Gasoline Costs

[Weatherman]

I've owned my Prius for a little over a year now, so I thought, just for fun, I'd check to see how much money I spent on gasonline the past 12 months, compared to the prior 12-month period.

Last 12 months: $527.75
Prior 12 months: $1,141.01

I drive about 9,200 miles a year. My former car was a 210 HP, turbo-charged Mitsubishi Eclipse.

If any car company can ever make a fully electric car, with a durable, reliable Lithium Ion battery, that would be the next car I'd buy.

[Wiskey]

Lol,.. I love doing this!

I own a 1984 Toyota Tercel, it gets about 30-31 MPG (I reset the trip with every tank and track it so I know if something is wrong).

I drive about 15,000K per year so 492G or at $3/G $1,475.41

If I owned the average car that did 24MPG,.. it would be $1,875.00

Or an SUV that gets 12-15MPG $3,461.58

How about an H2 at a reported 6MPG? $7,500.00

But if you can afford an H2 I guess you can afford the gas.

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

BTW,.. Weatherman, what MPG do you clear with that Prius? How do you like it? Have you had any problems with it or it's batteries?

Whiskey

[Weatherman]

The Prius is a bit strange looking. I prefer the look of the Acura RSX, or the old Honda CRX's.

The Prius has the reliability one would expect from a Toyota. I've had no mechanical defects since I bought it. I don't even give the hybrid powertrain (which includes the battery) much thought. The car's computer just does its thing to keep everything in line. If anything did fail, it has an 8-year, 100,000 mile warranty (if you live in California, it's a 10-year, 150,000 mile warranty).

The battery is nickel-metal hydride. It doesn't even come close to a lithium ion in terms of stored energy, but, at least right now, it's much more durable and reliable.

[Weatherman]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

How about an H2 at a reported 6MPG? $7,500.00

That's just painful to even think about.

[Weatherman]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

BTW,.. Weatherman, what MPG do you clear with that Prius?

Around 48 during the summmer and 50 during the winter.

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Weatherman

The Prius is a bit strange looking. I prefer the look of the Acura RSX, or the old Honda CRX's.

The Prius has the reliability one would expect from a Toyota. I've had no mechanical defects since I bought it. I don't even give the hybrid powertrain (which includes the battery) much thought. The car's computer just does its thing to keep everything in line. If anything did fail, it has an 8-year, 100,000 mile warranty (if you live in California, it's a 10-year, 150,000 mile warranty).

The battery is nickel-metal hydride. It doesn't even come close to a lithium ion in terms of stored energy, but, at least right now, it's much more durable and reliable.

Good deal! Does that warrentee cover the batteries too? That would be my biggest consern especially since I live in AZ. When I was in CA I saw a couple "Electric Vehicle Charging Stations",.. I thought that was pretty slick.

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Weatherman

That's just painful to even think about.

Ya it is. There goes Christmas kids!

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Weatherman

Around 48 during the summmer and 50 during the winter.

That's really good! I just talked to a friend here at work,.. he drives his like a hotrod and reports an average of about 42 MPG.

Whiskey

[Weatherman]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

Good deal! Does that warrentee cover the batteries too? That would be my biggest consern especially since I live in AZ. When I was in CA I saw a couple "Electric Vehicle Charging Stations",.. I thought that was pretty slick.

Whiskey

It does include the battery.

7 years from now, even if the batteries start to have problems, I'd expect the price of a replacement set to drop to a reasonable level. Probably something on the order of the cost of a clutch replacement. I had to get the clutch on my Mitsubishi replaced at 68,000 miles (of course, long past the warranty). Don't have to worry about that on the Prius. The Prius doesn't have a clutch.

[Weatherman]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

That's really good! I just talked to a friend here at work,.. he drives his like a hotrod and reports an average of about 42 MPG.

Whiskey

Sounds about right. I don't baby mine, but South Florida's flat terrain and warm climate make it very easy to get good mileage without trying hard at all.

[Twitterbait]

I am still gunshy about anything overly electric. especially with the problems they have had when those things get in an accident and electrocute everyone.

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Weatherman

It does include the battery.

7 years from now, even if the batteries start to have problems, I'd expect the price of a replacement set to drop to a reasonable level. Probably something on the order of the cost of a clutch replacement. I had to get the clutch on my Mitsubishi replaced at 68,000 miles (of course, long past the warranty). Don't have to worry about that on the Prius. The Prius doesn't have a clutch.

And it has one huge advantage, an electric motor has max torque at 0 RPM, right where you need it for accelerating away from a stop.

I'm supprized your clutch gave out that early,.. The clutch on my Tercel got me 167,000 miles,.. though I did have to replace it while I was in San Diego.

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Twitterbait

I am still gunshy about anything overly electric. especially with the problems they have had when those things get in an accident and electrocute everyone.

What about the fords that get in a wreck and blow up? Pinto, Cop pakage crown vic, the electrical problems with the aerostar,..

Or the Dodge duli that had the tanks in the wheel wells and would catch fire in a T-bone.

Whiskey

[kwjones]

http://www.webwinder.com/wwhtmbin/java_mpg.html