Late Intro
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Active Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 79
From: St. Louis, MO
Late Intro
Hey guys.. I just realized I never properly introduced myself!
I'm a veteran Auto Technician (15+ years experience)... almost got to ASE Master Technician status (barely failed the test for Automatic Transmissions).
I'm also quite experienced in computers.. with several Microsoft Certifications.. but failed to switch over to any kind of IT career... which is probably for the best as Job Security is very important to me.
Anyways.. enough said on all that. I had dealt with Hybrids somewhat.. doing some maintenance on the '05 FEH's when they first came out (back when I worked for a local Ford dealer)... and some limited driving in the HIH, HAH, and HCH vechicles during a very short stint at a Honda dealer as a Service Adviser.
I've loved them though.. never could justify the cost.. but loved them nonetheless.
A few months ago, My Wife and I ran into an '05 FEH, 4WD... reasonably low miles (42K) at a fantastic price. It had just been traded in at a local Saturn dealership Saturday evening, and was sitting in the back of their lot when we were 'casually' looking at cars on a Sunday, as the dealerships here are all closed on Sundays.
We called first thing Monday morning about it, and they quoted us a price...of only about $1k more than an '05 FE V6 FWD at another dealer down the street! We went up there and called their bluff.
Come to find out they weren't happy about selling it to us at that price. Apparently, it hadn't even been inspected yet and it was during their inspection while we were waiting there for everything to get done that they realized that it was a Hybrid!
Needless to say we got it for thousands below KBB.. have put over 10,000 miles on it since and couldn't be happier.
Since then I've traded my Mazda "Ranger" for a Harley Davidson Sportster (going from 18-20MPG to 55-60MPG during good weather) and also picked up a '95 Escort for a couple hundred buckaroos (Had to put a head on it, but still a total investment of under $700... and it's getting 30-35MPG).
Insurance costs us a couple bucks less a month believe it or not, and the fuel savings help out quite a bit. I gotta say, it sucks to still have a car payment (we had just paid off the truck two months before getting the FEH), but it's nice to be able to get something I never really thought I'd actually own!
And I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but my Wife gets better MPG with the Scahpe than I do... but she drives it most of the time, so more power to her!
I gotta say though.. my Dad did it right. When fuel prices spiked, he sold his old F150 and replaced it with a... FESTIVA! Cute little car though!.. 45MPG even!
So basically, We bought THIS (well one just like it):
Then Sold THIS:
Then I traded THIS:
For THIS:
And bought THIS:
Sorry, but I got bored and It's fun to brag when you own a Hybrid!
I'm a veteran Auto Technician (15+ years experience)... almost got to ASE Master Technician status (barely failed the test for Automatic Transmissions).
I'm also quite experienced in computers.. with several Microsoft Certifications.. but failed to switch over to any kind of IT career... which is probably for the best as Job Security is very important to me.
Anyways.. enough said on all that. I had dealt with Hybrids somewhat.. doing some maintenance on the '05 FEH's when they first came out (back when I worked for a local Ford dealer)... and some limited driving in the HIH, HAH, and HCH vechicles during a very short stint at a Honda dealer as a Service Adviser.
I've loved them though.. never could justify the cost.. but loved them nonetheless.
A few months ago, My Wife and I ran into an '05 FEH, 4WD... reasonably low miles (42K) at a fantastic price. It had just been traded in at a local Saturn dealership Saturday evening, and was sitting in the back of their lot when we were 'casually' looking at cars on a Sunday, as the dealerships here are all closed on Sundays.
We called first thing Monday morning about it, and they quoted us a price...of only about $1k more than an '05 FE V6 FWD at another dealer down the street! We went up there and called their bluff.
Come to find out they weren't happy about selling it to us at that price. Apparently, it hadn't even been inspected yet and it was during their inspection while we were waiting there for everything to get done that they realized that it was a Hybrid!
Needless to say we got it for thousands below KBB.. have put over 10,000 miles on it since and couldn't be happier.
Since then I've traded my Mazda "Ranger" for a Harley Davidson Sportster (going from 18-20MPG to 55-60MPG during good weather) and also picked up a '95 Escort for a couple hundred buckaroos (Had to put a head on it, but still a total investment of under $700... and it's getting 30-35MPG).
Insurance costs us a couple bucks less a month believe it or not, and the fuel savings help out quite a bit. I gotta say, it sucks to still have a car payment (we had just paid off the truck two months before getting the FEH), but it's nice to be able to get something I never really thought I'd actually own!
And I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but my Wife gets better MPG with the Scahpe than I do... but she drives it most of the time, so more power to her!
I gotta say though.. my Dad did it right. When fuel prices spiked, he sold his old F150 and replaced it with a... FESTIVA! Cute little car though!.. 45MPG even!
So basically, We bought THIS (well one just like it):
Then Sold THIS:
Then I traded THIS:
For THIS:
And bought THIS:
Sorry, but I got bored and It's fun to brag when you own a Hybrid!
Engineering first
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,613
From: Huntsville, AL
Re: Late Intro
Welcome to the CLUB!
It is great havin' a 'gear head' here to help us 'keep it real.' Sorry about the automatic transmission test but I bought a 1993, Coachman RV built on a GM G30 body. I was surprised to find the transmission is electronically switched. It also has an O_{2} sensor, control computer and fuel injection. A really pleasant surprise other than the odometer that is fubar.
Chat at you later,
Bob Wilson
It is great havin' a 'gear head' here to help us 'keep it real.' Sorry about the automatic transmission test but I bought a 1993, Coachman RV built on a GM G30 body. I was surprised to find the transmission is electronically switched. It also has an O_{2} sensor, control computer and fuel injection. A really pleasant surprise other than the odometer that is fubar.
Chat at you later,
Bob Wilson
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