Civic Hybrid -- gas/electric usage

In article >,
jim beam > wrote:
>but i /hate/ diesel fuel. i hate it on my hands. i hate it on my
>clothes. i especially hate it if i get it on my shoes because it stinks
>& you can't usually throw them in the washing machine like practically
>everything else.

Well, don't be a pump slob, and use a paper towel or plastic bag to hold
the pump handle so that you don't have to touch the drippings from other
pump slobs.

I wonder how much air pollution is caused by pump slobs spilling gasoline
which quickly evaporates into air pollution. While the quick evaporation
of gasoline eliminates the evidence, the pump slob drippings often found
around diesel pumps may be an indicator of how much is spilled at the
gasoline pumps.

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Timothy J. Lee
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In article >,
> wrote:
>The TDI diesel was redesigned in 2004 for higher mileage than what was
>available when I was shopping.

Actually, the 2004 versions get worse EPA mileage than the 2003 versions.
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Timothy J. Lee
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Timothy J. Lee > wrote:
> In article >,
> > wrote:
>>The TDI diesel was redesigned in 2004 for higher mileage than what was
>>available when I was shopping.

> Actually, the 2004 versions get worse EPA mileage than the 2003 versions.

Hmmm... I was reading that from a brochure ;-)
I see that the mileage did drop from 2003 to 2004 according to EPA.
I wonder what real world numbers are.
edmunds.com forums are probably pretty good for that.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef609fe/0 has lots of
opinions on Hybrid verses diesel.

Oh, that's what people meant about CARB not liking the diesel.
It's not available in California in 2004 or 2005.

--
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Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

Timothy J. Lee wrote:
> In article >,
> jim beam > wrote:
>
>>but i /hate/ diesel fuel. i hate it on my hands. i hate it on my
>>clothes. i especially hate it if i get it on my shoes because it stinks
>>& you can't usually throw them in the washing machine like practically
>>everything else.
>
>
> Well, don't be a pump slob, and use a paper towel or plastic bag to hold
> the pump handle so that you don't have to touch the drippings from other
> pump slobs.
>
> I wonder how much air pollution is caused by pump slobs spilling gasoline
> which quickly evaporates into air pollution. While the quick evaporation
> of gasoline eliminates the evidence, the pump slob drippings often found
> around diesel pumps may be an indicator of how much is spilled at the
> gasoline pumps.
>
with respect, i don't think you're talking from experience. i am.
diesel is on the nozzle grip from others, regardless of how i handle my
own fueling; diesel is all over the pavement, regardless of how i handle
my own fueling; and depending on nozzle condition, diesel /will/ drip.
when it drips, it gets on clothes, shoes, etc. but you'd know all this
if you'd done any fleet fueling, right?

Dave wrote:
> In article . com>, "Jeff" > wrote:
>
>
>>If Honda is advertising it at 47/48 mpg, I'd like to know if something
>>can be tweaked to reach that mark. Should I just sit back and say
>>"well, 40 isn't too bad"? Hell no. If I'm going to pay the extra few
>>grand to get the Hybrid over the standard Civic, I want a return on my
>>investment.
>
>
> There is no guarantee that you will get the 47/48. Those numbers
> are based on standardized tests that won't necessarily be
> reflective of how you drive, nor where you drive.
>
> Having said that, it does seem that hybrids miss their EPA sticker
> MPG by a higher pct than do other vehicles. And I can certainly
> see why the buyer of such a car might be miffed. However, there
> are reasons why a hybrid might miss by mo the hybrid power
> management strategy is more highly dependent on the drive schedule
> it is tweaked for than the normal transmission/vehicle strategy in
> a conventional vehicle. A high mpg vehicle will be impacted more
> by turning on A/C, or opening windows, or any similar since it
> consumed so little fuel otherwise.
>
> Last, consider how much extra fuel is consumed if you get "only"
> 40 mpg vs 48. Over 12,000 mi/yr, it would consume 50 gallons
> more. A gallon/week. That's equivalent to a 24 MPG rated vehicle
> only delivering 22.
>
> I think we would benefit from the EPA's certification cycle more
> closely resembing "typical" (whatever that is) driving. So that
> hybrids would more likely be tweaked for, and approach, real world
> MPG. So I hear your lament. But I also can see why some would
> not be terribly concerned about the differences between 48
> (rated) and 40 (real) mpg.

i'd be interested to know the calorific value of epa fuel compared to
standard gas that you or i buy. i say this because recently, one of my
local cheapie gas stations was bought by a big national. because the
pump colors were identical, it was a couple of fills until i noticed the
change of brand, but what i /did/ notice immediately was a very definite
change in spunkiness of the car. so i kept fueling there for a couple
of weeks, and was enjoying much improved performance, until it just as
suddenly dropped back to "normal".

now, i'm a cynic, i admit, but is it coincidence that a gas vendor, on a
big aquisition spree of all the small local independants, would supply
"extra good" gas for a couple of weeks after a purchase to keep
customers coming rather than desert to the other independant across the
street? if that's so, is it not inconceivable for gas companies to be,
er, "alert" to the need to supply higher calorie gas in the locale of
the epa test labs?

In article >,
jim beam > wrote:
>with respect, i don't think you're talking from experience. i am.
>diesel is on the nozzle grip from others, regardless of how i handle my
>own fueling; diesel is all over the pavement, regardless of how i handle
>my own fueling; and depending on nozzle condition, diesel /will/ drip.
>when it drips, it gets on clothes, shoes, etc. but you'd know all this
>if you'd done any fleet fueling, right?

I have fueled diesel vehicles from both "car" diesel pumps and the
larger "truck" diesel pumps without dripping diesel fuel all over the
place. With either diesel or gasoline, all one has to do is remove
the pump slowly and tilt it a bit with the end still in the fuel filler,
so that the last few drops go into the fuel tank instead of on the
ground or all over you.

--
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Timothy J. Lee
Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome.
No warranty of any kind is provided with this message.

muzz wrote:

> On 21 Jul 2005 10:06:57 -0700, "Jeff" > wrote:
>
> Good night! I've had my 2004 now for 18 months and am getting
> 32 mpg. Dealer says that's about the expected mpg - excuse me?
> I think I should get at least 40 if they advertise 48. Had the recall
> computer update done last week, but they say not to expect any
> better -
>
>
> POLL - What mpg is everyone getting on their hybrid civics?
>

Even with all the computer assistance, your driving habits still have an
effect on mileage. If you drive fast, accelerate hard, carry lots of
weight, have low tire pressure, etc. you'll get less fuel economy.

FWIW, my trusty old '87 Accord with 240,000 miles still gives me around
25mpg, in about 50/50 mixed city/highway driving... and I drive the crap
out of it.


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