>our other car (a Civic Hybrid) was paid off we looked >at the used market. I ended up getting a 2004 Pontiac >Vibe, which is essentially the same car as a Toyota >Matrix. It has a factory roof rack but I want to put a >Yakima or Thule rack on it. G'day John, Afraid I can't answer your question but had one of my own regarding your Honda Civic Hybrid. I was thinking of buying one and noticed that they supplied a kayak rack. It occurred to me that although its only a 1300 cc engine the electric motor might give it enough torque to cope with a boat on the roof provided I didn't mind just cruising in the slow lane. I'm looking for a medium sized low fuel consumption car and don't mind if its slow. Wondered if you had any thoughts on this as an option. I know the conventional wisdom is that its a city car but the less conventional wisdom is that the electric motor assist might make it a high torque low consumption car capable of carrying a boat albeit at low speed? All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
My old Civics, which might have had 1300cc engines, give or take 100cc or 200cc, did just fine on the highway with two canoes and camping gear and once even three kayaks, 3 people, and gear except for climbing hills and mountains, when it tended to drop below the speed limit. I didn't even have to drive in the slow lane. As always, YMMV! Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 08:14 AM 10/17/2007, rebyl_kayak_at_energysustained.com wrote: >>our other car (a Civic Hybrid) was paid off we looked at the used >>market. I ended up getting a 2004 Pontiac >Vibe, which is >>essentially the same car as a Toyota >Matrix. It has a factory roof >>rack but I want to put a >Yakima or Thule rack on it. > >G'day John, > >Afraid I can't answer your question but had one of my own regarding >your Honda Civic Hybrid. I was thinking of buying one and noticed >that they supplied a kayak rack. It occurred to me that although its >only a 1300 cc engine the electric motor might give it enough torque >to cope with a boat on the roof provided I didn't mind just cruising >in the slow lane. >I'm looking for a medium sized low fuel consumption car and don't >mind if its slow. Wondered if you had any thoughts on this as an >option. I know the conventional wisdom is that its a city car but >the less conventional wisdom is that the electric motor assist might >make it a high torque low consumption car capable of carrying a boat >albeit at low speed? I don't have a roof rack for the Civic Hybrid so I can't really provide any information on how it might do with a kayak or two on top. At very low end it doesn't seem to have much power (certainly not as much as the Vibe) but it moves along quite nicely at highway speeds. It's hard to say what carrying a kayak will do to the mileage but my wife drives it about 80 miles a day, mostly on 50mph rural roads. She has been averaging about 43mpg (convert to km per liter as necessary). John Fereira jaf30_at_cornell.edu Ithaca, NY *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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