Toyota accelerator recall

[Doctor Drivel]

Maxie, I now have the new model!! Fantastic!! 65mpg!! ooooooooo!!! I am waiting for Vauxhall Ampera in a few years time then I may get that. Onwards and upwards Maxie. Onwards.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Matty F saying something like:

Yeah, well. "Sudden unintended accelleration" wasn't really much of a problem on my old bangers with steel throttle cables, and if it happened it was the work of five minutes with WD40 (at last, a use for it) at the roadside. Ho-hum, such is progress. We now have a generation of drivers who have never experienced the delights of bangernomics and simply haven't a clue when something out of the ordinary occurs.

[Adrian Brentnall]

Had the same thing just before Christmas on my '64 Mog Traveller.

Just approaching our local town and 'something felt a bit odd' - 'go' pedal hit the floor and engine revs went up! Floor the clutch, kill ignition, hit hazards & find a space on the side of the road.

Turns out the throttle return spring (probably original) had lost the hook on the end (they just don't make 'em to last! )

Managed to bend a new hook on the end, then into the local farm supply shop for 'A spring about that long'. Couldn't help but grin when the lady behind the counter said - 'Certainly - compression or extension ?'

Quick rummage in the box of shiny new springs - and one Euro later - and we've not only got a new spring - but we've got a new spare spring as well! I love old cars!

Adrian

[Dave Plowman (News)]

So not as good as your claims for the old one? How sad is that.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Adrian Brentnall saying something like:

Huh. I was badly let down by my local agri-store - no compression springs inna box. I just couldn't get my head round it.

Ditto.

[Doctor Drivel]

Please f**k off as you are a plantpot.

[Doctor Drivel]

Maxie, we have another weirdo here. Sad.

[geoff]

In message , Grimly Curmudgeon writes

The Pennis syndrome

[geoff]

In message , Doctor Drivel writes

Yes, that is how you normally come across - especially if nursey hasn't been around with your medication

[Adrian]

Matty F gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

always been high on my list.

[Doctor Drivel]

Maxie, but I do not wear turned down wellies in a Paddy band.

[Jules]

The old ones were in fahrenheit, the new ones in celcius... (well we are measuring hot air, aren't we? :)

[Jules]

The less we know about what he comes across the better, tyvm

[Dave Plowman (News)]

;-) Toyota were forced to modify their ridiculous MPG claims for the earlier models of the Pious in the US. But not in the UK where the likes of dribble believed them.

[Jules]

Yeah, I think I read something about that. It's not really Prius territory up here - I see one every once in a while, but there aren't many about.

Fuel consumption assessments between the US and UK always seem a bit meaningless incidentally - the gallon sizes are different, the octane ratings are different, the way the octane ratings are arrived at is different, the way the manufacturer's MPG claims are worked out is different...

cheers

Jules

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They are, but easy enough to convert. Toyota just designed a car to take advantage of the poor way official mpg figures are calculated. Which was ok as a *comparison* between basically similar power plants - but not for a radically different design. As those who bought them soon found out. It's also probably fine in the US as a town only car - but too large and expensive for that role in the UK. And was truly terrible as a general purpose family car in the UK.

I've no objections to hybrids in principle - and they are getting better all the time. Just object to fraudulent claims about what they can achieve

- and of course those who believe them without question.

[Jules]

That's probably why I don't really see them around here - sure, we have most things available in town here, but the distances involved to get to the more interesting stuff (or visit relatives etc.) are typically quite large.

Personally I worry about the longevity of them without expensive repairs/replacements of critical components - but then I suppose I do that with modern IC-engined vehicles, too. I don't mind stuff wearing out, but I do object to it when it's uneconomical to fix the problems and it ends up working out far cheaper to throw the whole lot away and start again.

cheers

Jules

[Doctor Drivel]

The Prius mpg claims in the UK were correct as mine did what they said. The US mpg tests are different. The new Prius is even better again.

Once the Vauxhall Amera (Chevy Volt) is out using a series-hybrid setup all will adopt series hybrid. Tests at GM are giving it 60mpg running off the genny set alone. The car is driven by electric motors only.

[Doctor Drivel]

The Prius is the most reliable car in the world - JD Power and me. The Prius is simple and has less components than other cars. It is super smooth and quiet and a joy to drive. The Prius batteries are expected to last 12 years and warranteed for 8. After 12 years if the batteries need replacing they will be cheaper and far better as batter technology has moved on a lot. The cost of replacement right now is less than replacing an auto transmission. When you replace an auto transmission you are back to the same point. Replace the batteries to an advanced set and the car is improved greatly having new lease of life.

They will be on the roads for eons.

[Gib Bogle]

"The Prius batteries are expected to last 12 years and warranteed for 8."

From my experience with batteries, that means they will last 8 years and a few days.