Honda Car Forum

Elle wrote:
> "SoCalMike" <Mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote
>> Elle wrote:
>>> The Hybrids are still not cost justified, overall. So if
> you
>>> buy one, it's your contribution to the environment, but
> a
>>> loss to some charity that could use your donation of
> several
>>> thousand dollars.
>> i just like the idea of riding in the carpool lanes alone,
> which you can
>> do in a prius, in california.
>
> Understood.
>
>>> Consider waiting for the Honda Jazz/Fit to come out in
> the
>>> U.S. within about a year. Supposed to get 50 mpg on a
>>> conventional engine, IIRC.
>> yup. toyota yaris, too.
>
> What's the engine displacement supposed to be for the U.S.
> Yaris?
>
>

1.5, same engine as the scion xA/xB, and echo. in fact, its the echo's
replacement.

supposedly, the 1.5 has been in use for almost 20 years, in tercels and
whatnot.

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article <8vidnR24ofNazUneRVn-jA@comcast.com>,
> SoCalMike <Mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> The Hybrids are still not cost justified, overall. So if you
>>> buy one, it's your contribution to the environment, but a
>>> loss to some charity that could use your donation of several
>>> thousand dollars.
>> i just like the idea of riding in the carpool lanes alone, which you can
>> do in a prius, in california.
>
> And you'll pay $5K or more for the privilege?

more like $25k. course, any 2-wheeler is allowed, and thats what ive
been doing. for about $20k less.
>
> I think California could be onto something--turn the HOV lanes into toll
> lanes...obviously, people are willing to pay for the privilege...

people are. this is the state that retards will pay $800/mo for a tahoe
that has a cadillac badge.


and i dont think just ANY hybrid is allowed into the lanes. so SUV
hybrids are still assed out.

Bucky wrote:
> Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
>> I think California could be onto something--turn the HOV lanes into toll
>> lanes...obviously, people are willing to pay for the privilege...
>
> California was not the pioneer. Virginia has allowed hybrids in HOV
> lanes for a few years... with disastrous results. Virginia is not
> extending the experiment when it expires July 2006.
>


what were the "disastrous results"? no way to tell a regular civic from
a hybrid?

Dave wrote:
> If you decide Matrix, also shop the Pontiac Vibe which is the same
> car from the same plant with just different body style.

surprisingly enough, last time i checked they were built in 2 different
plants.

vibe- NUMMI, fremont, california (same plant as tacoma)
matrix- canada

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article <Zt3Bf.101802$XJ5.97106@twister.nyroc.rr.com>,
> dm@nospam.com (Dave) wrote:
>
>> Many will warn you off the V-dub based on reliability. It's hard to
>> go against that given the Consumer Reports results and a lot of
>> word-of-mouth. But frankly, most any car today is pretty darn
>> reliable,
>
> Not the VWs.
>
> Just ask any owner.
>
any ex-owner, ya mean

when i was a watercooled vdubophile, there were a lot of people with
high mileage cars. they were extremely pampered, though. 3000 mile oil
changes with 20w50, etc.

In article <wLmdnbtRsLHo50jenZ2dnUVZ_tadnZ2d@comcast.com>, SoCalMike <Mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Dave wrote:
>> If you decide Matrix, also shop the Pontiac Vibe which is the same
>> car from the same plant with just different body style.
>
>surprisingly enough, last time i checked they were built in 2 different
>plants.
>
>vibe- NUMMI, fremont, california (same plant as tacoma)
>matrix- canada

I stand corrected by both you and Timothy J Lee. It isn't like the
old Corolla/Prism where they were both made in the Nummi (Fremont,
CA) plant. But I do think they both (Matrix/Vibe) have been
at/near the tops of the CR reliability charts.

Totally agree with the extended drive comment from another poster.

Any yeah, even with my original comments, I'm not partial to a VW,
especially in its first year.

How many of you really like the new dash layout and steering wheel
in the Civic? I can't stand either.

SoCalMike wrote:

> surprisingly enough, last time i checked they were built in 2 different
> plants.
>
> vibe- NUMMI, fremont, california (same plant as tacoma)
> matrix- canada

And the Corolla is built at both of these plants.

SoCalMike wrote:
> what were the "disastrous results"?

Everyone went out and bought hybrids. The HOV lanes in Virginia got
congested, making them just as slow as the regular lanes. Hence, there
was no incentive to carpool either. Everyone was mad: hybrids,
non-hybrids, especially carpoolers. That's why Virginia is ending the
experiment when it expires in July this year.

Because of Virginia's experience, California decided to cap the number
at 75,000 registered hybrids and required 45 mpg to qualify. I still
think it's a terrible idea. Think about this: 5 people in a Hummer
saves more gas than 5 solo hybrids, but only causes 1/5 of the
congestion.

Toyotas also are more likely to fail emission tests after you have had them
a few years. It seems as if they engineer them closer to the "edge" to
maximize performance.

Prious <sp> has a critical electrical problem, I have heard. Goes brain dead
around 50k miles.... central computer.

Yes, VWs are the plague. Have not been good for YEARS (and I currently drive
a '65 Beetle, so I am not biased against the brand... just the crappy
quality of the more recent cars).

--
KWW
"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-DF7B91.20041322012006@nntp2.usenetserver.com...
> In article
> <b79a26aae4003e0d3335ecc735722651@localhost.talkab outautos.com>,
> "Jazmyne" <concertfreeq@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm in the market for a new car. What I'm thinking about
>> for now is a 2004-05 Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Matrix, or VW Jetta.
>
> Avoid VW like the plague.
>

Bucky wrote:
> Think about this: 5 people in a Hummer
> saves more gas than 5 solo hybrids, but only causes 1/5 of the
> congestion.

Are you proposing that Hummers be allowed on highways ONLY IF they
carry 5 people?

Seems like gas prices still aren't high enough for folks to consider
car pooling.