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Lets say gas is $8 a gallon summer 2010, what car do you buy?

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Old Jun 24, 2008 | 12:14 PM
  #16  
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I just picked up a new(ish) motorcycle after going for a year without one.

If gas hits $8.00/gal, I'd probably ride MUCH more often. Might even look at getting a smaller bike or large scooter for DD status and just use the truck when I need it. Gas that expensive might get me out of the "fun car" game altogether and change my focus to bikes.

We don't have a car payment currently. My wife's L200 is an '03 with about 85k on it, so in the coming years she's going to want to replace it. Fuel efficiency will be a requirement, of course, but at $8.00/gal it becomes a much more important consideration...

Next gen Cobalt would be a possibility I suppose (40+ mpg would be nice).
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 12:54 PM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by Geoff Chadwick
We're firstly talking 2010 here, which is two years away. While I don't expect the price of the Tesla to come down during that time - it may come down by a bit, which I would appreciate. Do I care? Not really. If the first year of cars going out does well I might pick one up.

I'm not "wealthy" by any means - I just got really lucky in the market a few years ago with money I didn't need. I've pulled bits out over the years to fund projects like my Camaro and other car stuff. I've always planned on emptying the whole thing on some stupid car before I turn 30 anyway, and the Tesla caught my eye a while back when I first heard about it.

At $8/gal, plug-in vehicles make sense. The only question is how much the $/Kwh changes over the next few years.
Tesla prices won't be coming down anytime soon. Maybe the 2nd gen Tesla will be cheaper but not this generation. I don't even think you will be able to get a used one for under $90,000 by mid 2010. White star should be out around late 2010-2011 and priced at about $60,000.

More and more the Volt is going to be a bargain as far as electric cars go, even at $40,000.

Eric Bryant, I think I remember reading the Escape plug-in was going to get a 10kWh battery. Have you heard anymore on that?
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 01:03 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by Z28x
More and more the Volt is going to be a bargain as far as electric cars go, even at $40,000.
I wish people would quit referring to the Volt as an electric car, when it really is just a different type of hybrid.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 01:08 PM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Z28x
Eric Bryant, I think I remember reading the Escape plug-in was going to get a 10kWh battery. Have you heard anymore on that?
I haven't heard any sizing about the Escape or the Vue. I'm curious about both of them.

Originally Posted by Eric Bryant
I don't worry much about $/kWh for the electricity - it's cheap in comparison to the $1300/kWh that's projected for lithium-ion packs
A123 was shooting for under $700/kwh originally. I dont know how they're doing now though as development has proceeded.

Good quick battery read:
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/print/5490


The Volt looks pretty menacing in that shot. I'm really curious to see how A123's cells stack up at the end of the day for performance and cost. I'd like to see the actual cost applied to the vehicle on the Tesla (and eventually) the Volt.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 01:11 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by jg95z28
I wish people would quit referring to the Volt as an electric car, when it really is just a different type of hybrid.
But it's more electric than it is hybrid. The "hybrid" part stops at the electricity production stage.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 01:26 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Z28x
I'll probably be looking at a 2010 1.4L Turbo Cobalt or 2011 Euro Ford Focus. I'd love to get a Volt, but I'm not paying $40,000 for any car. Ford Escape plug-in would be great, but now I hear they are pushed back to 2012 and I'm sure demand will be very high and supply low. I think at that price for me to get a Camaro it would need to get at least 33 mpg hwy. I assume they could easily do this with a DI 2.4L + 6 speed auto. I guess I'd still rather have the Camaro over a Focus/Cobalt even if the engine is only a 200HP 4 cyl.
I don't envision a 200-hp 3800-lb Camaro being a whole lot of fun to drive. IMO, less so than a smaller Focus of equal power.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 01:26 PM
  #22  
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If gas is $8/gallon I won't be buying any car...I'll keep driving the ones I have.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 01:34 PM
  #23  
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My current rides are paid for except for a few K on the s-10 which I'll pay off soon, so I'll be driving what I own... I'm getting 22/26 with my S-10 and Jena's getting 26/32 in her Corolla ('99 3spd, not as good hwy as 4spd).
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 02:16 PM
  #24  
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A used Geo Metro or Chevy Metro.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 02:44 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by jrp4uc
I don't envision a 200-hp 3800-lb Camaro being a whole lot of fun to drive. IMO, less so than a smaller Focus of equal power.
What is the latest rumor on Camaro weight? I thought we were looking at no more than 100lbs. more than a GTO? Add a DI 4 cyl. and you could drop down to 3500lbs.??

Might not be as fast as a 200HP Focus, but you will sure look a lot cooler driving it. Plus RWD > FWD IMHO.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 02:54 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by yellow_99_gt
Probably nothing because we'll have 2 car payments by then, but I'd really like to get a Mach 1, 03 Cobra, LS2 GTO or LS1 SS if gas prices kill their resale.
Save the LS1 SS (I already have a 02 Camaro ) your wish list mirrors my own. Because I actually live in the congested city of San Francisco, and have to park on the streets, I don't want to get a limited production car like the Cobra, Mach 1, or GTO and park it on the streets. Parking one of only 97 4the gen CHP Camaros evr mane on the street is bad enough.


As for the question of what I'd buy if gas was $8 per gallon, my short list would include:

Solstice GXP coupe
DI V6 Camaro
Cobalt SS coupe's replacement
The upcoming Nissan Silvia (4 cylinder, RWD, possible turbo version early on)
Whatever Ford calls their turbo Euro Focus that's coming.

Last edited by guionM; Jun 26, 2008 at 10:56 AM.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 10:04 PM
  #27  
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In 2010, I don't expect to be in the market for a new vehicle. If I am, it means that my finances have turned around a lot, in which case I'll take serious looks at the new Camaro, the Volt, the G8, and anything else that catches my interest.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 10:16 PM
  #28  
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I'll either still have my bike or get a newer Speed Triple...as for car I'll probably go with a used CTS-V with the LS6 or LS2. Gas won't bother me too much if I get a decent job in town. I plan on living in the city anyways with a couple buddies after school.
Old Jun 24, 2008 | 10:27 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by JakeRobb
In 2010, I don't expect to be in the market for a new vehicle. If I am, it means that my finances have turned around a lot, in which case I'll take serious looks at the new Camaro, the Volt, the G8, and anything else that catches my interest.
Same. Well, same situation, the choices are good, but not mine exactly.
Old Jun 25, 2008 | 12:23 AM
  #30  
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I won't be buying any new cars if that happens. I'd never recoop the investment quiclky or enough, that'd justify the purchase.
Probably a used scooter or 2, or a subcompact 3 or 4cyl...preferably turbo diesel.



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