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“I’m going to get a Prius. Then, we can park this (HumVee) … Right now, we do nothing. It’s really cramped our lifestyle.” (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071126/NEWS0101/311260008)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/H2_and_Insights.jpgJL Watson – News-Press – Nov. 26, 2007

The age old question. Own an FSP and cringe to turn the key or own a fuel efficient hybrid and do what you want. Within reason of course :rolleyes: -- Ed.

To drive or not to drive — it’s the question drivers ask every time they start the engine.

Gas prices have blown past the $3 mark and appear poised for a run up to $4, leaving drivers to wonder whether to even put the key in the engine.

North Fort Myers resident Robert Nulf doesn’t spend much time thinking about pain at the pump because he threw away his car keys. His 2007 Toyota Prius has a push-button start.

The hybrid, which operates using a combination of gas and electricity, takes him farther than most cars between fill-ups.

“When gas prices started getting ridiculously high, I wanted to buy a hybrid,” Nulf said.

Nulf, who drives back and forth between homes in Indiana and North Fort Myers, has put more than 25,000 miles on his new wheels since trading in a 2005 Toyota Camry almost a year ago. Despite the extra miles, he estimated that he has saved about $600 in fuel costs in the first year. Nulf estimated that the Prius gets about 45 miles to the gallon.

“I absolutely love it,” he said.

Cape Coral resident Angie Thompson doesn’t share Nulf’s car passion. Her ride: a 2006 HumVee. In the 14 months since she brought it home the SUV has eaten up more of her budget than her three teenage children.

“It’s awful,” she said. “We don’t go anywhere anymore.” … http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071126/NEWS0101/311260008

Have the FSP people seen the space available in a Prius? My parents very nearly traded their van for one (they traded their other, dying car that needed to go) because they realized they could haul everything they needed to in the Prius's hatchback.

To be honest, though, I don't know why they thought they needed a van in the first place. They only had two kids, they don't do any camping or towing or traveling. In fairness, I don't know how much gear that woman in the article is carrying, but maybe she could lose a little bit of the truly non-essential stuff and fit everything comfortably in a Prius, getting 40+ MPG and 200+ PMPG (if the two parents and all three kids are in).

People need to seriously re-evaluate their "needs."

Look at the caption on the first picture in the article... they have the trunk open and caption reads... "looking under the hood".

I have to laugh when I see how smart some of these people are. Mrs. Thompson trades in her gas hog Navigator for a Humvee (H1?). She apparently got the H2 (I'm guessing the reporter doesn't know the difference between Humvee, H1, H2, and H3) because she needs room for her 3 kids. A Navigator to an H2 would probably be a downgrade in both fuel economy and space. Brilliant choice! A 2006 Grand Caravan has more seats, more room, burns less fuel, and the price difference between the GC and H2 is almost enough to purchase a Prius as well. People like that deserve what they get. That may be the only way they will learn.

Lets be nice about the poor person who thought she needed a $45,000 gas hog because it 'had so much room to carry stuff'

Imagine how happy she will be when she discovers that the $21,000 Pirus has 'just about as much room' as the Hummer.


The line that jumped out at me was the car costing more than her 3 children - people are really hurting out there. Hypermilers should do everything possible to welcome them into the fold.

Thanks for that comment, Vooch. I heartily agree. A lot of people out there would be absolutely shocked at the savings they could have if they would only sit down and work the numbers! They would be even more shocked if they could see for themselves the results of just a few of our techniques in those more efficient vehicles.

Thanks for that comment, Vooch. I heartily agree. A lot of people out there would be absolutely shocked at the savings they could have if they would only sit down and work the numbers! They would be even more shocked if they could see for themselves the results of just a few of our techniques in those more efficient vehicles.

Yep, That very thing is whats spuring up the conversion rate here in my fire department. Just yesterday I went to a different station for a meeting and some of the guys there were commenting on how they want better gas mileage. I casually threw it in there to just do the math on how much it costs them to drive a year using the EPA numbers of their trucks.... and then do that same cost on a hybrid...

People got shocked when they did the math at $4 a gallon. One said that if gas goes that high he's selling his truck and getting a car like mine, to which I replied... its not a matter of if, its a matter of when.

Can gas money really be an issue with Mrs.Thompson, sounds like she'll be purchasing vehicles for her sons and a Prius for herself while still keeping the Hummer? Something doesn't make sense here.