Prius vs. HUMMER: Exploding the Myth

If you take a lot around you, especially on blog sites and YouTube comment sections I would argue that a large percentage of people believe just that due largely to the CNWMarketing article and their favorite pundit spreading the BS.

 

Scientific correctness is dry dry dry... and really geeky... for those of the "rest" of us, it's much easier to believe in conspiracies and corruption than scientific fact... that's why O.J. got a walk for double murder...

The truth is the CNW article makes the average person feel better about themselves. People say to themselves "I drive a more environmentally friendly vehicle than the hummer and if that's better than a Prius, then what I drive is better than a Prius..." Well it's not true, but it's a falsehood that comforts them.

Well the scientific gaps in the CNW article is rudely obvious... The most obvious is it's 25 year + assumption of the life of a hummer and it's 10 year=100,000 mile lifespan assumption of the Prius. They come from completely different ways of estimating the mileage life span of a car, but that's okay for them... Plus there's that statement that says, there is no reason to expect that the lifespan of a hummer shouldn't be 25 years... Well there is, it's made by GM... LOL... But I digress. Truth is that's scientific detail, and it's as understandable as DNA was to the O.J. Simpson jury. Gloss it over to fit the conclusion you wanted and the public will believe you...

 

What with GM's bankruptcy funneling through the courts, it seemed like a mighty good time to get an amendment from Art Spinella, and his authoritative take on dust to dust vehicle costs:

New GM Shirks Responsibility for Old Toxic Dumps and Mercury Disposal | Hybrid Cars

What with so much 'legacy costs' ... and 'end of life' charges that GM discharged ... certainly Spinella needs to recalculate for the BILLIONS & BILLIONS in toxic clean up costs that each & every taxpayer will be charged with ... that won't ever get charged onto the hummers and tahoes and silveradios and caddy SUV's. Maybe even the medical costs for being exposed to the toxins on GM's acerage

 

Talk about spending our childrens' futures... Makes me feel SO much less guilty about buying NON-american.

 

One reader's comment is particularly hilarious:

This is so typical of this site. This site is so funded by Toyota. They would never have an article of the environmental mess of the prius plant. Which is far worse impact than these old plants not even taking anything. Just old land fills. If you look at what the Toyota did to Pearl harbor and all the oil spilled!

 

So Toyota was the only automaker to make aircraft engines in WWII while Rolls-Royce, various Detroit and German automakers were watching on the sidelines?

 

This is OT but I thought Mitsubishi made those zeros.

 

What is going to happen to this thread if the Hummer production ceases?

 

Just a day or 2 ago, the Chinese backed out of the deal ... NO SALE. So, with NO one dumb enough to buy the hulking monstrosity (... more efficient than a Prius?) GM is just going to have to skuttle the entire line.

http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-back-out-hummer-is-dead-2010-2

R.I.P.

.

 

Why should they buy it when they can just make copies for 1/3 the cost? Just call it Hummir instead.

 

They have extended the deadline to find a buyer and GM 'says' they have some interested parties.
From what I heard, the decision will be held off to scrap Hummer until May 5th.

 

Link?

If the Chinese wouldn't touch it w/ a 10' pole ... it'd be impossible that another entity would be dumb enough to buy it. Oh! I know ... it must be Art Spinella! How could HE ever pass up THE most efficient car!

.

 

It'll be moved into the PriusChat Museum.

 

I was hoping back in 2008 Chrysler would merge with GM.

Then they could offer this.

 

I imagine the GM folks didn't see anything to be gained from a merger with Chrysler. GM knows how to make a pickup; nothing much to be gained there. They were all hoping that gas would drop below $3 a gallon and the illusion could continue. Ford had already vacuumed up most of the available private sector cash that was interested in the auto industry; the die was pretty much cast at that point.

 

Better still, a subforum under Fred's called:

"Prius Myth Museum"

The titles would be specific myths, "John1701a" would be an excellent moderator/source. The accurate ones would be stickies. Everything else would be ordinary, aging threads. . . . <GRINS>

Ok, then we assign a number to each myth and when trolls come around, we simply state, "Oh, you mean #5 in the Myth Museum." (take off on a lot of old, jokes about prison lift.)

Bob Wilson

 

On a more serious note, I can see lots of business opportunities with the Hummers once they've become collector's items. Party rentals, stretch limos, offroad excursions, etc. etc.

In any event, they'll be around for a longer while yet...

 

Here is my .02 cents.

I use my 2010 Prius as a daily driver to work. I also own a 2005 Ford Excursion with the 6.0 liter turbo diesel engine.

My Excursion has a ULEV sticker under the hood and thus is a ultra low emission vehicle. Not as good as the Prius but better than most gas SUV's.

My Prius MPG averages 47MPG and weighs 3060 lbs.

My Excursion averages 20 MPG (16 city / almost 22 hwy) and weighs over 8000 lbs. I do more hwy driving than city so that's why my avg is 20. On a pound per pound basis, my Excursion gets better mileage.

Is diesel more expensive than gas? Most times yes but only about 10 to 15 cents per gallon on average. Remember when gas was over $4 per gallon? Diesel was about $2.50.

Why do I have an Excursion? I am a family of six and often travel out of state to visit family. A Prius will not fit 6 people and luggage.

Can my Prius tow my 31 foot boat? No, but it is not designed to do that.

How long will my Prius last VS the diesel Excursion? My bet is on the diesel engine which should easily make 300k miles. Will the Prius go that far? Maybe, who knows?

Can my Prius drive in snow over 6 inches? No as I have already gotten stuck once. (I am a former upstate New Yorker so I know how to drive in the snow.) I have already driven the Excursion in 14 inches of snow in 4WD and never once did I think I would get stuck. I passed many people in small cars with front wheel drive.

What vehicle would I rather get into an accident with a SUV? This is an easy one, my Excursion. I have always heard that the one with the most lug nuts wins.

Trying to compare these two vehicles is not realistic. They are purpose built for their intended need.

I need good MPG in my everyday commute to work and I need to transport 6 people with luggage for trips. Neither vehicle accomplishes both.

 

Yes, I remember when gas was over $4 per gallon. Diesel was also over $4 per gallon.

Yesterday, at a local station, unleaded 87 was $3.11 and diesel was $3.20.

 

Actually the other guy was right. Diesel didnt rise till near the end of that wall street influenced scam