Fuel misers cost more in the long run

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by jpd80

All scarry thoughts, maybe those extended warranties are worth something these days...
The peace of mind that you're not going to get nailed...

Ohhh thats right, extended warranty. Still waiting for an answer if it will be fixed or not with my whiz bang extended warranty. Will be 2 weeks on Thursday. At least they haven't said NO... yet! But I digress....

[zilo]

Originally Posted by fasty73

We have quite a few prius in our taxi fleet and some are at the 400k mark,
with only one having needed a main battery and it did cost $2500.

That being said, im unsure of the cost comparison with the cars on gas but the prius verse the camry and torago, the priuses have never needed autos replacing or engines or anything aside from tyres, brakes and services.

I am very surprised at their reliability.

Yep...seen a few hybrids being used as taxis.

A bloke I queried said exactly the same thing they aren't that much better on fuel but with regular cars it's always the autos that pack up.
The hybrid transmissions go on forever.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by zilo

Yep...seen a few hybrids being used as taxis.

A bloke I queried said exactly the same thing they aren't that much better on fuel but with regular cars it's always the autos that pack up.
The hybrid transmissions go on forever.

Taxi driver told me they can keep taxis until they're six years old. They buy the Prius second hand
around 12-18 months old but even at that, the next four and a half years is worth it in fuel savings..

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by zilo

Yep...seen a few hybrids being used as taxis.

A bloke I queried said exactly the same thing they aren't that much better on fuel but with regular cars it's always the autos that pack up.
The hybrid transmissions go on forever.

The Toyotas don't have a traditional transmission, they have a chunky planetary gearset with like 6 moving parts. No heat producing torque converters, no bands which wear out, no wear-inducing gear shifts. They are very reliable.

Also with the regenerative braking, the discs and pads will last a very long time as 80% of the braking is done by the regen function.

The petrol engine should last a lot longer too, as the engine runs more in its peak efficency zone with the electric motor taking up low end and high end work.

As far as the battery is concerned, over 99% will eventually go to the big junkyard in sky on their original battery.


Yep I'm a hybrid convert

[Trump]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Or a Focus Powershift tranny 4 months out of warranty that has had an easy life

How hard would it hit the pocket if warranty falls through?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Dont know. If they dont fix the problem ill be spending every weekend out the front of the lot handing out flyers about how top notch their service is... will leave the car there with big signs containing yellow citrus fruits on it, with some extra information to read.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by Brazen

The Toyotas don't have a traditional transmission, they have a chunky planetary gearset with like 6 moving parts. No heat producing torque converters, no bands which wear out, no wear-inducing gear shifts. They are very reliable.

Also with the regenerative braking, the discs and pads will last a very long time as 80% of the braking is done by the regen function.

The petrol engine should last a lot longer too, as the engine runs more in its peak efficency zone with the electric motor taking up low end and high end work.

As far as the battery is concerned, over 99% will eventually go to the big junkyard in sky on their original battery.

Yep I'm a hybrid convert

I love the hybrid naysayers who will state " Nawwwwwww, but how much will those batteries cost to replace??" like they are D sizers in a torch, then sprout how much they cost from a dealer, like hybrid batteries are as integral to the car as the IC engine is in normal car, you dont buy a new falcon then ask the dealer " how much for a replacement engine?? $16.5k??, nahh, might not buy one then"
By the time a car is 5 yrs old, there will be hundreds of wreckers with replacement parts at reasonable prices.
The other myth that gets me is "all those batteries will end up in landfill"-well no, that end of life Prius with batteries that dont work contains hundreds of kilos of valuable precious metals that some enterprising person will recycle, just like any other car on the road.
Also, the OTHER myth "batteries and hybrids cost more to the environment to make than the fuel savings" well yes, they do. This technology in mass production is relatively new, as we make more, the individual footprint will reduce.
Imaging Henry Fords first Model T, that bugger would have taken a HUGE effort to develop. Once he had pumped out a few hundred thou, the footprint would be diminished.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Or a Focus Powershift tranny 4 months out of warranty that has had an easy life

Seeing as they are very similar in design it doesn't surprise me. Does the Focus get a 5 year gearbox warranty like VW's do?

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by mash again

Im recycling a 2004 BAxr8 ute with 30k on it. cost me 19200, late last year, love to see the figures on that, i get a warm fuzzy feeling when i drive it, plus im recycling so i get a double serve of warm and fuzzy.

Plus your warm and fuzzy is considerably faster than the Prius so you are never caught up in its smug.