Re: Fw: History of Jeep and the Jeep Liberty (diesel)

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: "Jim Blair" <carnuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>
" 
" 
" 
" 
" ----- Original Message ----- 
" From: "john meister" <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
" To: "Jim Blair" <carnuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>
" Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2005 10:14 AM
" Subject: Re: History of Jeep and the Jeep Liberty (diesel)
" 
" 
" >
" > the link to this guy's book confirms what I've already spotted in his 
" > article...
" >
" > errors, poorly written, ego-building...
" >
" > []
" >
" > However, considering it was only a $4 download I didn't feel too cheated 
" > at reading this very amateurish, unedited, and
" > unproofed piece of work.
" >
" > Mr. Boberg certainly has some useful experiences to share with people 
" > interested in the auto industry generally and
" > Chrysler's mixed fortunes specifically. However, only his analysis of the 
" > costs and benefits of hybrid autos is worth
" > the trouble here. In fact, anyone who believes a hybrid is a magic 
" > solution to the problems of fuel consumption and
" > pollution might do well to acquaint themselves with some of the facts 
" > here.

i did a quick back-of-the-envelope analysis a year or two ago when my
uncle was contemplating getting a hybrid.

suppose you can get a toyota prius for $20k [hah!]
suppose you can get an echo, which the prius is based on, for $10k.
the echo btw has good room for 4 and weighs 800lbs less than the
prius.

now also suppose the echo gets 30mpg and the prius 45.  i know, they
claim 55 but autoweek's experience over several months is a very
steady 42-43.  [remember also that the hybrid won't help you at all
on the highway]

on monetary terms, with gas at $2/gal i figured you'd have to drive
900 000 miles before the extra cost of the prius saves over the echo +
$10k head start of gas.  at $3, 600 000 mi.  lessee, at 15k/year...
will the car last that long?

then there's the battery replacement cost.  they don't have a good
handle on it, because prius sales are so brisk they're rapidly sliding
down the volume production curve, but they don't last forever and it
won't be negligible.  and the take-outs are hazardous waste like all
rechargeable batteries.

on top of all this, toyota makes a perfectly good diesel echo which
gets about 45mpg [us equiv] in the european cycle, and it's not nearly
as expensive as the prius.  you can see it at www.toyota.co.uk as the
yaris.  and it can be fueled on biodiesel, if you want to be 'green'.
some folks on the net are claiming to make it for under $1/gal but i
think that's assuming free waste fryer oil, and methanol made from
petroleum.  but if you don't worry about food-grade processing [also
look up 'cellulosic ethanol'] i wouldn't be a bit surprised if $3/gal
wasn't in the range - and biodiesel can be used anywhere #2 diesel is,
including your furnace.  it's even better for the machinery,
lubricates better and burns cleaner - and with a better smell.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen

adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought