Cars! Cars! Cars!
- Thread starter bd popeye
- Start date
So what do SDF members and mods drive on, live as daily transportation, or dream as their wheels? Anyone planning to buy a car? What do SDF members feel about the cars today, whats better or worst?
For me, I have formally joined the ranks of the green eco-socialists by purchasing a hybrid.
For me, I have formally joined the ranks of the green eco-socialists by purchasing a hybrid.
I drive a burgundy 2000 Chevy Metro
. Runs great with great gas miliage and it better last about another 18 months. We're saving up to buy newer car. Which hybrid did you buy crobato???
Originally I was looking at the Prius. I like the styling of it, for an economy car, and there is something robotically geeky about it that tickles in my mind. And its not like I was looking at all sorts of different cars to reduce my carbon and energy footprint. So I looked at a variety of cars starting with various economy cars starting from things like the Toyota Yaris, the Honda Fit, to the Civic, Matrix and various Scions. I can make this into a very long story talking about each and every car.
I decided to try heck, try something really different for a change. Try something you never ever tried in your life. If I was going for economy and helping to save Planet Earth, try going for the extreme to make it all the more worthwhile. So hybrid was worth investigating, and after test driving out one, I was hooked. It felt like you're really in the 21st Century. They drive seamlessly, and when they're on electric motors, they're quieter than anything on the road.
But the Prius was a bit overpriced in my dealer, which they have a few and holding high margins, while they got lots of Camrys, which they are pricing aggressively. So for a small jump in price, the Camry hybrid had more features, more power and felt more like a Lexus. True, the Prius had bit more personality, and there are a lot more Camrys in the road.
Another factor is that the Prius is due for a change after 2009. I didn't think that it would be a good feeling buying one now and see a replacing model in about a year.
So Camry Hybrid it is despite my daughter thinks that Camrys are cars driven by middle aged ladies and hockey moms to boot.
Having made my choice, I entered a new world with it, the world of Green Cars. It gives me a big smile to see how far the thing can run on a tank of gas. I discovered a lot of new things, eye opening things about the technology which is fabulous. Now I wonder about things like future hybrids having solar panels on the roof and the ability to charge from an electric outlet.
So what kind of car are you looking at 18 months down the road?
I decided to try heck, try something really different for a change. Try something you never ever tried in your life. If I was going for economy and helping to save Planet Earth, try going for the extreme to make it all the more worthwhile. So hybrid was worth investigating, and after test driving out one, I was hooked. It felt like you're really in the 21st Century. They drive seamlessly, and when they're on electric motors, they're quieter than anything on the road.
But the Prius was a bit overpriced in my dealer, which they have a few and holding high margins, while they got lots of Camrys, which they are pricing aggressively. So for a small jump in price, the Camry hybrid had more features, more power and felt more like a Lexus. True, the Prius had bit more personality, and there are a lot more Camrys in the road.
Another factor is that the Prius is due for a change after 2009. I didn't think that it would be a good feeling buying one now and see a replacing model in about a year.
So Camry Hybrid it is despite my daughter thinks that Camrys are cars driven by middle aged ladies and hockey moms to boot.
Having made my choice, I entered a new world with it, the world of Green Cars. It gives me a big smile to see how far the thing can run on a tank of gas. I discovered a lot of new things, eye opening things about the technology which is fabulous. Now I wonder about things like future hybrids having solar panels on the roof and the ability to charge from an electric outlet.
So what kind of car are you looking at 18 months down the road?
You know, talking about hybrid and green cars, I think infrastructure is still somewhat of a problem. Though the number of filling stations providing alternative fuel is sharply increasing lately.
Then there's the problem of wich concept finally makes it. There are several out there, and somehow I don't really think all will survive parallel. So there's a bit of uncertainty.
LNG or liquified gas? As mono- of bifuel engines? Hybrieds with conventional and electric motor? Or gas and electric? Or everything?
Basicly, having multiple systems would be a good thing for diversifying sources, having more possibilities. It reduces reliance on one source, and might therefore keep prices lower. But then again, you probably need a certain amount of cars using one and the same concept to make it economicly worthwhile.
With oil prices currently dropping, people might think there's still some time before action is needed. However, those with foresight will of course start now. I don't think there will be that much really new in 18 month. Solar penals are farther into the future I guess. And it probably depends on where you live if that investment is worthwhile or not.
Basicly I think more people having converted to LNG / LG bifuel cars.
Buses or so perhaps with additional ethanol fuel cells.
Personally, I currently really like the Audi A5, looks nice. R8 would also be great. But both are still some work and earning into the future. I probably couldn't go with a non german car anyway ...
Then there's the problem of wich concept finally makes it. There are several out there, and somehow I don't really think all will survive parallel. So there's a bit of uncertainty.
LNG or liquified gas? As mono- of bifuel engines? Hybrieds with conventional and electric motor? Or gas and electric? Or everything?
Basicly, having multiple systems would be a good thing for diversifying sources, having more possibilities. It reduces reliance on one source, and might therefore keep prices lower. But then again, you probably need a certain amount of cars using one and the same concept to make it economicly worthwhile.
With oil prices currently dropping, people might think there's still some time before action is needed. However, those with foresight will of course start now. I don't think there will be that much really new in 18 month. Solar penals are farther into the future I guess. And it probably depends on where you live if that investment is worthwhile or not.
Basicly I think more people having converted to LNG / LG bifuel cars.
Buses or so perhaps with additional ethanol fuel cells.
Personally, I currently really like the Audi A5, looks nice. R8 would also be great. But both are still some work and earning into the future. I probably couldn't go with a non german car anyway ...
As far as a hybrid is concerned I really like the Prius. The styling and the performance. When I lived in San Diego I worked for serveral years for a auto rental company. There I had the oppurtunity to drive the Pirus on several occasions. Very smooth with good performance. And of course all the customers raved about the gas miliage. The only thing I did not like about the car was the proceedure to start the darn thing...But once you got use to it it was easy to start.
The one I test drove had the Smartkey system. You don't even have to take out the keys from your pocket. The car already senses its presence. The only thing you do is press the Start button on the car, just remember the press the brakes at the same time. Toyota and Lexus cars that have the Smartkey system all work that way, plus many other cars of all brands.
The funny thing about the Prius is the shifter control. With about every other car, you got the shift lever in the middle of the car. They all look what you expect them to be.
The shift lever on the Prius is like a tiny, toy like lever near the start button. It feels more like you're turning on a light than shift a car. However, sneak photos of the next Prius model shows them returning to the conventional layout.
If its about sheer economy, the Prius still wins. I've made some research on my own about hybrids, and hybrids are not built equally even if they say "Hybrid".
For one thing, the Prius has a 67 hp electric motor. That's huge compared to other cars. The Camry Hybrid has a 40hp motor; the Honda Civic Hybrid has 20hp.
The more powerful the electric motor, the more often the car will use the electric motor to accelerate. Given the Prius weight compared to the other two cars, from the traffic light, the Prius is more likely (using computer determination) to use its electric motor to move forward than the other two examples. This saves on gas. The effective hybrid strategy is to rely more on the electric motor as much as possible.
Among the pictures there, the car called the Toyota Avensis, only sold in Europe, shares the same chassis and power train to another vehicle, the Scion Tc.
The Prisus we had at the rental agency about 5 years ago did not have Smartkey. I just rmember there were three diffrent things you had to do to start the car. many customers complained about this proceedure.
The shifter does indeed looks like a toy. But it is functional never the less. You just have to get use to it. All in all I really like the car.
The shifter does indeed looks like a toy. But it is functional never the less. You just have to get use to it. All in all I really like the car.