Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Replying to: cdptrap (Jul 13, 2007 10:02 am)

Replying to: kdhspyder (Jul 12, 2007 1:09 pm)

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• kdhspyder (Jul 17, 2007 10:45 am)
  • stevedebi (Jul 18, 2007 12:51 pm)

Replying to: stevedebi (Jul 17, 2007 9:49 am)

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• stevedebi (Jul 18, 2007 12:51 pm)

Replying to: kdhspyder (Jul 17, 2007 10:45 am)

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• kdhspyder (Jul 23, 2007 6:41 am)
• cdptrap (Jul 23, 2007 8:57 am)
  • pathtomax (Jul 23, 2007 9:59 am)
    • cdptrap (Jul 23, 2007 12:24 pm) and 1 more...
• jdkahler (Jul 25, 2007 5:19 pm)
• groovology (Aug 16, 2007 2:58 pm)
  • jaredjo (Aug 17, 2007 9:28 am)
    • montecristo (Aug 19, 2007 6:12 pm)
  • ktmcg (Nov 30, 2007 11:57 am)

Replying to: pathtomax (Jul 23, 2007 6:14 am)

Replying to: pathtomax (Jul 23, 2007 6:14 am)

Towards end of last Winter, we had to leave our HH outside again for 8 days straight when we took a trip to visit families in Michigan. Don't remember exact temperature range but it was cold, little rain though. Came home, started it up and off we went.
 
There are two batteries on the car. The little auxiliary battery that runs the accessories and then the large power-producing hybrid battery pack.
 
The auxiliary battery is just like any other 12V battery, it will drain and run low eventually but it also provides a simple color-gauge that shows its status. We have learned to inspect that gauge each time we add gas. So far, the original unit is still fine.
  
The hybrid pack knows to recharge itself using the gas engine whenever possible so it holds at least 50% (four blue bars on the '06) of charge.
 
On rare occasions, we have managed to run the hybrid battery down to 25% of charge (two pink bars) and then parked the car for up to four days. It still started fine. This happened only after a very long electric run on dirt road to deplete the charge and then we turned off the engine before the gas engine could recharge. The easy work-around is to let the gas engine run after we stop so it recharges up to 50%. Yes, MPG will suffer on these rare occasions but it beats getting stuck out in the boonies .

Replies to this message:
• pathtomax (Jul 23, 2007 9:59 am)
  • cdptrap (Jul 23, 2007 12:24 pm)
    • kdhspyder (Jul 23, 2007 4:25 pm)

Replying to: cdptrap (Jul 23, 2007 8:57 am)

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• cdptrap (Jul 23, 2007 12:24 pm)
  • kdhspyder (Jul 23, 2007 4:25 pm)

Replying to: pathtomax (Jul 23, 2007 9:59 am)

Hey! I like your views . Many people ignore the emission rating part and only focus on the gas mileage. The whole thing was never just about gas mileage, it was about emission too.
 
I also find the whole intense focus on the MPG and payback very strange. People pay $50K or $60K for a Mercedes and never think about payback. They pay $40K for Acura, for Lexus, for HUMMER too and never think about payback. When we are talking about $38K or $40K for a HH, suddenly, there is all sorts of analysis on payback and how it is worth it or not worth it. Why?
 
Mercedes and Lexus have their luxuries and status, HUMMER puts out the macho image, so one pays for those. HH has a hybrid engine and so we pay for that. Acura has its drive system, Mercedes has its, HUMMER has nothing and HH has VDIM. Acura and Lexus and Mercedes have their luxury levels and HH has its own. In terms of performance, they are all about equal. So they are just cars with different engine configurations.
 
One enjoys the luxuries and being "seen" while we HH owners enjoy the fun of gliding on stealth mode and the chance to eke out 28-MPG or 30-MPG from a 4000+ lb cars. To each his/her own .
 
So the whole focus on getting "money" back is baffling.
 
Good luck with your research and hopefully, you can find one that works out for you.

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• kdhspyder (Jul 23, 2007 4:25 pm)

Replying to: cdptrap (Jul 23, 2007 12:24 pm)

Elegantly put. Nice