All other cars are just so....

[Brodie]

...old fashioned after driving my Prius! I'm sure many of you have had the same reaction. I was in a friend's Hyundai the other day, a 2006, so pretty new, with leather etc. A nice car. But, it was loud and rattly and all the dials and gauges just looked, well, dated. And the much more vertical windshield made me feel like I was driving a brick, aerodynamically speaking.

I'm such a Prius snob now.....

[neon tetra]

I have to agree. I drove my gf's Olds Alero last night & it seemed so heavy & inefficient.

[Sheepdog]

Can you just imagine what a great thing it would be if all cars and trucks had average and instantaneous fuel mileage indicators?

Most folks would either have strokes or start driving sensibly!

[Tech_Guy]

I feel the same way about all production cars these days - including the Prius. After taking a test ride in a Tesla Roadster, everything else is so 20th century.

Keith

[Ichiro]

Originally Posted by Tech_Guy

I feel the same way about all production cars these days - including the Prius. After taking a test ride in a Tesla Roadster, everything else is so 20th century.

Keith

Was that you passing me on I-280 last night around 7pm?
I was cruising home around San Bruno when this Black Tesla zoomed past me (in the right lane), must have been going >100mph. I was impressed.

The other time I've seen a Tesla on I-280, the guy was barely going 65mph.
I guess the test drivers have a little more confidence in the car now

[moxiequz]

Originally Posted by Ichiro

Was that you passing me on I-280 last night around 7pm?
I was cruising home around San Bruno when this Black Tesla zoomed past me (in the right lane), must have been going >100mph. I was impressed.

The other time I've seen a Tesla on I-280, the guy was barely going 65mph.
I guess the test drivers have a little more confidence in the car now

Teslas on 280 eh? I should start commuting via that route again. Maybe I can be lucky enough to see one in its natural habitat. God knows they'd probably stay well clear of 101 given the state it's in now....

[Hemispheres]

I saw a DeLorean drive past my house the other day. Haven't seen one of those in years. Wonder what kind of mileage those things get with that stainless steel body.

[Tech_Guy]

Hi Ichiro,

Sorry was not me. However it probably was the same car.

The biggest problem with the Tesla Roadster is that the car's capabilities are way beyond the capability of the average driver. In other words, you can get into a lot of trouble really fast. Remember, the chassis is by Lotus, and the drive system is powerful enough to accelerate 0 - 60 in about 4 seconds. It really is that fast.

Tesla roadsters can be seen frequently on the roads on the mid-peninsula because Tesla is located in San Carlos. The local area gives them the opportunity to test the technology in normal real-world conditions - city streets, hills, winding roads, and freeways.

Speaking of freeways, Hwy 101 (on the SF Peninsula) is a very poor freeway to test vehicles because of the quantity of traffic and the on/off ramps are not designed for high speed. On the other hand, Hwy 280 is a relatively safe high-speed freeway. Consequently one may frequently spot Tesla's on 280.

Keith

[SparrowHawk60]

I have an occasional opportunity to drive a 2007 Ford Freedom. While it does have some bells and whistles, it's still dated. The CVT is not pleasant and getting use to it's "shifting" takes a long while. This crossover is also a slob in it's handling characteristics, very heavy and slow to respond, maybe there is to much vehicle stability? Gas mileage is the lousiest thing about it. While the car is use primarily for short trips it does see a highway now and then. 18 or 19 MPG are the norm. Another complaint is the visibility, the A pillar is quite large, the back window to small.. (Yes, the Prius has the same problems but they don't seem to bother me as much in the Prius!?
The Ford is nothing I'd want to grace my driveway with.

[SparrowHawk60]

Originally Posted by Hemispheres

I saw a DeLorean drive past my house the other day. Haven't seen one of those in years. Wonder what kind of mileage those things get with that stainless steel body.

Aaaahh, what a great looking car, even today! That stainless body is what really sets the car apart. The only Irish production car to be exported to the USA! To bad John put his money up his nose instead of into his car company!