New Cars....

[Far Beyond Driven]

So I had to make an emergency trip to Ohio and the only rental I could get as a Nissan Altima hybrid.

So I will say that even with my flogging it without mercy and sitting in traffic for a hour when two semis decided to mate in a construction zone, the POS kicked back 35.9 mpg.

However, let's review:

1. Regenerative braking. When you get on the brakes, it's roughly the equivalent of setting up for a 70 mph sweeper in my RX-7 by downshifting to 4th and getting 2nd instead. After picking my face off the dash a couple times, I learned not to brake unless I was about to hit the car in front of me. This is a scheme to increase mileage.....

2. CVT. Really? Just pick a #@$@# gear instead of bouncing the engine through random RPM's, not that I could tell, as instead of a tach there was a dial that told me how many Kw I was using. This isn't my power meter on the side of my house, it's a #$@# car.

3. Push button start. Stand on the brake and hit a button. Not only that, but it starts in electric mode, so you're not really sure if it'll move until after you put it in gear.

4. #$@# power windows. If I want the window to go all the way down, I'll hold the button for 3 seconds. Same with up. When I let go of the switch, I want the window to stop at that point. I don't want to have to stab the button 15 times really fast to get the window to walk down in 1/8" increments to get it down 2".

I will say it was fun to sneak around parking lots in EV mode and scare people.

So I got back, got in my 1995 Escort GT, turned the key to start it, rolled down the window with a crank, put my left foot on the clutch and worked the easily modulated brakes, shifted based on the tach, and wailed on it as I always wail on it. And you know what? I got 36 mpg out of the last tank on that, and my 1991 with a lower final drive got 40-41......

[Priority1]

Good Review.

[flyman013]

I hear ya. My wife wanted a new SUV. She went for the Rav4. It is nice, but I always wondered why they were recalled for sudden accelertion. I found out when I cleaned the throttle body. I went to open butterfly valve and couldn't, because the accelerator is on a pot switch that sends a signal to an electric motor for the butterfly valve. Really?? What happened to the cable? How much more reliable can you get than a cable?? I miss her escort. Like you said, 40 mpg and a lot of fun to drive.

[Nailer]

So did you stop by any wind mills to recharge it Kevin?

[Fishwhisperer]

Classic!

[Tad Pole]

I have a 2001 bonneville that is flat ass Worn out because I love that car.it now has 2300000 miles on it and the engine has never been touched(3800) .at 80 mph with the air on it gets 30 mpg. Big and comfortable seating for 5 adults if nessarry,and it has the power enough to spare to pass without fearing for your life. over all the best car I have ever owned and I challenge anyone to show me a better one. There are faster cars and cars that get better fuel mileage but none (imo) that do all tasks so well.if I could still buy a new one I would not hesitate

Oh yea I almost forgot. BUY AMERICAN!!!!

[Far Beyond Driven]

My first car was an 1987 Park Avenue Ultra, and my parents have had two V-6 Lincolns that all would run 30 mpg plus on the highway due to huge overdrives but enough torque to loaf along at 1600 rpm.

All three also porpoised so bad after any disruption on the highway that I was actually getting sea sick - kind of like trolling beam sea to 4' rollers in the dark.....

[phishtix]

The thing that really gets to me about these new hybrids is the price. Not only is the car expensive to begin with, but you will have to buy a very expensive new battery for it every few years.

If Obama gets his way all cars will cost this much in the near future. All in the name of climate change and saving our environment.

[FsnMachine]

The thing that really gets to me about these new hybrids is the price. Not only is the car expensive to begin with, but you will have to buy a very expensive new battery for it every few years.

If Obama gets his way all cars will cost this much in the near future. All in the name of climate change and saving our environment.

Agreed and the average person does not drive enough miles to justify the cost. If you do the math you are better off paying ofr a little extra gas.