What vehicle do you drive?

BrutulTM · Oct 1, 2014

I guess the question is why do you want to do it? From what I've heard the cost of a hybrid is not really overcome by fuel savings vs. a regular economy car so is your motivation that you love the environment or that you hate going to the gas station?

Palum · Oct 1, 2014

BrutulTM_sl said:
I guess the question is why do you want to do it? From what I've heard the cost of a hybrid is not really overcome by fuel savings vs. a regular economy car so is your motivation that you love the environment or that you hate going to the gas station?

Pretty much the latter. The battery cost is why I haven't gone after a regular hybrid - twice the gas mileage doesn't offset it. That and the dumbass non-normal looks which is finally gone with the latest gen cars. In this case the car is full EV for 14-21m or so a day depending on driving conditions, which makes it way cheaper. It's rated at 34 KWH/100mi - that's about $3.40 for a week of commuting instead of $50+ in gas.

You do raise a point regarding replacement though (if/when), I know they have an 8 year warranty on all the hybrid parts/batteries, but it is something I will def ask when I go look at one. Though I'm fairly certain I'll probably be good with a Tesla 3 or comparable by time that would expire.

Siliconemelons · Oct 1, 2014

So Mercedes GLK for the wife to cart kids around... used... 2010/2011/2012 ish depending on price... what say ye oh wise rerolldians?

Antarius · Oct 2, 2014

You might want to crunch the numbers, the fusion hybrid, with mostly city driving is going to pay for itself a LOT quicker than the energi phv, I mean you're basically looking at a 2500 premium versus a 9500 premium. 9500 dollars buys a shitload of gas. And 7000 dollars extra for the plug in would get you A LOT of miles in the hybrid. Going from 20 to 40 city driving is pretty significant. When you're cruising on the freeway, you're not gaining ANY benefit from the plug in.

For ease of numbers, let's say electricity is free(it isn't) and you get 100% effective usage out of your phv daily commute 20 miles exactly (you won't). and you ONLY drive your car in pure electric mode (you won't). You can buy about 2,400 gallons of gasoline with the extra cost of the phv over the regular hybrid. Which is enough to give you 4,800 days extra of commuting. Are you planning on owning your car 15 years?

So unless you're getting some MAJOR tax credits for the phv to bring the price lower, it just doesn't justify it. But 2000 extra for the hybrid would actually pay itself off much sooner if you do a lot of city driving.

Firewater Burns_sl · Oct 2, 2014

xadion_sl said:
So Mercedes GLK for the wife to cart kids around... used... 2010/2011/2012 ish depending on price... what say ye oh wise rerolldians?

The Merc SUV looks good for what it is. Here is what the dealers are buying them for at auction (Black Book @ Manheim)

Siliconemelons · Oct 2, 2014

Firewater Burns_sl said:
The Merc SUV looks good for what it is. Here is what the dealers are buying them for at auction (Black Book @ Manheim)

Thanks, a Merc dealer as a 2011 with 33k miles for 23500 listed on the site.. they raised the price today as they have "active market pricing" or some fluff. My real target is to get one for 20-23 with 6-8k for my wife civic (05 w/ 22k miles, kbb bb and that other site all put its trade in value at that range) so I want anywhere 14-16k OTD, should be feasible just watching the "market" for about 4 days...

the 13/14's refresh had a motor rehaul that greatly increased the MPG so the 2010-12's are already knocked a notch down on desirability - AND the 2nd gen is coming out soon AND the GLC is out with a base MSRP of 33k..so I am willing to bet if I just wait until December or January I could "easily" get my target if not better- the only thing is the sliding scale of my trade in is devaluing- it was estimated 8-9.5 range in January...so what scale is moving faster etc.

But all in all what I have read is the GLK pre refresh is a solid car (made in Germany) and looks nice, decent interior etc. the refresh is even better with new inside style and better MPG... Looks like it will be the model I target out to get for my wife- I was looking at a Catty SRX as they are in the same range of price for years/miles as the GLK and is about the same size... but she said it "looks pretentious" lol I told her she works at a private upper class school- she needs to look pretentious

Firewater Burns_sl · Oct 2, 2014

I dont much like Cadillac in general, so I would lean toward a Merc or Lexus, regardless, but the Caddy should be cheaper to repair if anything goes wrong. I am not familiar with the SUV market, so I dont know how seasonal it is. I believe there is a spike for non-sport cars/trucks during Xmas then a taper in Jan - March. If you wanted optimal monies, you could take a chance, buy the Merk in January and hold the Civic till May-ish to possibly get a few more grand in private party sale. Alternatively, sell the civic now, and make her take the bus (like a Alpha).

Regardless of what the dealer actually has involved in the car, if you can get with in 10% of auction price, you are getting the car at fair market value. The GLK for 23.5k seems like a fair price from a dealer, as long as everything checks out.

The Civics that are crossing the auction block at a little crazy with the high mileage...

They are a popular car, and I would think, a low mileage civic @ $8,000 would sell pretty fast if you had to go private party.

Vinen · Oct 2, 2014

Palum_sl said:
So some of my various life events have brought together the possibility of trading in my WRX for a new plug in hybrid. I've always liked the idea but hated the Insight/Prius so I tabled the idea. I don't need the AWD of my Subaru anymore and the commute traffic with a stick is starting to wear on me. So I was looking at a new Aston Martin (joke) Fusion Titanium Energi models. It seems like a nicely equipped car. The 20 miles/charge of electric-only range doesn't bother me (my commute is about that much).

Anyone have any experience with these? I know it's got a bit less hybrid-only MPG than the regular Fusion Hybrid, but this is offset by the fact that I'd be using almost no gas for commuting, all electric. It's still not bad if I hump it up to Vegas or something at 36-40 MPG either. The AFV plate eligibility of the PHEVs is super sweet for HOV use as well. Overall I'd be saving probably 200-300/mo on payments/gas/insurance to trade in and get a 4800 tax credit/VLT incentives as well. Trunk space will suck but... I'm used to that I suppose.

I'll miss the WRX performance, but I'm OK with waiting until a factory turbo comes out on a BRZ/FRS to get another fun car on the side. That said, I HATED the original release of Ford MyTouch (it's the reason Iboughtthe WRX instead of a loaded Focus Ti at the time, I just didn't feel the electronics were worth more than the performance and AWD), though I've read the new 2015 version is much improved. I can't yet convince myself to go full electric, maybe by time the Tesla 3 hits the infrastructure will be there... but I just don't trust it quite yet. I still have some trepidations about the idea despite wanting to go this route for quite some time. My apt complex has rapid chargers if I need, but I asked and they said they would work with me and put a tiny little meter in the garage I rent to let me charge it where I park each night, so that is pretty sweet as well.

Any thoughts? Most of the negatives online seem to be the cost over the normal Hybrid model - but I'm OK with that due to the tax rebate basically being the difference (and said rebates are no longer available on 'regular' hybrids only plug in models). The reduced hybrid-only MPG sucks to a degree, but I figure my over-20 mile trips are fairly limited anyway. The flexibility to run it on EV most the time but also have a gas tank to have a 550mi range is more enticing.

Dropped into this thread to say WTF.

Do I have another personality who posts to this forum.
This is the exact thought process I am going through now (down to the BRZ).

Although, I'm also considering getting a Model S so I can own just 1 car rather then a practical and a fun one. Either way, it would be 100% cash transactions.

I just can't seem to make a decision. Been putting it off for 6 months now...

Cad · Oct 2, 2014

Vinen_sl said:
Dropped into this thread to say WTF.

Do I have another personality who posts to this forum.
This is the exact thought process I am going through now (down to the BRZ).

Although, I'm also considering getting a Model S so I can own just 1 car rather then a practical and a fun one. Either way, it would be 100% cash transactions.

I just can't seem to make a decision. Been putting it off for 6 months now...

I'd like the Model S aside from road trips. You still can't reasonably take it on roadtrips.

For example I picked up and drove to New Orleans with 6 people in the car (which is why we didn't fly) which was an 8 hour, 550 mile drive. Would be completely impossible/impractical in the Model S.

Soygen · Oct 2, 2014

There's no charging station in between you and New Orleans?

ZyyzYzzy · Oct 2, 2014

Aren't they all along 95? Stop for an hour to stretch/eat.

Cad · Oct 2, 2014

Soygen_sl said:
There's no charging station in between you and New Orleans?

No.

And even if there was, it'd take three separate 40 minute stops to charge to 80%. At 80% charge, the thing can go 195 miles (with the smaller battery) if you run it dry. Figure 150 miles since you wouldn't want to run it completely dry.

Then there's the issue that if you go 90 on the interstate, you'll get much less than the stated range. You extend the range greatly by going 55-60. You'd get rear-ended by 18 wheelers going that slowly out on the interstate in TX.

So at least 3 40 minute stops, adding 2 hours to the trip, and having to go 60mph to get the stated range. If you went 90 like usual, you'd probably need to stop 4 times.

Impossible/impractical

Siliconemelons · Oct 2, 2014

Firewater Burns_sl said:
I dont much like Cadillac in general, so I would lean toward a Merc or Lexus, regardless, but the Caddy should be cheaper to repair if anything goes wrong. I am not familiar with the SUV market, so I dont know how seasonal it is. I believe there is a spike for non-sport cars/trucks during Xmas then a taper in Jan - March. If you wanted optimal monies, you could take a chance, buy the Merk in January and hold the Civic till May-ish to possibly get a few more grand in private party sale. Alternatively, sell the civic now, and make her take the bus (like a Alpha).

Regardless of what the dealer actually has involved in the car, if you can get with in 10% of auction price, you are getting the car at fair market value. The GLK for 23.5k seems like a fair price from a dealer, as long as everything checks out.

The Civics that are crossing the auction block at a little crazy with the high mileage...

They are a popular car, and I would think, a low mileage civic @ $8,000 would sell pretty fast if you had to go private party.

GM has some gems of cars, the theta SUVs are great- derived from the Saturn vue and 2nd gen vue (reborn as chevy captiva) and the SRX is theta-premium platform, I would give the SRX a shot..but the wife don't like it...its her car- and we both don't really care for Lexus- she is Honda Nissan I am Nissan and MB in my prefs- Jeep for a new grand Cherokee however

lol

I could try and private sale the civic, as you said its a super popular car for what it is...just a darn good little car that will last practically forever- this thing as 23k miles, still has the dealer remove plastic on the floor- smells like new car still lol- I put in a nice looking GPS/NAV/DVD and looks proper- not gaudy- and a ebay K&N filter- that's the only thing (filter) that I think a dealer may try and use to not give me its top end range according to "the books"

9k cash for the little thing would be nice

Soygen · Oct 2, 2014

@Cad: I don't think that map is current. That being said, I agree that we're not at the ideal yet as far as practicality on fully electric cars. I would love one just for local commuting though. The loss of engine/exhaust sound kind of sucks though.

Siliconemelons · Oct 2, 2014

Soygen_sl said:
... The loss of engine/exhaust sound kind of sucks though.

don't worry blackberry / QNX has you covered.

BlackBerry Car Engine Sounds: QNX to simulate engine sounds in cars | BGR

Cad · Oct 2, 2014

Soygen_sl said:
@Cad: I don't think that map is current. That being said, I agree that we're not at the ideal yet as far as practicality on fully electric cars. I would love one just for local commuting though. The loss of engine/exhaust sound kind of sucks though.

Thats the map I screenshotted off of Tesla's site 2 seconds before I posted it.

Firewater Burns_sl · Oct 2, 2014

A quick look at Tesla's site shows 0 quick charging stations in Louisiana. The south and mid-west is pretty bare in general. I am hopping my current car is my last Gasoline vehicle, but I really like the idea of hydrogen fuel cells and the ability to covert classic cars over to H, instead of any battery tech I have seen so far.

Siliconemelons · Oct 2, 2014

Does the tesla use "standard" charging plugs? like the Nissan leaf and that mitsu and volt use? my work at each site had 1-2 recharge stations for those plugs- so about 10 in tampa bay alone local- no dot on the map there because they are ours, not some tesla thing... so if you dig around you most likely can find "local" stations that are not part of that grid.

Cad · Oct 2, 2014

xadion_sl said:
Does the tesla use "standard" charging plugs? like the Nissan leaf and that mitsu and volt use? my work at each site had 1-2 recharge stations for those plugs- so about 10 in tampa bay alone local- no dot on the map there because they are ours, not some tesla thing... so if you dig around you most likely can find "local" stations that are not part of that grid.

Those will take hours to recharge the car. The superchargers take "only" 40 minutes they are like 120kw. The regular plugs are 7-10kw.

Siliconemelons · Oct 2, 2014

Cad_sl said:
Those will take hours to recharge the car. The superchargers take "only" 40 minutes they are like 120kw. The regular plugs are 7-10kw.

ohhhh...okay... so good if they are like at your hotel or layover area- but for long distance stuff you need the "only" 40min plugs.

What vehicle do you drive?

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