Sarah -- or anyone who knows....something else on hybrids... I'm really intrigued by the technology... Here's what I can't make sense of.... they're rated at about 30% better gas mileage than a standard... looks like where the standard gets 30 the hybrid will get 40, etc......so, by my calcs, given the 3000 dollar premium Steven W. mentioned, and figuring gas at 3 bucks, don't you have to drive like 90,000 miles to break even and justify the 3000 bucks extra?
I think with hybrids, it would depend on the reason for getting the hybrid. If its purely economical, unless you are using the car for long, highway driving, like as a traveling salesman, then its probably not the best deal.
taxi cab drivers and police departments can get hybrids to pay for themselves since they do 90k/year - the rest of us, we should just drive them because thybrids are 'cool' and it's the right thing to do.
back in the '80s, americans weighed less and the cars had much less hp. so that civic maybe had 70hp under the hood compared to the 110hp hybrid and 130hp regular engine. So if the car doubles in weight, the people double in weight, the engine doubles in power, we're doing ok with half the fuel efficiency (cause it otherwise would be 1/8th as good). Cars today do seem much safer, have much higher quality and performance.
Personally, I'm considering a FourTwo for my next car unless one of those whizbang alternative vehicles actually makes it to market. the 45hp CDI diesel is getting about 80mph in europe.
Another Car Thread
Sarah -- or anyone who knows....something else on hybrids... I'm really intrigued by the technology... Here's what I can't make sense of.... they're rated at about 30% better gas mileage than a standard... looks like where the standard gets 30 the hybrid will get 40, etc......so, by my calcs, given the 3000 dollar premium Steven W. mentioned, and figuring gas at 3 bucks, don't you have to drive like 90,000 miles to break even and justify the 3000 bucks extra?
I think with hybrids, it would depend on the reason for getting the hybrid. If its purely economical, unless you are using the car for long, highway driving, like as a traveling salesman, then its probably not the best deal.
taxi cab drivers and police departments can get hybrids to pay for themselves since they do 90k/year - the rest of us, we should just drive them because thybrids are 'cool' and it's the right thing to do.
back in the '80s, americans weighed less and the cars had much less hp. so that civic maybe had 70hp under the hood compared to the 110hp hybrid and 130hp regular engine. So if the car doubles in weight, the people double in weight, the engine doubles in power, we're doing ok with half the fuel efficiency (cause it otherwise would be 1/8th as good). Cars today do seem much safer, have much higher quality and performance.
Personally, I'm considering a FourTwo for my next car unless one of those whizbang alternative vehicles actually makes it to market. the 45hp CDI diesel is getting about 80mph in europe.
Hybrids get better fuel economy around town/city than they do on the highway.
My new commuter:
Oh, I'm sorry, I had it backwards. Thanks for fixing it Moak.
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