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Post by dolt on Jan 30, 2007 13:45:56 GMT -5
Good for you grimbasement!
The automobile is a the major contributing component to our abysmal air quality. The problem is however manifold.(no pun) I live in a post world war II housing boom residence. They all have fire places. Many get used extensively making evening walks a choking experience. A younger person moved in next door to us. He rents rooms to make the mortgage. A couple years back I noticed his kitchen range out for neighborhood pick up. Since that time most every night is charcoal barbecue night for him, tenants and a large guest list.
All the small engine yard care and snow removal implements have no pollution control and are a major contributing factor to the soup we call air.
I take public transit when possible. For short trips I ride my Segway XT.(I know they spelled it wrong) The wife and I have 4 children but, keep unnecessary trips to a minimum.
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Post by stitch on Jan 30, 2007 14:32:42 GMT -5
Just curious Grim, is your Prius a Hybrid? Hybrids could help, right?
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Post by x on Jan 31, 2007 1:17:22 GMT -5
Stitch, I think you're onto something there.
I think the current problems with car emissions are going to be rendered moot in the not too distant future because the whole concept of vehicle propulsion is going to change. The question is what will it be changing to?
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Post by stitch on Feb 4, 2007 21:55:50 GMT -5
I don't know much about hybrids and want to get one. I think Prius is one of the best selling hybrids so far. Can anyone tell me how they run? Do they run on a charger and have a gas tank in case all else fails? Do you plug them into an electrical outlet? Do they get ok gas mileage? Are mechanics knowledgeable on how to fix them properly if something goes wrong? Inquiring mind wants to know.
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Post by grimbasement on Feb 7, 2007 18:32:21 GMT -5
Stock Prii are not plugged in although there are mods available to do so but I question the value of doing so. The Prius runs on normal 85 octane fuel and battery power is generated both by the ICE (internal combustion engine) and by regenerative braking. So the energy used to slow that car charges the battery. The Prius has actually been around for 10 years now (8 years in the USA) so the technology is proven. Over the 23000 miles I've owned the car I'm just geeky enough to have kept track of the fuel economy and I average just over 51 actual mpg (EPA sticker says 58 MPG but NO CAR gets the EPA mileage). The car is amazingly peppy and can get out of its own way. The CVT (Constant Velocity Transmission (ie. No Gears) actually accelerates to I-15 speeds VERY quickly if it has to. There has never been a day that I have regretted buying my Prius. The third generation Prius (next year 2008 will have lithium-ion batteries and get 80 MPG (EPA estimate) instead of the 60 for current generation. The car is a specialized high tech piece of machinery so I only take it to the toyota dealership and not bubba's car shop/bait shack but the maintenance schedule is basically just oil changes until 120,000 so the rip off 20,000 40,000 60,000 mile $300+ "maintenance packages" pimped by the dealerships to regular cars don't apply to the Prius. If I were industrious I could do my oil changes my self but for $50 every 5000 I'll have the dealership do the oil change and tire rotation. The battery is covered with 180,000 warranty and the number of failures is literally around 3 dozen. Accidents have taken more Prii off the road than mechanical failures. Finally being as anal about gas mileage as I have been, I've noticed that things like tire pressure, and limiting so called jack rabbit starts are things that REALLY affect gas mileage. And they apply to every car not just hybrids. Tire pressure will bleed anywhere from 3-6 MPGs off of a tank (about 3%). And if I drive over the speed limit on I-15 I can lose over 10 MPGs (about 5%). So there are things everyone can do to improve emissions. Can you tell I love my car? ;D
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Post by stitch on Feb 7, 2007 21:48:46 GMT -5
I KNEW IT! Yea! Thanks for the info, Grim! Yes, we CAN tell you love your car!!! Now you've made me LOVE YOUR CAR, TOO!!! Compared to regular gas guzzling, pollution causing cars... How much more expensive is a hybrid Prius vs a non-hybrid Prius to buy from a dealer?
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Post by grimbasement on Feb 8, 2007 15:54:54 GMT -5
There is no non-Hybrid Prius. But Toyota the manufacturer of the Prius also has a hybrid Camry with the same hybrid technology. And a Hybrid Highlander SUV. Honda Also has a Hybrid Civic and Accord. I looked at ALL of them (when I could find them) and the Prius IMO was the best. My previous car was an 01 civic.
The price premium between a Civic Hybrid and a standard Civic was about $3,000 (Standard Civic was $19 and the Hybrid was $22) but dollar for dollar the Prius was the better buy.
I think the base price MSRP for a Prius is right around $22000 as with max price with all options (Leather, MP3, Cd changer, JBL sound, GPS etc) is about $28.
Looks like the Camry Hybrid has about a $2000 price premium over a similarly equipped Camry XLE.
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Post by stitch on Mar 25, 2007 7:07:06 GMT -5
It's amazing to me that we couldn't think of a hybrid in the 60's, 70's or 80's... We could have saved the environment and ourselves alot earlier if we had access to it at that time. Oh well... we have it now. Hopefully, hybrids will catch on like the cell phone did... It's kind of hard to fathom what life was like before cell phones, right?
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Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2007 15:48:44 GMT -5
Of course, Stitch, there will be conspiracy theorists that say they've had it all along and big oil has just stifled it until just now. Hehehe.
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Post by henry on Mar 27, 2007 22:12:47 GMT -5
The problem is that the technology needed to run the CVT in hybrids that engages the electric motors and gas motors uses a bit of computer power and to do it mechanically and not have a noticeable lag isn't all that practical.
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Post by stitch on Apr 11, 2007 19:11:18 GMT -5
You're probably right, Timmy! Did you see the news? Now, a panel of doctors are trying to get Gov. Huntsman and the legislature to do something for us! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope they look at some kind of fanning system. My dad told me recently that Gov. Scott Matheson wanted something like that in the '70s. I hope to get our air issues resolved! We need help here!
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Post by dolt on Apr 16, 2007 21:02:38 GMT -5
Step It Up Governor Hansen!
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Post by stitch on Apr 21, 2007 1:06:16 GMT -5
Gov. Who?
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Post by dolt on Apr 21, 2007 13:00:51 GMT -5
oops! Who indeed?
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Post by x on Apr 21, 2007 15:16:51 GMT -5
Hey I'll buy that. I know a Ms. Hansen who would make a great governor.
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