Do the right thing or Who cares??

I have yet to see proof that a hybrid vehicle really decreases overall energy usage in the larger picture. I think driving a hybrid to "make up for" the gas you are burning in the F-car is misguided, but I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

Personally I like the smell of petrol, I like the noises an engine makes, and I will continue to buy inordinate amounts of gasoline so long as its accessible.

 

Lamborghini Murcielago and a Hummer H2.

 

Ferrari CS, and a Toyota Tundra V-8. Sorry envoronment, but I pull a trailer and need a work truck.

However, on the 'do the right thing' side, I do collect my oil and bring it to an appropriate oil collection facility rather than pouring it down the storm drains when I change my oil.

 

this is my other car, it doesn't get very good gas mileage. i believe in burning lots of gas. i like it warm.
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If you drive a lot in the city, the hybrid will save a good amount of fuel, but if you put on a lot of high way miles, you will use much more gas, as at higher speeds the gas will take over.

 

I have a crappy Saturn LS that gets 38 MPG, has nearly 170,000 miles on it, and cost me $1000. It is, quite honestly my daily driver.

There are other cars in the stable, but the Saturn satisfies in a sick, pathetic, downtown kind of way.

 

I'm lucky that Montreal has a very good public transit system. So I actually take the subway to work...and leave the red car for the weekends. The cost of fuel is not so much of a deterrant. I just REALLY hate heavy traffic and congestion.

 

Once you cnsider the manufacturing and lifecycle costs, a hybrid car becomes a less envrionmentally responsible choice than many SUV's.

The most environmentally responsible vehicle purchase would be a used subcompact with a sub-2000cc engine. Doesn't anyone else find it amazing that just a few years ago the average vehicle hp was under 100 and now it's something like 250?

Sure it won't be comfortable, but isn't that what sacrifice for a cause is all about?

The reason that hybirds are so hot right now is that people can "sacrifice" by paying a little more... then not have to sacrifice at all in use... because the manufacturers have realized this and designed the cars to those goals.

Bill

 

For those occasions when the TR is just not using enough gas I drive the LM002. 9MPG HIGHWAY. I love to drive it in Berkeley just to P*** off as many of them in one place as possible.

 

I guess if I drove a Testarossa 30,000 miles a year I might almost care, but frankly given the mileage most Ferraris are driven I don't even see the point of smog testing...

I drive a Jeep and really like the Land Rover LR3 as a possible next car. So my 328 is actually the economy car.

 

saving gas is great but a Ferrari does something no hybrid can ever do, it adds art & culture to whatever environment it is in

I really considered buying a Mini S to save gas but I went for the 12 mpg BMW M5 instead

On the other hand I havent eaten red meat or chicken or pork in 20 years so that saved quite a few lives & energy & I also use as little leather as possible so that also reduces my impact on life

I'll probably end up getting the Mini someday anyways

 

I don't have a guilt complex. I measure my fuel efficiency in SMILES PER GALLON. Gas mileage isn't even on my radar when considering a vehicle.

Yep... I revel in being politically incorrect. It's actually quite amusing how suddenly it became politically correct to be concerend about fuel mileage. It's the "cause / crisis du jour." I've got better (and more productive) things to do.

Several months ago, someone asked me if I felt bad about the fuel I waste during track days. Ummmmmmmmmm........ NO.

More recently, I was in my Lotus Elise, and a guy pulls up next to me at a light. As often happens, a conversation ensued. He complimented the car and then asked, "How is it on gas?" I replied, "Who cares?" (It actually does really well on gas due to its light weight. But, that's definitely not why I bought it.)

Mike

 

My other cars inhale gas, save one. That manages somewhere in the 20s.

 

I love the numnuts who believe we are suffering from a lack of resources

What we are suffering from is a lack of intelligent courageous visonary leaders

We have more energy & resources than we will ever need in the life of the human species

 

and people are still believing taht we are in an energy "crisis"

 

My daily driver since 2002 is Jetta Wagon diesel. 42 in town, 50 highway. I get 48.25 at 75-80mph cruise. Could get up to 56 if willing to cruise at 55mpg.

I find the Jetta more comfortable on road trips than Lexus LS430, so I sold it and drive the Jetta all the time and love the car.

 

I agree, 100%

Dom

 

It would have to be a technologically-savvy hybrid to attract me, such as a pure heat engine. The current hybrids use century-old gasoline engines to generate electricity that then run electric motors...in "essence" (pun intended) they are just using the stored energy in gasoline by treating it like a liquid battery...but in a very inefficient, multi-stage process.

That's not sexy.

Now a fuel-cell...something that chemically transforms the energy stored in something safe such as solid coal or liquid diesel...now that would be hip.

But why "make up for the gas that you use" in the first place? If you are concerned about running out of a resource, then either switch resources or else switch processes to renewable sources.

The last couple of satellites that we've launched, for instance, have used radioactive decay to generate electricity in order to power the craft. Now that's sexy.

If you can't scale down nuclear power plants, or if you can't get enough power from *safe* levels of radioactive decay, then build enough safe nuclear power plants to make charging cars cheap.

That's renewable; that's cheap; and with new pebble-bed technology, that's safe. Oh, and it doesn't contribute to global warming.

And it's a lot more savvy than to try to "make up for the gas that you use" in a process that you don't like in the first place.

BUT...in the meantime, use up the gas. The sooner that we've switched from crude-based gasoline over to coal-based or natural-gas-based diesel, the sooner that fuel money stays in the U.S. rather than goes overseas.

Make the switch happen. Make it happen sooner by consuming more now.

 

This is my daily driver (I have a 150 mile R/T to work and back
saves me a $400 a month, than when I drive the SUV.

40 MPG !!
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What is it? I'm guessing Suzuki?

 

I have the 360 CS and Mazda MX-5 (1992) and Subaru WRX (for wife)... But my daily is a wimpy Kawasaki KSR 100cc mini motard.

 

Toyota under the Scion label. I am guessing XA or something like that.

 

I'll second the VW TDIs... Awesome engines, lots of torque, over 40mpg in town. Combine the TDI with VW's incredible DSG gearbox and they make a great daily driver. Hybrids aren't all they're cracked up to be, if you want to save fuel go with a diesel!

 

don't feel bad with the 308 gas mileage when compared to the Pantera gas mileage!