4/20    Hey MOTD -- Awhile ago, I wrote asking for advice about a new car (I
        was the guy with the Ford Taurus that might have a blown head gasket).
        As it turns out, I did not have a blown head gasket; but several
        people came forward with suggestions for a new car.  In the end, after
        much research, I ended up buying a Honda Accord Hybrid.  It was a
        little bit out of the base price range I had set forward, but you
        know?  It's turning out to be a *fantastic* car.  Whoever suggested
        it -- thank you so much!!!
        \_ Ford's new ad should say: "Ford Taurus. We'll make you love your
           your next new car."
        \_ so what do you like about it?
           \_ For a car of its class, it's got good power, very roomy, very
              comfortable, very quiet (even at speed), decent sound, doesn't
              suck to look at, great gas mileage for a 255hp v6, and with
              luck, will have good reliability.  It's got a number of neat
              comfort/cool/convenience features that just make it easy to
              commute in.  The one complaint I have is that the trunk is a
              little small, and the rear seats don't fold down (that's where
              the batteries are).    -OP
              \_ What gas mileage are you getting?  Can you charge it with AC
                 power supply?
                 \_ I'm getting about 30-32 MPG (I do a pretty even mix of
                    freeway and city street driving...heh...and I've been told
                    I have a lead foot).  I'm taking a long roadtrip to socal
                    this weekend -- I'll get back to you on the sustained
                    freeway MPG.  You don't need to charge it, the car's
                    charger connects automatically when you brake or when you
                    take your foot off the gas.  FWIW, manufacturer's spec
                    claims 29/37.  I suspect that's not too far off from
                    reality (maybe 1-2 MPG on each).    -OP
                    \_ Treadmill dyno tests are never accurate in that
                       respect. They can't simulate wind resistance.
                       \_ Yup...which is why I'm not claiming that it's the
                           same.
                       \_ The tests don't even actually measure the amount of
                          gasoline that's burnt.  They only measure the amount
                          of exhaust and guestimate the amount of gas burnt,
                          which makes low-emission vehicles get higher numbers.
                    \_ For comparison, the non-hybrid Accord has only 240hp and
                       claims only 21/30 MPG.  The hybrid wins.
                       \_ Dang, my fat 1994 Saturn gets 27 on average.
        \_ How much did it cost? what State?
           Although I don't doubt it is a nice car, realize you are
           comparing to an old Taurus.
           \_ Man, I *loved* my old Taurus.  It was a great car that met my
              needs excellently.  It just wasn't making the transition to
              old age very gracefully once it hit 100k.  I'd have bought
              another Taurus were it not for two things: the Taurus as a model
              is being retired, and the exceptional degree of shady
              underhanded business practice at almost every Ford dealership
              I've ever had the displeasure of interacting with.  I mean,
              one expects a dealership to be a den of thieves, but goddamn,
              it was just grotesque.  -OP
           \_ Agreed. Pretty much anything compared to American consumer tech
              is good. The automobile industry now is like what electronic
              industry was 20-30 years ago. While American companies were
              providing superior services, Japanese companies were providing
              goods that required no service. There used to be a time when
              everyone bought from Philco, Westinghouse, Admiral, Emerson,
              General Electric / GE, Sparton, Stromberg-Carlson, Airline,
              Crosley, etc. How many of those companies survived these days?
              Just 2, RCA and Zenith. Nowadays, everyone buys from Sony, Aiwa,
              Panasonic, Fujitsu, Hitachi, etc. I predict the same thing will
              happen to American car companies. They'll fold, one by one,
              because they just can't make shit.
              \_ Except for Chrysler, which is now a German company.  I was
                 highly amused to see the Chrysler 300 being named "car of
                 the year" everywhere.  The general gist of the articles was
                 "Hey, and it's from America!" except that the car is
                 essentially an old Mercedes E series with a softer ride and
                 an American V8.
              \_ Zenith is no longer an American company.
                 \_ Neither is RCA, owned by Thompson, a french (?)
                    conglomerate, with pretty much the worst reliability when
                    it comes to electronics.
                    \_ WOW, ok. So Americans don't make nice foreign quality
                       electronics anymore, and the auto industry is becoming
                       the same. What's next, software and processors? Hmmm...
                       \_ 1) Music
                          2) Movies
                          3) Microcode (software)
                          4) High-speed pizza delivery
                          \_ Nice Snowcrash reference, but...
                             1) Music industry is dying.  CD sales are off
                                25% in the last few years, and already 8% this
                                year.
                             2) More and more movies are being made offshore
                                and out of the country in places like Toronto
                                and New Zealand.  The reason?  Avoiding the
                                moviemaker unions.
                             3) Bangalore is nipping at our heels.
                             4) Well, you got me there.  Soon we will all be
                                delivering pizza.
                       \_ heh, apparently pizza hut had their asses handed
                          to them in Thailand last decade.  they franchised
                          and the franchisee dumped them and formed their
                          own chain.  pizza hut eventually got back into
                          the market but doesn't sell like the local.
                          nothing is sacred.
                       \_ James Kunstler always goes on about how you can't
                          have a nation of tanning hut managers as the basis
                          for your economy.
                \_ These American companies died because bozos like you keep
                   buying foreign goods. YOU killed American economy! Damn
                   you unpatriotic foreign goods lovers.     -Patriot
                   \_ If a company makes crappy goods and I'm not a major
                      shareholder or on the board, I have only one way to
                      express my discontent....with my dollars.  I'd rather
                      buy American, but more importantly, I'd rather spend
                      my hard earned cash on shit that actually, you know,
                      WORKS.  I'm not all that sympathetic to a business
                      that refuses to get with the times and do what it has
                      to do to make superior product -- and dies as a
                      result.              -Realistic Patriot
                   \_ My amplifier is USA made, going 9 years now without
                      a problem, a total tank.  Did cost $800 though.  I always
                      buy USA made if the quality is the same or better, and
                      the price isn't too much higher.
                      \_ American Apparel! New store will open on Telegraph
                         on the 7th of May. Could so many skinny jailbait
                         models in softcore poses be wrong?
                         http://www.americanapparel.net
        \_ Yeah, Honda ergonomics and design is just kind of amazing to me.
           Everything just works *right* and is where you expect it
           to be, even if you have never driven a Honda before.
           \_ Unlike Fords..  They seem to make everything backwards just
              to piss me off.