It's new but not skis

[Gary]

Just another bump gang but......

I'm turning my Toyota Highlander in off lease and decided to purchase the 2008 AWD Mercury Mariner Hybrid. 32 miles to the gallon city and 27 highway.

It's in, picking it up Monday. It's snow white, gold interior....sweet looking. Looking forward to it. Got some great features standard.

Will purchase some Hakapilita (sp) Winter tires for the trip to the local mountains. They make a huge difference on ice and in deeper snow.

Best, Gary

[Ron]

Mucho congrats oh Green one!  We will exect photos.  Where's the Orange?   

[midwif]

 Ron
I am sure that Gary is saving on all the gas money so he can buy a couple of orange, fluffy dice to hang from the review mirror.

[Gary]

Lynn, you **** me up....orange fluffy dice, you got me pegged.

Hmmm, what orange could I bring to my "green SUV"?
ORANGE:
Floor mats..too tacky
Mud Flaps, I"d get arrested
Orange flames, to gaudy,

How about orange fluffy skis?

G

[midwif]

Only if you don't spend to much time 'fluffing' the bases!

[jim-ratliff]

Just another bump gang but......

I'm turning my Toyota Highlander in off lease and decided to purchase the 2008 AWD Mercury Mariner Hybrid. 32 miles to the gallon city and 27 highway.

It's in, picking it up Monday. It's snow white, gold interior....sweet looking. Looking forward to it. Got some great features standard.

Will purchase some Hakapilita (sp) Winter tires for the trip to the local mountains. They make a huge difference on ice and in deeper snow.

Best, Gary

Gary:

Purchase or lease?  Warren Brown (automotive journalist) and I are still a little sceptical about hybrid battery life.  My understanding is that they are effectively the same technology as lap top batteries?? and I don't have good luck with those.  And I have less luck knowing how to dispose of or recycle them.  You are an intelligent fellow, what do you feel about the technology??

[jim-ratliff]

Gary:

I'm wondering if you need an INTERVENTION.  This may be the first time I have ever heard of someone buying a vehicle just so they could have something to pile on the topskin wax??

I think midwif practising on her family makes much more sense than this.

Seriously, congratulations.  Other than the hybrid concerns, I think the Mariner is a good choice.

[Gary]

Hi gang...been away for a few days.

Lynn (president of Lynn's Harem) you got me on the "fluffy"....you're a quick one missy!

Jim, I did purchase this one. I've been leasing for years now because of my business...but...de cided with the technology in the new Mariner, I hopefully could get 5 good years out of it. In 5 years, I figure that hydrogen, or better electric source, or caged squirrels, or fluffers going at it...it's only going to get better.

Battery life...well, we have a 2002 Prius and have not had any major problems with the vehicle and none with the battery. When they checked the battery a few months ago for wear....they said it was as good as new. So....hopefully, things will be cool there. The cost of replacing one of those bad boys is nasty.

I also know the Toyota had their hybrid production cars on the road in Japan for 6 years before being sold in the US.

Anyway, time will tell.

OH yeah....the topskin looks sweet. It's snow white and looks like a "rolling Mogul" a name coined by Ron.

Best,
Gary

[jim-ratliff]

Some first hand real world experience is good to hear.

congratulations.


Signed

The Kansas Sheep Farmer

[Ron]

yeah, baby the Rollin' Mogul The latest generation of batteries is much improved and if there are issues, most manufactrurers are pretty quick to resolve and they don't want the bad press. Best of Luck Green Gear Guru Gary.....

[Gary]

Thank you gang.........

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Jim................ .....Kansas Sheep Farmer........??

Maybe I ought to re-think my ski colors?

G

[jim-ratliff]

I'm not (a sheep farmer), that was just Lynn picking on my admission of my humble upbringing in the "soul-baring" life story that I poured out earlier on this forum.? I told her/you about the day I should have died in Viet Nam and didn't, and how I've lived the past 38 years on borrowed time, and she repays me by excerpting a single paragraph and making me seem a little bit like a bumpkin farmer.? ?? Besides, almost everyone knows that sheep are anathema in Kansas; that's all cattle country.? Hasn't anyone ever heard of the cattle drives that ended in Abilene, Wichita, Dodge City.? Those all happen to be towns in Kansas.

I actually grew up in the city.?

Douglass, Kansas, population about 800 at the time.? Probably up to more than a 1,000 now.

[Gary]

nice story...reminds me of Rowdy Yates from Wagon Train..."head em up, move em out!"

Ok Jim....not living on borrowed time, just given extra time to share your wit, humor, and tall ski tales with the rest of us almost died somehwere.

And yes...I've watched all the cowboy movies and know about all the famous cattle drives ending up at the McDonalds pens in Abilene.

Best,
G

[midwif]

Just had a hamburger for lunch.

[Gary]

You go cow girl...yipe ey eh! Beef..what Real Skiers eat....well some nice bake cod or salmon works too! Hmm...I'm showing my Real Skier metro side.

Over the weekend took to some highway time on the "Rolling Mogul" and (with the car being new) I'm getting 26.5 mpg. The Mariner was also packed to the brim with 2 golf bags and camping stuff.

Still has under 300 miles on it so will keep you posted.

G