And they look at you like you are the idiot cause you didn't maintain a high rate of speed until just before the light!

About 6 years ago I sold my 1970 Mustang. 351 Cleveland, 4 spd toploader, posi 9" rear, Shelby mods on the front end (negative wedge etc.) It was a great car to look at, and fun to take for a spin. But keeping a 400+ HP engine happy with a high lobe cam, touchy 4bbl Holley, no A/C, brings on a whole new set of problems. You can't drive it in the rain, or in high heat. At 11 to 1 it really liked premium fuel. As many people ask me about my hybrid today as did ask me about my Mustang years ago.

It gets late early out there. - Yogi

For me, the opposite has happened.

Back when I was in high school, I was a total car nut; I owned a 1967 Pontiac GTO convertible, I would sit in the back of the classroom reading, "Peterson's Auto Repair", I'd go to the Poconos and Watkins Glen for the races; Can-Am, Trans-Am, etc. I was a pretty decent backyard mechanic, too, and did much of my own auto repair. Most of my friends in high school were car nuts - and then I discovered motorcycles and dropped cars like they were dead toads.

After a few years (and a couple of cross country motorcycle tours) I lost interest in motorcycles as well and went on to other interests. Decades went by with me having absolutely NO interest in cars or motorcycles; and then along came the Prius. FINALLY something genuinely new and different and that would actually make a difference in my life what with a 73 mile daily commute. For me, the hybrid technology is exciting. For the past two years I've stayed on the "learning curve" figuring out how to get the most out of the technology. Yesterday, I posted my all time best fuel economy reading for a tank of gas; 56.5mpg over 433 miles. That's what gets me excited now. And I find I'm more interested in cars in general than I have been and pay more attention to them on my daily commute. I like to count hybrids as one way to while away the hour or so that I'm on the road.

We went hybrid mainly for environmental reasons. We bought a 2008 FEH in February and so far we love it. I've always wanted a sporty convertable. When our 1997 Honda Accord needs to be replced I would LOVE to go the route of the Pontiac Solstice or the Saturn Sky. Since these vehicles only get about 19 mpg and have higher environmental impacts than any hybrid car, we'll probably opt for another hybrid because we'd feel guilty about our carbon footprint otherwise!

I am also a lover of older cars. My favorite was a '59 Olds 98, followed a close second by a '65 Catalina. The '98 was so very elegant with it's tubular wings, and I loved the Catalina's (real) chrome dashboard instrumentation. I also loved a '65 Biscayne (Stripped Impalla) that I drove for years.

The '98 was an old Iowa corn field rust bucket but I drove her anyway. She was so heavy, practically carved from an anvil - I don't know the curb weight but the 425 sucked 10-12MPG.

If I had a restored one today, it wouldn't be practical for an every day car- but I'd LOVE to tool around on the weekends in her. That car left such an impression that I made an animatin of it here: http://www.stevedez.com/cg/3dimages/1959/1959.html

Looking to the future I'm rather excited about the cool efficient rides coming down the pike.

-Steve

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT

this has been something I've been thinking about. Imagine owning a classic car (one of the loves of mine is a 1972 Porsche 911) and having no gasoline to put into it? You have guys like Jay Leno who have millions of dollars worth of cars that one day -- probably within my lifetime -- will never drive in the way they were intended.

Rent a Hybrid Car on your next trip. Ask me how!

I am a new member to the hybrid family (only a month or so). Except for my wife's minivan to haul kids and hockey gear I have always had Civics and Accords.

What I really notice now is how drivers of big cars drive on the highway. Stomping the gas pedal, extreme speed changes, pushing hard into the wind. Some of these things I did with previous cars (although smaller). Just owning a Hybrid has helped me become a more responsible driver.

On the contrary I love cars (well, MY car) and driving like never before.
Now, it's a good cause.

I was never a person who cared about cars.
They were like washing machines, just an appliance that did a job.

Now I see my hybrid, and my driving style, as a way to make the world better (well, rather to make it less worse that driving a gas pig).

I saw a Mercedes bill board that said, "LOVE WHAT YOU DRIVE!"
I thought, Yes, I DO love what I drive, and it AIN'T a Mercedes.

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

No, it hasn't ruined my love of cars. Knowing that I'm saving money and polluting less enables me to enjoy the Shelby more. It's only driven at a 3000 to 4000 mile a year pace and gets over 23 on the hwy. Wife's fun car (a 2006 Solstice gets about 32 on the hwy). Even the 4.7l Dodge Ram gets about 21. What kills me are they shuttle buses we have at work. Two gas buses get about 6 mpg and the two diesels get around 10. Going to retire one of the gas buses and replace it with a 2006 Sprinter. Hoping to get 18 - 20 all around miles with it.

2008 Galaxy Gray Honda Civic Hybrid

A Pontiac Solstice gets 32mpg on the hwy? I have not seen anything that says it gets more than 25-26 mpg on the highway. Is this car modified?