Does anyone have one of the new hybrid electric cars from Honda or Toyota? (Specifically the Honda Civic) Do you know of anyone who has one? What are your/their opions of it?

I know there are special brands out east and west that are only electric but we can't get those in Michigan. I'm thinking about getting a Honda but have to do my market research first. :)

Thanks

I don't see why anyone would want a hybrid car.

An cool, clean electric car would be easier to maintain than a greasy, hot, internal combustion engine, but they suck as cars and produce more air pollution and more impact on the environment, than internal combustion engine-powered cars.

this probably isn't helpful at all....

i met someone once who had a toyota prius, a friend of a friend. it was really cool... after it started and charged up, it didn't make any noise at all! he had only had it a few months at the time i met him, and was loving it. excellent gas mileage of course... i heard from my friend that this guy is still very happy with it and hasn't had any problems at all, and he's had it almost a year and a half now.

and i've seen a honda civic hybrid in the parking lot at work, but i have no idea whose car it is. (it's a big office building). the honda looks cooler than the prius, though...

Well excuuuuuuuuuse me! :D

Anyone else have any more, ehm, constructive opinions? ;)

Aesuan, I think we posted at the very same moment! I appreciate your observations. I also think the Civic looks better. I would go with the Prius except for I think that one only seats 2, not practical for our family of 3.

I thought the prius sat like a normal car, and the insight only seats 2.

I thought about getting a hybrid civic when I get a civic, but I drive so little there would be little environmental or economic incentive for me to get one for the time being.

I am slightly interested in the Prius, though it is hard to justify the price. The similiar gas powered Echo is about $8,000-$9,000 less. I actually really want/need a smaller station wagon.

The Prius is a five seater and I put alink below to Toyota's website.

http://www.toyota.com/html/shop/vehicles/prius/specs/prius_specs.html

Originally posted by RichBeBe
I am slightly interested in the Prius, though it is hard to justify the price. The similiar gas powered Echo is about $8,000-$9,000 less. I actually really want/need a smaller station wagon.

The Prius is a five seater and I put alink below to Toyota's website.

http://www.toyota.com/html/shop/vehicles/prius/specs/prius_specs.html

i had the same problem rich, the cost. i really wanted to get the prius but at 150% of the cost of an echo, i couldn't justify it - not with the possibility of grad school right around the corner for me. then again, i'm only leasing the car so i think it's not too bad. when the lease ends and i'm out of school, i should be able to afford a much more environmentally friendly car.

Truthfully I could afford the car and there would be a $2,000 tax deduction if I bought a new one. But with my tax bracket and such I wouldn't save enough to be worth it. I do love the novel idea of the savings on gas mileage and the lessening of the impact on the enviornment but my commute is going to hopefully go from 60 miles a day (in stop and go traffic) to less then 15 miles a day. I just can't justify it, nor do I think anyone can.

On a slightly unrelated note, I actually have a "conspiracy theory" on the pricing of the hybrid vehicles.

The car manufacturers want to appear to be making an effort to be ecologically responsible, so that they have a good image with the public. The oil companies, however, will have decreased profits if hybrid vehicles catch on with mainstream car buyers. Therefore, I think the car manufacturers are getting kickbacks from the oil companies to keep the pricing at a certain level that will keep the hybrid vehicles in the niche market. As long as hybrid vehicles remain in the niche market, the oil companies won't see a significant profit loss. (And the environment won't see significant relief, either.)

So the car manufacturers can pay lip service to the idea of being ecologically responsible, while raking in kickbacks from the oil manufacturers.

It's just my opinion, though. No one has to agree with me.

Originally posted by RichBeBe
I just can't justify it, nor do I think anyone can.

Rich, you are forgetting that you are already engaged.

For single men, a Prius can be much more of an "eco-babe" magnet than an Echo. :D

Hmm...$21,000...I could buy a Miata, a PT Cruiser, a Mini, maybe a convertible Beetle, I think those are more babe magnets. Besides I have a garage full of motorcycles that usually do the magnet trick :)

But either way I am not looking to attract...well someone I like to be attractive to.

If a "babe" is gonna select me on basis of the car I drive, it's never going to work.

most kickbacks are not in the form you would normaly consider. But I am absoultly sure that its in the best intrest of the auto industry to not allow eletric and other cars become the main stay.

My dad bought the civic hybrid a couple of months ago. I've only been in it once but it is was really cool and he is really happy with it. He commutes over 120miles a day round trip so it was a good choice for him.

As for options, I can't remember. I know it only comes in three colors and the interior only comes in one. I think you can only get it fully loaded with the air conditioner, power windows, CD player, etc.

Originally posted by CaptainSwab
He commutes over 120miles a day round trip so it was a good choice for him.

wow.. i really can't understand people like him. i would hate to have to commute more than 20 miles a day round trip, i don't know how he does it.

weve discussed the hybrids in school, especially honda...
and from what ive heard, i definitely would not get one

apparently the replacement batteries, which you Will need, for the life of the car, cost in the 4 digit range

ive also heard that honda will supply you with 1 battery when you take the car, and 1 more battery if it dies during a certain time frame... then you are just SOL as far as replacements

so if you plan on keeping the car for 7 or 10 years... its gonna cost

heh... i think diesel engines with those new refined cooking oil fuels are pretty rockin'. everyone thinks diesels pollute more because of the smoke and the noise... but actually they polllute less on average then gasoline engines

i drive a crappy toyota echo now... 8th greenest car of 2001...
Caroline

Click and Clack the Tappan Brothers (anybody else listen to them on NPR? ) really dig the Prius. They liked it a lot better than the Insight. I've never been in either, so I can't really say.

Scarey--I will probably get an Echo for my next car. You don't know crappy until you ride in the Tempo of Doom.

Originally posted by scareyvegan
everyone thinks diesels pollute more because of the smoke and the noise... but actually they polllute less on average then gasoline engines

i drive a crappy toyota echo now... 8th greenest car of 2001...
Caroline

well, while diesel engines don't pollute more, they're smokey because of unburned hydrocarbons. in other words, their specific fuel consumption is higher than SI engines so more fuel is needed per unit of output power. so there are certainly advantages and disadvantages to both engines, it depends what you're looking to achieve.

and i too have a toyota echo, mine's black. and i love it so :P

mines black too!
4 doors

we have such good taste, we both picked the ugliest car toyota makes!

Caroline

Originally posted by stonecrest
well, while diesel engines don't pollute more, they're smokey because of unburned hydrocarbons. in other words, their specific fuel consumption is higher than CI engines so more fuel is needed per unit of output power. so there are certainly advantages and disadvantages to both engines, it depends what you're looking to achieve.


Explain CI to me, please ?

Your wrong on the SFC, but I'll adress that later on.

Originally posted by 1vegan
Explain CI to me, please ?

Your wrong on the SFC, but I'll adress that later on.

oops, i meant SI engines of course (Spark Ignition). CI (Compression Ignition) are diesel engines, wouldn't make sense to compare diesel vs. diesel heh.

(i fixed it in my original post)

Ew. The Echo's an ugly, loud, tiny car. I'd definitely go for the Prius (or the Civic Hybrid if you want your hybrid to be more incognito). It still gets better mileage than the Echo, and the price isn't that much more. Sure, we don't know how long the battery will last and, sure, it'll cost an arm and a leg, but any major replacement on a car is going to cost you.

BTW, the hybrids are selling at nearly cost. There's almost no mark-up on them. Adding an electrical power and recharging system to an otherwise standard car is bound to bring up the price. I wouldn't be too quick to find a conspiracy here.

Originally posted by epski
Ew. The Echo's an ugly, loud, tiny car. I'd definitely go for the Prius (or the Civic Hybrid if you want your hybrid to be more incognito). It still gets better mileage than the Echo, and the price isn't that much more. Sure, we don't know how long the battery will last and, sure, it'll cost an arm and a leg, but any major replacement on a car is going to cost you.

hey now, "the price isn't that much more"? i don't know what you consider "that much more", but a difference of $9000 (20.5k compared with 11.5k for no options) seems like quite a bit of money to me. heck, the toyota prius is practically twice the price. and the civic hybrid is still $8000 more than the echo.

as for size, i guess it depends on how many people you plan on putting in the car but i usually don't have more than 2 so it's plenty of room, big trunk too. i've even had 6 people in it a few times ;)

i would've loved to get a hybrid but it's a lot more money and well, i don't have that kind of money. hopefully it'll be affordable when the lease on my echo runs out.

ive had 6 people in my echo too
and one of them was 6'4" and he didnt complain!

but yeah the echo is ugly

i cant really comment on its loudness...
i guess its all a matter of opinion

the echo is alright for its cheapness
im finding mine has an electrical problem though... grrr

hehe
i definitely wouldnt get a hybrid
who am i kidding... i want an escalade! EXT!

screw the environment!

;)
Caroline

ps, theres almost no markup on the hybrids because they know they wouldnt sell them if there was... its not like they are just being nice