Insurance Agent Forum

[jacodaro]

I want a Dodge Magnum wagon turbo diesel. They exist in Europe.
You can barely carry groceries in high mpg vehicles. Crash rating? You gotta be kidding. Traveling on the interstate? What a joke.

[Alston]

Originally Posted by jacodaro

I want a Dodge Magnum wagon turbo diesel. They exist in Europe.
You can barely carry groceries in high mpg vehicles. Crash rating? You gotta be kidding. Traveling on the interstate? What a joke.

Please check your facts.

The Prius is not a tiny car. It is a high MPG car because of the technology, not because they made it tiny. I had two adults, a baby seat and two other children in my wife's Prius over the weekend. It doesn't blow your socks off going zero to fifty, but it very easily cruises at 70+ MPH on the highway.

[Cenla Agent]

Originally Posted by Alston

My wife just ordered a Prius. It's a hybrid gas/electric car. A couple of our friends have them and she has been interested in the car for a long time. When she finally did the research, she was amazed at how well regarded the car is. It ranks high on safety, comfort and of course gas mileage.

The sticker says the gas mileage is 60 in the city. It's lower on the highway, because when you go at higher speeds the gas engine works harder to assist the electric engine.

We could probably export oil if everybody had a car that got 50 to 60 mpg!

I'm not in love with the body style but my wife, who has great taste in everything besides husbands, says that it looks cool. Our friends who have them say that it doesn't go from 0 to 50 as quickly as they would like it.

But aside from the above I've heard no other negatives. It is not the extreme compromise like some of the tiny cars that get great MPG. I have a Saab 900S and the Prius is at least as roomy as my car. Plus, it's quiet. The gas engine is small and shuts off when it isn't needed. The electric engine is nearly silent.

You can also buy a bicycle to reduce our dependence on oil (and your waist). I bike almost everywhere I go by myself when the weather permits. My wife bikes too, but for her it's mostly recreation. My 25 mpg Saab sits in the driveway most of the time.

A friend of mine has one. I was also surprised that it wasn't a tiny car. It's probably at least as big as a Corolla if not bigger.

[Cenla Agent]

Originally Posted by djs

A long time ago (mid-80's) I used to have a Chevy Sprint (think Geo Metro). It got over 50 miles to the gallon, flew around town, etc. Prius is a step back compared to it from an eco perspective, and you would think in 20 years, they could do better in MPG. Plus, I got over 50 on the highway, I think just slightly under in city traffic.

I support those who get hybrid cars. I'd like to see us use more renewable energy, less reliance on non-renewable stuff. I'm not an eco-whacko, just like to apply some common sense.

Nowadays, I drive my Jaguar. 3 miles a day on a heavy commute day. Price of gas only hurts me because people can't afford to pay their auto insurance premiums after buying gas to run to the mall to get new clothes, run to starbucks to to a half-caff half-decaf double mocca chocolate latte or whatever, and concert tickets for the weekend. Life is tough.

Nuclear power hasn't made the advances many think it has, since not to many people work on it anymore. Of course, it was never as bad as most people think. 3 mile island wasn't terrible, Chernobyl was an oops, but lets try training some reactor operators in common sense.

Dan

Nuclear power is widely used throughout Europe, and without incident.

[Krono]

Originally Posted by Alston

Bill Bradley says in his latest book that if we got our average MPG up to where it is in Europe (in the low 40s, I think) we would not need to import oil.

I don't know why we don't have more diesel cars. Maybe it is an emission issue.

Volkswagon does sell these cars here. You can get the Jetta, the bug and I think a few other cars with their TDI (Turbo diesel) engine. My buddy has one and gets over 40 mpg combined.

This makes more sense to me. The new technology in these hybrids will probably cost a fortune to fix and maintain.

[Alston]

Originally Posted by Krono

Volkswagon does sell these cars here. You can get the Jetta, the bug and I think a few other cars with their TDI (Turbo diesel) engine. My buddy has one and gets over 40 mpg combined.

This makes more sense to me. The new technology in these hybrids will probably cost a fortune to fix and maintain.

Unfortunately, that is the big unknown.

However, all the hybrid related parts are covered by the warranty. We may be driving something else before the warranty is up.

[Mr. Bill]

I think the Mercedes Bluetech (?) is coming out next year, should be a good one. Diesel efficiency at its finest? I hope....

[STIBROKER@AUSTIN.RR.COM]

YouTube - Who Killed the Electric Car trailer

[midwestbroker]

Ahh...The GM EV1...

The profit margin was not there to keep it going. Simple as that.

You can blame the oil companies, and GM, but the reality is that IF GM put its future on electric cars and failed, then what? They would go out of business with good intentions. However, they would rather sell what makes their stocks go up.

If battery technology was all that and cheap, then why does the Tesla cost almost $100,000? Even it they put out a "regular" car, it would be about $50-60K.

We need better and cheaper batteries.

[Jeff]

My wife's new company car is a Prius. She's had it for about 2 months. Nice roomy car, handles and rides great.
Drives a combination of highway and local getting 38 mpg avg over 2 months. Father in-law also had one for about a year, never got over 40 mpg.