getting paid for anti-hybrid articles

Phelan's been with the Freep for a long time and he's not exactly anti-hybrid. Rather, he's the run of the mill Detroit 3 kind of guy who lives for horsepower and gas guzzling. A remnant of bygone eras of Detroit 3 glory. He tries very hard to be unbiased and reports the fact even if it's somewhat tinged by Detroit 3 resentment at new technology but I wouldn't call him a Prius hater or anything like that. Anyway, the hell with guys like that, who cares what they think anyway?

 

My 87 Voyager's engine self destructed at 100K miles. And I found out that was the norm. I wish it had lasted 8 years. Breathes there an automatic transmission that doesn't require a cash transplant within 10 years?

 

Just what is the life of an automatic transmission?? AND, how much do they cost to replace? Perhaps we should consider getting rid of these and going back to single gear chain drive.

 

That article didn't sound that bad to me. He spoke of the reliability of hybrids, the passion of their owners, and their high customer satisfaction ratings.

He simply asked what is going to happen to all the aging batteries and how that will affect resale value. It seems like a fair question.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nwprius @ Oct 7 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]522489[/snapback]</div>

Or EVs (like my Xebra) which have no transmission. Even the Prius has no transmission. It's something I point out to everyone who will listen. I know I'm not the only one who's disappointed that the Tesla Roadster has a two-speed transmission (sort of an electric transaxle.)

 

I've had my 2007 Prius now for 3 months and 8000 miles. When I decided on the Prius I was very willing to take my chances with the replacement cost of the battery pack that may be needed at 125,000 to 175000 miles.

Here some of my past car experiences:

1976 Datsun 280z, purchased new $7500, drove 148,000 miles, including about 1500 miles of club road racing. No enigne or transmission problems. Sold car for $3500 in 1984.

1982 Nissan 4wd Pickup, purchased new, engine blew at 75,000 miles, bad crank bearing. The 4 cylinder engine was underpowered for 4wd. Cost of repair at the time $2500. Traded vehicle , got $1500 for it due to blown engine.

1984 Pontiac 6000 sedan, purchased at 28,000 miles (former Avis Rental car), transmission blew at 60,000, engine head gasket blew at 115,000. Traded in vehicle got $1200 due to blown engine.

1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass SL wagon. Purchased new. Drove 189,000 miles. No engine or transmission repairs.
Sold 2 months ago for $1250.

1992 Saturn SL2 sedan, purchased new, went 75,000 with no repairs. Good car. Traded in for next vehicle, got $7500 due to excellent condition.

1996 Lincoln Continental, purchased at 21,000 miles.(former factory short term lease vehicle) Nothing but problems with air suspension, and electrical issues both in warranty and out. Transmission blew at 145,000. Traded in for next car, got $2500 due to blown transmission. Worst car I ever had, but what a comfortable luxury ride.

2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue, purchased at 30,000 miles (former fleet rental car). Transmission blew at 78,000 miles, cost $2000.

Moral: Don't buy former lease/rental cars. Purchase New. Prius does NOT have an complex automatic transmission. Thank God.

 

"The Insight started a revolution. Toyota rode its Prius hybrid's coattails to a major growth spurt."

Prius came out first in Japan before the Insight. He must be talking about just in US where the Insight was launched before the Prius.

The Prius Boom that actually spur the hybrid growth was the 04 generation Prius. A newer generation of Insight never came out because it was never intended for mass production.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Oct 7 2007, 07:49 PM) [snapback]522536[/snapback]</div>

I agree that the author asks what seems like a fair question about the battery. I've had a Prius classic since 01 and its MPG seems to improve with age, but nonetheless, we are early adopters of a new technology; we took a risk for the greater good. I personally don't think the risk is that great, but it's true that these kinds of parts are new in the auto world.

OTOH, it bugs the hell out of me when people talk abut the "complex" hybrid drive, batteries, etc. Heck the PSD on a Prius is WAY simpler than a run-of-the-mill automatic transmission! Yes, the software is complex, but that does not make it more likely to fail with age!

 

A modern auto trans is controled by a microprocessor too!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Oct 7 2007, 04:49 PM) [snapback]522536[/snapback]</div>

It may seem like a fair question. But sometimes, a question can be asked in order to instill doubt in peoples' minds.

It is well known that for the vast majority of individual Priuses, the battery will last the life of the car. Failures are extremely rare. The battery is under warranty for 100,000 miles (150,000 in CA and states that adopt CA emissions standards) and after that the cost of replacing one will be less than the much more frequent cost of replacing a transmission in a conventional car. It is also well known that the Prius battery will be recycled at the end of its life, and that Toyota even pays a bounty on dead batteries to cover the cost of returning them, to assure that they actually will be recycled.

So instead of asking the question, leaving people to think that there is a problem, he could have provided the answers to the question, so that the readers would be aware that there is no problem!

The question was asked in bad faith.