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3731. wonkers2 - 4/5/2006 11:07:00 PM Just kidding Jen. I live in a town populated by BMWs, Porsche Cayenne and Cadillac SUVs, Mercedes Benzes whose owners all probably have espresso machines in addition to being at least 90 percent conservative Republicans. I have to keep my head down to avoid fist fights at the grocery store and on the road. 3732. Jenerator - 4/5/2006 11:09:18 PM I would never punch you because of your inferiority. 3733. Jenerator - 4/5/2006 11:09:57 PM Just kiddin'. WHat's wrong with an espresso maker anyway. I'm a coffee goober. 3734. Jenerator - 4/5/2006 11:12:42 PM And you know - I am glad you bought up the $$ issue. This maker is the best for the price and it's tiny (can you tell I'm excited?) and it will save me a fortune. The average espresso is arounf $1.75 - the average latte around $3.00 - the average anything else around $4.50.
Mine only costs $.49 each.
Jen's Java Joint.
I'll serve the Ristretto opening night. 3735. arkymalarky - 4/5/2006 11:33:37 PM The Odyssey is a beautiful van with a lot of wonderful features. I looked at one when I bought my other van. I had to have a good commuting car, but if I were looking for another van, the Odyssey would have been one I'd have loved if I could afford it while I'm still paying for Mose's Jetta, which I couldn't. 3736. arkymalarky - 4/5/2006 11:37:53 PM If you have to buy something, you might as well be excited about it and certainly enjoy it once the deed is done. That's what I keep telling Bob about the Civic, but then he doesn't get to drive it. 3737. Jenerator - 4/5/2006 11:43:37 PM I've been saving my pennies for the Dodge Magnum, but Consumer Reports said it wasn't a very economical vehicle.
I have to find somethinga s cool as it is, but is more gas efficient. After all, gas will keep getting more expensive. 3738. Jenerator - 4/5/2006 11:44:09 PM I can get a sweet deal on a Suburban now.
Gee, wonder why? 3739. Jenerator - 4/5/2006 11:45:00 PM Seriously, the Chevy dealer here is offering 2007 suburbans for under $30K. A year ago, the 2006 was listed at $45K. 3740. Jenerator - 4/5/2006 11:45:19 PM That is a sign to buy an economical car. 3741. Adam Selene - 4/5/2006 11:48:15 PM I drove my first Prious a couple weeks ago - I loved it! A friend of mine rented a car and they gave it to him unnanounced, so he was letting everyone drive it. I was very surprised at how much torque it has - people think that hybrids are dogs.. not so! Electric engines have their full torque from take-off, so they feel even stronger than they really are. And the silence at stop-lights is eerily cool.
I don't care if it would take 20 years of gas savings to pay the $2k price premium, I'd buy one for our planet. (Well, if I was in the market for new car, anyway.) 3742. arkymalarky - 4/6/2006 4:22:22 AM If that's the case then I hope Bob will get a hybrid in a few years if they continue to improve as they are, but I just wasn't ready to try it yet, and it was over $5000 more than the non-hybrid Civic. And mine gets between 36 and 38 mpg. My commute averages 60 miles a day on a five day week, if I include my two night classes. I just can't afford to buy anything that doesn't get excellent gas mileage. 3743. wonkers2 - 4/6/2006 4:34:58 AM The Honda Civic is a much smarter purchase, especially in a climate where I assume you use the air conditioner a significant part of the time. Hybrids don't deliver the advertised mileage when you are running either the heater or the air conditioner. They work best in Northern California. 3744. arkymalarky - 4/6/2006 4:38:12 AM I assume you use the air conditioner a significant part of the time.
Oh yes. It's a must here. That's a good piece of information I didn't know about the hybrid. 3745. Macnas - 4/6/2006 8:41:15 AM I think air conditioning uses something like 5% of the petrol in most cars.
Which is a lot when you add up average milage and fuel costs. 3746. Adam Selene - 4/6/2006 1:48:51 PM Hybrids are best in stop-and-go driving because they: 1) recapture most braking energy as electricity, and 2) do not idle.) In fact, hybrids come close to being the most gas efficient at average speeds in the 30's, which favors city driving. On the freeway they are close to "normal" gas mileage, but in the city it goes up dramatically.
I don't know about comparing the honda to the toyota - but I do know the toyota was much bigger inside than I realized. It's not a subcompact, that's for sure. 3747. arkymalarky - 4/6/2006 2:21:19 PM Hybrids are best in stop-and-go driving because they: 1) recapture most braking energy as electricity, and 2) do not idle.) In fact, hybrids come close to being the most gas efficient at average speeds in the 30's, which favors city driving.
Another good thing to know. I hardly ever do that type of driving.
The new Civic is much bigger inside than I was expecting too, especially as small as it looks outside. It's roomier than Mose's Jetta and far roomier than any other compact car I've had or ridden in.
The difference between Honda and Toyota for me was specifically this car, this year model. Otherwise, I've been a Nissan person generally, but that's only because I happened to find the best deals, which was coincidence since I only bought one (used) from a Nissan dealer.
3748. Adam Selene - 4/6/2006 2:31:05 PM Assume 10,000 miles per year, at $2.50 per gallon. Here's your fuel bill:
40 mpg - $625
50 mpg - $500
60 mpg - $417
So - if you're spending more than $100 to get a more fuel efficient car, you're wasting your money. Even if gas goes to $5.00 per gallon, your annual fuel bill total is only $1 to $2k, and a 50% increase in fuel efficiency still only saves you a few hundred dollars.
So - if you want to save the planet, lower pollution, lower road noise - then by all means by a hybrid or spend more for some other technology - but don't do it to save money.
Just my 2 cents... ;) I'll probably by a hybrid in a few years because I like my planet. 3749. Adam Selene - 4/6/2006 2:31:56 PM er, "by" => "buy"... sheesh. Need more coffee. 3750. thoughtful - 4/6/2006 2:48:33 PM Someone told me that prius et al are actually worse for the environment on a birth to death basis due to the manufacturing processes, the lead in the large batteries etc.
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