Good points as well. H

 

I think others (well at least my own words) were directed more at the members who seem to discount the car every chance they get. Wasn't directed at noflash.

As if warm seats and passing power are a must and the HCH fails because it doesn't provide those features while still giving lead foot drivers 50mpg.

With the IMA system not going forward likely we're nowhere perfect, but then again nothing else on the road currently is. When looking for a car that offered know reliability and non-cockroach looks I think I got what I paid for.

 

Sungod18:
I understood your motivations perfectly and I fully support them. Many of us who've been around a little longer would have seen it that way as well.

Nevertheless, DougD did a very good thing in returning the focus back to noflash's original post.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Why do you say that it was inefficient? You have four people per car and going uphill. That takes more power to maintain speed. You are not going to get that power at 2000 RPM, unless you are able to lug the engine, which is fortunately not going to happen with the CVT.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I'm no hybrid basher, I love my cars for everything sans the road trip.

I don't need a V8 to pass, but I might take some diesel torque to keep in the flow of traffic. Actually, it probably wouldn't have been an issue had we been on a road trip in ONE HCH. Trying to keep our TWO together in high-speed (70mph) traffic was difficult because of lack of power. It was definitely annoying.

I said the CC was inefficient in the hills, b/c the typical hypermiler method would be to reduce speed going into the hill and gain while decending. This is no fault of the HCHII.

Final clarification: I love my cars, I bought TWO! I plan on keeping them at least 10 years (barring some unplanned family population boom).

I simply do not enjoy our HCHII's on a road trip longer than an hour. That is all.

Cheers, nf

 

Noflashid you not purchase some special cushions for your seats? or was that someone else. I have been thinking of trying a foarmed cushion, it may help on a long trip? H

 

I have a heated seat pad in one car that adds the tiniest bit of foam to the seat bottom and back.

I put about an inch worth of padding in the seat back. Popped off the rear and shoved a piece in.

I found that you can reach under the bottom seat cover from the rear, but I haven't yet tried to stuff any cushion in there.

In my other HCHII I had seat upholsterers add heated seats. They also indicated that they could add padding anywhere I wanted for a price.

I probably won't try to add more padding until an impending road trip.

Good luck!

 

"Arbittan,

Are you talking about the Escape Hybrid at 34mpg in City driving? Please tell me what non hybrid SUV with that kind of interior room is competing with that? The heat is also great, there is PLENTY of power and the interior is VERY large for front and rear seat passengers.

I agree that there is room for MUCH improvement, but you are comparing a hwy mpg advertisement with a City mpg advertisement.

For some purchasers (like us), that don't drive on the highway much, there still is no comparison available..We are getting even more than the advertised city mpg of 34 at that.


08FEH"

I was referring to Ford's new Focus. It is a small car like the Civic but uses regular gas.

It will be harder for consumers to look at Hybrids in the future since two things happened here in the states. The new bill that requires manufactures to produce 35mpg + cars and the less availability of tax incentives.

I actually think the Civic drive fairly smooth when considering I drove premium branded cars in the past.

My area I am not able to achieve the mpg that others here have gotten. I have too many factors that effect my mpg. (and it is not a lead foot, since that seems to be the first thing people think about...)

I would sacrifice a little mpg for a better environment if it meant not having a non-recyclable battery pack in my car...

(let flames begin... now)

 

Very nice of you to accept the possibility of flaming...

However, what do you mean the battery pack is not recyclable?

I believe it is not the first time you make such allegations and that either represents a chronic lack of information of your part or a continuous attempt at contradicting the existing facts.

Have you actually looked at a HEV battery pack and what is printed in it?

Battery packs that are not returned to a dealer in exchange for a monetary reward, often fetch a good price on eBay. Besides, for the foreseeable future only dealers will be able to carry out any replacements, so no big chances of packs finding their way to landfills...
Also salvage/scrap yard operators know how valuable they and they will not let them rot in a heap of trash - unless we think these people are anything but shrewd parts dealers. Again, scan eBay for that too.

Can a NiMH pack be disposed of improperly? Sure, but it would take a great deal of illiteracy and hate of money to achieve that. Don't you agree?

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Most of the metal in the battery pack can be recycled, but the spent cadium can not be recycled.

The only battery pack that is fully recyclable are NiHM, which Honda does use in the current Civic line.




It's not a sense of lack of knowledge it is just a concern of older hybrids that are on the market that might have older battery technology. Overall with manufactures having to step up their FE on all cars, 40mpg compared to 35 is not a big number for some people. Admitting that 40mpg to 17mpg is a big factor!