Saturn Flextreme

DaveinOlyWA · 01-19-2008, 01:37 PM

cmon!! you honestly think they dont have some sort of angle on this???

gm is owned by big oil and they butter their bread better than anyone else on the planet with the possible exception of microsoft and the drug companies

Godiva · 01-19-2008, 02:37 PM

Okay. So let's say the fuel is good for six months. And if you don't use it up in that time it will have to be drained (at owner's expense I'm sure) and replaced.

Now, what happened to the stale/old/no longer effective fuel? Can it be recycled to be "fresh" again? Or are we looking at another disposal problem?

This was my issue with my Dad's lawnmower. After adding the oil to the gas it had a shelf life. And I had to dispose of it when it got "old".

DaveinOlyWA · 01-19-2008, 02:39 PM

good question, but i doubt that it would be much of a hurdle to make it something useful

HolyPotato · 01-19-2008, 03:56 PM

I would think more realistically you could keep just a trickle of fuel in the tank, and then if you needed to take a long trip top up and dilute the bad fuel, or every few months "forget" to plug it in and burn through and replace your liter -- something you may need to do just to give the engine a run to keep it in good working order.

As my cousin would say "I wish I had that problem."

tripp · 01-19-2008, 04:00 PM

I think fuel stabilizers will make it last well over a year. Good problem to have and solution is pretty straight-forward.

donee · 01-19-2008, 05:25 PM

Hi All,

Well this car is a Diesel. And Summer Diesel and Winter Diesel are different. One might have to make sure they do not charge a few weeks of operation in the fall, so that the summer fuel is used up and winter fuel replaces it. Otherwise, startup in 10 degree weather might be a problem.

patsparks · 01-19-2008, 06:29 PM

Why wouldn't you just go for a long drive once every 6 months or could the car be forced to start the diesel by not charging the batteries allowing the engine to run say 50km a week and use a tank of diesel every 6 months? Isn't that better than a tank every 1 or 2 weeks? The diesel is there as a range extender of an electric car. People want electric cars but they don't want limited range. This is the car people have been asking for. If you think you will never need the diesel I don't know why you couldn't just keep 10 litres in the tank and use that every 6 months then put another 10 litres in. This would minimise diesel consumption.

I know that the engine would have to run for about 10km each day on my commute as long as I only charge at home. If I could do my whole commute on electric and there was no range extender I wouldn't buy it because I couldn't take my family for a holiday in it or do some extra running around in it on my way home. That diesel engine is insurance and flexibility.

FL_Prius_Driver · 01-19-2008, 06:54 PM

If I were in the above situation I would say take out the gas....and while you are at it, take out the engine.

tripp · 01-19-2008, 07:25 PM

Nah, keep the petrol (or diesel) keep the engine and joy long range when you need it and massively smaller fuel bills the rest of the time.

patsparks · 01-19-2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripp

Nah, keep the petrol (or diesel) keep the engine and joy long range when you need it and massively smaller fuel bills the rest of the time.

Agreed.
The only other improvement I can think of is a removable range extender module you can leave home when it isn't needed but a 5 minute owner install is all that is required to prepare for a long drive. The range extending engine could be replaced by additional batteries for longer electric range which you remove to install the diesel generator and fuel tank at holiday time.

That's my 2c

01-19-2008, 01:37 PM	#11
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,378 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 121 Times in 103 Posts Friends: 10	Re: Saturn Flextreme cmon!! you honestly think they dont have some sort of angle on this??? gm is owned by big oil and they butter their bread better than anyone else on the planet with the possible exception of microsoft and the drug companies

01-19-2008, 02:37 PM	#12
Godiva AmeriKan Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 10,342 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 7	Re: Saturn Flextreme Okay. So let's say the fuel is good for six months. And if you don't use it up in that time it will have to be drained (at owner's expense I'm sure) and replaced. Now, what happened to the stale/old/no longer effective fuel? Can it be recycled to be "fresh" again? Or are we looking at another disposal problem? This was my issue with my Dad's lawnmower. After adding the oil to the gas it had a shelf life. And I had to dispose of it when it got "old".

01-19-2008, 02:39 PM	#13
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,378 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 121 Times in 103 Posts Friends: 10	Re: Saturn Flextreme good question, but i doubt that it would be much of a hurdle to make it something useful

01-19-2008, 03:56 PM	#14
HolyPotato Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 78 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Saturn Flextreme I would think more realistically you could keep just a trickle of fuel in the tank, and then if you needed to take a long trip top up and dilute the bad fuel, or every few months "forget" to plug it in and burn through and replace your liter -- something you may need to do just to give the engine a run to keep it in good working order. As my cousin would say "I wish I had that problem."

01-19-2008, 04:00 PM	#15
tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it? Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,323 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 6	Re: Saturn Flextreme I think fuel stabilizers will make it last well over a year. Good problem to have and solution is pretty straight-forward.

01-19-2008, 05:25 PM	#16
donee Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 2,244 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 2 Thanked 54 Times in 47 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Saturn Flextreme Hi All, Well this car is a Diesel. And Summer Diesel and Winter Diesel are different. One might have to make sure they do not charge a few weeks of operation in the fall, so that the summer fuel is used up and winter fuel replaces it. Otherwise, startup in 10 degree weather might be a problem.

01-19-2008, 06:29 PM	#17
patsparks An Aussie perspective Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Adelaide South Australia Posts: 9,229 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: Base Thanks: 124 Thanked 182 Times in 140 Posts Friends: 33	Re: Saturn Flextreme Why wouldn't you just go for a long drive once every 6 months or could the car be forced to start the diesel by not charging the batteries allowing the engine to run say 50km a week and use a tank of diesel every 6 months? Isn't that better than a tank every 1 or 2 weeks? The diesel is there as a range extender of an electric car. People want electric cars but they don't want limited range. This is the car people have been asking for. If you think you will never need the diesel I don't know why you couldn't just keep 10 litres in the tank and use that every 6 months then put another 10 litres in. This would minimise diesel consumption. I know that the engine would have to run for about 10km each day on my commute as long as I only charge at home. If I could do my whole commute on electric and there was no range extender I wouldn't buy it because I couldn't take my family for a holiday in it or do some extra running around in it on my way home. That diesel engine is insurance and flexibility. __________________ All the warranty I need. Still averaging 4.4L/100km across town 2004 silver base model Prius Shark fin, genuine mudflaps, colour matched side mouldings, rear bumper scuff guard, sheepskin seats, BT Plate. I love it!

01-19-2008, 06:54 PM	#18
FL_Prius_Driver Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 1,845 My Car: 2001 Prius Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 4 Thanked 17 Times in 16 Posts Friends: 2	Re: Saturn Flextreme If I were in the above situation I would say take out the gas....and while you are at it, take out the engine.

01-19-2008, 07:25 PM	#19
tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it? Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,323 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 6	Re: Saturn Flextreme Nah, keep the petrol (or diesel) keep the engine and joy long range when you need it and massively smaller fuel bills the rest of the time.