cars

[Dude#1279435]

But it really depends on which type of Hybrid a person chooses to fit their driving requirements.


A full hybrid electric vehicle (HEV)
A mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV)
or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)

Full Hybrid
Full hybrid vehicles typically have an internal combustion engine and electric motors to help them drive around town. Full hybrid vehicles can often run on the internal combustion engine alone, the electric motors alone, or a combination of both. There’s no way to plug in to charge a full hybrid vehicle and the electric motors often assist the internal combustion engine as you go on a drive. The most popular full hybrid vehicle you’ve probably heard of is the Toyota Prius.


Mild Hybrid
Mild hybrid vehicles are becoming more and more common as their driving experience is not much different from a standard vehicle. Mild hybrid vehicles have an electric motor and internal combustion engine that work together to get you through your drives.

The difference between mild hybrid vehicles and full hybrid vehicles is that mild hybrid vehicles can not run solely on either its internal combustion engine or its electric motors. One mild-hybrid vehicle you’ve probably heard of includes the RAM 1500.


Plug-In Hybrid
Finally, the last hybrid type are plug-in hybrids. Plug-in hybrid vehicles are similar to a full hybrid except they offer a larger battery. Because of the larger battery, you can often plug-in a plug-in hybrid, hence the name, and it’ll provide you with the ability to drive longer distances on pure electric power.

Plug-in hybrids are a great bridge between a vehicle with an internal combustion engine and a fully electric vehicle. They offer the possibility of driving on full-electric power without the worry of finding a charging station as it still has an internal combustion engine as a backup. Several plug-in hybrid models can range from a Jeep Wrangler 4xe to a BMW X5 xDrive45e.

Any cost comparisons? (I'm lazy.)

 

[cpp]

I still don't like the snail's pace the automakers have chosen for fuel economy. I think the Just Stop Oil people are completely ignorant of the reality but in the US (mostly), people want power, speed and large vehicles, rather than economy.

To some extent I agree. I have a large vehicle a F150 3.5 Twin turbo Supercrew with a 26 gal tank and if I keep my foot out of it I still get somewhat decent mileage, after its a freaking truck.

Trip A -- 900 miles round trip over flat to gently rolling hills. 90% hwg driving at 72 mph avg on cruise control. 2 adults and bed full of luggage ( stuff). I averaged 21 mpg.

Trip B -- 500 miles round trip to the Keys pulling a 18' flats boats, flat terrain. 90% hwg driving 65-75 mph in tow/haul mode. 2 adults, towing a 2800-lb boat with gear. I averaged 12.8 mpg. Stopped once to add some gas and it took me 15 mins.

They don't make a EV or a Hybrid ( TRUCK) that gets any decent REAL WORLD mileage where you don't have to stop every 120 miles to charge.

 

[cpp]

Any cost comparisons? (I'm lazy.)

Let google be your friend, we can wait, after all its Sat..

 

[highfigh]

To some extent I agree. I have a large vehicle a F150 3.5 Twin turbo Supercrew with a 26 gal tank and if I keep my foot out of it I still get somewhat decent mileage, after its a freaking truck.

Trip A -- 900 miles round trip over flat to gently rolling hills. 90% hwg driving at 72 mph avg on cruise control. 2 adults and bed full of luggage ( stuff). I averaged 21 mpg.

Trip B -- 500 miles round trip to the Keys pulling a 18' flats boats, flat terrain. 90% hwg driving 65-75 mph in tow/haul mode. 2 adults, towing a 2800-lb boat with gear. I averaged 12.8 mpg. Stopped once to add some gas and it took me 15 mins.

They don't make a EV or a Hybrid that gets any decent REAL WORLD mileage where you don't have to stop every 120 miles to charge.

Actually, the Toyota hybrids are good- I have friends who own Highlanders from two different years and I have driven the newer one- the display shows fuel economy and it was easy to hit 35+MPG on surface streets- didn't go on the freeway. They have driven it on some road trips and it did very well WRT range. Their business also has a Chevy HHR and I drove that when my van was in for transmission work- not a hybrid, but it wasn't hard to come close to 30MPG. It's not going to haul as much as I can in my van, but it has a fair amount of interior space. I could definitely see driving a Highlander. The Chevy Traverse I drove a few years ago wasn't as efficient.

 

[cpp]

Actually, the Toyota hybrids are good- I have friends who own Highlanders from two different years and I have driven the newer one- the display shows fuel economy and it was easy to hit 35+MPG on surface streets- didn't go on the freeway. They have driven it on some road trips and it did very well WRT range. Their business also has a Chevy HHR and I drove that when my van was in for transmission work- not a hybrid, but it wasn't hard to come close to 30MPG. It's not going to haul as much as I can in my van, but it has a fair amount of interior space. I could definitely see driving a Highlander. The Chevy Traverse I drove a few years ago wasn't as efficient.

I failed to note small error in my comments above. I was addressing TRUCKS but forgot to note that.

 

[highfigh]

I failed to note small error in my comments above. I was addressing TRUCKS but forgot to note that.

I think SUVs are heavy enough to go along with this- I have a Chevy Astro cargo van and the fuel economy is just OK but it's not light either, since it has a truck chassis. I can definitely notice a difference between driving when it's loaded vs empty. IMO, they have work to do.

 

[Dude#1279435]

'97 Camry
277K
I just get the cheap stuff at Walmart. Super Tech.
I've reduced it to around every 2k on the oil change. It's pretty black.
Add that STP oil treatment. Whether or not it does anything I have no way of knowing. But I'm not gonna spend more than that. It's a little under $5 I believe.

 

[Dude#1279435]

I'm sure it's on the really really really high end, but did a quick search for cost of an oil change and they said $150. Anyway I'm guessing $45-75. I just get the 10k oil filter, around $20 for 5 qts of super tech, and $5 for the oil treatment.

 

[Mikado463]

$150 for an oil change on a Camry ???

 

[Dude#1279435]

$150 for an oil change on a Camry ???

I'm not sure. It just said 150. Hopefully at least you get synthetic and the full works.

 

[Mikado463]

I'm not sure. It just said 150. Hopefully at least you get synthetic and the full works.

what the hell is the 'full works' ? a rub and a tug ?

 

[highfigh]

'97 Camry
277K
I just get the cheap stuff at Walmart. Super Tech.
I've reduced it to around every 2k on the oil change. It's pretty black.
Add that STP oil treatment. Whether or not it does anything I have no way of knowing. But I'm not gonna spend more than that. It's a little under $5 I believe.

I have heard that STP oil treatment doesn't burn well and ash is created when it does- I would be tempted to omit the next time, to see if the oil is still black- it shouldn't be black after only 2000 miles.

Are you using oil? Are you buying the 5 qt jugs, or quarts? Jugs cost less than $20. If you're losing oil and buying synthetic, maybe the Valvoline high mileage oil would be a good alternative. My Chevy Astro has about 270K on it and if I check it at 3K, it's still very close to the same color as when it went in.

Is a larger filter available for that engine? I started using larger cans a long time ago because they have twice as much filter medium than the smaller ones. I also avoid Fram filters.

 

[highfigh]

what the hell is the 'full works' ? a rub and a tug ?

I would hope it includes a reach around.....

 

[Dude#1279435]

what the hell is the 'full works' ? a rub and a tug ?

Mayne a free case of oil.

 

[Dude#1279435]

I have heard that STP oil treatment doesn't burn well and ash is created when it does- I would be tempted to omit the next time, to see if the oil is still black- it shouldn't be black after only 2000 miles.

Are you using oil? Are you buying the 5 qt jugs, or quarts? Jugs cost less than $20. If you're losing oil and buying synthetic, maybe the Valvoline high mileage oil would be a good alternative. My Chevy Astro has about 270K on it and if I check it at 3K, it's still very close to the same color as when it went in.

Is a larger filter available for that engine? I started using larger cans a long time ago because they have twice as much filter medium than the smaller ones. I also avoid Fram filters.

I'm not losing oil. The oil is eighter regular or blended, but not full synthetic. I buy it in 5 qts. I believe the filter is super tech, but not Fram.

 

[Mikado463]

I'm not losing oil. The oil is eighter regular or blended, but not full synthetic. I buy it in 5 qts. I believe the filter is super tech, but not Fram.

in only 2000 miles I would hope not. Regardless, why would you be changing oil at such short intervals ? If it is really that 'black' after only 2k miles you have other issues , PCV or something allowing combustion blow-by to enter the crankcase.

 

[Dude#1279435]

in only 2000 miles I would hope not. Regardless, why would you be changing oil at such short intervals ? If it is really that 'black' after only 2k miles you have other issues , PCV or something allowing combustion blow-by to enter the crankcase.

Probably pcv.

 

[j_garcia]

At 277k, I would maybe go up a weight? What weight does it call for? My Subies were all high mileage and I switched to 5w-40 from the normal 5w-30 and it helped a lot. With the current cars, I use Torco SR1 in both STIs. Even with me driving both pretty hard, it never gets too dark, though after a mountain run some might have been blown out. One has 139k and the other has 41k. When I used Mobil 1, it would be black and burned off. Same with Rotella. I tried Penzoil Ultra Platinum and it was better but about the same price. Torco has been better than all of them though.

Amazon.com

 

[Dude#1279435]

At 277k, I would maybe go up a weight? What weight does it call for? My Subies were all high mileage and I switched to 5w-40 from the normal 5w-30 and it helped a lot. With the current cars, I use Torco SR1 in both STIs. Even with me driving both pretty hard, it never gets too dark, though after a mountain run some might have been blown out. One has 139k and the other has 41k. When I used Mobil 1, it would be black and burned off. Same with Rotella. I tried Penzoil Ultra Platinum and it was better but about the same price. Torco has been better than all of them though.

Amazon.com

5w30 especially in the winter.

 

[cpp]

This guy, Steve Magnante. Show was cancelled, but his knowledge and detail I'm guessing is hard to come by. I'm on my second episode.
View attachment 65413

For those of us that enjoy listening to Steve Magnante and if anyone watches Barret Jackson, Steve is missing. Steve has been battling a brain infection and now is on the mend.