Quote:
Originally posted by PsychoMan
I look at my purchase as an investment in technology... not as a money saving or environment saving plan. After all, the real world figures for gas mileage are comparable to smaller regular cars. So by driving a Prius I'm not saving money or saving the environment, but hopefully I am sending a message to car manufacturers that the public is not afraid of new technology. At the same time, I'm getting a pretty spiffy car with a lot of cool features.
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Now that is one good reason I can see to buy a hybrid. It's not going to save you money any time soon (that $20k you spend on one could buy quite a bit of gas for your current car!). Its environmental benefits are dubious at best since you're still using a gas-powered car, just with an electric boost to give it acceptable acceleration. And of course there's the little issue of the hundreds of pounds of lead-acid batteries onboard.
But buying it because you think the technology is cool and you want to see manufacturers release more high-tech stuff to the public.. well damn, I wish more people thought that way!
My 16 year old Thunderbird has a computerized suspension that stiffens up the shocks when you drive it hard, or you can flip a switch and make it ride firm all the time. Works like a charm. A bunch of other 80s and early 90s cars had that too. Now you only see stuff like that in high-end cars. Same with 4-wheel steering. Some GM pickups offer it now (as something to make towing and parking easier), but a lot of sports cars used to have it.
A lot of cool technology shows up briefly, then dies off because of all the idiots who think things like power windows are needless excesses and buy accordingly.