Archives

Hello everyone--

Some of you might remember my first post a couple of weeks ago where I introduced myself as joining your ranks with an HCHII in December, when my Audi comes off lease. I placed the order with my dealer shortly thereafter. A few days later, the dealer called to tell me he had received my exact car (still can't take delivery until December), which gave me my first shot at a test drive in the HCH. Well, I was smitten.

Enough so that I got my wife interested in an HCH, too. She test drove it and the Prius back-to-back, and ended up going after the Prius. Now we've put a deposit on a Prius with the hopes of delivery by September 30 (when the full tax credit phases out to 50%).

So suddenly it appears we've gone from an A4 and TSX (combined mileage somewhere around 26) to a dual-hybrid household.

Any other dual hybrid folks out there? I'm curious as to how this will work out, if we'll be in competition for best fuel economy, if we'll bicker about the best mileage tactics -- or perhaps we'll both just smile smugly and wave to the Soccermom SUVs.

--RN

The Fons' have a 3 hybrid household. 1 prius, and 2 insights.

Hi there, RN --

We were a dual hybrid household for a few years -- got our '01 Prius in August of 2001, and our '03 HCH in April 2002. Hubby traded the Prius in August 2005 on a Matrix -- needed the room of a real station wagon -- so our 40 months as a dual hybrid family came to an abrupt end! It was early in the game for anyone to have even one hybrid, let alone two, and we were in Automotive News magazine and Detroit News newspaper, as well as the local paper a couple of times. I guess they thought we were risk-takers! <grin> Anyway, we never bickered too much because we understood each cars' strengths and weaknesses, and drove them accordingly, and over all that time their average MPG was just 1 MPG different from each other (the HCH was 1 MPG better).

It was a lot of fun and I miss both of those cars... but wouldn't give up my newest hybrid, a 2006 New Formula Red Insight CVT (that's it in my avatar!). Hubby's still abusing his Matrix, and for now, it's all good. What happens when a hybrid Matrix hits the streets? Stay tuned... :-)

Our other vehcile is an '01 Grand Caravan. When we pay off the loan will probably look for replacement with a more economical vehcile.

For a long while I thought I'd hold out and see if a diesel van of same utility would come available but am having 2nd thoughts.
We need it 3-4 times a year for vacation trips and to haul things 2-3 times a year.

With those figures doesn't really justify in my mind a large day-to-day vehicle when we could rent for those few times. Besides the driving vacation would likely be more fun in a new, different rental vehicle.

So we might become a 2nd hybrid family in the next few years.
If not, something like a nice regular ol' Accord or Camry is in order.

I'd love to keep my Insight and have a Prius to experience the differences and similarities. Since I do a lot of highway driving to work, my guess is I'd prefer the Insight going to work, the Prius on the weekends.

:Banane37: Well I am thinking the Mercedes when it goes might be replaced with the Newest Prius. I hope it will have the latest up to Date Batteries and be able to drive in the City on IMA only for a much Greater-Distance than the current Prius. From what I have read that is already in the works as I type this. :woot:

Terry (tiger)

we aren't quite a two hybrid family, but we do get great mileage between us. i got close to 60MPG all summer with my HCH1, and hubby has my old 1993 civic lx 5 speed, in which he can crank out some mid 40s tanks. our chevy 4x4 pickup sits unless we need to haul feed or shavings.