Current Trend: Hybrid cars give owners a charge

registerguard.com ^ | 6 December 2003 | by Scott Maben

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

"The air in America would be vastly cleaner if everyone replaced his or her current ride with a brand-new "Incredible Hulk" Ford Excursion."
Car&Driver Jan 2001

[oceanview]

we will get more european diesels when the new clean diesel fuel regulation goes into effect in 2006. Mercedes CDI diesels are excellent.

the Prius is great technology, I wish US car makers were investing in this kind of stuff, instead of figuring out how to put more cupholders in a minivan.

[inPhase]

"Rhetorical question:

What is the environmental impact of the manufacture, operation and disposal of the batteries used in these cars?"

You are right, there are no free dinners. The cost of the fuel cycle is hidden. The disposal of the heat or the heat management cycle at the manufacturers is hidden. Strip mining is hidden. The new distribution of polutants in the air soil and water is hidden.

[bicycle thug]

LOL! Yep! But I still like my old one time landlord Uncle Fuzzy. I lived in one of his houses on N. Polk St. for a time.

Interesting how KUGN cleaned house letting all those guys go at once.

[MarkL]

I drove the military version in Saudi in mid-nineties. I'll keep it in mind. I like that part of pissing the Libs off! Hehehee... :-)

What you're talking about is the "original" Hummer, which is the civilian version of what you drove. I really want one of those! Just because of the "cool factor" of the engineering and technology... I love the idea of the reduction gears in the hubs, and the inboard disc brakes. I'm not sure how I'd handle a top speed of 83 mph, though... The Hummer mentioned earlier ($60,000) is the H2, which is an SUV designed to look like the real thing. The only thing keeping me from getting an original H-1 is about $110,000. I guess I'll just keep driving my Toyota Corolla, until I win the PowerBall!

Mark

[millefleur]

yes we need more diesel options!
A diesel version of the PT cruiser is in the works, but I have been unable to find out if it will be sold in America.
meanwhile, I'll hang onto my gas Dodge pickup and Toyota ECHO.

[Namyak]

Got myself a black '96 Land Rover Discovery... Old Man Emu lift;4 inches, superswamper tires, ARB bar with attached 8,000pd winch... have I mentioned I love this car? I know it's not an option for everyone, but to avoid mechanic costs I do all the mechanical work myself... it's easy enough, as long as you get used to the sometimes strange way the British engineer a car (don't get me started on the electrical system...), but I love it all the same... and do you know what else I love? Taking this black beast and off-roading as much as I can... gives the local enviromentalists conniptions to think of me and my buddies running over poor defenseless bunny rabbits and endangered moths...

[Paradox]

I checked out a Prius, its a very nice car. If I were currently in the market for one, I would consider it. I got no problems with "eco" cars, I just think that the market should decide. I think some of these hybrids just might catch on.

[CobaltBlue]

Mine's a 96, too. The last year they made a stick shift. I really don't want to have an automatic transmission, so will hang onto it until it dies.

I should do more of the work myself. I grew up with VWs and the Volkswagen Complete Idiot books. Wonderful things, those, with great instructions and illustrations, really showed you how to do just about anything.

[gcruse]

The Prius is a nifty little car. Let those who like that sort of thing buy a bunch.

[B Knotts]

I wish US car makers were investing in this kind of stuff, instead of figuring out how to put more cupholders in a minivan.

Actually, Ford is introducing a hybrid Escape SUV next year, and GM is coming out with hybrid full-size pickups and SUVs in the next couple of years.

[bjcintennessee]

Hmph! Misleading title. I expected to read about owners getting an electrical shock due to some flaw in the hybrid.

[phelanw]

I love my 70 GTO. 428 c.i. engine with 750 Edelbrock 4 barrel, racing distributor, over 365 horsepower. 400 turbo transmission with shift kit. It's a dream, and in some ways it's better than it was when new. The thing is built out of real metal that doesn't bend when you lean against it. It gets about 10 mpg in town. :>)

I would drive it every day, but the weather doesn't permit. I want to be buried in it, so I get out the Tahoe on rainy or cold days. The Tahoe's 350 c.i engine (with computer and fuel injection) seems slow as molasses after driving that old 70's technology. I had 10 or 12 Toyotas in a row when I was young and poor. Great autos, but now it's time to live..

[bourbon]

Interesting. I really like Toyotas, and I'm not knocking the Prius itself, just anyone who thinks they're morally superior to drivers of other vehicles. :-)

[dixiechick2000]

"I'm not knocking the Prius itself, just anyone who thinks they're morally superior to drivers of other vehicles. :-)"

That's exactly why I would never buy one. We do have a lot of those types out here.

I believe Toyota is coming out with a hybrid SUV, though. I guess I'll be seeing a lot of those in the near future.

[Clinging Bitterly]

Heh - the place on N Polk, I remember that. My wife's brother roomed with you there a while in his Skookum days, and used to bring his dirty laundry to my place (I remember having to throw away a washing machine because I couldn't get the mud & soot out of it's innards, and it would no longer wash anything that was white). Is that Skookum guy still in business?

I dunno about Uncle Fuzzy, but I thought Wendy Ray retired. They held out at that station a long time, still playing music after the other "big" AM station went to all talk, then they got the Ducks' contract and hired Jerry Allen as morning personality and program director. That pretty much ended the deal for the old school programming. But in thier all talk format they tried to stay with all local talent and tended to lean a bit to the left of what AM talk listeners wanted (surprising since Brian Obie still owned most of it at the time). The sale to Cumulus brought in some good national shows, Medved and Savage probably got them the best ratings they ever had outside of a Ducks football broadcast.

But as has been discussed here, they bowed to the pressure from a movement about various campii to silence Savage, and replaced him with this local guy who claims to be libertarian, but comes off to me as only slightly less authoritarian than Lars. But I haven't heard much of the guy, I swore off the station - including the Ducks broadcasts - when they dumped Savage, so I may not totally understand the Carlin guy.

But not to get totally off to FReeper Island, if I were in the market for a new car, I'd take a look at one of those hybrids. Most of my cars (I presently have but four) are at the economy end of the scale, but I think my Suburban cancels out the other three. Hopefully by the time I'm ready to dive into the market, they'll be making them a bit less ugly looking.

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> ...we need more diesel engines in vehicles.

Two problems with them are the noise and the stink. The noise is pretty easy to deal with, insulation is fairly cheap. The new EFI systems will greatly improve the emissions. I have already seen it in my business, even the new Tier II off highway stuff that has been out the last couple of years delivers more power with less fuel, and almost none of that annoying smoke. Only problem is the components are very expensive. Most people can't afford a car with a $20,000.00 engine.

[Jotmo]

There are more pickup trucks than people here in North Eastern Oregon.

[No.6]

The Ford Escape hybrid is scheduled for 2004 release although yes, it's technically a 2005 model year vehicle.

"We currently expect the vehicle to be released for retail sale in late summer 2004."

http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/faqs/index.asp?bhcp=1

[B Knotts]

I know. When I wrote the comment you responded to, it was 2003. :-)