Toyota Camry Hybrid

Updated with electric motor battery array location.

Back in June, we finally bought the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Yes, we're still quite happy with our purchase. It's the nicest car that I've ever had the privilege of owning. We're still figuring out what all the buttons and knobs do.

As requested, I've taken some photos of it to give people an idea. If there's something else you'd like to see, let me know.



That's "magnetic gray metallic." Marketing. Sheesh. Anyway, here's how it looks under the hood. The black rectangle behind the orange mass is the synergy drive. I suppose I should've taken the time to label everything. I will if people want me too. Anyway, 2.4 Liter engine with 147 horsepower. Want more engine specs? Click here.


Here's the trunk. Oddly enough, the main battery is in the trunk and is the size of a normal battery. It's to the right in the rear quarter panel. Oh, that red thing is a quesadilla maker. That's to provide perspective, though it was actually there to bring to a friend's house. The batteries for the electric motor are behind it and run the width of the car. You can sort of make out a black rectangle underneath my label. That's them.

Oh, the quesadilla maker doesn't provide enough perspective? How about a 5-year old boy? See? Plenty of cargo space. No children were harmed or abducted during the picture shoot.


Here's a view of the interior. I took the shot from the back seat. There's a fuel economy meter to the left of the speedometer. It can be a bit distracting. Toyota has posted revised fuel economy on its website. The Camry hybrid is listed at 33/34 mpg now. Before it was 40/37. I don't know. We just drove to New Rochelle on Sunday and the computer said that we averaged 40 mpg on the trip down. I guess that explains the saying, "Your Mileage May Vary."



I think that the Camry is successful in dispelling the myths about hybrids. You don't have to pay luxury car prices (Lexus) to get a comfortable ride nor do you have to make econobox sacrifices, like low power or cramped conditions (Honda Civic and the discontinued Insight). Prius owners have been known this for years, but for some reason the MSM didn't get it. The Camry should bury this notion once and for all.

The number one question I get asked: "Do you have to plug it in?" I don't know why people think that, but no, you don't have to plug it in. It recharges itself.

In the end, this meant that I had to say goodbye to my 97 Civic. It was a good car. Solid. Still is. I hope that it brings its new owner as much dependability as it did to me.



Adios amigo!

\_/
DED

When Will America Heal Itself?

Sorry for my absence. I've been busy with various projects, chores, and other activities that suck up all of my time. I've even canceled my annual football pool because I've got so much to do before winter kicks in.

Alot has happened in the world since my last post. There's probably a dozen things I want to blog about but don't have the time. So today's entry will be brief.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard that Karl Rove is resigning at the end of the month. Now that the applause and cheers have subsided, people are wondering what he's up to. Well, he gave us all a hint on Sunday as he hit all the talk shows and blathered on about how Hilary Clinton has such a high unfavorable rating among voters. Yes, he's firing up the ol' evil campaign machine and launching the smears.

While I'm one of those people who has an unfavorable opinion of her, I don't need, or want, to hear the crap that assholes like him are going to spew all over us this greatly extended election cycle. His trashing of American politics has tainted all Republicans, good and bad (I know some of you are saying, "There are good Republicans?" Well, since they're all covered in Rove's shit, they're impossible to pick out). His divisiveness has set us against each other while this administration, with help from Congress, takes the Constitution apart piece by piece.

Will Rove take an active role in the '08 campaign? His resignation and recent chatter makes me think that it's very possible. But I also see him saving himself for the '12 election. Let the Democrats win now, blame them for their inability to clean up W's toxic mess, and re-take the White House and Congress in '12.

Short of him getting hit by a bus, we haven't seen the last of him.

So how do we neuter him? Explain to those who would be swayed by him, how he, Bush, Cheney and the neocons have betrayed conservative principles. Don't try to convert them to liberalism or the progressive movement. That'll just set off alarms and red flags and they'll slip into knee jerk reactionary defensive rhetoric. Author David Brin explains how to do it.

Me? I gotta get back to work.

\_/
DED