Explain something to me please..

[Edwina's Secretary]

One in ten jobs in America is dependent upon the auto industry. The idea, as I understand it, is if the automakers are able to retool, as R said, they will be able to make smaller cars the public will want to buy.

On the other hand, if the auto industry further tanks, one in ten jobs in America tank with it.

Just before all this started I bought a Ford Escape hybrid. It runs on battery (charged by the engine and the brakes) at certain speeds and some weeks I get as much as 41 miles to the gallon. I consistently get around 35. That is the kind of cars the US auto industry needs to concentrate on making.

[jennielynn1970]

Just before all this started I bought a Ford Escape hybrid. It runs on battery (charged by the engine and the brakes) at certain speeds and some weeks I get as much as 41 miles to the gallon. I consistently get around 35. That is the kind of cars the US auto industry needs to concentrate on making.

I had thought about getting a hybrid before, but I don't have a garage and park on the street. The fact that anything not nailed down gets stolen around here, I can imagine having to plug something in wouldn't work really well. The kids would steal whatever it was just to be brats.

I have a Nissan Versa, which has a CVT engine from Renault, and I get about 35-40 miles highway and about 31-34 miles in the city. It's the base model now for Nissan, making the Sentra a step above it. They are both fantastic cars as far as mileage and all that goes. Not the prettiest cars, but that doesn't really matter to me at this point.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Mine doesn't need to be plugged in. And, if hybrids become the norm instead of the exception, theft will be less of an issue! Signed...the eternal optimist!

[jennielynn1970]

Oh! I thought they had to be pluggedd in, like the diesel suckers do in the winter time.

I keep seeing more of those smart cars around, but all I can think of is a bunch of kids coming over and carrying them off, lol. They look so tiny and so light! I still can't believe they cost as much as they do though. I thought they'd be cheaper to buy.