This has become an issue for me..although one that is easy to accept. I'm a huge car nut. I like nearly anything on four wheels. I love looking at ebay and other sites at the cars I enjoy and dreaming about owning them some day. But, lately, I've found that I judge everything by my hybrid as far as pollution and gas consumption and it's really put a damper on my love for older cars. I'm a big fan of the 80s and early 90s Cadillacs and Lincolns, especially. But, when I think about possibly buying something I immediately think about how it just isn't as efficient as my hybrid. They've lost the appeal they once had. Maybe I should put the blame on gas prices more than anything.

Has any other car lover experienced this?

I've found that many cars, like certain women, work far better as objects of desire and fantasy than as constant companions. And these big old crocks are very much in that area. For example, a big-block 3rd gen 'vette is fun for a few hot laps on a Saturday, but no way would I care to live with it on a daily basis.

IOW, like movie starlets that have been surgically enhanced, some cars are lots more fun in fantasy-land than in real life

Yep, you guys nailed it. As a kid my dream cars were the Vette or the Ferrari, now a Plug in Prius or Volt are tops on the list.

What owning a hybrid has done is radically change what I *value* in a car. Like, the first thing I look at is "does it get at least 30 MPG?" I've also started growing fond of little cars like Fit and Yaris

That's why so many people have a 'daily driver' and a fun vehicle. One's practical the other's not.

I'll avoid any comparison between that and having two women. ahem.

Driving a hybrid has certainly changed my outlook on cars! I traded in my dream "Colorado sports car" (Subaru Outback XT) so I could take my wife's HCH and she could get an MMH. Going wide open throttle through the canyons just wasn't as much fun as getting a high score (mpg)...

I still subscribe to most of the car magazines and I still visit Edmunds daily (although I am looking more for EV news than GT-R buzz). I still love cars--I just love a different variety of cars!

Commuter car, grocery getter, and summer road tripper--average 10k miles per year.


Winter road trips and ski trips, bad weather commuter and my wife's "daily" driver--expected average 4k miles per year.

John,

I look at it a little differently. By driving the TCH, you can save enough during the week to drive your fantasy car on the weekend

Actually I had no interest in cars until I got my hybrid. As I learned the different systems, my admiration increased more and more. My Prius has led to me going to speed shops to pickup stuff for my hybrid and conversations with other car buffs at work. We actually speak the same language.

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'm glad I'm not alone! It's just weird how no matter what car I look at and admire I immediately think about gas and pollution. It's something I never used to consider. I guess times are changing. I'm just hoping that the gas prices will just maybe bring others around to more sensible driving. These days nothing drives me crazier than watching idiots around me race, and I mean RACE, to a red light.

A 69 Camaro SS Convertable with a 327/4sp is not going to be my daily commuter. Same with my Harley Electra Glise Ultra Classic (which gets 45mpg) Both of these are TOYS just like a boat or Snowmobile and Quad are.

I applied my love of cars to my hybrid. With the hybrid I want Hightech to get High MPG, with the bike, its loud pipe and lots of chrome, don't have the camaro yet, but that would have its own set of wants.

You don;t need to give up one for the other and as was already stated, because I am saving a lot of money on gas, I can afford my toys. Otherwise I'd have to sell them to fill up my old Yukon! (13mpg)

Larry Jensen
St. Lawrence Properties
Real Estate Center

2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
Tech Package Best MPG to date: 42.5