ralphieboi1976's Blog

Hybrids are gaining spot light.  People are wanting a vehicle with the greatest MPGs.  Okay, I think we need to weigh in all the info before assuming that we NEED a Hybrid.

Example A.

A 2008 Toyota Prius prices out at $23,000.  (You pay sticker on these folks)  It gets an average of 40-48 MPGs.  With no money down on a 60 month note and good credit, your looking at a payment of $475 per month (Give or take a few dollars)

Example B.

A 2008 Ford Focus prices out at $14,000 with all the incentives.  It gets an average of 25-35 MPGs.  With no money down on a 60 month note and good credit, your looking at a payment of $285 per month (Give or take a few dollars)

Example C.

A 2008 Chevrolet Aveo prices out at $10,000 with all of the incentives.  It gets an average of 24-34 MPGs.  With no money down on a 60 month note and good credit, your looking at a payment of $200 per month (Give or take a few dollars)

You spend 30 % more on fuel for vehicle B or C but you save $190 to $275 per month on car payments.  If you are a car flipper and like to trade every 24 months, you would seriously never see the savings that Hybrid will bring.  You will see the savings in your 4th year unless fuel reaches $10 per gallon within the next 2 years.  I doubt it. 

Another thing you need to consider.  With a Hybrid, you have an electric motor that drives the vehicle and a Gasoline Engine that acts as a generator.  You have two (2) work horses under your hood.

If you are a highway commuter like myself, Hybrids get worse MPGs on the highway than they do in the city.  On the Highway the system does not have the oportunity to recoupe power from coasting and braking and the generator is forced to run constanly.  Check to see if the engine (generator) runs when the A/C is on.  Not much savings there.  I cannot sweat and go from work site to work site.  I have to run the A/C. 

Bottom Line....My message is to weigh in all the facts before you dive into a Hybrid full force.  I would not see the benefit myself.  You might, but you might not.

I have to go to Illinios quite frequently now with my new Job.  I keep finding it difficult to return.  Lately I just get off the interstate and cut through Downtown East St. Louis to catch the Eads and then get back on I44 South by the Arch. 

Normally as I take the split coming west on I70/64, I take the right side.  I do this because I stay in the inside lane and it takes me to the I44/55 South Ramp.  When the split returns as one on the Poplar Bridge, you have all of these drivers who either do not know where they are going  and or mainly do not care that they are doing something very dangerous and continously cut people off who are patiently waiting in the proper lane to safely exit.  An example of this madness occured this morning during the 8:30am rush hour commute.  All because of a driver who refused to do what they should and wait their turn, the bridge was backed up and blocked for forever utill the accident was cleaned up.  If you are ever in front of the Galeria Mall on Brentwood Blvd, they have put these tall Yellow Sticks to prevent this kind of "Cutting In" from happening for those trying to get on I170 North.  There are some on Clayton Rd. as well.  Why not put some of these half way down the bridge to protect the off ramps and deter those inconsiderate individuals from causing harm.  How many people have to be inconvenienced or harmed before MoDot does something to change this.  Normally when something does not work, we treak it and change it up to improve it.  The right 2 West Bound lanes need tweaked.  If people cannot get to where they need to be in the 5 miles before the bridge in IL, then too bad. 

Go down to the next exit and do a detour.  Your Garmin and TomTom will help you out!! 

Okay I am tired of hearing and reading....

"Let's Boycott AB / InBev! "

LETS FORCE MASSIVE LAYOFFS OF SAINT LOUIS (AMERICANS) WORKFORCE.  Bet you did not think about that did ya???   Let the over paid Execs go.  Let all of the board members go.  They did not do their job.  They let profits slip.  They allowed for this whole circus to take place.  But do not forget about all of those ladies and men who brew, bottle and transport the products.  Those people are Americans.  Those people are St. Louisians!!  Who cares about who strokes the checks.  If you think you are supporting Americans buy switching to Miller or Coors, PBR or many of the other lables, your wrong.  They are all owned by foreigners.  Lets support those people here.  If we dont, then InBev will come in and have a reason for massive layoffs and production modifications.

I will continue to drink my Michelob Light and 180 energy drink.  What will you do???

There is all this talk of giving me a tax break. Hello, "stimulus". I don't want that. It did absolutely nothing for me. I paid bills with it. Yippee! I didn't go out or buy clothing and I sure as hell did not go on vacation. If you cut taxes, who is going to pay the military, maintain our interstates, keep our air traffic and waterways safe, and so forth?

I want a government that stops giving other countries money like charity. They could do a whole lot more with our tax money if they stopped dishing it out. Why do we need to support the Israeli economy? What do they make that we import? What about Iraq? Our imported oil from the Middle East comes from Saudi. They even pay people to relocate to the US from Iraq. Make the Mexicans Citizens that are here and law abiding. Make them pay taxes, get off and out of the welfare system and fine the hell out of those who have been paying them under the table or take away their businesses. Kicking them out is costly and not effective. Landlords should be held accountable for renting to illegals as well. It's everyone's duty!

I don't want the government to bail me out of my mortgage. I want them to make mortgages like mine illegal. I have an 80/20 split mortgage from the same mortgage company!! One is a 30 year ARM that currently is at 11.1 % APR for the first 80% and a 15 year Fixed APR of 12.7 with a balloon for the 20%. They both have up to a 20% early pay off penalty for the first 2 years. NO refinancing anytime soon! This is ludicrous. I did not know what I was getting into as this is our first home purchase and it took the broker so long to get everything done that I almost lost my house because of time so I could not refuse the offer. They should make laws that prohibit this kind of financing. What about my car? Sunset bullied me into buying $2500 worth of "extras" saying I would get a worse APR if I didn't. Come to find out they held almost 3 points doing so. They made money off of the car. Why rip my head off in financing?? Laws to protect us.

I don't want the government to subsidize gas. I want them to open up exploration in our own back yard and stop importing it from other countries. This will help to stabilize the price and help build our economy up by making all those new oil well owners wealth, which they can spend. Those dreamers and tree huggers need to face reality and stop standing in the way. We need to harvest the ocean and replant in areas like the farmers on land do where mother nature needs help. Not stick our heads in the sand and leave everything alone or hope for a miracle.

I want to see Ford, Chrysler, and GM ship their cars / parts in little boxes and assemble the cars where they need them like the Japanese and Koreans do here. Their cars come across the borders in a bunch of boxes and are assembled here. It saves them tons of money and look what Toyota has become. There is all this talk of Ford giving up Mercury, and GM cutting back again maybe cutting Pontiac or Buick. Remember Plymouth and Eagle. Enough. Why can’t we drive Ford's efficient European models they have floating around in other countries? What about Chrysler? Mercedes has some very efficient cars in Europe as well. They make a good Diesel passenger car with very low emissions. Why can't Chrysler use their parts and technology more than the 300C, Magnum, that convertivle and that van you see the FedEx guys driving? There is a whole lot we are missing out on. They could make laws or do away with laws that are holding American Companies back.

What about regulating Monopolies? Wal-Mart, Hello!!! What about Federated (Macy's)? Thay have gobbled up alot of the major department stores just to close them down and lay everyone off. The Feds went after Microsoft. Did anyone remember when the Feds split up Bell some years ago? Did any one notice when Cingular bought up AT&T? What ever happened to MCI? Yep! I am sick of big businesses taking over the small guys then changing the rules. When Blue Cross Blue Shield was gobbled up or belly up in 2006, I lost my HMO and was forced to switch to a PPO. Now I have medical bills out the @$$! Co-payments, Deductibles, and what ever else they choose not to pay. The worst thing about it I still pay $300 per month for my partner and I to have the insurance. I am in the Insurance busness and I cant get a good deal or an HMO! When I go to the Pharmacy, now I have to pay a percentage of my pharmaceutical bill and not a flat $10, 20 or 30. Every time the prices go up for scripts, so does my percentage I have to pay. I have just stopped taking many of my scripts. Watch out, I am a crazy person who can't sleep, having hot flashes and high cholesterol!!!

The Fed needs to get back to their job that they have always had like Protect the Citizens and Taxpayers (DID I SAY ILLEGAL ALIENS? NO), Enforce the Laws, and Regulate Businesses, Domestic and Foreign operating here and so forth.

Anyone have comments???

If you can just put your religious views aside for a moment and hear me out on this one.  I was raised Southern Baptist and my partner Roman Catholic.  So I know this is a sticky subject. 

When a couple gets married, they plan the wedding and throw a big party.  They fly their family members to the location.  The rent several hotel rooms for them.  Over the course of the marriage, they hire CPAs and lawyers.  They make large purchases like homes and property, even start businesses.  In the end there are the expensive Divorces.  As a segment of the population who do not have dependents like kids, they have a larger amount of what you would call disposable income.  Why not let these couple partake in this event.  If nothing but for the sake of the impact if would have on the economy.  I am for any marriage between two people.  It brings stability and security.  I am tired of people thinking that I am one of those deviants that crawl around alleys and back rooms.  I have been in a relationship for 10 years and wished that there were more people that have and then some.  If we could put our hang ups, religious beliefs and up-bringing aside and think of what impact this could have on everyone, not just a few.  We might be able to move forward with being a more progressive and successful nation in this ever-changing world we live in.  Please share your ideas with me.