Posted on 10/20/2010 5:19:04 AM PDT by Lockbox
The dirty side of Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is among the greenest cars to operate. But manufacturing the famous gasoline-electric hybrid can be a dirty business.
Toyota studied the car's total environmental impact from factory to junkyard.
Not surprisingly, the fuel-efficient Prius was better than average in its class of vehicles in lifetime emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide, according to Toyota.
But it was slightly worse than average in emissions of nonmethane hydrocarbons and particulate matter. Toyota says this is because producing hybrid-only parts such as motors, inverters and nickel-metal hydride batteries consumes more energy and creates more emissions.
In fact, when looking at the "materials manufacturing" phase of the car's life cycle, the Prius was worse than the class average across all five emissions categories.
Toyota said it conducted life cycle emissions assessments on eight vehicle series last year and used the results to help redesign such models as the Prius, Lexus RX 450h and HS 250h and such Japan-market vehicles as the Wish minivan and Mark X sedan.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101018/OEM01/310189979#ixzz12trBMdoe
hahaha, you drive a prius, hahaha. what color did you get? Pink?
That is what my daughter has done, but (as you can see) there are some things that you need to get from the dealer. It’s obvious that the dealer is discriminating about what they charge according to where you have your work done. The fact that this dealer actually falsified the labor record on my daughter’s seat belt replacement (she caught him) and then taunted her over how often she used that dealership was simply outrageous.
And the fact that my friend has had similar problems with her dealer and her van says “consumer beware” when dealing with Toyota repairs.
No, they said they had only one of that color and it was reserved for you.
If it can tow my boat, along with all our camping gear over the Cascades, I'm beautiful with it.
The proper tool for the job.
The proper tool for the job.
You are right about that — at least in the old days. However, our local dealers are now posting oil change, etc. prices, and they match the prices of the Jiffy Lubes around here.
I drive a Cadillac and have found, however, that I can order Cadillac parts from the Chevrolet dealer at a serious discount over Cadillac. I understand that the hourly rate for labor is less that Cadillac too. It pays to shop around.
I am in the process of replacing a front bumper. I’m having front parking sensors installed too because it is the 2nd front bumper that my husband has cracked pulling into a snowbank in the winter!
Purchase of a new bumper has been interesting. The bumper shell is $400+ from Cadillac. It’s $300 from Chevrolet, and we ordered it there. Because we found an auto-restoration and paint shop that will install the sensors in the blank bumper and match the paint we paid him a visit for paint samples, etc. and to discuss the work.
“Where are you getting your bumper? Shall I order it?”
“No,” says my husband, “I’m ordering it. I got a really good price.”
“I can get you any bumper you want for $175.”
Needless to say, we’ve canceled the bumper order at the Chevy dealer and we’re allowing the restoration/paint/sensor guy to supply the bumper. And he’s going to spray the back bumper too when he does the front. I already have sensors on the back. He does simply beautiful work.
Toni Tennille used to sing a song about “You gotta shop around”. She was talking about a man, but the same advice is good on cars and car repairs.
silver to match our lexuses, ok with you?
As a conservative, I only have one thing to say - your choice as a consumer led you to buy the vehicle you determined to fit your needs.
As an accountant, I have to ask, did your purchase pencil?
Good to see that you took a logical approach to the purchase. I’m looking at the VW Diesel myself. The government is determined to drive the price of energy up. With the new higher fuel mileage standards, the price of fuel will rise so that we have the same cost per mile as we do with today’s cars. The only way to save money is to exceed the new average fuel mileage.
I have had FOUR Honda Civic’s never a single problem with any of them
I will go buy ANOTHER one just because I want to thank them by being a loyal customer
Never felt that way about any other prooduct- except maybe Bostonian shoes- when I realized I had a 15 year old pair of shoes (worn daily and re-soled 4 times) I took my whole family out to get a pair each
Some (seemingly rare) common sense regarding vehicles on FR.
Thanks for presenting a practical example.
Like I tell my brother who bought a Prius, if you are a man and...
My son says that too.
Be careful with that. When my 2001 Buick Regal GS was hit from behind (idiot ran from the scene, too), the insurance company went behind my back and authorized the body shop to use a non-original, aftermarket rear bumper. The thing looked like crap. I got after the insurance company because they violated Idaho law at the time - which was to inform me that, due to the age/mileage of my vehicle they could use non-OEM parts, or I could opt to pay more and get OEM parts. When I brought this up to them, they immediately got an OEM bumper and had the shop re-do it (at no additional cost to me). We finally got our car back and it looked perfect (the body shop did great, just the part sucked).
You get what you pay for - I'd ask the shop where the bumper is coming from.
Red, if you are A RTIRED VETERAN you earned the right to drive whatever car you like and I salute you and thank you for your service
Plus Ihope you drive the libs mad if they actually comment that you should not drive a certain type of vehicle because you don’t agree with their politics...
yes i considered that car also but my mechanic does not work on european cars, american and asian only, and personally i have good experience w/toyota performance so hard to switch
ford fusion: also nice, but no fold down back seat
I see this was called out by a previous poster, but want to make the additional point that the scene described used to be true; even in the 1980's. But I have been to Sudbury, and the "dead zone" is very much alive, as the smelter emissions have been curtailed.
That said, I agree with the ultimate conclusion of the article. The so-called "green" technologies are an illusion, as only a fraction of the life and use cycle is viewed when affixing the "green" label.
A lot of the metal stampings from China (both Taiwan and Red) were / are sub-par quality.
They are improving.
I’m guessing in another five years they’ll be on par.
I drive a ford F250. Nice try though. you and your peeus be sure to stay in the slow lane now, where you won’t get hurt.
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