During the coming six months, the lease on one of my family fleet vehicles will expire. So, I have a few options to consider: turn it in, extend the lease, trade it, or write a check and own it. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be a big deal as I get easily bored by whatever "current" buggy I have to horse around in. This time, however, there are a number of factors conspiring to make the decision more difficult.

The automobile industry is the main issue. It's in a dramatic period of change. The US automakers are trying to literally save their own bacon. The Europeans are working to both fill in the gaps on any missing auto segment and to be more responsible about alternative fuels, while the Asian manufacturers are aiming for the top players in various segments, while delivering some critical alternative fuel vehicles.

As a result, the question is: While there are a wide range of choices out there now, or that will be there in a few months, what will 2009 hold? It appears that there will be a LOT of very important vehicles to choose from in 2009, a number of them not yet released or even available for in-depth spy vs. spy review.

The second big issue is our American vehicle ethic. Typically, for most of us, the answer regarding vehicles is: I want what I want. Sure, we all want to be seen as responsible individuals, but we also as a nation try to rationalize things in order to get our way. That may no longer be a viable option. There are issues that we need to face - and sooner is better than later.

The climate and our ecology is at the top of the list. There are those who have attempted to put a political stamp on Global Warming. There are those that have pushed it off to the far left. And, there are those who ignore it for other personal reasons. Unfortunately, the facts (and they are not flawed, as some would say) indicate that we're in trouble as a planet and we may be paying the piper in some dramatic ways.

Scientists (yes, those same strange people who had a tough time convincing Europe that the world wasn't, in fact, flat) say that the oceans are likely to rise five feet by 2020. What will it cost to create a levy system in Manhattan to protect the people who live in New York City? Already, there is a system in place to keep the subways from flooding. Turn it off and they become a scarred, graffiti covered "Looking for Nemo" ride. And that's just one city in one country.

So, how much to I need to conserve? What do I need to do as an individual to contribute to saving the place we call home? It's a pain in the a***to think I might need to change the way I live, but the alternative is worse.

All of this makes the idea of purchasing a new vehicle unsettling. I am not happy with the current crop of hybrid vehicles, but can I afford to wait? I like performance-oriented vehicles, but many of the upcoming cool options aren't yet available or don't work for a family man or ignore other factors. I guess the easiest path is to just ignore it all and keep what I have. I hate that option too, so I guess we'll need to spend more time than usual evaluating our options. There are some important auto shows coming up. Might as well take advantage of them. 

It might be that you, too are suffering from the "I want what I want" blues. If so, perhaps the upcoming journey will be helpful to you as well. It's only a matter of time, right? And we have lots of that. At least we used to... 

There's no doubt that thinking GREEN is becoming very popular. Still, regardless of the issues that may cause people to invest in corn and beekeeping, it's equally important to use your brain when making a purchase that may or may not really be earth-friendly. 

Case in point: Hybrid cars. There are more new hybrids introduced at every major auto show. But are they all really worth the extra cost and effort? I think not. Now, before you aim your blow gun at my neck, let's think about this for a minute. If you read the emission labels on vehicles, even normally aspirated vehicles produce a fraction of what they once spit into the atmosphere. Don't get me wrong - measuring your CO2 footprint is huge! But really, what are those measurements. If a gasoline producing vehicle emits 0.4 and a hybrid emits 0.09, what is the impact on the atmosphere? And what is it compared to cows emitting who knows what with ever tenth step they take.

After driving a range of hybrid vehicles, my take is as follows: Anyone who purchases a hybrid version of a gasoline powered vehicle is participating in a feel-good experiment. I have spent many days in a Ford Escape Hybrid. It's not too bad. But, it totally sucks when compared to a V6 Escape. Not only that, but to keep the cost down, you can't bling your ride if it's a hybrid. A V6 Escape can be had with lots of cool features for about $26,000. A hybrid will cost about four grand more. And, it only gets FIVE miles per gallon better mileage. I know - I've driven one 2,500 miles across the United States and into Canada. 

Honda just decided to kill the Hybrid Accord. It's done. Why? Well, sales are one thing: 25,000 Accord hybrid vehicles were sold in three years. Toyota sells 25,000 (or they did until recently) Prius vehicles every month. And why is that? Again, I'm just speculating here, but I'll be people who care about the earth at this point in time want people to know it. If you drive an Accord or Ford hybrid, who will know? And, what's the cash incentive? But, if you get a Prius, you're a fan of the earth and Brad Pitt. And everyone will know.

By the way, Toyota has announced it will create a hybrid version of every vehicle it has... I bet that's a bit premature. Oh, and there's one other reason to hang on to your wallet for a bit. It's a thing called the Diesel engine.  We'll talk a bit more about diesel power next time...

So, I've decided to do some investigation on this whole hybrid racket. The word is that if you get a hybrid vehicle, you're doing some good for the planet. While there's no argument from me that the planet needs our immediate attention, there are so many areas that are screwed up that it's important for us to create smart priorities when it comes to things green.

I intend to examine the differences between fuel mileage and fuel consumption, the cost savings, and of course, what the difference in emissions might mean. The current dope is that most autos puke out .4 in deadly gases, while hybrid vehicles expel a more modest .09. As both are under one percent, do either really matter?

More to follow...

DB 

Ah, it's always exciting to start a new blog and the first entry is always a challenge. What do I write? Well, in this case, I'll keep it simple: Hey! Welcome.

I've been a car nut since I was a little kid. I was about eight years old when I built my first Revell plastic model - a hot rod in sky blue. It was a mess, but I loved doing it. About a year later, I had a shelf full of cool cars of that era: Malibu, Challenger, Charger, Mustang, etc. I really worked hard to make the paint work well - and by the time I was eleven, I was using automotive touch-up paint to create my mini-marvels. I have no idea what became of any of those models. 

As it is appropriate, I'll share some insight into my background, depending on what the topic is and when it makes sense to share. This blog isn't really about me, except to the extent that my opinions and experience may be of benefit to the reader. I will write about my personal experiences with motorsport, with testing all kinds of new vehicles, and with the industry overall. 

I'm always interested in feedback, so don't be afraid to speak up - and disagreements are welcome, too.

Until the next time...

DB