[Steppes] OT Hybrid Cars

[Lisa A. May]

I replied privately before I saw that Duncan and Valentyn were  
posting to the list.  My two cents:

I own a 2005 Toyota Prius and love it.  It's big enough to hold my  
10.5 x 12 canvas wall tent, poles, queen size bed frame, ice chest,  
other camping gear, and enough clothes for a week at Lilies (and I  
can still see out the back).  It generally gets between 43 to 50 MPG,  
is very responsive on the road, and it's comfortable to drive/ride on  
a long trip.  When I bought mine,  you could get one for around $20K  
basic model up to $30K fully loaded with a navigation system.  I  
highly recommend the Prius.

Maggie


Countess Margaret ny Connor
Barony of the Steppes
Kingdom of Ansteorra

And do as adversaries do in law; strive mightily, then eat and drink  
as friends (Wm. Shakespeare)



On Jun 28, 2007, at 10:13 PM, Don Valentyn wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I like my Toyota Highlander a lot.  I had very specific criteria  
> for my new
> car -- I very much wanted a hybrid, but I also wanted an SUV.  This
> presented a very narrow range of choices, especially when factoring  
> in my
> other criteria: the SUV must have real cargo space, not be a "sport  
> trim."
> If I was going to buy a vehicle with the cargo space of a car, I  
> would've
> simply bought a car.
>
> So, that limited me to very few choices, and the Lexus was right  
> out (prices
> started at $45k.)   Fortunately, the Highlander was in my price range
> (though at the very top of it) and Toyota cars in general have  
> excellent
> service records.  Another big selling point was the side curtain  
> airbags, a
> big deal since we have children.
>
> My one disappointment is the mileage, but from further research, I  
> gather
> that would have been a disappointment with any vehicle.  Apparently  
> the
> dealerships are allowed to advertise FAR higher mileage ratings  
> than are
> realistically produced.  When I'm driving conscientiously, I  
> average about
> 25-27 mpg.  (Keep in mind that my daily commute involves about 26  
> miles of
> residential and 12 miles of highway.)  However, the Highlander is  
> advertised
> at 32-35 mpg.  I find this to be a pretty serious difference.
>
> Unfortunately, my offhand research seems to indicate that this kind of
> difference between advertisement and reality exists with most hybrids.
>
> Of course, 26 mpg is still FAR better than the 18 mpg that most gas  
> SUVs
> get, so I am still pleased.  Also, the acceleration is excellent, the
> driving experience is very comfortable and smooth, and I just enjoy  
> the car
> all around.  I even use the third-row seats every once in a while;  
> it's not
> very comfortable back there for adults, but it's great for short  
> hops with a
> crowded vehicle for lunch and such.
>
> That's my two cents, please feel free to email me if you have any  
> questions.
>
> Thanks,
> Valentyn
>
> P.S. Hi Duncan!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Duncan Hepburn [mailto:duncan at stormypetrel.org]
> Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 10:00 PM
> To: Virginia Gatling
> Cc: steppes at ansteorra.org; DonValentyn at jeffturnerfiction.com;
> Maaggie1 at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Steppes] OT Hybrid Cars
>
> As far as within the DFW area, the people I know locally that own
> hybrids are myself, with an '06 Honda Civic Hybrid, Countess Margaret
> has a Toyota Prius about the same age, and Don Valentyn in Elfsea  
> has a
> Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
>
> There may be others that I don't know of, but I'll forward this  
> note to
> both Maggie and Val, and we can give you our opinions of pros and cons
> off the list.
>
> Don Duncan
>
> Virginia Gatling wrote:
>> Does anyone have hybrid cars? We would like to hear the pros &  
>> cons as to
> which are better before we purchase a new vehicle.
>> Countess Regina
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>> Steppes mailing list
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>>
>>
>
>
>
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