I hate hippies...

[prkprisoner]

I hate hippies and the hybrids they rode in on!!!!!!

Edited October 24, 2007 by prkprisoner

[gm iprod]

I like hybrids, they leave lots of gas for me to burn up in my truck.

They are smaller so they leave lots of room for me to park my truck.

They can't carry squat, so they look like a overloaded Indian train when anyone goes anywhere in them.

Best of all they fit neatly under my truck when they get in my way. The plastic they are made from is easily removed from my STEEL bumper with steel wool, and they are so quiet you can here the whining of the driver over the whining of the engine as you roar past.

I take it back, I frigin hate Hybrids.

[uscbigdawg]

As a California Native (one of the few still living in the state) and a environmentalist, I love alternative fuel vehicles for their responsbility to something greater than ourselves.

I do drive a lifted Tahoe 4x4 due to hobbies, but will either be selling it for a more fuel efficient truck, or, if all goes well, converting over to bio-diesel. With a simple 4" lift and 33's, it should be interesting if it works (which it should) to have an environmentally friendly off-road SUV.

Rich

[mjbine]

Sorry guys but I not a hippy but I do have a hybird due to the fact I travel about 150miles a day in my job. I also have a F-250 4X4 but the gas was killing me until I got the hybird.

Edited October 24, 2007 by mjbine

[Merlin Orr]

I like hybrids, they leave lots of gas for me to burn up in my truck.

They are smaller so they leave lots of room for me to park my truck.

They can't carry squat, so they look like a overloaded Indian train when anyone goes anywhere in them.

Best of all they fit neatly under my truck when they get in my way. The plastic they are made from is easily removed from my STEEL bumper with steel wool, and they are so quiet you can here the whining of the driver over the whining of the engine as you roar past.

I take it back, I frigin hate Hybrids.

Excellent!

[JoshF]

I have nothing against Hybrids but I CAN'T STAND HIPPIES

Living in a college town full of them probably doesn't help much. They actually go one step further in my town and ride scooters everywhere. I think I've almost hit three of them cause they ride like idiots....

However I do periodically see another person in town with the same feelings...... Saw this sticker on the back window of a Nissan Armada (huge SUV) the other day

I laughed the whole way home!

Edited October 24, 2007 by KSmoker

[AlamoShooter]

I don't think I have even meet you,,, but I do think I will break out my tiedeye Peasant shirt, sandals and....

& In case you didn't know... Brian is just a bit on the Hippie side too

But I still Love you Man........ Peace Brother

Edited October 24, 2007 by AlamoShooter

[G-ManBart]

The Toyota dealer here said they are one of only two dealers who's best selling vehicle is the Prius....amazing.

What's scary is when someone sells a perfectly suitable vehicle to buy a hybrid, with no idea that the production of a new vehicle uses more fossil fuels than the car can ever hope to save compared with a non-hybrid. It seems like a great idea if you don't examine it thoroughly. Now, if it's time to buy new anyway, it's a different story.

[Keith]

One of my favorite South Park episodes.

http://www.southparkzone.com/episode.php?vid=902

[AlamoShooter]

The Toyota dealer here said they are one of only two dealers who's best selling vehicle is the Prius....amazing.

What's scary is when someone sells a perfectly suitable vehicle to buy a hybrid, with no idea that the production of a new vehicle uses more fossil fuels than the car can ever hope to save compared with a non-hybrid. It seems like a great idea if you don't examine it thoroughly. Now, if it's time to buy new anyway, it's a different story.

+1 Exactly And I don't think the Hybrids are built to last 200,000.00 miles or 400,000.00 like my 8yr old F250

[sfinney]

Its amazing how many people buy a Hybrid to "save money on gas", keep their old car, and yet how much money did you just spend to buy a new car? Couldn't you just have used that money to offset your gas bill? And even if you traded your current ride in, and get a more fuel efficient car, non-hybrids typically only get about 20% less mileage in real world driving, say like a gas Civic vs. a Hybrid one. To be cost effective most studies show that you'd have to drive a hybrid from 5 to 6 years just to break even for the additional cost or ownership, over a regular gas vehicle, even with gas at $3.00 a gallon. Then hope your battery lasts longer than the average 3 to 4 years life expectancy (they cost several thousand dollars to replace, although most hybrid warranties now will cover them).

Also the factories that make battery systems used for a hybrids are some of the worst in the world, for environmental impact. So you may be "going green" by burning less gas, but the overall impact to the environment, from production of the vehicle, to disposal of used batteries, over the life of the vehicle, is in many cases worse than a gas guzzling SUV.

So if it makes you feel better about yourself to drive a Hybrid, go for it. But using cost or environmental issues as the reason to buy one is not 100% factual, at the end of the day.

Having said all that, the more Hybrids we buy, the more FlexFuel Ethanol vehicles we buy, the more we force manufacturers to build more fuel efficient vehicles and make improvements for the future. Future electric vehicles and improved hybrids in the future will be the ticket, even in trucks and SUVS. GM has a Tahoe and Yukon hybrid this year, and will have a Chevy Volt electric (not hybrid) vehicle on the street by 2010, perfect for commuting. So its getting better...... its just the current technology is not all its cracked up to be. But, drive a Hybrid and vote with your checkbook, if you want a better future.

[GentlemanJim]

Hybrids....and just what will we do with the dead batteries from them

We have our very own yellow zippered hippy living dext door ...(well 1/4 mile away)

When they moved in ...he came and wanted to borrow my hydraulic tube bender.

I found it on my door step months later covered with dirt and oil seals blown frame bent....total loss.

He stoped me on my road one day and wanted to know WHY he hears shooting at my place ...and why would anyone in his right mind would own a gun.

On another occasion I got a FRANTIC call from him...his dog had been bitten by a 6 foot rattlesnake...and the snake was under his trailer stairs.

When we got there he was SCREAMING SHOOT IT SHOOT IT!!!

This guy has no problem leaning on us to pull his crap car out of the mud or fix his car or fix broken things at his house or protect him from snakes..ect

But he still defaces political signs I have put up in MY yard bad mouths my 4x4 truck ..sports gun control stickers on his car.

I am not fond of HIPPIES

Jim

[Bear23]

Jim,

Now now now....Calm down...

You don't happen to pop any rounds down his way do ya?

Send him a bill for the pipe bender.

[GentlemanJim]

Jim,

Now now now....Calm down...

You don't happen to pop any rounds down his way do ya?

Send him a bill for the pipe bender.

NO not in his direction!

I just wish people like him would show us the same respect we show them

Jim

[jhgtyre]

The original 'hybrid"

It uses an all natural, replinishable, fuel source and with optional accessories can carry a multitude of passengers.

-ld

[LPatterson]

I hate that we are confusing hippies with hybrids. A hippie is someone that spit at me when I came home on the same plane as troops from Viet Nam. Used to be able to tell hippies by their long hair & now the people with the really long hair are the veterans from Viet Nam rebelling against the government that screwed them.

I WILL never buy a Japanese car because I remember December 7 1941. I don't make enough money to buy a German car so that is a moot point but I remember the thousands of Americans killed getting rid of a regime killing millons of people.

If Iran develops a nuclear device I vote to turn the place into a glass parking lot.

Editted to remove some rants.

Edited October 24, 2007 by LPatterson

[hitman]

I am with you all the way LP.

[outerlimits]

+1 LP

i commute 65 miles a day in my F250-oh well. hybrids? not a bad investment, since it doubles as a lead casket when it hits my truck.

[bountyhunter]

I hate hippies and the hybrids they rode in on!!!!!!

I used to be a hippie.... it was a great way to meet cute girls who never wore underwear or bras......

There will never be times like those again.

As for hybrids: they promise much and deliver little, but are a step in the right direction.

Edited October 24, 2007 by bountyhunter

[p99shooter]

Its amazing how many people buy a Hybrid to "save money on gas", keep their old car, and yet how much money did you just spend to buy a new car? Couldn't you just have used that money to offset your gas bill? And even if you traded your current ride in, and get a more fuel efficient car, non-hybrids typically only get about 20% less mileage in real world driving, say like a gas Civic vs. a Hybrid one. To be cost effective most studies show that you'd have to drive a hybrid from 5 to 6 years just to break even for the additional cost or ownership, over a regular gas vehicle, even with gas at $3.00 a gallon. Then hope your battery lasts longer than the average 3 to 4 years life expectancy (they cost several thousand dollars to replace, although most hybrid warranties now will cover them).

Also the factories that make battery systems used for a hybrids are some of the worst in the world, for environmental impact. So you may be "going green" by burning less gas, but the overall impact to the environment, from production of the vehicle, to disposal of used batteries, over the life of the vehicle, is in many cases worse than a gas guzzling SUV.

So if it makes you feel better about yourself to drive a Hybrid, go for it. But using cost or environmental issues as the reason to buy one is not 100% factual, at the end of the day.

Economics 101: The difference between an expense and a capital expediture. Your argument has the same factual hole that almost every argument against hybrids has. Gas is an unrecoverable expense, similar to a phone or electric bill. You pay the bill, and what do you have to show for it? Nuthin. You pay the gas at the pump, and it gets you the temporary ability to drive, but you have nothing to show for it when the gas is gone.

When you put the extra money into the hybrid vehicle, you have something to show for it: the vehicle. The financial calculation you SHOULD make is the difference in fuel costs versus the extra DEPRECIATION of the vehicle, not the COST. If you do it that way (the correct way), a hybrid will break even in about 3 years. Add into that the tax credit you get (a Civic hybrid gets about a $2000 credit) and it happens even faster.

As far as batteries go, my Toyota Camry Hybid's (GASP!) batteries are covered under the extended warranty, and will be replaced when neccessary. As time goes on, better Lithium batteries will become less expensive, and their use in hybrids will increase. Then the batteries will outlast the rest of the car.

[sfinney]

Its amazing how many people buy a Hybrid to "save money on gas", keep their old car, and yet how much money did you just spend to buy a new car? Couldn't you just have used that money to offset your gas bill? And even if you traded your current ride in, and get a more fuel efficient car, non-hybrids typically only get about 20% less mileage in real world driving, say like a gas Civic vs. a Hybrid one. To be cost effective most studies show that you'd have to drive a hybrid from 5 to 6 years just to break even for the additional cost or ownership, over a regular gas vehicle, even with gas at $3.00 a gallon. Then hope your battery lasts longer than the average 3 to 4 years life expectancy (they cost several thousand dollars to replace, although most hybrid warranties now will cover them).

Also the factories that make battery systems used for a hybrids are some of the worst in the world, for environmental impact. So you may be "going green" by burning less gas, but the overall impact to the environment, from production of the vehicle, to disposal of used batteries, over the life of the vehicle, is in many cases worse than a gas guzzling SUV.

So if it makes you feel better about yourself to drive a Hybrid, go for it. But using cost or environmental issues as the reason to buy one is not 100% factual, at the end of the day.

Economics 101: The difference between an expense and a capital expediture. Your argument has the same factual hole that almost every argument against hybrids has. Gas is an unrecoverable expense, similar to a phone or electric bill. You pay the bill, and what do you have to show for it? Nuthin. You pay the gas at the pump, and it gets you the temporary ability to drive, but you have nothing to show for it when the gas is gone.

When you put the extra money into the hybrid vehicle, you have something to show for it: the vehicle. The financial calculation you SHOULD make is the difference in fuel costs versus the extra DEPRECIATION of the vehicle, not the COST. If you do it that way (the correct way), a hybrid will break even in about 3 years. Add into that the tax credit you get (a Civic hybrid gets about a $2000 credit) and it happens even faster.

As far as batteries go, my Toyota Camry Hybid's (GASP!) batteries are covered under the extended warranty, and will be replaced when neccessary. As time goes on, better Lithium batteries will become less expensive, and their use in hybrids will increase. Then the batteries will outlast the rest of the car.

You are correct in that if you can sell the hybrid for more than a like regular gas vehicle (likely), the extra cost is recouped somewhat on the back end. I was referring to the initial outlay of cash, plus fuel costs only - cost of operation, with out regard to depreciation etc. And certainly the tax credits have an immediate impact (of course those seem to be getting more restrictive in some ways).

I also acknowledged that factory warranties generally cover the battery, now (usually for 10 years for all hybrid components for most makes).

My point was that where d othe batteries go when they fail or the car is junked? Not very friendly to the environment, are batteries in general, to either make, or dispose of.

I also stated that there were benefits for the future for driving hybrids now, besides the fuel mileage gains, because as you quoted ifrom Economics 101, the law of supply and demand is in effect when it comes to what vehicles manufacturers make - have the public show a larger demand for hybrids, and they will build more of them, and we will have a supply. And technology will improve, to make meeting that demand more profitable, and viable.

Given the number of new hybrid vehicles getting turned out over the next few years, and I'd say the law is working - companies are building more hybrids, as demand increases, and are improving the tech everyday.

Now, don't get me started on Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology...... where we should be going, someday. The Holy Grail: fill your car up with water, split it onboard into H and O, burn the hydrogen and pump the oxygen out the tailpipe. THAT would be cool.

Oh, and to keep is on topic, yeah, I hate those darn birkenstock wearing, granonola eating, tie die wearing hippies too!

Edited October 24, 2007 by sfinney

[knightkrawler00]

I was just going to start my own thread on my hatred of a certain hybrid from a company that I won't mention, but this looks like the place for it. Right now I'm working on a two year old hybrid truck to replace the high voltage cables, rotor, and stator. The cables melted, amazing the truck didn't burn down, due to being overloaded by the "electric machine". No kidding, that's what the rotor and stator are referred to as in the diagnostics published by the manufacturer. The rotor and stator are sandwiched in between the engine and transmission, so the transmssion has to come out. Since we, the technicians, will never have to work on these half-a$$ed POS's it's nearly impossible to get the transmission out without spending more money than I will make on the job to buy special tools. Not to mention that I will in no way get paid for all of my time in the job, I love flat rate too.

Actually, what really makes me mad is the fact that the truck actually gets less mpg than it's non hybrid twin. That's right, less mileage due to carrying around the extra weight of the "battery pack", the "electric machine", and all the other assorted BS it needs to run. The only thing this truck does as far as hybrid is concerned is shut the engine down at stops, then start automatically when you let off the brake. It will only stay shut off for a maximum of two minutes so the "battery pack" stays charged, and won't shut off at all if the A/C is on. Oh yeah, it doesn't help propel the vehicle either. I've been putting "battery pack" in apprentices because it's just three 12 volt batteries wired in series, come on. What we have is a more expensive truck, that gets worse mileage, and has an incredibly expensive starter/alternator.

Oh wait, the manufacturer does get a huge fuel credit for producing a "hybrid" and the customer can plug in 110 volt appliances in the bed. Who cares that you can buy trucks from other manufacturers that have invertor's installed and wired to the bed from the factory, or that repair bills will be huge when the thing goes out of warranty, it says hybrid on the damn thing so it must help the environment, right? And in the next few months we're going to see a 300volt, 500amp hybrid truck. Great, touch the wrong thing and it kills me. What thing, I don't know because there is only one place to get training, it's across the country, and there's no way my dealership is going to send 20 technicians across the country for the class.

Don't get me started on how ethanol uses as much fossil fuels to create as it saves in the vehicle, or how engines can't be built to really enjoy the benifits of ethanol unless it is running 100% ethanol.

My 17 year old Honda gets over 40mpg, runs on 100% gasoline, and has 269,000 miles on it. When they can beat that, maybe I'll change my mind. Then I'll probably touch the wrong gizmo and it won't matter anyway.

[gunsablazin]

I hate hippies and the hybrids they rode in on!!!!!!

I used to be a hippie.... it was a great way to meet cute girls who never wore underwear or bras......

There will never be times like those again.

As for hybrids: they promise much and deliver little, but are a step in the right direction.

I'm a former hippy too, after I reformed and started bathing and experimenting with sobriety, I found a much better class of cuties out there! Those days are gone for sure! But hell I barely remember them anyway.

Robin

[GentlemanJim]

A few years ago I was building fuel injections from scratch for use in hotrods

In my car (1931 ford) with a six deuce setup I built I was able to excede 50mpg with a 300cid v8.

It was only a matter of tuning (programing) the computer to run the system as close to the correct stoichiometric mixture as possible for various conditions.

And alternating short periods of lean mixtures at cruise speeds.

If I could do this with an engine that was originaly built in 1956...imagine what a modern car company can do.

all that said ....a gallon of fuel (any type) will contain a finite amount of energy and no matter what you ...you will not get more out than you have to start with.

The secrets lie in making the engine and drive train as efficient as possible and reducing weight and drag.

Bottom line ...cars will get rounder,smaller and lighter.

Jim

[AikiDale]

I want my magnetic car. "The nation that controls magnetism will control the world." Diet Smith

(the beer depicted in these smiles is locally brewed from organically grown hops and barley)

Please remember the person driving the hybrid next to you is your brother, and, don't eat the brown acid.

Peace!

As a final note to those of you who glorify in your F250 gas guzzlers let it be known my F350 Powerstroke 4x4 Crewcab longbed Diesel is not impressed.