Wow, she really has alot of resentment piled up inside. She is using all of these factoids (falsoids???) to really promote old technology with no guilt. She seems to be saying "Hey, let's just burn all of the fuel available and not even think about what happens tomorrow. That huge Hummer, no worries, man, it's greener than your Prius because I say so!" She's probably just miffed because she can't get a tax break on her new minivan . It's frustrating to see newspapers printing this kind of muckraking trash. It really puts a stain on the formerly proud institution of print journalism.

Scott

Betsy is not done:

http://news.bostonherald.com/editori...ticleid=150395

"Hybrid owners, you’re not holier than thou
By Betsy Hart
Saturday, July 29, 2006

What is it with the halos following the hybrids? . . . "

Well at least we don't make up 'facts.' Oh well:

- - - my complaint - - -
Betsy Hart is welcome to her opinion but not to making up her own facts. Her piece "Hybrid owners, you’re not holier than thou" on Saturday, July 29, 2006 contains a number of factual errors that any news service search or simple fact checking should have caught:

1) "Hybrids cost $6,000 more to make than similar gas-powered car," - call Expressway Toyota, 617 265-4321, and get a quote for an equivalent Camry LXE and one for the Camry Hybrid, matching features and you'll find the price difference is closer to $1,500.

2) "Sales of hybrids have dropped." - yet she ignores the catestrophic drop of non-hybrid sales that threaten the existence of GM as a recent MSNBC story states, "GM sales decline sharpy in June - Ford, DaimlerChrysler also report lower sales; Toyota surges."

3) ". . . they [hybrids rjw] don’t last nearly as long as gas-powered cars." - yet she ignores the Dept. of Energy fleet report, INL/CON-05-00964, that showed them going over 160,000 miles with very little loss in MPG.

Betsy is welcome to her opinion but not to inventing the facts. These few examples of false claims from her piece are easily verified by doing an internet search for sources. Sadly, Betsy's problem came from a failure to fact-check the flawed "CNW Marketing" claims.

Robert J. Wilson
<street address>
Huntsville, AL 35802
<phone>

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.

Well, my '90 Corolla had ~320K miles last year when I traded in for my HCH, and the mechanic said the engine & transmission were still in great shape. Some minor things were starting to go bad (driver's window not closing tightly, cassette player didn't work, trunk lock didn't work), but again those were minor annoyances. Doing faithful maintenance on a well-made car will do wonders!

My advice on this misinformation is "chill"!

Let the Bubbas be idiots; arguing with them or trying to correct them is a waste of effort. Is it not enough to enjoy your car, and not give a **** what the Bubbas and Bubbettes think about it?

If you had a smart car, you'd get all the idiotic comments, plus the "I wouldn't want to be hit by a Freightliner in that" comment. That is usually delivered by someone on a motorcycle or in a clapped out 1988 Sentra. Boo yeh.

2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
2005 smart fortwo cdi pulse cabriolet
1966 Peugeot 404 Coupé Injection
1989 Peugeot 405 DL

Wow, d a m n is a naughty word here! LOL

2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
2005 smart fortwo cdi pulse cabriolet
1966 Peugeot 404 Coupé Injection
1989 Peugeot 405 DL

In the Chicago Sun-Times:

Dear Editor,

Betsy Hart is welcome to her opinions in "Hybrids might make you feel good, but why?" July 30, 2006, but not inventing the facts. For example, she claims,"Hybrids cost about $6,000 more to make than similar gas-powered car" yet a call to a local Toyota dealer, say Mid-Town Toyota 773-622-6300, and ask for two quotes, a Camry Hybrid and an equivalently outfitted Camry LXE. The price difference is closer to $1,500.

She goes on to claim, "buyers require the [tax rjw] subsidies" yet that does not explain the buyers of used hybrids who get no tax benefit, like me. We've been following the Ebay sales of used hybrids and finding that except for 'salvage' hybrids, they are selling much closer to the seller's asking price.

She claims, "sales of hybrids have dropped every month this year" yet the loss of all sales is driving GM and other US manufacturers into bankrupcy. The MSNBC report, "GM sales decline sharpy in June - Ford, DaimlerChrysler also report lower sales; Toyota surges." BTW, Ford did not include their Escape hybrid in their family pricing program in 2005 because they couldn't make and keep them on the lot. In fact, CNW Marketing reports the dealers have only a 4-day supply on their lots, not the usual 60-day supply.

We can forgive Betsy's opinions but false facts make us wonder why she didn't do a simple news service search or even call a local Toyota dealer. False facts deminishes the value of a news source.

Bob Wilson
<street address>
Huntsville, AL 35802
<phone>

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.

Uh, the Bubbas don't read. <GRINS>

What we have are 'ditto heads' and what shows up in some forums, newspaper ads and some web sites, will be echoed later. The best response is the truth, the facts and data. Having them means that when the Bubba spouts their 2nd and 3d hand lie, you can quietly, dispashionately, share the the facts and data and get back to work.

My experience is 'ditto heads' spend about an hour per day spouting their nonsense. It distracts from work and worse, takes time away from other employees. By answering with the facts and data, suddenly, they seem to find that assignment they should have been working on that now needs their attention.

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 got curious about CNW Marketing, so I did some digging around their web site and followed some links.

On this page, they identify Art Spinella as President. I Googled Mr. Spinella. Second article to come up was this interview. I found these quotes.

"ART SPINELLA: Consumers for the most part are… they're intrigued with hybrids, but they aren't scrambling to buy them. In Toyota's case, with the Prius, they're selling quite a few hybrids because the car looks different and it's a fashion statement – it's something that says look at me."

"ART SPINELLA: ...Yet most hybrids cost anywhere up to $5,000 or $6,000 more than their gasoline-powered counterpart. For the most part consumers in the United States are easily more motivated by price consideration than they are by environmental considerations, yes."

Glad to see the PRESIDENT of a research company is so unbiased and has his facts straight... Later found out his company did the rediculous "Dust to Dust" study where a Hummer has less impact on the planet than an HCH.

Here's the funny thing on Spinella. Google him and you'd be hard pressed to find any history on him other than his association with CNW. In fact, CNW's own site doesn't post his credentials, calling his resume "too long and too boring" to post. Right. Companies typically do that because printing a resume on a web page is so expensive.

So I stumble on this, who calls Spinella an, "..old Detroit hand...". Ah.

Founding partner, CEO and managing director Stephanie Yanez is almost impossible to find, since there is some singer with the same name (maybe it's the same person ). Wonder why those two hide their info so much. You'd thing a research firm would brag about the credentials of their leaders, not hide them.

Well, that's enough for the night.

*** Retired after 65,000 outstanding miles ***

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim . . .

He describes himself as having formerly worked for "Wards Automotive" and I believe him. His relationship with various writers for publications strongly suggests he has a lot of press contacts. As for his sources, I'm convenced he has a list of dealer phone numbers that he 'speed dials' for his surveys. But the 'Dust-to-dust' report remains a curious puzzle.

It is a curious accademic study that is released using 'dollars' instead of energy units per vehicle. In fact, the 'study' lacks a table equating the 'dollars' to ergs, joules or any functionally equivalent energy table. Yet he claims these studies typically use 'energy.'

The key is not just us discussing the problems with this report and CNW. What is more important is to make sure these flaws are publicly identified. Loss of credibility makes it difficult to get 'print time'.

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.

Wow, guess I'm late to the party again.

I looked to send my own "commentary" about how nice it is that anyone can make up a point of view, go against the facts that are easy to research, and get published.

Then, I was going to point out that in her failure to research, she forgot that there are four SUV's on the market.

Then I was going to thank her, for I have a new crusade, thanks to her!

YEEESSSSSssss!! That shall be my new goal. My lightning gun idea shall have to wait.

First 4WD Hypermiler

Have you read the FEH FAQ?

Live in Michigan? Let it be known in Michigan Roll Call

Read My Automotive Blog at Rich Rambles