Are hybrid vehicles losing their appeal?

Yeah, I am pretty sure if gasoline drops to $1.00 a gallon again hybrids might fall out of favor.....but I do not see that happening in my lifetime. A fact of life, I am afraid much like paying taxes, is gasoline prices will continue to rise so long as oil companies are allowed to make Billions in profits per quarter off the American people, et al. So for me, I will drive a hybrid and take comfort in the fact that at least if paying $3.00 per gallon I am going as far on a gallon as possible.

 

Well, gas prices fell like a rock before the election, and even got below $2/gallon in my area. But they're rising again - 2.199 seems to be the prevailing rate where I live. So demand for SUV's and trucks will probably slow and demand for hybrids rise as the gas prices keep going up.


I've had my car since 4/19/2006, and I'm averaging 16 days between fillups - I really like that!

 

Hybrid articles should be identified - just like political ads. For example:

I'm Art Spinella of CNW Marketing, and I paid for this message.

 

I heard on the Radio today that the experts say we've used up all the gasoline reserves that were built up after Katrina, and that they are predicting $3.10/gal by spring/summer, so we'll see.

 

Gas here in Denver went up .05 cents since just yesterday.

We will ALL be begging for a hybrid in 12 months.

The Cheneys and the House of Saud will be rolling in the ca$h

 

There's a nice response to this nonsense here:
http://www.hybridcarblog.com/

 

Yet more news from today to make one glad you're driving a hybrid:
Crude is up about 1.5 percent on the week, and some analysts say the big post-OPEC announcement surge could be the impetus that brings oil prices back above $70 a barrel.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Oil-Prices.html

 

I was talking to a guy the other day, on this very subject......

He has a chevy suburban, a Mercedes 500 & sedan d'ville. He called my Prius a nice looking toy car, where do I wind it up? :angry: Of course he was trying to look cool infront of the others there. I told him what the mileage I got was and that it burned fewer emissions than his gas guzzling land yahts that he claimed to own.

He replied, He likes to be comfortable on trips and he doesnt care how much gas he uses or how much it costs as he was going to be comfortable....

we just went our seperate ways, no point in arguing a point he wouldnt listen anyways........

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Dec 15 2006, 10:16 AM) [snapback]362847[/snapback]</div>

The "cool" guy is just showing his insecurity and head in the sand mentality by bad-mouthing a car for which there is no current comparison in the level of technology, 20 years of technological stagnation in the ICE. Granted, there are not many options at present, but that is rapidly changing. Take the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and GM announced they will make a Chevy Yukon hybrid in 2008. Everybody has a price point beyond which they will move on. For "comfort", do you think he would be willing to go back to 1973 levels when the Arab nations cut production to "punish" certain countries and gas was quadrupled? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_oil_crisis) This can and probably will happen again; it's just a matter of time, that is if we have enough oil in the future which is doubtful. You should have showed him how to "wind" it up, just push the Power button and go. Keys, who needs keys? Gas, who needs it? We need to start looking to the future, and hybrids are paving the way, fossil fuel, fossil technology.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Dec 15 2006, 12:16 PM) [snapback]362847[/snapback]</div>

Too bad you were not among more like-minded people to needle this guy why the approval of others is the most important criteria in vehicle choice.....oh and maybe have a paramedic on hand.

A lot of people north of Dallas in communities like Frisco and Plano Texas are going bankrupt because they feel like they have to keep up with the Jones at all costs. The debt level of that affluent area is one of the greatest in the US.

This guy has a disease - just like alcholism.

 

When you cannot think critically, are prone to ostentatious consumption and substitute oil for knowledge, there is never appeal for hybrids. People see themselves as "conservative," but in reality are provincial. The old, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality.

People make decisions based on what they know and are familiar with, not what they do not know. If you know nothing about hybrids, then the appeal is negative. Even when your next door neighbor has a hybrid you know nothing about the purchase price, operating cost or how it drives.

Even in the face of extreme conditions, people think and act short-term. Purchasing a hybrid indicates you are able to think and act long term. Because many people live in the "here and now", thinking and acting long term is very difficult, even with good intentions.

 

<_< Verr.r.r.r.r.y Interesting [as Arte used to say on Laugh In]

Our Dallas neighbors have a Suburban and a Jaguar Coupe and, having converted their garage into a game room, are obliged to park on their driveway. A few nights ago, the Suburban backed into the front of the Jag, resulting in the need of expensive body work, then to top that off, before the Jag was taken to the body shop, the Jag backed into the Suburban resulting in more Jag body damage. These occurred at night and both cars are black. The Suburban had only bumper scratches.

They asked about rearward visibility on my 2007 TE Prius whereupon I showed them the Backup Camera. Their response, "Gee... wish we had that!"

 

Hehehe...sorry I shouldn't laugh at somone else's misfortune. But I can't help it! Besides, that's funny.

Gas isn't at record levels, but it's still expensive enough, at least here in socal. If I could have afforded a Prius I would have bought one, that's for sure.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Dec 15 2006, 12:12 PM) [snapback]362893[/snapback]</div>

Did both got their license through a correspondence cource?
and "Gee...wish we had brains"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Dec 15 2006, 12:12 PM) [snapback]362893[/snapback]</div>

Isn't the Prius one of the vehicles with really good rear visibility (could see up to N feet from the rear bumper) due to that lower rear window. I think many reviewers mistaken that spoiler to be far above a normal sedan's trunk line than it really is, and hence say "poor rear visibility".

There was a chart of various vehicles and some have some surprising bad rear visibility before using anything like rear cameras. In fact, here's the link to Consumer Report's chart dated August 2006.

The Prius could see up to seven feet behind it. Very very few vehicles score that low or lower. Jaguar S-Type = 10 feet. Suburban = 18 feet, Aztek = 9 feet, new Civic = 12 feet... Poor driver in that Jag.

The Prius has poor rear visibility? FUD.

Probably won't see any of these rear view mirrors in the USA any time soon.

 

By May of 2011, gas prices are predicted to reach $6.00 a gallon in the USA

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Dec 15 2006, 01:16 PM) [snapback]362847[/snapback]</div>

If he ever brings up the subject again, just say, "Since I'm not using as much gas, I just mail a check directly to the Bin Laden family to make up the difference."

 

there was already an article posted that questioned the small increase in SUV sales that corresponded with 31 cent drop in gasoline (around here, we have lost most of those 31 cents. regular is back to $2.599)

sooo... no, interest in hybrids is not gone. we are just stupid