..............I'm with you
My current fleet of vehicles all of which are super-reliable and get driven at least once a week is:
1964 EH Holden (149cu)
1964 EH Holden (186cu),
1968 2 Tonne Bedford Truck (214cu)
1969 3 Tonne Bedford Truck (214cu)
1973 HQ LS Monaro (350cu)
And I'm about to finish off the restoration and repowering of a 1968 4 Tonne Bedford Truck (383cu)
I dont miss the apparent luxury of modern vehicles.. the EH's are very comfy,
yeah if you are smooching in the back seat.....can't tell me their total lack of suspension and lack of synchro between 2nd and first is good for anything else. only good thing about em is the purr of the 186....
the trucks give you a grand view of the road ahead and the Munro goes like a bat out of hellMy fleet is going up in value, especially the EH's and the Monaro.. and, aside from the Monaro, they all have reasonably fuel economy, even the trucks! I'm making money and having huge fun with the cars in the meantime..
A well maintained older vehicle is seriously worth considering.
rust never sleeps
LPG/Petrol/Electric/'Hybrid' Cars to save $$$....
- Thread starter JIT
- Start date
Are you serious! Hybrids just dropped lower on my list now...turbo diesel's still in front as the car for a property investor!
GSJ
In June 2005, the L.A. Times reported that hybrid battery replacement costs dropped from $10,000 in 2001 to about $3,000 today. But three months later, Car and Driver's Brock Yates—no fan of hybrids—wrote, "battery replacement will cost $5,300 for the Toyota and Lexus hybrids, and the Ford Escape replacements run a whopping $7,200." Yates compared hybrid's rechargeable batteries to the "dry cells in your flashlight...[which] have finite lives and store less power with age." He also insinuated some kind of cover-up, writing that "industry types are not talking about total battery life."
so depending on the exchange rate replacement costs wont be cheap.
Look carefully into your purchase, I to would like a hybrid but a turbo diesel seems the way to go. If you are worried about the environment then you need to look into how the environmental costs of making batteries, as well as the disposal costs, not just the travel component.
Remember, the total energy you save as an individual in a lifetime, is frittered away in just the liftoff of you, as a passenger in a commercial jet.............don't even bother about estimating the energy used in flying to another destination.
And before I get shot down in flames, I want replies only from people who have never flown in an airplane.
so depending on the exchange rate replacement costs wont be cheap.
Look carefully into your purchase, I to would like a hybrid but a turbo diesel seems the way to go. If you are worried about the environment then you need to look into how the environmental costs of making batteries, as well as the disposal costs, not just the travel component.
Remember, the total energy you save as an individual in a lifetime, is frittered away in just the liftoff of you, as a passenger in a commercial jet.............don't even bother about estimating the energy used in flying to another destination.
And before I get shot down in flames, I want replies only from people who have never flown in an airplane.
Tons of reviews I've read on Prius cars they all preach the benefits economy, enviro etc. to the Nth degree, but NOT ONE ARTICLE mentions battery replacement schedule and cost.
Why is that?
You'd really only find that kind of information on a property investor's forum!
GSJ
Tons of reviews I've read on Prius cars they all preach the benefits economy, enviro etc. to the Nth degree, but NOT ONE ARTICLE mentions battery replacement schedule and cost.
Why is that?
If they tell you how much it damages the environment to produce alternative energy anythings, greens will look stupid,
The greens are the noisiest self interest group.
Hybrid batteries are produced from Lithium, producing lithium makes many times more pollutants than lithium metal, the ores are so unconcentrated, and uses heaps of electricity from coal burning plants.
Solar panels are made from electrolitically purified silicon, and uses heaps of electricity from coal fired plants.
wind generators are made from refined metals and carbon fibre composites uses heaps of electricity from coal fired plants uses resins made from oil and occupy large amounts of land, need roads built to service them, and cables run from outlying locations to the main grid. Ashphalt & resins from oil, refined metals, trucks to cart the concrete for the pads,
Whole of life, shows the real mess. the Prius driver doesnt see the pollution the vehicle makes in its construction, the industrial plants are miles from their home, but its still there.
good news is solar cells and wind farms are catching up, as the development proceeds it finally takes less than 100 years for a solar panel to repay the energy cost of its construction. does anyone have a solar cell that lasts 100 years before requiring replacement, not yet, {edit}100 years hasnt passed since their development{/edit}, battery technology will eventually catch up too, but several tonnes of extremely toxic lithium compounds every 7 years, scares the [explete deleted] out of me. Exactly what do they do with used lithium batteries, lead acid batteries are made into more lead acid batteries, low tech, low capacity, low pollution, easy recycling
my 2c worth
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All of the information is on the website in the link. The prices are as listed plus tyres and on road costs (rego ~$500, stamp duty, etc). Parts cost more because they are in low supply in Australia (that is when you can't use a local part - some local models share the same parts).
I drive Nissan Skylines. It's superior to the local offerings and much better value. Loads of power, handling, good economy, many 'options' in Australia are standard items in Japan. My latest car was in immaculate condition. 2000 model with 24,000kms on the clock, with precisely the body kit, wheels and colour that I was after. Auction grade 4.5A. The oil was still clear when it arrived in Australia and the stock suspension was in the boot (it had been replaced with aftermarket HKS suspension, several thousand dollars). My experience has been very positive although not everyones is. Sometimes there can be shipping delays, damage during transit and the cars are harder to insure. I'm a car fanatic but for the regular Joe I'm unsure if this is a good option.
They have a cult following and a good network of second hand parts, car clubs, mechanics and insurers. I'd want a similar support network if I were to import a different type of car. (i.e. I'd want to see the 'series 1 Prius car club of Australia').
Vaguely interesting and relevant article today talking about blind people being at risk of being run over by hybrid cars as they are so quiet that blind people can't even hear them .
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071003/hybrids_blind.html?.v=3
GSJ
.http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071003/hybrids_blind.html?.v=3
GSJ
The current "Renew" magazine (an australain magazine) had a articale in which it claimed the time was 2 years (for a solar panel to repay the energy cost of its construction.)
It also had an articale about converting an existing car to electric. I was in a hurry , so did not read what it had to say about economics etc ...
2 years at full output to repay the energy cost of its construction,
but the preparatin of raw materials, metals, mining, refining, night, dim days, building the factory.
I take it the magazine is pro-solar.
It was meant good news, in one generation went from 0.4V25mA per 4inch square cell to 1.2V725mA per 1.5inch inch cell, nearly 90times more energy a 64watt panel is smaller than a 0.5watt panel used to be. (The size of the solar cells for the first emergency charger packs for field radio sets, meant most troops left them under the bed, now they fit in a zip pocket) in another generation (~4-5 years same as computers??) it will be as exponentially better again and PV will be a viable supply option. it would be great to have cheap solar arrays glued to the suniside roof, powering the house and feeding back into the grid, once its built the panel is clean, makes no more wastes.
but the preparatin of raw materials, metals, mining, refining, night, dim days, building the factory.
I take it the magazine is pro-solar.
It was meant good news, in one generation went from 0.4V25mA per 4inch square cell to 1.2V725mA per 1.5inch inch cell, nearly 90times more energy a 64watt panel is smaller than a 0.5watt panel used to be. (The size of the solar cells for the first emergency charger packs for field radio sets, meant most troops left them under the bed, now they fit in a zip pocket) in another generation (~4-5 years same as computers??) it will be as exponentially better again and PV will be a viable supply option. it would be great to have cheap solar arrays glued to the suniside roof, powering the house and feeding back into the grid, once its built the panel is clean, makes no more wastes.
Vaguely interesting and relevant article today talking about blind people being at risk of being run over by hybrid cars as they are so quiet that blind people can't even hear them
So you're saying that if I buy a hybrid, not only am I polluting the atmosphere during the manufacturing process, I am also a danger to the blind community
Doh! I just can't win. Where'd my skateboard go?
DJ
