On Jul 30, 2010 11:05 PM, "Jaime Kopchinski" <[email protected]> wrote:
> People buy them to be politically correct. The same reason Daimler makes them. I bought mine because, at 2 years old and "high mileage" (60k), there was no price differential with an equivalent base v6 Escape (also 2 years old @60K), and there was a 30% mpg benefit. I might be the exception among hybrid owners, but I certainly don't think any less of CO2 emitters or drivers of classic cars. If you recall, the Escape Hybrid commercials were some guy saying he didn't have to show off that he had a hybrid; for me it was pure economics: the most advanced vehicle that was in our price range, had the carrying capacity we needed, best mileage of the lot, acceptable to wife, .... plus it is a US-made gasser so I don't mind destroying it - the FEH is never going to be a 35-year-old classic, so I may as well get out of it what I can until it crumbles around us. Hybrids do have power benefits at lower RPM, if like Ford you put in a proper engine tuned for higher-RPM efficiency you can get some technical benefit. They also weigh a lot more (one review said 320lbs more for my i4+hybrid versus the v6 gasser), so a diesel-electric drivetrain would be a serious undertaking. I have also heard from EV aftermarket builders that the current generation of CVTs don't have the strength to deal with moving two tons of batteries, so I suspect that also plays a role. In other news, can you sell new diesels in California? And selling diesels might not count against the overall EPA numbers, not sure how that works. Reading the earlier-linked article I can only think that it is a shame that MB had such a unique US market for so long, but it sounds like their US dealers are now into the "bigger/badder/we know what sells, don't trouble us with the facts" mindset that killed Detroit when Japan started to get serious. Feel free to reply on banned if you think it's getting political. And/or violent / angry. :) -Tim In my driveway today: '05 FEH, '77 300D, '74 240D (soon-to-be kidneyed), '72 F100 - well the 300D is street-parked. > > Doesn't have much to do with anything else. I've spent alot of time > behind the wheel of one. Thats all I'll say. > > Otherwise, the newest S class is an outstanding car. Especially the > COMAND system. > > Jaime > > > On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 4:10 PM, Greg Fiorentino <[email protected]> wrote: >> So I flew up to Vancouver BC a few days ago to visit my cousin, and was >> surprised to find him waiting to pick me up in his new MB. He had never had >> much good to say about the marque before. I didn't get to drive it, but it >> was roomy and comfortable, and had impressive technology. His garage has a >> tight entryway from a narrow back lane. But the backup camera has lines >> over the image to show the left and right safe limits, as well as where the >> rear bumper must stop. Pretty nice stuff for a lot more than I could >> afford! >> >> Why someone who can afford this car would buy a hybrid is beyond me. >> >> Greg >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
