"Hybridmania" continues to build momentum | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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"Hybridmania" continues to build momentum

I've seen that episode a couple of times. I liked the part about George Clooney being a major source of smug.

I was considering getting a personalized plate "2 Smug" but I'm too cheap to pay the extra money every year.

My GF wants me to get a license plate frame that reads "My Other Car is an SUV". :p: :D
 



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Another Update:

Our gas is now $3.05 to $ 3.15 for regular unleaded. I have 1500 miles on the car and I'm getting about 45 mpg on the last two tankfuls. My worst mileage was about 38 mpg going from my house (~250 ft above sea level) to Sierra at Tahoe (~6800 ft). But on the way back I got over 100 mpg for about 25 min of downhill, and my overall avg was 48 mpg for the 200 mile trip.

[/smug]
 






^^^So you like the smell of your own farts...JK

My dad had a 2000 Expedition but it just died on him and he got an Escape hybrid. It was the only one in Birmingham at the time. I dont know anything about it except it is loaded and white exterior with a tan interior. He said it got about 28 mpg on his trip to Talladega today.
 












:thumbsup: for being green :D
 












I hope you arent one of ther prius owners with the access ok stickers that drives 45 mph in the carpool lane while regular traffic is doing 70.

My girlfriends mom has the hybrid highlander. It seems pretty cool the few miles I have driven it. Not sure it is worth the prmium price though.

I would love to get a hybrid but until they can haul a few thousand pounds and then tow an 8000lb trailer Ill have to stick with my truck. It sure would be great to quit sending money to the oil rich nations.
 






I hope you arent one of ther prius owners with the access ok stickers that drives 45 mph in the carpool lane while regular traffic is doing 70.

No, they stopped giving out the access ok stickers sometime last year. I don't have any carpool lane on my commute anyway.

I pretty much drive it the same as my other vehicles: About 65 -70 on the freeway and about 10 mph over the posted limit on other streets (which is about the average speed around here).

I am still keeping the Explorer for camping, towing the trailer and going to the snow in the winter. I do take it on some easy 4wd trails too.

But 45 mpg kicks the crap out of 14 mpg.
 












what % city highway are you runnin Dog?

And the local Toyota dealer has a lifetime waranety are they doing it out there???

My commute to work is about 50% of each. The car actually gets better mileage in the city because it uses the battery more often at slower speeds.

We just got back from a road trip to the San Diego Zoo, Disneyland etc. We averaged about 46 mpg at 70 - 75 mph.

I haven't heard about any lifetime warranty? Who's lifetime? The owner, the dealership or the insurance company?

The warranty on my car is 3 yrs 36k for everything, 6 yrs 60k on the powertrain, 10 yrs 150k on the battery, 15 yrs 150k on the emission equipment. I think the corrosion is 6 yrs Unlimited, but this is not an issue where I live, I often see 30 yr old cars and trucks without rust.
 






My commute to work is about 50% of each. The car actually gets better mileage in the city because it uses the battery more often at slower speeds.

We just got back from a road trip to the San Diego Zoo, Disneyland etc. We averaged about 46 mpg at 70 - 75 mph.

Is it zippy, fast?



I haven't heard about any lifetime warranty? Who's lifetime? The owner, the dealership or the insurance company?

The warranty on my car is 3 yrs 36k for everything, 6 yrs 60k on the powertrain, 10 yrs 150k on the battery, 15 yrs 150k on the emission equipment. I think the corrosion is 6 yrs Unlimited, but this is not an issue where I live, I often see 30 yr old cars and trucks without rust.

More less it covers the engine/trans plus internals and supercharger/turbo plus internals. Axles drive shaft, U joints, cv joints, oil pan, all gaskets, and some others tierods/ball joints and such. As long as YOU own the car/truck 5.7 has 381 HP stock.
And you MUST have ALL owner manual service done at any shop of your choosing, you must save all your recite or your are F##ed.
All repairs needed have a $100 deductible.

Does not cover accidents, mods, racing, fading, or vibration.


It seems pretty reasonable.

http://www.cramertoyota.com/
 






Is it zippy, fast?

It is kinda zippy at slower speeds, because it has 295 lbft torque from 0-1200 rpm from the main electric motor. But you can't spin the wheels because it has traction control.

It has a CVT (kinda) so it doesn't shift while accelerating. So you can beat other cars when they shift gears because the Prius just continues to accelerate.

You can beat a 1st gen Explorer easily (I did when some goofball tried to race me from a stop for some reason) but you aren't going to beat a Mustang or other fast car. And it only has 110 Hp max, so it doesn't accelerate as well at faster speeds as a lot of other cars. I have had it up to 80 a couple of times, mainly by accident. Max speed is about 100 mph which is limited by the maximum speed of the electric motor(s).
 






It is kinda zippy at slower speeds, because it has 295 lbft torque from 0-1200 rpm from the main electric motor. But you can't spin the wheels because it has traction control.

It has a CVT (kinda) so it doesn't shift while accelerating. So you can beat other cars when they shift gears because the Prius just continues to accelerate.

You can beat a 1st gen Explorer easily (I did when some goofball tried to race me from a stop for some reason) but you aren't going to beat a Mustang or other fast car. And it only has 110 Hp max, so it doesn't accelerate as well at faster speeds as a lot of other cars. I have had it up to 80 a couple of times, mainly by accident. Max speed is about 100 mph which is limited by the maximum speed of the electric motor(s).

Ok faster then a first gen that is ok. The CVT still blows my mind no shifts:eek: .

Is it air tight and low road niose on the interstate???
 






Ok faster then a first gen that is ok. The CVT still blows my mind no shifts:eek: .

Is it air tight and low road niose on the interstate???

Its pretty quiet. Its not as quiet as my GF's Avalon, but that car is very quiet compared to almost anything.

The Prius is very aerodynamic (Cd is .26, lower than everything other than the Honda Insight which is no longer made) so the wind noise is pretty low. Also, on downhills, the engine usually shuts off so you only have wind noise and tire noise left.

The body seems pretty tight, the doors have that solid thunk when you close them like a German car.
 
























Dogfriend, do you plan on hacking yours after the warranty expires?


There is a hack that I would like to do, but unfortunately it would probably void the warranty on the battery. Several people have added an EV button which is offered in Japan and Europe, but not in North America. The HV computer supports this function, but the control button has to be added to make it work.

The EV button will allow you to run in Electric only mode for longer periods of time and can prevent the engine from starting when you only want to move the car a few feet (say to move from the garage out to the driveway to wash it). Toyota won't say why they didn't offer it on US and Canadian cars, but speculation is that it may be because of battery life issues or it may be for emission reasons.

I'm also considering hacking the Navigation system to get rid of the "I Agree" screen which appears every time you start the car reminding you that you shouldn't pay attention to the Nav while driving. Ok, I get it, but once is enough, not every single time I start the car, alright?

There is a company that offers a kit to override the Nav, but it costs $100. I'm hoping to find a cheaper alternative.
 









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I think I'll stick to my wife's S60. on a 4000 mile trip from LA to Northern Idaho and back, the car averaged 32 mpg. One tank we were at 35mpg or 36mpg. On the highway she will get 30+ all day. Around town it gets 25-26mpg. unless I drive it a little hard...then it in the low 20's.

Comfort
luxury
style
mileage
sporty


oh yeah...and the thing Volvo's are known for Saftey!!!

Sorry most of the time good milage means a deathtrap in a accident.

When I met my wife she had a escort, I could not get her out of it fast enough!

unfortanly all the money you save in gas, will never save your life in accident.:(
 






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