[Timgt5]

With the price of gas remaining above $3.50 and going up for the forseeble future, how many of you would think seriously about getting a Hybrid Car:

[Timgt5]

I meant to make this an anoynomous poll, but I am not used to all of new features. My apologies, thank you to all who have been brave enough to answer anyway

[Brian37]

I drive a truck, so it wouldnt apply to me...I don't believe Hybrid cars will ever take off...Americans are spoiled and with gas prices at a all time high, I don't see very many people selling their gas guzzling SUV's and Soccer Mom Urban Assault Vehicles.....

besides if Hybrid's start selling like crazy, just watch the oil companies drop gas prices.....

[Timgt5]

Actually you are under a bit of misconceptions, there are several pickup truck hybrids on the market

Chevy and GMC have V-8 half ton Hybrids available for order
A Dodge Ram V-8 Hybrid will be on sale in a couple of months

As for Hybrids not being successful, you may want to read up a bit. The Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrids have waiting lists and sell at full sticker price. Meanwhile full size SUVs are being discounted as much as 60 percent off the sticker price because dealers can't give the damn things away and will not even let people trade their old ones in.

There are also a number of Hybrid SUVs, both compact and full size out there to satisfy any needs for this type of vehicle. Lexus has a full range of Hybrid Luxury cars with plenty of power and performance.

So I believe the technology will succeed given time. Already conservation is coming into effect on the market.

I am currently writing a proposal to send to congress that would replace all personal use internal combustion engine cars, with Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles by the year 2050. Once I have finished it I will post a copy here.

Thanks for answering the poll!

TJ

[sabby]

The next time I have the money to go buy another vehicle I'm pretty sure it will be a hybrid. Just not sure when that will be at the moment

[Doh2007]

My car gets good mileage. I probably wouldn't get a hybrid because I'm waiting to get a hydrogen car.

[Timgt5]

Good for you!!

You be waiting a bit though it has been estimated that it will take 10-15-years before the cars are going to be affordable for the average buyer and the neccessary infrastructure is in place.

[Brian37]

by the year 2050 the Earth will have died from global warming and Al Gore's assault on anything that moves.....all that will be left are a few cockroaches and Keith Richards looking for an outlet to plug in his guitar........

[Timgt5]

I love your twisted humor LOL

[froggie2]

Originally Posted by Brian37

by the year 2050 the Earth will have died from global warming and Al Gore's assault on anything that moves.....all that will be left are a few cockroaches and Keith Richards looking for an outlet to plug in his guitar........

[RozG]

Originally Posted by Timgt5

With the price of gas remaining above $3.50 and going up for the forseeble future, how many of you would think seriously about getting a Hybrid Car:

can't answer your poll coz don't know what a hybrid car is? plain english if you gonna explain, i a hick LOL

[Rapunzel]

I really want one but couldn't afford one yet. There's no reason not to look for cars with good mileage ratings though. My Saturn got 40 mpg until it was totaled when it slid into the back of a hummer in the worst weather day of the winter last year. So much for light, plastic cars. Didn't even scratch the hummer. So I got a used Elantra. Sturdier, but still gets 30+ mpg. Can't accelerate going up a hill though. I guess I can live with that, although it's a pain when you get behind someone going 40 mph and the only passing lane is uphill.

[Timgt5]

You have a good point, and a lot people are doing just that. The Honda Civic actually became the hottest car in America over the sumer of this year, hitting record sales. Unfortunatly the one draw back as you mentioned is performance. I understand though that the Mazda3 is quite punchy.

[gardenergirl]

Originally Posted by Brian37

by the year 2050 the Earth will have died from global warming and Al Gore's assault on anything that moves.....all that will be left are a few cockroaches and Keith Richards looking for an outlet to plug in his guitar........

As long as he stays out of coconut trees....



gg

[Timgt5]

Lol lol lol

[(JD)]

GM just unveiled it's electric plug-in car, ready in 2 years? I am putting off buying now, and have been for 2 years, waiting for something that burns/provides one of the 5 alternative fuels/energies.

I need a new car, this one is approaching 100k and burning oil a bit. (Not the car's fault, the Goodyear people put the oil in the wrong place, put something else in the oil place. Then asked me where I had my oil change done!!!!! DOH!)

But I also need a handicapp accessible vehicle. I doubt the hybrids will carry that kind of power any time soon. So if the gasoline burners come down much more, I may keep my car and buy an suv for wheelchair travel only. I think someone will come up with a conversion before long anyway.

Also though, I need more than efficiency. I need comfort, distance, and performance because I travel the turnpike to doctors with 1 1/2 hours travel time. Being disabled won't allow just any vinyl/cloth covered seated vehicle either. LOL

So I will wait till God tells me to JUMP! Then I'll buy something.

[Timgt5]

But I also need a handicapp accessible vehicle. I doubt the hybrids will carry that kind of power any time soon. So if the gasoline burners come down much more, I may keep my car and buy an suv for wheelchair travel only. I think someone will come up with a conversion before long anyway.

Also though, I need more than efficiency. I need comfort, distance, and performance because I travel the turnpike to doctors with 1 1/2 hours travel time. Being disabled won't allow just any vinyl/cloth covered seated vehicle either. LOL

So I will wait till God tells me to JUMP! Then I'll buy something. [/quote]

Toyota Highlander Hybrid: 270HP ( how fast do you really need to go) 25 or more MPG. Can be loaded with leather, sunroof and array of other Luxury features...

Chevy Suburban Hybrid 300HP V8 With 2 mode Hybrid system, 8 passenger SUV

Dodge Durango Hybrid 345 HP Hemi V8

All of these can be converted with ramps and other handicapped accessories... you just have to find the right aftermarket supplier.

What are you currently driving?

[(JD)]

Only 25 mpg? I can get that on a regular car. Sounds like they are still charging more for the hybrid aspect without delivering something that is totally off gasoline?

I want something electrical, or maybe LP that gets 50+ mpg. How far do those go on a charge/tank? (You're so knowledgeable, no sense in me trying to find things out lol)

[Timgt5]

25 plus is good for a 7 passanger SUV with a big V-6 plus lower emissions. most of those vehicles in the real world world do not make it to 20

Hybrid cars are still subject to the laws of physics, the bigger the car, the more power the lower the mileage, could a large SUV achieve 50 MPG? In theory if you had one that was a comon rail diseal with a plugin electric motor... well maybe we will have to see.

as for LP, there is currently one such car on the markert, the Honda Civic GX which is sold in NY and CA via special order. Hopefully if Mr. Pickens would put his some of his money where his mouth is there could be more. Keep watching!

Ultimately the important thing is that all of these approaches will hail the end to ICE down the road. There is no reason Americans should still have gasoline powered cars beyond the next generation. Eliminating CO2 emissions needs to be a paramount goal of this society.

[(JD)]

Well on the emissions issues, the USA is leading the world on that "green" advocacy, and many of the requirements we already have hurt us when the rest of the world isn't doing squat. I'm wanting to get down to using only what we have in the ground for ourselves and quit relying upon communistic and islamistic countries to help keep us free.

My brother designed a system in the 70s with a volkswagen van, running off LP I think it was....no one was interested.

[Timgt5]

Timing is everything. Going green has high short term costs, but not doing so has even bigger ones in the long run. Not just global warming. Doctors have stated that most people who suffer various breathing problems, like asthma, emphysema, etc do so because of man made pollutants.

Western Europe is actually ahead of us in many areas with more clean energy (France is 60 percent nuclear) and less consumption. There are a lot of macro-ideas out there but there are some everyday things we can do as well.

House sizes should be based on 500 square feet per person in the household. Smaller properly designed houses, utilizing superior insulation, solar, and more efficient appliances (such as tankless water heaters) can dramatically cut fossil fuel usuage.

Only a tiny number of people need a large truck-framed SUV, only those people that tow heavy loads or haul arround a construction crew, anyone needing 6 plus passanger capacity should drive a more efficient Cross-over or Minivan.

No one really needs a V-8 car. There are plenty of high-end sixes that will go as fast as you safely can on American roads.

Generally we as a society, overconsume. We need to examine every purchase and decide its real long term value. Overconsumption in part has let to the financial mess we are in now. Not to mention piling up our landfills.

Sorry for the preaching, but God meant for us to be tenders of his garden (the earth) and good stewards do not destroy the garden and make it unusable for the next generation.

[Brian37]

everytime I read this thread I vision the "Road Warriors" movie with Mad Max...everybody looking for the "juice!" (gas).....strung out on the fringes of a desolete planet trying to find some gas for the last of the V-8's!

now imagine that same movie but with Hybrid cars....Max crusining along in a beat up Honda Hybrid with a couple hundred of those Everyready lantern batteries hooked up to
the motor!....instead of those people protecting the tanker full of juice....they are hold up at a Batteries Plus outlet outside Sydney...and Lord Humungus needing a supply of nine volts for his Razr scooter.........

[T_Seul]

Holding out for a full on alternative fuel car.

[Timgt5]

LOL it will be lot quieter. Ha ha

[Timgt5]

Many people share the same sentiments as you. I see gas-electric hybrids as a "bridge" Tech to both fuel cells and long range electrics. I think whatever gets us away from fossil fuels and lowers are CO2 output is worth pursuing. As I told Doh, I think that ultimately Hydrogen is the right answer for both goals, but we are probably 20 years away from a viable national infrastructure and affordable fuel cell cars. I could be wrong of course, we will have to see.