What Do You and Your Spouse Drive?

[Amby 490]

didn't you see charles in one of those bangbus clips online?

[Sister Fracas 5]

That's one big SUV you got there, Francas!

We like to share our ride...we have sing alongs, chocolate chip cookie exchanges, and weekly raffles...

sounds like bangbus....

Now how do YOU know about BangBus?

I don't even want to know....

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The bus (here) stinks. literally. the trains are much nicer, probably because they cost more. The ferry is the absolute nicest way to commute to nyc but that is crazy expensive!

[Cassie 8]

How often do they need replaced? If they last 5 years like a regular battery does that means replacing the batteries costs on average about $20/week. Since my weekly gas use is about $30/week then I would only save $10/week at the current gas price. Then there is the cost to the environment with the disposal of the lead in the batteries. I just wonder if people are prepared to take a $1200 "hit" every 5 years for maintenance.

I have also heard that the next gen hybrid cars will use lithium ion batteries. Will those last longer? What will it cost to replace them? I would consider buying a hybrid car if I knew up front what the cost/benefits were.

I've heard 5-7 years.

Lithium Ion batteries last longer than NiCad, not sure about Deep Cycle. Lithium Ion batteries don't develop a "memory", so they charge completely when given the chance, whereas a NiCad will only charge to X% once it's done that a few times (not charging long enough, etc). Lithium Ion batteries are still relatively expensive, although I'm not sure about the comparison with Deep Cycle batteries. L.I. batteries also tend to be about half the size and weight for a battery with similar Amp Hour and Voltage ratings. Ergo, the gas mileage of the Prius should go up due to the loss of several pounds of battery weight and the ability to run longer on the batteries.

Take a look at cordless drills - both NiCad and Lithium Ion - to see how the batteries compare. (That's where I'm getting all of this info.... I'm a tool #######)

Fair questions Gary, and ones that I cannot personally answer, since we and other members of our family have not yet or did not own them long enough to find out.

So I went looking and found this:

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-main-for...eliability.html

In that thread I found a link to this guys blog, who did an excellent breakdown on why he bought a Prius and provides links to research that he did:

http://www.jimarnold.org/blog/2007/05/toyota-prius/

Maybe that will help.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

That's one big SUV you got there, Francas!

We like to share our ride...we have sing alongs, chocolate chip cookie exchanges, and weekly raffles...

sounds like bangbus....

Now how do YOU know about BangBus?

I don't even want to know....

look it up on the net

[Sister Fracas 5]

look it up on the net

uh uh..

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

look it up on the net

uh uh..

[sparkofcreation 0]

Public transport works good if the buses are full. Most of the time 6 ppl does not a load make! Very wasteful.

But the times the buses are packed to the gills with people smashed against each other and the doors, makes up for the smaller loads. That's why the quantity of buses and the frequency at which they run gets reduced during non rush periods.

My husband takes the bus home from work most days (I drop him off in the morning on the way to my job but he finishes work before me most days) and he used to take one, get groceries at the corner where it dropped him off, then transfer to one that took him near our house. The second bus never had more than about 10 people on it, so they decided to reduce it from once every 20 minutes to once every hour and 25.

So now no one takes it at all because they can't be bothered to wait over an hour for the bus. My husband walks home from the first bus, but now we need to use the car to get groceries.

ETA: Parking is free at my job (and at my husband's, when he drives) and his monthly bus pass is $19.

Edited June 9, 2008 by sparkofcreation

[mawilson 2,133]

Isn't there a social stigma attached to the practice?

I.e. only poor people have to ride the bus?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

mawilson maybe not everywhere, but there certainly is in ny/nj/ct.

the pecking order of mass transit is bus -> train -> ferry.

[Bootylicious!! 2]

Charity

Make: Volkswagen

Model: Jetta

Year: 2005

Color: Silver

Length of commute: about 60 miles

Average cost per week: $40

Do you carpool? Sometimes

Any plans to buy: Nope, keeping my Jetta till it won't run anymore.

Javi

Make: Ford and Chevy

Model: F250 and 1500

Year: 2001 and 19??

Color: Red and Burgandy

Length of commute: Anywhere from 30 to 60 miles

Average cost per week: F250-$100 or more, 1500-$80 or more

Do you carpool? Nope, can't. No one goes the same place.

Any plans to buy: Nope, can't pull a 5th wheel with a fuel efficient car.

[Sister Fracas 5]

It also depends what neighborhood you are coming from I suppose. In my area where it's a lot of apartments and condos and many people take public transit, it's not an issue. The people that do have cars in the neighborhood, don't want to lose spaces if they don't have a spot that they pay for. It's just a hassle. The well dressed business people with their iPods and laptops get on the bus just like anyone else. Many people like the subway system here, but I find it STANKY....literally, and avoid it all cost.

[mawilson 2,133]

mawilson maybe not everywhere, but there certainly is in ny/nj/ct.

the pecking order of mass transit is bus -> train -> ferry.

The ferry is NICE, man!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I know... if that was my commute to work I'd look forward to it!