Smog Test

[orezok]

I took my 96 Ram in for it's first required smog check. Here are the test results. It's amazing that a 6 year old truck is still a zero emissions vehicle!

 

[murphy1244]

Heck, My 95 chevy did that...

 

[Dmace]

Print this out and show it to that Prius driver that thinks your destroying the environment and they're saving it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Print this out and show it to that Prius driver that thinks your destroying the environment and they're saving it.

I saw a story on tv saying that a Prius has a larger environmental impact then a V8 truck that get 10 mpg over the course of 250,000 miles.

Reason being is the process of mining the batteries and manufacturing them is a very "dirty" process.

I also get a kick out of those who will buy a Prius or any other hybrid vehicle over say a bone stock base model Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, Chevy Cruze, Ford Fiesta, Dodge Caliber, Toyota Corolla, ect. Yes, you may get 45 mpg versus say 32 mpg average for the models I listed above but instead of buying a $18,000 car you buy a $32,000 car. You can buy a lot of gas at $4.00 per gallon before you could ever come close to making up the $14,000 difference. It would take 45,000 miles to even come close to breaking even.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

I took my 96 Ram in for it's first required smog check. Here are the test results. It's amazing that a 6 year old truck is still a zero emissions vehicle!

Is it a 1996 or a 2006? You said its 6 years old.

Chris

 

[orezok]

Is it a 1996 or a 2006? You said its 6 years old.

Chris

oops. I replaced my '96 with an '06. Old age is a b@#%&. My '96 was just about as clean.

 

[Dmace]

I saw a story on tv saying that a Prius has a larger environmental impact then a V8 truck that get 10 mpg over the course of 250,000 miles.

Reason being is the process of mining the batteries and manufacturing them is a very "dirty" process.

Exactly, and those batteries are non-recyclable. Then you get these plug-in hybrids because people think their electricity comes from hydro dams or wind plants when it's most likely a coal burning plant.

I also get a kick out of those who will buy a Prius or any other hybrid vehicle over say a bone stock base model Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, Chevy Cruze, Ford Fiesta, Dodge Caliber, Toyota Corolla, ect. Yes, you may get 45 mpg versus say 32 mpg average for the models I listed above but instead of buying a $18,000 car you buy a $32,000 car. You can buy a lot of gas at $4.00 per gallon before you could ever come close to making up the $14,000 difference. It would take 45,000 miles to even come close to breaking even.

Chris

We just recently replaced the Pacifica for something more economical. Test drove them all and drove home a brand new Mazda 3i Touring with the new direct injected Skyactiv 4 cylinder and 6 speed auto. Got it for $19,500 cash out the door, with 2500 miles on it we're averaging 35.3 mpg everyday driving and I got 40.5 mpg on a highway ride of about 400 miles round trip. Unlike these hybrids, we have no batteries, no electric plugs, room for 4-5 adults, a full trunk, spare tire, sports car handling, good power and acceleration, 5 star crash test rating, and a easy to maintain vehicle.

 

[powerpace]

Prius and Dodge PU here. 1998 Prius has 170,000 miles. Avg Gpm 45, and I drive with a heavy foot. The worst gas milage I ever got was 39gpm across the Salt Flats into a headwind.

Paid about $28,000, not the top of the line not the bottom. Save about $250 per year in Insurance by having the Prius. Never have seen a Prius broke down on the road. Never saw one towed. Never see one on a used car lot.

You might want to checkout the recent JD POWER report on Vehicle Dependability Study and Initial Quality Study.

When this Pruis hits 200,000 we're getting another and keeping the first one.

 

[jeffsw6]

Reason being is the process of mining the batteries and manufacturing them is a very "dirty" process.

I fully believe this, but I think it is a technology that is still in the early-adopter stage, infancy, whatever you might call it.

Since there is production volume of these powerful batteries now, mfrs, universities, gov't funded start-ups, etc. all have a large incentive to invent better batteries and improve the process that goes into making them (and hopefully recycling them later.)

I have no interest in buying an electric vehicle today, but I hope the technology keeps getting better, cheaper, cleaner, etc. Battery technology has come a long way even before electric cars started to become mainstream. I bet almost every person here has a battery-powered drill now, and that is a pretty modern invention that was not practical a couple decades ago.

 

[Dmace]

Never have seen a Prius broke down on the road. Never saw one towed. Never see one on a used car lot.

Around here you also, Never see more than one person in a Prius, Never see one in snowy conditions, Never see one actually driving the speed limit or above, and Never stop hearing about their "carbon foot print".
Also, I've seen plenty on the side of the road. Typically with a dead battery which can't start the gas engine.
I've gotten real good at jump starting them with the truck. See, the batteries in the trunk and the trunk won't open with a dead battery so you have to find the connection under the hood then ground to the body or door latch according to the manual.
I wonder what the average fuel mileage would be up here where there are no flat roads, just mountains...

Your total miles is impressive, factory battery?