Is the economy affecting your hobby?

[allargon]

Is THAT the motor? or the tranny flipped upside down... geese I miss the old 305 v8 in my old firebird. But even the grand-am I own has something that looks more like a combustion engine. I dunno what the hell that thing is but, those cars are from the future or something. Nothing against your car, don't get me wrong in this post, but that does not look like an engine to me... crazy!

That's the electric motor. The engine is underneath on the otherside. I got rid of a 1994 v6 Grand Am SE with 180k miles on it when I bought my Pree. I do love the sound of a great v8 (v10 and w12's too).

 

[mike c]

Is THAT the motor? or the tranny flipped upside down... geese I miss the old 305 v8 in my old firebird. But even the grand-am I own has something that looks more like a combustion engine. I dunno what the hell that thing is but, those cars are from the future or something. Nothing against your car, don't get me wrong in this post, but that does not look like an engine to me... crazy!

the one on the left is the gasoline engine. the one on the right is the electric motor.

when the gas engine provides enough electricity for the electric motor, it shuts down and lets the electric motor do the low speed work.

it's pretty nice, i was able to drive one ...

my brother did a review of the hybrid prius for a local magazine - the hybrids are not in circulation here, for some stupid weird reason. we invented natural gas vehicles here, but they're not in circulation as well. but our public transportation seems to be switching to liquefied petroleum gas instead of ordinary fuel which is good news in terms of pollution and a little bit better efficiency.

 

[Mw`]

Not really, but I've always been pretty frugal when it comes to large purchases for me. I guess you could say I'm in a pretty uncommon situation, on these boards at least; I'm single, no kids, no debt, and save well. I live close to my employer and drive a motorcycle everywhere unless it's raining (my backup is my honda), so even though filling up does suck sometimes, I'm not nearly as bad off as some of my suv-owning-friends.

Unfortunately I've changed jobs within my company and took a pretty significant pay cut...so once my HT is done there won't be any upgrading for quite a while. I'm happy with my system though

 

[itschris]

I've learned with some dismay, that economically, it doesn't make much sense to buy a hybrid. The extra cost of the car all but negates the savings in gas... at least in most cases according to an expose' on CNN a couple of weeks back.

Unless one of your goals of such a car is environmental, they say you're better off buying a used fuel efficient vehicle.

If you think about it, if you could save $100 a monthin fuel, a very real amount of saving with the right car depending on how far you drive to work each day, that's $1200 a year. On a purely discretionary level, that's a nice piece of a/v equipment.

 

[Sheep]

I've learned with some dismay, that economically, it doesn't make much sense to buy a hybrid. The extra cost of the car all but negates the savings in gas... at least in most cases according to an expose' on CNN a couple of weeks back.

Unless one of your goals of such a car is environmental, they say you're better off buying a used fuel efficient vehicle.

If you think about it, if you could save $100 a monthin fuel, a very real amount of saving with the right car depending on how far you drive to work each day, that's $1200 a year. On a purely discretionary level, that's a nice piece of a/v equipment.

I'd rather buy a Smart car then a hybrid. We need to let go of gasoline all together, not just find ways to use less of it.

SheepStar

 

[j_garcia]

In a few years when those battery packs start to die, you will see why a hybrid isn't a good investment. Not to mention the environmental impact from the used batteries...

 

[Sheep]

In a few years when those battery packs start to die, you will see why a hybrid isn't a good investment. Not to mention the environmental impact from the used batteries...

Another thing overlooked is the energy expelled to create the car. Those batteries require materials from all over the world. When you factor in the pollution created and energy used just to create the car, you see why they're a gimmick.

SheepStar

 

[itschris]

One of things the energy analysts talk about at my company is the breaking point. It's the point where a certain price causes immediate change in behavior and results in true change and new technology.

Unfortunately, we're not their yet. The general consensus is that it starts somewhere over $5 per gallon... probably around $6 or $7. At $5 you can still do the simple math in your head and you're still thinking of it as a single bill. Beyond that, the math gets more complicated, one gallon requires a $5 bill PLUS a couple of singles, and that just resonates in an entirely different way.

The US is very much like a big freight train or large ship.. we get a lot of momentum in one direction and it takes a serious effort to change direction. Once we do, we will slowly gain that momentum back.

I completely believe the answer to energy is out there, there just hasn't been the right kind of motivation to find it. Like the atom bomb, the government will at some point setup a Manhatten Project style group of the smartest most innovative people and they will figure something out that will revolutionize energy.

You can very much argue, however, that if we and others became energy independent, it would start the next world war. The middle east has no exports, no industry, no revenue of consequence, other than oil. The world could become completely destablilized over night. It's a lot more complicated than just making a gizmo that let's you fill your car up with the garden hose.

 

[Mw`]

But Dubya lifted the ban on offshore drilling! We're saved! Rejoice! <-- insert rolleyes smiley here.

 

[Mort Corey]

I dunno....we may have already reached a (or the) tipping point. The price of fuel has really started getting into the chain a lot faster and harder than interruptions of the past. There are inflationary pressures (brought to you largely by those friendly criminal counterfieters at the Fed) on the one side and deflationary pressures on the housing (and related industries) on the other side. Hoping that some government "program" or project is going to ride to the rescue is pollyanna. These are the people that created most of the problems and giving them more leeway/power is not going to fix anything. (They have had the last thirty plus years and returned full circle)

It will all be interesting.

Mort

 

[jostenmeat]

I dunno....we may have already reached a (or the) tipping point. The price of fuel has really started getting into the chain a lot faster and harder than interruptions of the past.

I agree. The costs are being absorbed in all sorts of products. Here in California, long commutes are the norm for many. I'm sure it could be pretty different elsewhere, but I have a couple of friends shopping for high efficiency vehicles right now. Their monthly gas costs are similar to their car payments.

I think its pretty dependent on individual driving habits. For me, hybrids are not cost effective. Especially today, as everyone wants them. Regular combustion cars can be had for either great deals, great financing, etc.

maybe a motorcycle...

 

[allargon]

In a few years when those battery packs start to die, you will see why a hybrid isn't a good investment. Not to mention the environmental impact from the used batteries...

The battery packs of the Prius have a 100,000 mile warranty. Plenty of people have driven 200k on them. Please tell me you didn't fall for that e-mail saying the Prius will implode at 100k wheras a Hummer H2 will go 250k+ miles glitch free.

Even I think hybrids aren't for everyone. My Prius salesman tried to talk to me about gas mileage when I bought my Pree in late '06. I laughed at him. I told him if I cared about the cost of gas I would buy a Honda Fit or a used Aveo (only thing cheaper is maybe a used Metro). (No, I would almost rather buy an Accent or Aveo than a Yaris. Don't get me started on those.)

I can't tell anyone to buy a smart car with a straight face. It only seats two, and it costs the same as (in some cases more than) a B segment car. It's safer than all of them except maybe the Renau..err..Nisan Versa, but even the Accent and Yaris offer more cargo room for the same or less money.

I do shake my head at people that bought luxury trucks and SUV's and complain about gas prices. If you can't afford to put gas in a $65k Escalade, a $70k rebadged VW with a Porsche sticker on it or a $80k unreliable British jeep, then perhaps you should've just bought that Tahoe or *gasp* that wagon instead. Sorry, I just had to vent on that.

 

[billy p]

The warrenty for hybrid related commponents in Canada is 160k or 96 months. FYI to the usual "naysayers"we have a rebate program which is sponsored by both goverment's(feds & provincial) in which I received $3500.00 back. That's a very decent incentive program and btw over 900 km on a 65L tank for an average of 5.9L/100.

 

[chest_burster]

In relation to the thread title - the pointless econonomic stimulus package helped my hobby out immensely. Thanks for the free money and NAD amp, Federal Government!

As for gas prices - though I couldn't be as green as that e-mail told me I should and buy a H2 I did manage to grab a 2006 Scion xB. If only there were a way I could stop it from averaging 35mpg so I could match the peerless goodness of a Hummer.