Broke down and bought a hybrid

[brenthutch 383]

6 hours ago, SkyDekker said:

Most people are in favour of the ongoing immigration exactly because of that.

From 2000 to 2009 home prices have increased by 79%

From 2009 to 2012 they rose 24%

From 2012 to 2015 they rose 16%

From 2016 to 2019 they rose another 28%

That is a lot of wealth generation in large part driven by immigration.

It is also a lot of gentrification that drives out the native born disadvantaged.

[brenthutch 383]

6 hours ago, riggerrob said:

My friend said that he retired his Vibe when the cost of spare parts got ridiculous! For example, his wife refused to drive it after dark because the headlight lenses were foggy and emitting little light. New lenses start at $300.! Yikes!

Nothing that some fine grit sandpaper, water and elbow grease couldn’t fix for a few bucks 

Edited September 1, 2020 by brenthutch

[murps2000 86]

6 hours ago, wmw999 said:

lenses can be polished; then they're no longer cloudy at least, and don't trap dirt as much.

My Honda is 14 and going strong with 140,000 miles (225,000K). Either I'll drive it into the ground, or I'll give it to my niece (14 now) so she can drive it into the ground. One decision point will be if I can find a car with a suitably small amount of automation and full-screen apps that I have to navigate; I prefer knobs because I can feel them while driving.

Wendy P.

I finally bought a prius that gets 10-15 mpg more than my old CRX, and I am not unhappy with the purchase overall, but I sure do miss those knobs for the very reason you mention.

[brenthutch 383]

15 minutes ago, murps2000 said:

I finally bought a prius that gets 10-15 mpg more than my old CRX, and I am not unhappy with the purchase overall, but I sure do miss those knobs for the very reason you mention.

I loved the 1980’s CRX, it was like a pickup truck for guys that liked to drive a sporty ride. It had room behind the seats for tons of stuff.  Unfortunately for me I had to settle for a domestic copy, the Ford EXP.

Edited September 1, 2020 by brenthutch

[Phil1111 910]

24 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

Nothing that some fine grit sandpaper, water and elbow grease couldn’t fix for a few bucks 

Not sandpaper! rubbing compound for headlight restoration.

Works good on scratches, scrapes on paint, etc.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Phil1111

[brenthutch 383]

1 minute ago, Phil1111 said:

Not sandpaper! rubbing compound for headlight restoration-

1000, 2000, and 3000 grit. One can even use toothpaste 

[JoeWeber 2,299]

2 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

1000, 2000, and 3000 grit. One can even use toothpaste 

For shame, Brent. Halogen bulbs can reach several hundred degrees F. Even the Lens can reach one hundred degrees. Is there nothing you won't do to increase global warming?

[ryoder 1,382]

50 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

1000, 2000, and 3000 grit. One can even use toothpaste 

If the lenses are acrylic (aka plexiglas, aka perspex) this works like a charm:

https://www.amazon.com/Novus-7100-Plastic-Polish-Kit/dp/B002UCYRZU/ref=asc_df_B002UCYRZU/

Now if there are deep scratches, e.g. if it is the windscreen of a bike that just low-sided across asphalt, or got hit by a truck, then you will need to use successively finer grades of sandpaper before the plastic polish. Speaking from experience here.

Now if the lenses are polycarbonate, (aka lexan), fuggedaboutit.

Edited September 1, 2020 by ryoder

[murps2000 86]

1 hour ago, brenthutch said:

I loved the 1980’s CRX, it was like a pickup truck for guys that liked to drive a sporty ride. It had room behind the seats for tons of stuff.  Unfortunately for me I had to settle for a domestic copy, the Ford EXP.

The one I have now is the second I've owned, a 1990. Not the same one I used to sometimes sleep in the back of at Chambersburg back in the 90s. But even at 50 I can actually stretch out in the back of a prius. Never could quite do that in a CRX. I'll probably still keep it even though it's a gas guzzler because it's so much fun to drive. Maybe I'll just take it out on Sundays. I also have to admit that in a prius I drive far less aggressively. I enjoy the whole going for max efficiency game. And I say that having once managed to get a 2004 prius up to 125 mph. Hate prius drivers if you must but it is a phenomenal car. I could only get the CRX up to 119.

[gowlerk 1,911]

14 minutes ago, murps2000 said:

And I say that having once managed to get a 2004 prius up to 125 mph.

Downhill with a tailwind?

[Phil1111 910]

34 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

Downhill with a tailwind?

Drafting behind a Porsche, going downhill,on the Going to the Sun Road and small diameter tires!

[wmw999 2,121]

8 hours ago, Phil1111 said:

Drafting behind a Porsche, going downhill,on the Going to the Sun Road and small diameter tires!

I've been on the Going to the Sun Road -- the only way to go 125mph on much of it is if you drive off the cliff...

Wendy P.

[airdvr 197]

18 hours ago, SkyDekker said:

Most people are in favour of the ongoing immigration exactly because of that.

From 2000 to 2009 home prices have increased by 79%

From 2009 to 2012 they rose 24%

From 2012 to 2015 they rose 16%

From 2016 to 2019 they rose another 28%

That is a lot of wealth generation in large part driven by immigration.

Prices have gone up but the rates have declined steadily.  Actually cheaper to spend $300K today then it was in the 70's.

[gowlerk 1,911]

9 minutes ago, airdvr said:

Prices have gone up but the rates have declined steadily.  Actually cheaper to spend $300K today then it was in the 70's.

That means money is cheaper, not that real estate is cheaper. A home is not the only possible use of $300K! Hell, some people are so stupid that they pay cash and miss out on the great mortgage rates.

[JoeWeber 2,299]

10 hours ago, gowlerk said:

Downhill with a tailwind?

Out the back of a Skyvan is my guess. And a damned good solution, too.

[CygnusX-1 42]

4 hours ago, airdvr said:

Prices have gone up but the rates have declined steadily.  Actually cheaper to spend $300K today then it was in the 70's.

I miss those interest rates of the 80's & 90's. I could get a certificate of deposit for 6-8% APR. Now all I'm stuck with is investing in Tesla stock.

[murps2000 86]

21 hours ago, gowlerk said:

Downhill with a tailwind?

Not sure about wind conditions, but yes downhill. Both cars. The Prius was supposed to be governor limited to 112 but somehow that car did it.

[turtlespeed 212]

23 hours ago, Phil1111 said:

Not sandpaper! rubbing compound for headlight restoration.

Works good on scratches, scrapes on paint, etc.

So does Brasso, and a buffer.

[murps2000 86]

12 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

Out the back of a Skyvan is my guess. And a damned good solution, too.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Community/Toyota-Prius-Haters-club-186587051368268/

Yeah I get it

[Phil1111 910]

23 minutes ago, murps2000 said:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Community/Toyota-Prius-Haters-club-186587051368268/

Yeah I get it

Vancouver’s largest taxi company, Yellow Cabs, has 150 Priuses in its 250-car fleet. The rest are hybrid Camrys and fuel-efficient Corollas, and by law, 15% of the fleet has to be wheel-chair accessible vans..

Most don't see retirement/resale until 500,000-600,000 km.

[murps2000 86]

1 hour ago, Phil1111 said:

Vancouver’s largest taxi company, Yellow Cabs, has 150 Priuses in its 250-car fleet. The rest are hybrid Camrys and fuel-efficient Corollas, and by law, 15% of the fleet has to be wheel-chair accessible vans..

Most don't see retirement/resale until 500,000-600,000 km.

I'm a believer. That very same 2004 Prius I speak of was originally a work vehicle at my place of employment back in the late 2000s. The owner bought it so he could he could use the carpool lane to get to meetings more quickly, and it already had around 100k miles on it at that time. Eventually the Prius was no longer HOV exempt in the bay area so he sold it to one of my fellow employees for a dollar and bought an electric Ford focus. By then the odometer on the Prius had stopped counting at 299,999 and we had tested the limits of what it could do. A Prius will carry 400 lbs. of concrete in the back and still go 70 mph. Also, if you bend them carefully you can get a several 12 ft. lengths of pvc outdoor conduit inside and still get the hatch closed. They don't corner terribly either. But what they really seem best at is pissing people off.

[JoeWeber 2,299]

41 minutes ago, murps2000 said:

I'm a believer. That very same 2004 Prius I speak of was originally a work vehicle at my place of employment back in the late 2000s. The owner bought it so he could he could use the carpool lane to get to meetings more quickly, and it already had around 100k miles on it at that time. Eventually the Prius was no longer HOV exempt in the bay area so he sold it to one of my fellow employees for a dollar and bought an electric Ford focus. By then the odometer on the Prius had stopped counting at 299,999 and we had tested the limits of what it could do. A Prius will carry 400 lbs. of concrete in the back and still go 70 mph. Also, if you bend them carefully you can get a several 12 ft. lengths of pvc outdoor conduit inside and still get the hatch closed. They don't corner terribly either. But what they really seem best at is pissing people off.

When my mother went deaf and I had to learn to communicate with her and train a dog, all way before it was normalized, it was just a thing to do. I'm glad I didn't need to think about silent cars at intersections.

[wmw999 2,121]

One thing they apparently don't do well is driving in snow and ice; the slightly smaller wheels mean less contact. Matters here in snow-in-winter country.

Wendy P.

[brenthutch 383]

There is also the side effects to consider 

https://southpark.cc.com/clips/104281/come-on-people-now#source=473fef35-48a7-434c-afc6-207874c7f1a3:f17073aa-ed00-11e0-aca6-0026b9414f30&position=1&sort=playlist

[Phil1111 910]

4 hours ago, wmw999 said:

One thing they apparently don't do well is driving in snow and ice; the slightly smaller wheels mean less contact. Matters here in snow-in-winter country.

Wendy P.

Prius tires use a harder rubber. Soft rubber is used on Corvettes etc. for better grip and cornering. They use a narrow tread for less rolling resistance and higher inflation pressure(40 p.s.i.). All to reduce rolling friction.

The contact patch is small for the weight of vehicle.