Why buy a hybrid with MPG figures this good?

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im all for diesel cars. 2005 was the last year for the neon. in its place is the caliber, kind of. in europe the caliber gets a diesel, here it only has gas engines.
 
I bet that hate would magically disappear if someone came out with a car that got 60+ mpg running on $1 a gallon bio diesel.
 
A bunch of points:

I personally know people who bought Priuses at list price. It is a myth that they all sell for over MSRP.

I reiterate that the entire "you'll never make up the extra cost" argument is pointless. You'll never "make up the extra cost" of a nav system, leather seats, or sport package wheels either but you never see anyone point that out. Simply consider the hybrid's hybridness as a feature or option that some people like and it makes much more sense.

Diesel may be a good approach. The problem is that until very recently the particulates and stuff have been a big problem. Only recent technology developments (that are expensive) are bringing them into line with gas engines. Smog ain't cool. The US still needs the low-sulphur diesel regs to go into effect. Also note that presently diesel is 50% more expensive that regular gas (at least where I live)

jeff
 
Our diesel has too much sulphur. So diesel cars don't meet emission standards with it.

"Clean" low-sulphur diesel is mandated for the US in the fall of 2006, at which point we'll start seeing more of the modern, advanced diesel vehicles here.

I can't wait...great performance plus good fuel economy.
 
anyone know what they are using for a lube instead of the sulfer. from what i understand sulfer in diesel is like lead in gas
 
Actually, I'd read a lot of euro companies were not enthused about the new rules b/c their engines DON'T MEET the new US requirements. As for biodiesel being $1 per gallon...I can't see that being the case forever. If there becomes a market for it, then it will be as expensive as everything else. If our fuel economy overall goes up, don't think that the price of fuel won't magically go up as well. Either by the oil companies themselves if they can swing it or by state and federal taxes which would have to compensate for less gas taxes.

Don't get me wrong, the gadget guy DIY'er in me wants to make my own biodiesel (when I BUY a diesel) but someone is going to find a way to make money off of it.

As for safety issues w/ the Prius/Honda hybrid battery packs, check out this link:

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/april2004/collision.cfm
 
Particulates and NOX are still an issue with European diesels; the standards in CA (and I suspenct the rest of the US) are more stringent than European standards.

So enhanced particualte traps and newer technologies like urea injection are under study.

European emission laws appear to lean more toward reducing CO2 emissions more than anything else.
 
Yes, that is one criticism of our environmental policy from the rest of the world (not that I care). They say we are way to focused on clean air and not enough on CO2 reduction.

Of course, that makes me wonder why they complained so much about acid rain 25 years ago or so.
 
Quote: They say we are way to focused on clean air and not enough on CO2 reduction.

How are we suppose to solve that problem since on average each one of us produces 432 Liters of CO2 per day just by breathing. I guess we could kill 3 or 4 billion people and that would solve the problem.
Just joking so don't get your panties in a wad.
The population as a whole produces very little of the CO2 created each day by breathing. Take one volcano like the Mount St Helen's eruption and it produced as much pollution as 100 years of what man has put into the air during the industrial age.
 
Shhhh, Dont tell the greenies that, next they will want to affix a giant catalytic converter to the vent or just ban volcanos altogether...
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"Let's say you've got a 10-year old Camry.
Motor is shot, you go to the dealer for a new one.

I guarantee you that the parts and labor will cost more than the car is worth.

Not too unlike replacing a battery pack at high miles on a hybrid"

The thing is that with any morden engine is almost garrateed to last far more then 10yrs without a costly replacement to keep them on road. On ther other hand, after 8 year of so you are pretty much on your own, and IT WILL fail, just a metter of time.
 
Prius is an interesting car. I'd like them to adapt the technology to smaller cars too. And I also would like to see more small cars sold in the U.S. Where did they all go? Seems like every car on the road gets bigger with each redesign. I saw the new civic sedan (hybrid) it is so big I think it's just as big externally to my friends 03 Accord.

On a side note. People that pay markups on cars are crazy. I will never in my life pay a markup on a car or motorcycle. But some people just have to have one. Fine, do what you want. But paying more than MSRP doesn't make economic sense and I won't do it on anything.
 
But the benefit of dropping a re-manufactured engine in your 10 year old Camry is it will not depreciate $5,000 the first year you drive it off the lot like a 2006.
 
just ride a bicycle to work and buy something fun for driving! i live 11 miles from work and commute in dry weather. it is actually faster by bike than car (northern CA).
my coworkers sit in stop and go traffic and then pay to find a parking spot at the gym to boot.
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interesting car. base price is $19000
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all the way up to $85,000. wow. expensive. too bad it only goes 60-80 miles per charge. it says you can hook up a hitch for a generator cart, but wouldnt that defeat the purpose of an electric car?
 
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