Disqus - Latest Comments for Bill Trail

Re: Update on the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Bill Trail — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 15:56:38 -0000

Ok, Jim Bob. Let's at least attempt to spell correctly, okay? If I'm on drugs then why am I able to spell Odyssey correctly and you, stone sober, can't. Well that sober part WAS an assumption on my part.

Yes, driven extremely conservatively, my then new 2002 240-hp V6 Honda Odyssey actually did return a hard-earned and handsome 36.25 mpg on a 390-mile round trip Macon, GA to Valdosta, GA and back on that day - 70mph freeway all the way running the van at between 55 and 60 miles an hour.

Yes, my 2005 Accord EX-L4 Navi really did return 44.1 MPG on a 500plus mile round trip Macon to Selma, AL and back, again all in one day. The car did, indeed, have just slightly more than 1/4 of the fuel still in the tank according to the indicator gauge AND when I very laboriously refilled the tank at the same Sam's gas station I fillup up at that same morning prior to leaving for Selma, it required precisely 11.451 gallons to refill the tank back up to the spilling point. Now, Jimmy, that's 505 miles divided by 11.451 gallons of unleaded fuel. My calculator says 44.10095. Would you concur?

Did I tell ya that I am a meticulous record keeper? Don't you just hate that, J-man? Guess that's a rare combination, huh? A drug abuser who keeps meticulous records and owns his own D&B A+Rated computer company - in business longer than Bill Gates - since 1984? That's downright odd, I'd say.

And yes, with my new 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid I did indeed earn a fantastic 72 miles per gallon on a recent trip back from Harmony (Statesville), NC north of Charlotte to Macon, GA, right at 400 miles exactly one way, using ever so slightly more than 5.5 gallons of unleaded fuel purchased at $2.899 on that March day. The trip cost me $16.11 in gas that day.

Isn't that special.

Frankly I couldn't care less whether you choose to believe me or not. No I don't get this mileage every day - especially if I'm late to a distant appointment and have to hustle like everybody else at 10 over / 80 miles an hour. This is DEFINITELY NOT an 80 mile per hour car... so on those days? The mileage (on the new 6HCH) plummets to as low as 32 if I run 10 over (80 miles an hour) or around 40 or 41 if I run it at 70 miles an hour.

But, like I said in previous posts, when I've got the extra time it takes to run along in the right lane at 55 or 58 this cool little car never ceases to amaze me with its super high mileage. And, yes, I'm constantly hitting the AC button when I have to go uphill or stress the motor - on those days when I'm stretching it out.

What do I usually get on the average day with this 6HCH? Really, I average, probably, around 48 when you mix in my "bad" days with the super good days. I'm over 22,000 miles with this car, J-man, since I took delivery of it just in November 2005.

So, J-ster. What type of inefficient fuel gobbler do YOU drive?

And are you always this angry and jealous ?

Bill Trail, President & Owner,

Penny Computer Systems, Inc.

657 River North Boulevard

Macon, GA 31211

(478) 742-3299

www.pennyfinance.com</p>

Penny Systems, Inc. is a D&B A+ rated company in business since September, 1984.

Re: Update on the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Bill Trail — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 16:21:08 -0000

Furthermore, Jim-bob, the new 2006 Civic SI with almost 200 HP at 8,000 rpm and a power to weight ratio of almost the same as the new 2006 Corvette will, indeed, stay with the Corvette on normal city streets and roads with lots of turns.

I freely admit that given long straight-aways where the big Chevy V8 can max out its rev limiter at 184 miles an hour, that yes, the little Civic would fade. Fast.

But put 'em together on city streets, dude? The Vette will never shake the Civic given equivalent driver talent and sophistication.

Furthermore, in that same tight course, the new Mini Cooper would hang just as well. Pick your weapon, dude... oh, ye of large displacement and previous ownership of none of the cars ye choose-ith to critize.

Bill Trail

President,

Penny Computer Systems, Inc.

Macon, GA

www.pennyfinance.com

Re: Update on the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Bill Trail — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 12:02:08 -0000

Hi, Andreas.

You said, "For anyone who is interested in getting hybrid like fuel economy , but has dieselphobia check out the Honda Civic VX early 90's They are pretty cheap and get really good mileage. Check it out."

OMG, dude. Dieselphobia? So we should all trade our, you know, "dieselphobia", for 15 or 18-year old junk cars?

I did a search just now on Google for "Honda Civic VX". I'm thinking you didn't do that, Andreas.

All I found were rusted out old junk cars - one was for sale on eBay for $250 without a motor.

Darn it man - that's gonna give ya some pretty terrific mileage, right? ...like ZERO ?

Yep yep yep. All you gotta worry about while you're pushing it is all that other traffic rushing up on you at freeway speed. Could be a pretty nasty little incident just waiting to happen.

Ya THINK ?

How we supposed to get from point A to point B without a motor, dude?

And what about all that rust? Won't all that rust just get on your clothes, dude?

Don't you just HATE that?

Bill Trail, President

Penny Computer Systems, Inc.

Macon, GA

Re: Update on the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Bill Trail — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 11:33:31 -0000

Oh - forgot to tell you guys. I traded my 2006 Civic Hybrid for a new 2006 VW Jetta TDI (diesel).

Bill Trail

Penny Computer Systems

bill@pennyfinance.com

www.pennyfinance.com</p>

--

editor note: Can you find biodiesel where you live?

Re: Update on the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Bill Trail — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 14:37:24 -0000

...an "editor's note" asked me if I was able to purchase bio diesel fuel for my new 2006 VW Jetta TDI Diesel.

Yes, however my mileage dropped from 40~41 to 34~36.

Bio diesel and E85 both return 20% to 40% less mileage, horsepower, and torque for the same gallon of fuel than 100% gasoline or diesel.

Unfortunatly for mankind no fuel has yet been developed that can return the same "burn" and energy per gallon as pure fossil fuel.

A few obversations from a previous 6HCH owner:

The 6HCH that I traded in for this new diesel Jetta, although a cute little car, was the LAST car a 220-lb 6-foot 2-inch tall traveling salesman like me should have ever bought.

Hey, it's GREAT for small or short people who have that "Rusty Wallace" up-close to the wheel driving style.

But guys, 6-feet or taller, 190 or 200 pounds or more, you better look out.

It absolutely beat the pure TAR out of me on long 500 to 800 mile days.

You can NOT get away from those cloth seats. Y'know what I mean? No leather or leatherette option. Horrible seat material on a long trip.

The truly lousy hard-as-nails tires and non-responsive steering and brakes are, by necessity, designed for the lightest weight and maximum mpg, not stopping traction or lane-changing to avoid a wreck.

And that darn emergency brake handle !!! That darn thing dug a hole in my right knee bone. I'll NEVER forget that. Given the choice I'd rather go through boot camp again than ride for any length of time in the driver's seat of another new Civic Hybrid.

The sun visors in the Civic do not extend. Therefore when the sun is blasting in through the driver's side window you end up with an 8-inch gap between the end of the puny little visor and the B-pillar at your left shoulder. The sun blasts right into the left side of your face. That should be a direct violation of Federal Law that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ought to be suing Honda Motor Company for it. Just an incredible oversight on Honda's part - or skimping to save a buck - on a $24,000 car? WHAT ? You say the Accord - same money - has a visor that adjusts? WHAT ?

The gas overflow tube dumps directly onto the sidewall of the left rear tire.

Hey guess what happens to these skinny little tires after a few well placed drops of gasoline that you forget to wash off ?

BLAM.

And I might have already mentioned the car's lack of handling and maneuverability so riding on three tires and a rim at 70 or 80 miles an hour are DEFINITELY not the preferred mode of travel for this vehicle... Rusty Wallace at the wheel or NOT.

You make darn sure to keep your Rosary beads in this car with you if you've ever spilled gas on that left rear tire's sidewall.

You paid 23 or 24 grand for this car (or 25 or 26 with Nav) which is Accord EX-L territory and bordering on TWICE the price of Yaris, Versa, Fit and others.

The Accord really gets its rated 37 mpg (and more if driven conservatively) on the highway because I've owned two in the last couple years. Wife's driving a brand new brown with tan leather 2006 EXL-4 right now. I want her car.

Lots of new cars get 37 or 40 (Corolla?) and some do only cost half the money.

Truthfully this 2006 Jetta TDI ($22,600) is no better than a stop gap measure for me either. Diesel's selling for $2.37 at the same station selling gas for $1.91 (grrr) and it's probably creating the pollution of two dozen HCH's. I have, however, asked my wife when following me in her new Accord to tell me if she see's any diesel smoke - never even the slightest. You don't even know it's a diesel. That's pretty amazing. I realize a tail-pipe analysis would show the truth, however.

But the thing is totally convinced that it's a serious sports car... handling, brakes, and an incredible top speed of 125 miles an hour - rock solid - like a 3 series BMW. And it's got the most gorgeous tan leatherette seats with good bolsters inside a black 4-door body, 60-series tires on real alloy wheels, factory CD-Sirius in the dash, and a trunk the size of Texas. It stops so fast that I'm more concerned about the guy behind me than I am in avoiding whatever caused me to jump on the brakes.

I say - do not buy the Honda Civic Hybrid when you can save 3 / 4 / 5 grand with the non-hybrid version, get nearly the same mileage, and go like a bat out of... well, you know what I mean.

That same 3 / 4 / 5 thousand bucks buys a whole BUNCH of gas - no matter what the price of gas is.

Been there. Done that. I'm Denny Crane.

No I'm not.

I'm Bill Trail

: )

www.PennySystems.com

(Tt's a joke limited to viewers of Boston Legal. Get a TiVo.)

Re: Update on the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Bill Trail — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:49:41 -0000

I owned a new 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid and drove it 20,000 miles in six months and traded it for a different vehicle. Here are some of the reasons I bailed:

1. The emergency brake handle totally dug a hole into my right knee (!). I'm six feet 2 inches tall and 210 pounds. I had to trade the thing or purchase a prosthesis.

2. The 2006 Civic Hybrid had a fixed (rigid) sun visor so I was blinded by the sun pouring in the driver's side window when driving south in the morning or north in the afternoon.

3. What was worse than being blinded all the way to work and all the way home from work? The driver's seat beomes your worst enemy after 20 or 30 minutes. No leather option - so there was NO WAY to "get away from" that awful fuzzy cloth. You end up with your pants up around your neck after half an hour in the saddle.

Want to get 40 or 42 miles per gallon, pretty cool acceleration, automatic transmission, paddle shifters, 38 cubic feet of "hauling" space, and do it for 7 or 8 grand less money ?

Buy a new Honda Fit Sport Automatic. Way cool.

Bill Trail

BillTrail@Gmail.com

Macon, GA