Gas prices at the PUMP!

[SPAZZ]

;Dp;

[nater]

Mine has been on order since March 20th. If you'd like to find out more about the Prius, there's a great site, www.priuschat.com . (Warning! Some SUV haters hang out there...one guy just traded in his Lincoln Navigator for a Prius!)

Anyway, it seems that if you drive with an egg under your foot, you can get 60mpg or better. If you are a leadfoot, you might find yourself in the 40's. I'm sure leadfooted VX drivers don't get the EPA rated 19 on the highway, either...

The Prius is the ultimate geek mobile. One of the things I ordered is the "magic" key system: As long as the key fob is in your pocket, as soon as you touch the door handle, it will unlock before you even pull to open the door. When you get in, you just push the power button (the engine may or may not start) and you can start driving. Way cool.

Nate

[Joe_Black]

The Prius is way nifty. An idea I've been tinkering with and gathering components for is a hybrid drivetrain for SUV's. Got the idea about 10 years ago for using ethanol to power a turbine-electric system. Nice thing is, ethanol is domestically produced and clean burning. You can even make it yourself! The system is compact enough to fit under the hood, can be digitally controlled and produces a tremendous amount of power for its size and weight.

Pretty much a variation on a theme, but would suit vehicles like the VX and have sportscar-like performance.

[nater]

Joe_Black, would this be similar to what the US Army is doing for tanks? If you've got the inclination, now is the time. You don't even have to build the system, just get a patent and sell the idea. I suspect it would cost you about $20,000 for a patent but it sounds like a million dollar idea.

Toyota's hybrid system has been in development for over 10 years with production cars on the road since 1997. (Yes, that's eight years of real-world, showroom quality vehicles). This isn't new technology, it's just finally coming into its own.

I believe it's the next big thing. When I test drove the new Prius, I felt awfully smug sitting in traffic with no engine running and the A/C and stereo running no problem. The H2 next to me probably burned a quart of gasoline just waiting to get through the light! I sat through three changes of the light, creeping forward on electric power, without the engine ever coming on.

I think the smug feeling will continue. I can't wait to pull up to the pump and fill up for under $25 (and go farther) while the Hummers and Yukons pays $60 or more.

Get this: If you fill your Hummer H2 at today's price with Premium at $3.25 a gallon in Bridgeport, CA you will pay:

$104

Downright scary. That's a Ben Franklin AND a Starbucks!

Not for me. Yes, I will still own my Trooper, but I will drive it only when I really need to/ want to. For hauling, towing, road trips, really bad weather, etc.

I predict the SUV craze will die a very, very quick death by next summer. (When it sinks in that these high gas prices aren't temporary). The next vehicle that stands out on the road will have big batteries and smug drivers.

Nate

[omegavx]

Prius: Your going by what cars.com or some other source says. I'm going by what the sales man told me while at the actual dealership. 48 city 40 highway. Not sure which one is correct. As for availablility, according to the sales guy they arn't even taking orders because it is on a 6 month to 12 month backorder. Who knows, maybe I had a sales guy that didn't know what he was talking about. Like that would be a first

[nater]

OmegaVX: On miles per gallon for the Prius I'm going by what people on the priuschat.com website have been posting as their real world experience. For the Trooper, I'm going by what my real-world experience is with my 2000 Trooper. For my Buell, I'm going by real-world as well.

Trooper: EPA Rated 15 City, 19 Hwy. I'm getting: 15 overall.
Buell: EPA Rated 48 City, 65 Hwy. I'm getting: 45 overall.
Prius: EPA Rated 60 City, 52 Hwy. I'm expecting: 48 overall.

Again, some folks with their Prii (plural of Prius) are actually beating EPA from time to time; but they drive like little old ladies. I like power, and the electric motor delivers, but at the expense of some of the efficiency. I also like to run the air conditioning, ordered the rear wiper (adds drag) ordered side airbags (adds weight), I weigh 245 lbs (added weight) and will frequently drive with the windows down, all factors that contribute to less than optimum. Still, beating my bike in MPG's in a powerful mid-size car that rides well and crashes well will be way cool.

Nate

[t2p]

Nater:
.
I know what you mean - as far as the fit of Shoei and (especially) Aria helmets. HJC, KBC, AGV ? ....... Bieffe ? ...... all appear to make some decent helmets now. Not sure which ones may fit you the best though. Years ago, you were basically limited to Shoei and Arai ....... and almost forgot ..... Bell.
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I'm not so sure the SUV craze will come to a screeching halt .... although the huge SUV sales should take a significant hit. The small SUV sales may actually increase. It is ironic - that just a year or so ago - that many magazines would comment on the new (2002) Honda CRV: It still has a 4 (cylinder engine) ..... but meanwhile, the CRV runs as good or better than many sixes .... scoots to 60 in the low 8's and gets over 20 mpg.

[Bantan]

Anyone seen this E-mail circulating around:

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES. AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL
COMPANIES.

THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT TO THEM" DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.

THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT. WAITING ON THIS ADMIINSTRATION TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO?


REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO! WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE MAY 19TH A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"

I have no affiliation, just passing on the info.

[nater]

t2p, yeah, let me clarify, IMHO, a CR-V is a "tall wagon", like a Rav-4 or Ford Escape: no frame, 4cyl/ FWD available. A Lexus RX300 or Acura MDX is really more like a minivan, still a transverse mount engine, AWD typical instead of 4wd, independent suspension in the rear.

An SUV to me is anything that sits high, body-on-frame: truck style, and has seats where the bed would be. This includes 4runners, jeep liberty and wrangler, Troopers, Yukons, TrailBlazers, Explorers, etc. (I guess I'll throw in the Grand Cherokee as well, even though it is unique). It would also have a longitude mount engine and a solid rear axle.

A VX? In a class by itself. ;-)

Nate

[t2p]

Nater:

Got ya - and (for the most part) I agree. Although, I would take my wife's CRV or a Sube Forester off road before a new (current gen) Ford Explorer or Trailblazer. Those two are especially poor off road - worst than most of the little 'almost' SUV's.
.
In addition to the big SUV sales, light truck sales may even take a hit. ???
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Even before the price at the pumps increased, the availability of true body-on-frame SUV's has been dropping .......... although, I was surprised to learn the next gen Pathfinder will now be body-on-frame ...... (but with independant rear suspension - similar to the Ford Explorer).
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It appears many (most ?) people would be better served with a mini suv .... cute yute ....soft roader ...... whatever - rather than a true SUV.
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btw: I'm pretty sure the Liberty has a unitized body .... no full frame .....
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btw2: I am jealous - 6800 rpm reddline ! ........ I'm riding a bike with a 14,000 rpm 'deadline' (tach goes to 16) ...... your bike (and Joe Yamma's) probably has more hp at idle than it does at 9000 rpm ..... 9000 rpm - that is where I keep it when putting around town ....

[t2p]

JB:
.
Kaw pulled out the stops with the Z1. The Z1 was a great one. One of the bikes that 'wrote history' - one of - maybe the first - of the true 'super bikes'.

Although I was a off road rider, I can still remember the introduction of the Z1 ...... it was the 'crown jewel' ..... after the 500 and 750 two stroke triples ..........