Watch: Six Years Ago Obama Promised to Buy a Chevy Volt. Now It Is Dead

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

8 minutes ago, Satisfied said:

Several years ago, I had a Honda Accord V6.  Neighbor liked mine, so went and bought one identical in every way except his was a hybrid.  

 

After a couple of months of ownership and fact-gathering, I made a spreadsheet that calculated gas savings.  Turns out that it was going to take him about 7 years of driving to break even with me on money, then slowly creep ahead as he saved a handful on MPG. 

 

To me, electric vehicles have to drop significantly in price before I would ever own one.  Years later, I chose a Jetta TDi over a Prius, and got as much as 52mpg on the highway in the diesel. So glad I passed on the prius.

I agree the return on investment is just there. 

[Neonred 3,562]

11 minutes ago, Satisfied said:

Several years ago, I had a Honda Accord V6.  Neighbor liked mine, so went and bought one identical in every way except his was a hybrid.  

 

After a couple of months of ownership and fact-gathering, I made a spreadsheet that calculated gas savings.  Turns out that it was going to take him about 7 years of driving to break even with me on money, then slowly creep ahead as he saved a handful on MPG. 

 

To me, electric vehicles have to drop significantly in price before I would ever own one.  Years later, I chose a Jetta TDi over a Prius, and got as much as 52mpg on the highway in the diesel. So glad I passed on the prius.

When I bought the Camry I had looked at the Prius, but they wanted more for that than the Camry, and there is no comparison in ride and quality.  The hybrid did cost more than the base 4 cyl, but it had the power of the V6 and the CVT so cost was no different than a regular V6.  At any rate I liked the car.

 

The brand-conscious Russian wife insisted we drive a luxury vehicle so ended up with Mercedes.  She has a C-300, and for trailer towing and long trips we use a Mercedes diesel ML-350.  LOVE the diesel, but they have all but disappeared.  Was going to look at a new Land Rover Discovery diesel (the only diesel SUV currently on the market that I know of) but I am so afraid of Land Rover quality/durability or lack there of.  Think I will go just to check it out.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

1 hour ago, Neonred said:

When I bought the Camry I had looked at the Prius, but they wanted more for that than the Camry, and there is no comparison in ride and quality.  The hybrid did cost more than the base 4 cyl, but it had the power of the V6 and the CVT so cost was no different than a regular V6.  At any rate I liked the car.

 

The brand-conscious Russian wife insisted we drive a luxury vehicle so ended up with Mercedes.  She has a C-300, and for trailer towing and long trips we use a Mercedes diesel ML-350.  LOVE the diesel, but they have all but disappeared.  Was going to look at a new Land Rover Discovery diesel (the only diesel SUV currently on the market that I know of) but I am so afraid of Land Rover quality/durability or lack there of.  Think I will go just to check it out.

Those that have been car guys for years, do not speak well of the land rovers. One of my managers use to be a manager at a land rover store. 

 

The 3.5 eco boost is becoming popular.i kinda like the expedition. 

 

We also just got in a land cruiser.  It's a nice vehicle but a bit pricey but a nice machine,  if you ever go off road.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Buy American. 

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

38 minutes ago, spookyturtle said:

Buy American. 

I do.  Honda.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

2 minutes ago, Satisfied said:

I do.  Honda.

MAGA. Buy American. I do. 

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

Mother in law suggested we buy a Cruze because they had rented one for a longer journey and didn't fancy the fuel economy in their Lincoln. They thought it was a great car and were dissapointed to see that it is being discontinued. 

 

I didn't take her up on her suggestion, we ended up with a pre owned Camry with 40k miles on it. I rushed the purchase now I think I would have preferred the V6 but the smaller engine gives good gas mileage on a journey. Unfortunately mine is the LE model so no reverse camera (still trying to get used to idiots walking behind cars when I am reversing). 

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

3 hours ago, spookyturtle said:

MAGA. Buy American. I do. 

I do.  Honda.  American Honda.

 

What brand are you touting?

[spookyturtle 9,465]

3 hours ago, Satisfied said:

I do.  Honda.  American Honda.

 

What brand are you touting?

No need to tout any brand. I just get a chuckle seeing the VJ  Trump supporters buying foreign cars. 

[jg121783 3,915]

22 hours ago, Keith & Arileidi said:

This is frequently brought up by anti-EV advocates. 

 

Not really a valid argument considering the phone you use is also using lithium ion.. and the petroleum infrastucture uses a significant amount of energy. 

 

I think you are forgetting that ICE engines are nothing but inefiecient generators, that are being used in uncontrolled settings. 

 

 

This is not so much an argument against electric cars as it is an argument against those who claim they are more environmentally friendly. And it is a valid point in that argument.

 

2 hours ago, spookyturtle said:

No need to tout any brand. I just get a chuckle seeing the VJ  Trump supporters buying foreign cars. 

Foreign cars made in American factories by American workers. Kind of a win win for those who like foreign cars. Especially when American companies are accepting government subsidies only to stab us in the back and move production overseas.

Edited November 29, 2018 by jg121783

[jg121783 3,915]

On 11/28/2018 at 7:06 AM, Keith & Arileidi said:

Most big industries are heavily supplemented by the government, including petroleum.

Maybe so but electric cars are subsidized far more than any other type of car. To the point that they would be unaffordable for most people without the subsidies.

 

On 11/28/2018 at 7:06 AM, Keith & Arileidi said:

Some economies really REALY need 0 emissions and are willing to pay heavy premiums for such products.

Too bad the electricity generated for these cars is far from zero emissions. It's literally not any cleaner than gas engines when you look at how the electricity is produced.

 

To be clear I like the concept of electric cars and I think they are the future. I just don't think the promises of them being more environmentally friendly or economical have materialized yet. Years ago I saw a tv show about a paint that was invented that turns any surface into a solar panel. Come up with a way to paint electric cars with that and you might have something here.

Edited November 29, 2018 by jg121783

[Keith & Arileidi 437]

17 hours ago, Satisfied said:

When you consider one car battery is about the size of 2,000 cell phone batteries, I think it's valid.  To each their own, however.

A drop in the bucket compared to the billions of phones in use today. We are also not including other consumer products as well as commerical vehicles  that use bigger batteries. 

 

EV is only about 1or 2 percent of the car market, so you have to keep things in persepective. 

[spookyturtle 9,465]

43 minutes ago, jg121783 said:

This is not so much an argument against electric cars as it is an argument against those who claim they are more environmentally friendly. And it is a valid point in that argument.

 

Foreign cars made in American factories by American workers. Kind of a win win for those who like foreign cars. Especially when American companies are accepting government subsidies only to stab us in the back and move production overseas.

Kinda hypocritical. If you want to make America great, support American companies and buy American. What you suggest sounds like something the abhorrent Left would say to justify it. 

[Keith & Arileidi 437]

13 minutes ago, jg121783 said:

Maybe so but electric cars are subsidized far more than any other type of car. To the point that they would be unaffordable for most people without the subsidies.

 

Too bad the electricity generated for these cars is far from zero emissions. It's literally not any cleaner than gas engines when you look at how the electricity is produced.

 

To be clear I like the concept of electric cars and I think they are the future. I just don't think the promises of them being more environmentally friendly or economical have materialized yet. Years ago I saw a tv show about a paint that was invented that turns any surface into a solar panel. Come up with a way to paint electric cars with that and you might have something here.

You mean EVs are more subsidized right now.ICE engines have been heavily subsidized for a 100 years. It would be kind of silly to invest heavily with public funds in an already developed technology. 

 

Yes, you are right.  the original energy sources are not 0 emssions. We would have to have our whole grid running off of renewable (work in progress). 

but... Still more efficient than 100k little generators in uncontrolled settings. 

 

Yes .. your concerns are reasonable/valid. But i thinks more about controlling emission than bringing it down to 0.. smog can put a pretty heavy health burden on an economy. 

 

 

 

 

[Keith & Arileidi 437]

16 hours ago, Satisfied said:

Several years ago, I had a Honda Accord V6.  Neighbor liked mine, so went and bought one identical in every way except his was a hybrid.  

 

After a couple of months of ownership and fact-gathering, I made a spreadsheet that calculated gas savings.  Turns out that it was going to take him about 7 years of driving to break even with me on money, then slowly creep ahead as he saved a handful on MPG. 

 

To me, electric vehicles have to drop significantly in price before I would ever own one.  Years later, I chose a Jetta TDi over a Prius, and got as much as 52mpg on the highway in the diesel. So glad I passed on the prius.

Are we talking about hyrbids or EVs..  I believe the Prius is only electric up to certain mpg.. so if you do alot of city driving the Prius becomes more practical. While the TDI is more efficient on the highway. 

 

The volt is not a "hybrid" persay... it's an extended range EV. So it's always running off it's battery. As long as you have a charge you will save money, and even when you don't have a charge. The engine only runs when the battery is under a heavy load with 2kWh left(with one exception of outside temps being sub 25). 

 

But yes you have to drive your EV for about 5 years to recoupe the lost saving via gas prices.. But but..

EVs are way less wear and tear on brake pads and rotors and they don't require frequent liquid changes. 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2018 by Keith & Arileidi