My new high MPG pick-up "truck"...

[Matt Whiting]

I was at a Toyota dealer on Saturday and was told 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Matt

[FDR]

Maybe. But I bet that cost comes down with newer technologies.

[keith]

LOL! ;-)

[World Traveler]

Manufacturers ARE making fuel efficient cars, as well as SUVs (of all sizes). People choose for themselves what it is they want to buy.

[keith]

It's no different in NE, though we have three seasons; Winter, Deep Winter, and mud.

Q: What does a Vermonter do in the Summer? A: If it falls on Sunday, they have a picnic.

I know those who rent out the better place. More money. ;-)

[World Traveler]

[snip]

1. Rear-wheel drive vs. front wheel
2. Truck chassis vs unit body construction
3. Driveability
4. Load carrying capability

And I'm not sure that your $5K figure is anywhere near accurate. --

[Edwin Pawlowski]

. I would hope so. I'd not buy one because of the "great unknown" of batteries and the cost. I tend to keep cars for a long time so that is a factor for me. I'm also betting that fuel cells, batteries, hydrogen, or something will be readily available in mass production (at reasonable cost) in a few more years.

[User Example]

These Hybrids are not what I call fuel efficient. Yes, they are better than standard cars but they could be better. Besides, they cost too much for what you get. Auto makers have had years and years to get it right but have choosen not to be innovative and we're still driving cars around that have the same gas mileage as 30 years ago.

[Robert Allison]

I bought one. All of my trucks are "work trucks". That is what I buy them for.

Yes, I need AC and 4WD. I live in Texas. I spend about 40% of my time in the truck going from job to job, estimate to estimate, etc. I have to pull trailers with backhoes, bobcats, materials, etc. I have a Chevy 2500 HD that is just barely enough to handle what I need it to do. I don't care if it gets scratched or dented, but I do care that the AC works. At least until winter gets here in January. May have a few days that I can run without it then.

[Matt Whiting]

From Bill Cooke Volkswagen in Ithaca, NY. NY has adopted the CARB standards and I was told that the VW diesels can't meet these standards currently.

Duh, that is what I did and wrote. Can't you read?

I searched around and found nothing I'd call "official", but did find several references such as this that also suggest that VW TDI cars aren't available in CARB states.

Matt

[D. J. MCBRIDE]

It is common knowledge to those of us who live in Texas that we do, indeed, have two distinct seasons: 1) January/February and 2) Summer. Or is it December/January and Summer? William Tecumseh Sherman was once quoted, "If I owned Texas and Hell, I'd rent out Texas and live in Hell." Or words to that effect.

[Michael Daly]

Guess what - vans come with 4WD too. I did say a similarly equipped van.

Irrelevant for the majority of SUV drivers. They are only commuting to work or going to the mall after all.

??? I've driven both types both on and off road. They both handle poorly. Light ass-end and top heavy. what's your point?

Again - irrelevant for the majority of drivers.

Never actually priced the vehicles, did you? Some models of SUV were upwards of $15,000 over the vans the same company sold.

Detroit was making about $10,000 profit per SUV on average and losing money on almost every car they sold. That's why they loved selling them and why every manufacturer in the world came out with one - even Porche, FCS.

Mike

[Michael Daly]

On the highway, they are about the same. There's no comparison in the city - the hybrid wins hands down.

Mike

[Michael Daly]

Around here, there are waiting lists for the Prius.

Detroit doesn't make fuel efficient cars. Everyone else does. They aren't always imported into the US.

Mike

[Michael Daly]

Then what are they? They get better fuel economy in the city than on the highway - what conventional vehicle can do that?

Mike

[Bill]

I'm not being "scientific" about this in the least, and a car gas gauge is far from being an accurate instrument...

Anyway, I just looked it up and my tank holds 10 gallons (95 Ford Aspire). The needle was a little over half way full and my price of gas around $2.70. I have never paid more than $14.00 to fill up my car, the lowest gas gauge reading being 1/4 full. So I guess 1/4 full is closer to 1/2 full on my car gas gauge?

I live in a rural area and need to "go to town" to buy stuff. The "unscientific" bottom line is...

-The last time I drove my 6 cylinder truck "to town", it cost $25 for a fill-up with the needle being at 1/2 (gas was around $2.59).

-When I drive my car, it costs a lot less to fill-up.

[User Example]

I call them "not good enough". They are a nice start but getting 15-20% better gas mileage is not a big deal to me.

[Lil' Dave]

You make a good point some may ridicule or scoff at.

Have been using an 88 VW Fox Wagon for toting alot of stuff on many projects here. If its less the 4' wide, no problem. Less wide stuff like 2X lumber, piping up to 10' in length sticking slightly out the open hatch. Toted 12 bags of concrete a few weeks ago, true low-rider. Tailpipe the street once, difficult/boat like steering in the process. 33 mpg hwy/ 26 city w/ no load onboard. Police give it a 2nd look when doing the lowrider or extended payload outback, but don't stop me.

[J.C.]

The wife has a Honda Element. It is one of the neatest little cars I've ever driven. I actully love it and am thinking that when the lease is up, I'll buy it and remove the rear seats and use it for hauling small stuff.

-- J.C.

[Michael Daly]

Fair enough - I agree that if efficiency had been a serious objective then we'd see better results today.

However, the greatest improvements in fuel consumption, in the short to medium term, would be changes in driver behavior. Buying a gas guzzler and driving like an idiot or driving unnecessarily are behaviors that can be changed with _huge_ reductions in consumption. You don't need a

6000lb, 300hp behemoth to go pick up a quart of milk.

Mike