michaeledward]

This site may have been mentioned earlier, but I didn't see it in a quick scan of the thread.

www.gasbuddy.com

You become a member, and post the local price of petroleum distillate for your friends and neighbors. Others do the same, and soon, in just a few moments, you know which filling station in town has the most economical fuel available.

Car Driving Self-Defense.

Every time I want to complain, I just recall that I spend $1.19 for 16 Fluid Ounces of H2O at McDonalds for lunch. Gasoline is cheaper than Water.

 

[Flatlander]

There is a well run diesel company in my province that is currently involved in a feasibility study regarding the economics of biodiesel. I'm eager to know the outcome, as this could potentially provide so many benefits to our province should the project bear fruit. They're talking about the ability to create fuel from oilseeds. What I'm unsure about is the difference in pollution between the two fuels.

 

[Phoenix44]

$3.99/gal here.

I SO appreciate my Civic.

 

[Cryozombie]

$3.99/gal here.

I SO appreciate my Civic.

As do I the fact I dont have a car.

Viva Le Yamaha!

 

[KenpoEMT]

Yesterday, while paying for my gas-tank full of gold, I overheard the station owner's significant other telling one of thier employees that they were going to raise the price per gallon to $3.06 the first thing in the morning. So, naturally, I flipped out (not really, but I sure wanted to).
The first thing I did was contact several family members to tell them to fill up their tanks that night. They flipped out (well, not really) when I told them why.
Anyway, long short, when I drove by the station this morning the price was holding steady at $2.74, and your's truely felt like a complete *** for alarming the entire family.

A couple of months ago I would have taken the owner's wife's words with a rather large grain of salt; however, recently I'm a bit jittery when it comes to news about gasoline prices.

[rant=pissedoff]

I like to kick ideas around as much as anyone, but recent events awoke my inner alarm-bell thingy (yeah, "inner alarm-bell thingy," that's a precise term ). All the world issues, until now, have been going on somewhere far away, and now these issues are reaching deep down into my wallet...

...and it's pissing me off, man.

We need to change our approach to everthing that we are sustaining: divided politics, war, taxes, technology base...and most importantly we need to GET OFF THE FREAKIN' OIL!!! :tantrum:

[/rant]

Just wanted to share an anecdote and a rant.

I really am thnking about buying a hybrid now, a hybrid or a motorcycle. Gas in the next town is $2.84.

 

[someguy]

I live to miles from campus. I use a new idea that so few seem to have heard of. It's called Walking(Patent pending).
I also bum rides alot. It's brilliant of me I know. Obviously not everyone can do this but for small distances it saves alot and gets you in better shape.

 

[KenpoEMT]

Walking, eh? Not a bad idea at all... Round trip to my campus is 90 miles. I'd be in excellent physical shape. I think that I would be rather late for classes though :uhyeah:

 

[Dronak]

I had been considering buying a hybrid car before this summer's rapidly rising gas prices. That has just made hybrids an even more attractive option. And for my particular situation, there isn't that much I can do to reduce driving or save money. The price this morning had actually dropped, the high end, premium gas being around $3.14 which should translate to about $2.94 regular.

My car is getting rather old and will need to be replaced sometime in the near future, so I'm starting to consider my options. Hybrids are definitely up there, so if anyone has some good info about them to pass along, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I had been considering buying a hybrid car before this summer's rapidly rising gas prices. That has just made hybrids an even more attractive option. And for my particular situation, there isn't that much I can do to reduce driving or save money. The price this morning had actually dropped, the high end, premium gas being around $3.14 which should translate to about $2.94 regular.

My car is getting rather old and will need to be replaced sometime in the near future, so I'm starting to consider my options. Hybrids are definitely up there, so if anyone has some good info about them to pass along, please let me know. Thanks.

Do your research on ConsumerReports.org

Check out to see if there are any vehicle forums for hybrids, I know there are for Saturns and Cadillacs and such.

Also read what I said / posted earlier in this thread about costs of the vehicle versus the cost of gas over the time of owning the vehicle. Honda actually has a comparison I believe.

It can be advantage if you drive a lot and also can use that type of vehicle for your daily transportation.

Also remember that the federal Fuel Economy posted numbers, are on a specific test. This test does not require AC on or windows down. So, with any vehicle ask to test drive it over night or weekend, and if you can check the fuel economy for the way you actually drive the vehicle.

This is true for any vehicle you buy, not just hybrids.

Hybrids are good, and help save fuel, yet if it is money out of your pocket, you need to investigate to make sure you actually saving money over the long run.

:asian: