Hybrid Cars
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive July 2007:
Hybrid Cars
I have been thinking about getting a hybrid car, but figured I'd wait a couple more years. However, I had a car accident this morning (my poor car looks so bad ) so it looks like I may be buying a new car now instead of a year or two from now. Anyone here own a hybrid? What make and model? Likes/dislikes? I'm not 100% sold on the hybrids, but I have a 80 mile round trip commute 3-4 days a week for work so I really need something that gets great gas mileage. My Buick was 11 years old and still got 27 mpg and I would love to have a car that gets even better than that!
BTW, dks and I are ok. Ds, who was in his booster seat only received a scrape on his neck from where the seatbelt locked up, dd has a small bruise on her palm from where her hand hit the door handle, and I have no injuries other than to my pride (this is the first accident I have ever had in my more than 20 years of driving) and to my wallet, of course.
Stacy, glad to hear you and the kids are OK. Don't be surprised if you feel sore tomorrow or the next day, though!
What happened?
Sorry, no advice on cars, like you I was planning to trade mine in a couple of years, but I haven't really been looking/obtaining information.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/high-cost-of-hybrid-vehicles-406/ownership-cost-comparison/0609_ownership-cost-comparison_ov.htm
Glad you all are ok. Watch your dks though, the fear of being in another accident stayed w/my ds for a very long time.
Oh no! Glad to hear you and the kids are OK. Karen is correct. Some injuries may not show up until after the fact. BTW, any car seats or boosters in the car during the crash will need to be replaced.
No personal experience with a hybrid, but our neighbors have a hybrid Toyota Highlander and love it. I've read Toyota will be coming out with a hybrid Sienna in a few years. I'll be checking that out. 
My mil has a civic hybrid and loves it. She loves it. I don't know what you think about it but my cousin has a Jetta diesel and it gets as good or better gas mileage as a hybrid I think it was in the 50s but I would have to ask, and it doesn't matter what kind of driving you do. I know hybrids work better for in town rather than long distances or that is what I understand.
Good luck with the car shopping.
So glad that you are all okay. Driving can be so scary! However, CARS can always be replaced. Not so with people.
I, too, have no knowledge of hybrids either. I have thought about getting one the next time around, but I know next to nothing about them. I have a fifty mile round trip to work four days per week. I have a 2002 Ford Taurus, six cylinder, and I only have to gas up once per week, costing about $45.00 right now. I have read that the more broken in an engine is, the better the mileage. My Taurus has 102,000 miles.
I am really looking at the NEW Taurus (formerly the Ford Five Hundred), for the comfort and reliabilty that I have had with this car, but I don't think they make a Hybrid. I know that Ford has a Hybrid Explorer and Escape.
I, too, would love to hear more about hybrids.
Thanks all! I know that diesels do well on mileage because my dh has a big diesel truck that gets better mileage than half our friend's cars do, but I have never even thought to look at diesel cars. Duh! LOL! Happily it looks like I will have a little more time to look though. My brother recently bought a new car and his old one is just sitting in his garage so I'm going to get it for really cheap. We'll need to replace the radiator, but other than that it's a Nissan that's in really good shape and driving that will give me a little more time to figure out what new car I want to buy next. I'm a person who researches and gets exactly what I want and then drive it until it starts falling apart (my car was eleven years old and I was hoping to drive it at least another two years) so I wasn't really liking the idea of having to immediately pick out a car to buy.
Karen, I was driving in the slow lane on a four-lane heavily congested road going to my ds's doctor's appointment. I needed to change lanes because my turn was coming up. I was driving about 10mph below the speed limit and had about two car lengths between me and the truck in front of me. I checked my rearview mirror and side mirror and saw a decent gap in the lane beside me. I turned my head to check my blind spot and that was when the traffic in front of me apparently came to an abrupt stop and the truck in front of me hit his brakes pretty hard. I hit the truck as I was turning my head back to the front. It literally happened in a split second and from my point of view, was unavoidable. I was given a ticket for following too close, but really it all came down to bad timing because I wasn't that close when I turned to check my blind spot. My dh has always teased me about my driving. He says I drive like a granny because I have always been a very cautious driver. The truck I hit only had minor damage. His bumper was dented. Unfortunately, his tailgate was down and my car went into it and right up under it and that's what caused so much damage to my car. His tailgate didn't show any damaged, but it was what caused the most damage to my car. The passenger door won't even open any more because the metal has all been shoved backwards crimping it shut and there is damage to the frame of the car in the front was well. The hood, grill area, right light, bumper, and right fender are toast. There are problems with some things in the engine compartment as well, but I'm not sure what they are. Dh told me earlier today, but I just don't remember exactly what he said although I do know he did some bending in there so that the fan could turn. Because of the age of the car, it would cost more to fix it than it's worth.
Our VW Passat TDI (diesel) gets near 40mpg, if not even more. In South Dakota, last year, we got 46mpg. On our trip so far, we drove 557 miles and Gary put in 14 gallons of diesel this morning, so about 39mpg. He was happy.
You can't get diesel VW's right now, until January 2008, though, when they come out with a new engine that gets 60mpg.
Stacy, you're lucky it wasn't worse! From that kind of impact though, be aware of neck pain that could possibly rear its ugly head tomorrow or Sunday. Any soft tissue injuries are not always immediately apparent. Just felt I had to mention that, from a BTDT standpoint.
Great news that you will have a car to drive and won't have to make a hasty decision in buying one, though. DH and I are just starting to see what's out there. Obviously, gas mileage is at the top of our list.
|
Members
