http://www.metacafe.com/watch/302898...rget_practice/

the guy that host Top Gear is usually pretty even handed, but this has made me want to stop watching. I dont drive a prius, but I do have a 2007 civic hybrid.

The stuff he says is just inflammatory and inaccurate. Its statements and claims like this that are causing issues with the adoption of the technology.

He whines about the claimed MPG on the sticker being inaccurate, however he doesnt state the fact that it is not Toyota's data making those claims its the EPA here in the states. No car on the road approaches the EPA mileage figures, Yea yea i know some prius owners do better than the EPA mileage.

anyway I just wanted to post this so people could get an idea of what non-hybrid owners think. Its amazing to me how well the propaganda has worked to convince them that these cars are terrible buys, slow and not very efficient.

I want to believe there is hope, but as long as the Big 3 have anything to do with the problem and the government keeps pushing hydrogen as the wave of the future.

You have a higher opinion of him than I do. His 'trick' is to find the closest to an F1 or open wheel racer to run on the street and make fun of everything else. He is the 'Rush Limbaugh' of car reviewers to anything fuel efficient or not race-track ready. For example, I remember the 'caravan' show that involved how many ways to destroy a towed trailer.

He did shoot up an NHW11 so my first thought, "PARTS!!!" (Reminds me, I need to find out where the rest of the car went.) <grins>

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

i watched a show he did about an audi diesel that he drove from London to somewhere and back on 1 tank of gas, and he was ecstatic that it got such good mileage.

i guess i overestimated him

That was interesting, funny in a "does this show really have a budget to destroy a prius?' sort of way.

It's not just Prius, with the right driving I think any vehicle can exceed the EPA. My Tacoma is rated 20/27 and I'm at 28.4 after 10K. This is mostly city/urban. I have yet to take a long trip at 75 but my scangauge shows well into the 30s at 65. My best tank is 33.5 mpg over 600 miles. I'd love if it was offered hybrid.

OK, so what parts do you want off it?

I doubt there is anything worth taking after the 50 cal got done with it.

Rather a shame, and I wonder if y'all should call him and prove that you can get better than 45 MPG.

Also, how much is a timing belt replacement on the VW TDI that has to be replaced every 60,000 miles?

This is my short list:

1. Undamaged cells from the battery pack (assuming it was still in the vehicle) - to use for a future battery gadget.
2. Undamaged Hall effect device from battery pack - to use for a future energy management gadget.
3. Any ECUs and their wiring harnesses (cut to pig-tails) - to simplfy access to 'interesting' signals and interfaces.
4. One front or rear axle assembly (preferably with undamaged wheel) - for a full size spare and chance to look at the wheel bearing.
5. Inverter assembly regardless of damage - to salvage Hall effect devices and other experiments.
6. Fuel injector - more experiments.
7. Ignighter assembly - more experiments.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

That has to be one of the best shows on TV, period. What he said is true. If you drive any hybrid like you drive any other car, the mileage is not impressive at all. You do have to work at getting the EPA numbers. This is where the hybrid manufacturers have failed IMO. I shouldn't have to learn any techniques to achive the numbers, I should be able to push a "ECON" button and let the car do everything for me. It currently does not.

livvie, I have to disagree with you. We have a 2001 Corolla(actually Prizm, but same car). In pure heavy city driving, driven in a typical American way, it gets about 23 mpg; the Prius, driven the same casual way, gets 42-43 mpg-almost double the MPG of pretty efficient conventional car of the same wt,length,acceleration etc.We drive them in exactly the same way ,on exactly the same routes.
Now, you certainly could argue that 23 and 42mpg aren't impressive, but they are probably dead on average for the average owner.Very few owners drive like forum members.
Now, you own a HCH. I am convinced that a Prius will deliver much better mpg than a HCH 2 when driven by typical Americans in the typical way.(based on not much evidence other than my unscientific observation that Honda owners are more fanatical than Toyota owners-of course, I also have CR's city loop as evidence).
If you want a huge improvement over a conventional car, but don't want to change your driving habits, buy a Prius, not a HCH2.
Thanks,
Charlie

Yes, I'm saying 42 is not impressive. When we see number (triple (even double) to that of equivalent car), you won't need any incentives from the government to push this technology. If I drive my hybrid like I drive my Mini, the mpg separation is about 10 mpg... to be fair, my Hybrid was never designed to match the Mini. A better test would be to drive a non civic hybrid vs a hybrid, same course, same speeds (not hybrid conservative mode speeds, real world speeds) and then compare. I'm guessing the number is not going to be double.

Also, shows that say negatives things about hybrids are good for us. Why people don't get that is beyond me. It forces manufacturers to do better. Some people are still drinking the kool-aid and are satisfied with what we have and get upset if anybody says something bad. This will make manufacturers not do better.

What happens to the 'non civic hybrid' if it is driven following the hybrid efficient protocol?

It could be that we are seeing the early edge of a paradyne shift. In the past, we built our transportation system around the characteristics of non-hybrid vehicles. In the future, a new set of rules and 'common knowledge' will emerge.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.