re: hybrid cars

[<eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Doc noted:
"After reading all about these hybrid cars I wonder what the car collectors 
or just the ordinary car hobbiest will have to choose from in the future. 
> From what has been said so far at the moment the second life of these cars 
is non-existant for quite a few years anyway as they appear to be throw away 
cars right now. Real old cars now are at a premium, which is why most of the 
kids go  for them Ricers. I can see it now the look a like Generic Ricer 
Hybrid Tuner with a factory optional bolt on body kit and factory rub on 
decal graffic's kit  as the collector car of the future. The thought of this 
has made me ill, I have  to go get in my yellow Hornet and drive to my 
friends shop and work on my orage
Hornet.
"Doc"

Disposable cars have been here for years. You can take a walk thru any of 
the area pick a part yards www.houstonpickapart.com and it is busrting at 
the seams with Toyota, Honda, Nissan, GM, Saturn, Geo and other disposable 
cars. So much so that they had to make a whole new section for "new" cars, 
almost all 1994-2005. There is stuff in there on occasion like BMW, Saab, 
Volvo, cars traditionally thought to be worth more as time goes on, or that 
others are more loyal to. I understand the Geos, Nissans, Isuzus, Daihatzu, 
Hyundais, Toyotas, Hondas, and others in the enxw section; these are like 
phones and computers which fill up our landfills. A case in point would be I 
was at Home Depot this morning. One of my kids, probably that little one, 
took the rechargable battery out of my Uniden phone. Good phone and have had 
it for years, even though one of the dogs chewed off the small antenna, the 
phone has been buried by a dog, gotten kicked like football, and drove off 
with it on roof of the 72 Ambassador one day and only it falling off let me 
know it was up there. Gathered up the parts, put it back together, and works 
great. (see car brand loyalty). So I bought a new battery for it. The 
battery was $20.!! Well, at Home Depot you can buy not only the phone, buy 
jack, mounting unit, caller ID, in other words a whole new system, same 
brand.....for $20.

I think the point there (if any) is that I should have just tossed the old 
phone, why buy a battery when whole system is same price? Same with 
disposable cars. You buy a 95 Prelude or 96 Corolla for $1500, drive it, 
then it OD's, and cheaper to simply replace whole car than fix it and watch 
it become a money pit.

> From the 2004 Detriot Auto Show:
Hybrids - The race is on, and Toyota has a clear lead. Yes, Honda has two 
hybrids, the Insight and the Civic - but Toyota's 2004 Prius was named the 
North American Car of the Year and has taken the green freak out of hybrid 
technology. With a Hybrid Highlander coming this year, as well as the Lexus 
RX300h, Toyota is the clear leader. Sadly, this seems to be an import-only 
race. Despite grand pronouncements for the past three years, General Motors 
and Ford have yet to provide consumers with a mainstream hybrid alternative. 
If Toyota's Highlander does indeed provide compact car fuel economy with SUV 
convenience at a competitive price - the two Detroit Giants may be too far 
back to ever catch up, and will have to concede this burgeoning market to 
the imports.

Learn more about hybrids, or half breeds as we like to call them (cholos 
carros)
http://www.edmunds.com/new/market/hybrid/all/index.html

As for hybrid cars, I think they suck, but I have always liked the rumble of 
a big old AMC V8 and still drive them daily. Funny, if not ironic, that some 
of the cars that are getting experimented on for "alternative fuels" and 
whatnot have been around the block in out lifetime. How abuot that Electric 
1970 Hornet? Or 72 Hydrogen powered Gremlin:
http://www.planethoustonamx.com/parts%20&%20Literature/hydrogen_powered_gremlin_ebay.jpg
to name just a few.

Even funnier is if the push/trand in the future will be for water powered 
somehow cars, what would the cost of a gallon of water be? Oxygen? Think 
about it, you go to your neaerst convienence store and can buy a bolltled 
water, usually 20 oz, for $1.-$1.50. You can also stop in at a variety of 
oxygen bars, including numberous ones in Houston, and get a whiff of air for 
$5-$10 for 5 minutes. Or next time you are driving along and low tire, you 
old timers will remember free air at gas stations. Now it is 50-75 cents for 
a few minutes. A car wash is a few gallons of water sprayed on your favorite 
car, but $1.25-$20.00 depending on who and where you get it done.

But back to disposable cars, one must wonder what will become of those using 
bigger batteries and other stuff in them that might be deemed toxic at a 
later date. Now, no problem, later, who knows. We used to think in the 
1950s-60s that asbestos was great to line classrooms, houses and buildings 
with. Smoking was cool. And painting our kids rooms, classrooms, offices 
with lead based paint was o-tay too. Funny? Hardly. Since I mentioned Home 
Depot I was speechless to see this on the gallon of paint I bought while 
there: WARNING!: If you scrape, sand, or remove old paint, you may release 
lead dust. LEAD IS TOXIC. Exposure to lead dust can cause serious illness, 
such as brain damage, especially in children, pregnant women should also 
avoid exposure.

Well, we knew it was bad for years now but that surprised me. But I am also 
surprised by someone spilling hot coffee in their crotch and getting several 
million dollars too, that happens just about every time I shift the SC/360 
but no one to sue/blame I guess ;~P)) Yup Doc, not sure what collectors of 
the future will have to choose from.

Eddie Stakes'
Planet Houston AMX
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com
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