Will Hybrids Fail Or Succeed In Sri Lanka?

Californikan · May 7, 2011

There's a whole lot of different opinions about the hybrid future in Sri Lanka. Let's let the test of time tell us whose opinion about hybrids in SL actually turned out to be most true.

Make a prediction and vote. List your reasons for fail or succeed. You can check back over time and see how accurate or inaccurate your prediction, reasons and opinion was. Don't be a pu*sy by saying there's not enough data, information etc or it's too early to say. Take a stand with the information you have right now and make a prediction.

Edited May 8, 2011 by Californikan

poscher · May 7, 2011

Second hand Japanese hybrids will succeed if the agents decides to bring down brand new hybrids to Sri Lanka, if not it would fail.

Think only Porsche is bringing down the Hydrid version of their cars! and they have trained personel to maintain them. Other European manufactures aready making hybrids (Merc + BMW) Jagaur very soon are launching one and will be available in Sri Lanka.

Realisticly Japanese Car manufacturers think that Sri Lanka is a extremely under developed country where people are in mud huts barking at each other, thats why they don't send the luxury models (or spec'd versions) to Sri Lanka therefore Toyota and Honda may newer bring down Hybrids!

Edited May 7, 2011 by poscher

Californikan · May 7, 2011

A few reasons for SUCCEED...

- The Prius, among other hybrids, has been on sale for 14 years with 2 million sold in 80 countries including places with conditions similar to and worse than ours. No significant reliability issues including battery failures have occurred. Therefore it does not make sense to think (as some on this forum do) that Sri Lanka will be the only place on earth where hybrids have reliability problems.

- Thanks to the tax cuts, like a snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger, a critical mass of hybrids will at some point be on the road in SL. After all, it took Toyota 10 years to sell the first million hybrids, 2.5 years to sell the second million, and only 1.5 years to sell the third million. At some point there is mainstream acceptance.

- The thousands of current hybrid owners are creating and driving demand for the development of hybrid expertise and support services (mechanics, garages, parts etc) in Sri Lanka. These hybrid owners are paving the way and making it easier for those standing on the sidelines who are 'waiting and seeing'. With thousands of hybrids already on the road and money to be made servicing them, of course competent hybrid expertise and support services will emerge.

- Plug-in hybrids and solar powered recharging stations are coming next. With this technology it's possible to drive a car around for months without putting any petrol in it. Perfect for Sri Lankans.

nexus · May 7, 2011

hard decision i personally think there will be no reliability problems with hybrids toyota and honda make them for some time now by now they adapted and evolved hybrid technology. both of those companies are very reliable car makers.

and there will be no spare parts shortage because of tax cut lots of hybrid are imported here and spare parts importers will able be bring them down now same thing can say about garages it will take some time but they will learn to do repairs on it because of higher demand for them.

but with all the good things there are bad things for hybrids if you got a fuel efficient vehicle specially hybrid one you travel a lot on it let just say it broke down in somewhere with out proper mechanics to do repairs on them then the owner forced to bring it to some one who know to do the repairs on them but mechanic who knows to repair them may be in other side of country and you can't fix it temporarily because hybrid is a not a thing to do DIY on it and if a local makabas guy try to mess with it he end up with ruin it or he get a big electric shock

when come down to day to day practicality hybrid have lots of thing to prove in SL conditions and it is to early to jump to conclusions about them best thing to do is wait and see what happens.

i think in future vehicle like honda fcx clarity will be more practical than hybrids.

Edited May 7, 2011 by nexus

Sifaan · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 5:09 AM, Californikan said:

- The Prius, among other hybrids, has been on sale for 14 years with 2 million sold in 80 countries including places with conditions similar to and worse than ours. No significant reliability issues including battery failures have occurred. Therefore it does not make sense to think (as some on this forum do) that Sri Lanka will be the only place on earth where hybrids have reliability problems.

Well, we can't count Sri Lanka as one of those 80 countries (except maybe the 1st Gen ones) because the cars here have already been counted when they were sold in Japan.

If Toyota is selling hybrids in a country that means the model is climatised and the tech support is available. Taking a car designed for japanese conditions and running it here is a different story.

Do you have any success stories for Prius in scenario like Sri Lanka - where they are using used cars from another market + no agent backing?

heavyD · May 7, 2011

Who cares. I mean, really. If all goes well, we'll see a lot more hybrids on the roads, if not, well then, a whole lot of used hybrids ads on AL. Since no one can foresee the future, you can either be a guinea pig and buy one now, or wait it out. It's not rocket science.

All this thread is going to do is gather a whole load of useless arguments, and that's not gonna change anything. As Sifaan says, if you have any proper info on hybrids, post them up. If not, you're just trolling.

knightowl · May 7, 2011

The new BMW 3 series with fuel effiency dynamics was found to be more fual effient than the Prius. The 'which' magazine survey found. In sri lanka diesel fuel prices bieng lower than petrol diesels are stil the best. But when you compare the tax cuts on hybrids and the high diesel prices hybrids may be the choice. I cant compre with out knowing the prices or the exact tax cuts. In the long term I would vote for a diesel.

zerocool · May 7, 2011

I think we need another poll option called "This thread is a fail" (just my opinion). :ninja:

Pericles · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 5:09 AM, Californikan said:

A few reasons for SUCCEED...

- The Prius, among other hybrids, has been on sale for 14 years with 2 million sold in 80 countries including places with conditions similar to and worse than ours. No significant reliability issues including battery failures have occurred. Therefore it does not make sense to think (as some on this forum do) that Sri Lanka will be the only place on earth where hybrids have reliability problems.

Are you just stupid, or do you talk coz you think it makes you look important? Who the hell said SL will the ONLY place there are reliability issues??

There will be. You want to know why? People bought them coz they are CHEAP compared to competition due to tax cut. People who buy cheap, tend to BE cheap. Cut corners, cut costs. And when the corners and costs involve maintenance there WILL be issues. Specially if the maintenance involves unknown components.

Pericles · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 5:52 AM, nexus said:

hard decision i personally think there will be no reliability problems with hybrids toyota and honda make them for some time now by now they adapted and evolved hybrid technology. both of those companies are very reliable car makers.

That MIGHT have been applicable if the flood of Prii were the new third gen. I would venture to guess that the vast majority (I have seen three 3rd gens so far, none on the roads, just at sales) are second gen.

Also it hasn't seem to have occurred to our genius buyers that there was a huge recall some time ago. Considering the way taxes when down, then up, and knowing SL politics, it might have paid to be a little more wary.

Californikan · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 9:06 AM, Pericles said:

Who the hell said SL will the ONLY place there are reliability issues??

Several people in other threads have opinioned that because the hybrids/Prii being brought into the country are from Japan and Britain, they are not climatized and suited for our conditions and will have reliability problems.

If we look at the ACTUAL reliability data over 14 years, there have been no significant reliability issues worldwide. So by saying that hybrids in SL conditions are going to have reliability problems, they are (inadvertently) also saying that SL will be the first and only country to have significant hybrid reliability problems. Got it?

On 5/7/2011 at 9:06 AM, Pericles said:

There will be.

Lets check back in a year or two and see how accurate your prediction turns out to be.

MasterDon · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 11:51 AM, Californikan said:

Several people in other threads have opinioned that because the hybrids/Prii being brought into the country are from Japan and Britain, they are not climatized and suited for our conditions and will have reliability problems.

If we look at the ACTUAL reliability data over 14 years, there have been no significant reliability issues worldwide. So by saying that hybrids in SL conditions are going to have reliability problems, they are (inadvertently) also saying that SL will be the first and only country to have significant hybrid reliability problems. Got it?

Lets check back in a year or two and see how accurate your prediction turns out to be.

Useless thread by a useless man.

Just ranting on with stuff found on Google.No real life experience.No common sense.Zero practical knowledge...An educated Idiot.

VVTi · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 9:13 AM, Pericles said:

That MIGHT have been applicable if the flood of Prii were the new third gen. I would venture to guess that the vast majority (I have seen three 3rd gens so far, none on the roads, just at sales) are second gen.

Also it hasn't seem to have occurred to our genius buyers that there was a huge recall some time ago. Considering the way taxes when down, then up, and knowing SL politics, it might have paid to be a little more wary.

See for the majority car buying public in SL, if its cheap then even if its a Trabant, they will buy it.

rover · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 9:13 AM, Pericles said:

That MIGHT have been applicable if the flood of Prii were the new third gen. I would venture to guess that the vast majority (I have seen three 3rd gens so far, none on the roads, just at sales) are second gen.

Also it hasn't seem to have occurred to our genius buyers that there was a huge recall some time ago. Considering the way taxes when down, then up, and knowing SL politics, it might have paid to be a little more wary.

The 2nd gen prius is still being manufactured in order to compete with the Honda Insight. The base price of the Prius EX is about $19,700 at current exchange rates (1,890,000 yen, the exact same base price as the Honda Insight in Japan) and Toyota hopes to sell about 2,000 a month.

See this- http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/18/toyota-releases-new-ex-grade-second-gen-prius-in-japan/

Edited May 7, 2011 by rover

The Don · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 11:51 AM, Californikan said:

Several people in other threads have opinioned that because the hybrids/Prii being brought into the country are from Japan and Britain, they are not climatized and suited for our conditions and will have reliability problems.

If we look at the ACTUAL reliability data over 14 years, there have been no significant reliability issues worldwide. So by saying that hybrids in SL conditions are going to have reliability problems, they are (inadvertently) also saying that SL will be the first and only country to have significant hybrid reliability problems. Got it?

Lets check back in a year or two and see how accurate your prediction turns out to be.

Do you know any of the hard climate markets where Hybrids have been introduced ? If they succeed in India, then well those reliability figures should be applicable to SL. Until such information is available there is really no point having this discussion.

Sifaan · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 3:06 PM, The Don said:

Do you know any of the hard climate markets where Hybrids have been introduced ? If they succeed in India, then well those reliability figures should be applicable to SL. Until such information is available there is really no point having this discussion.

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/06/13/toyota-prius-blows-past-sales-expectations-in-india-with-80-unit/

Bit old news; Toyota was initially expecting 12 units a month, in a market the size of India... and they were pleasantly surprised to sell 80 in 3 months. According to the news on the tax revision, Sri Lanka imported 3000 in 3 months (I thought it would be more given the number visible on the streets).

But even if these cars in India are running fine 5 to 10 years from now, it's still not comparable to Sri Lanka (brand new vs. recon; agent support vs. none).

Californikan · May 7, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 3:06 PM, The Don said:

Do you know any of the hard climate markets where Hybrids have been introduced ? If they succeed in India, then well those reliability figures should be applicable to SL. Until such information is available there is really no point having this discussion.

If there were no hybrids in Sri Lanka your position would make sense. But the fact is that the hybrid experiment is well underway in SL with thousands on our roads and thousands more on the way - irrespective of what the reliability data in other countries may say.

BTW, the Prius was introduced in India only last year with a few dozen sold every month and those are brand new cars so the Indian reliability figures are not translatable or useful to the current local situation.

Pericles · May 8, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 11:51 AM, Californikan said:

Several people in other threads have opinioned that because the hybrids/Prii being brought into the country are from Japan and Britain, they are not climatized and suited for our conditions and will have reliability problems.

If you knew anything about the history of cars in tropical conditions, you would know there is significant historical basis for that point of view. But of course, you don't.

On 5/7/2011 at 11:51 AM, Californikan said:

If we look at the ACTUAL reliability data over 14 years, there have been no significant reliability issues worldwide. So by saying that hybrids in SL conditions are going to have reliability problems, they are (inadvertently) also saying that SL will be the first and only country to have significant hybrid reliability problems. Got it?

No they are not. The ONLY reason you would come to that conclusion is that you lack knowledge. And as for no significant reliability issues? Why the hell do you think there were recalls?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8505402.stm

Lets see (I'd put this within quotes, but the system isn't letting me)

The company has already recalled eight million vehicles

Toyota has announced the recall of about 436,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide, including its latest Prius model, to fix brake problems.

The total includes more than 200,000 Prius cars sold in Japan and 8,500 cars in the UK.

TOYOTA RECALLS: STORY SO FAR

September 2007, US: 55,000 Camry and Lexus cars in floormat recall

October 2009, US: 3.8m Toyota and Lexus vehicles recalled due to floormat problem

November 2009, US: floormat recall increased to 4.2m vehicles

January 2010, US: 2.3m Toyota vehicles recalled due to accelerator pedal problems (of those, 2.1m already involved in floormat recall)

January 2010, US: 1.1m Toyotas in floormat recall

February 2010, Europe: 1.8m Toyota's in pedal recall

February 2010, Japan, US: 200 reports of brake faults in new Prius. Cars recalled

February 2010, worldwide: 436,000 hybrid vehicles in brake recall. Also, 7,300 Camry vehicles recalled in the US over potential brake tube problems

There would also be recalls of Hybrid Sai, sold only in Japan, and Lexus HS250h, sold globally, the company said...

Would you like to tell the fine ladies and gentlemen at BBC that there are no significant reliability issues?

On 5/7/2011 at 11:51 AM, Californikan said:

Lets check back in a year or two and see how accurate your prediction turns out to be.

You do that.

On 5/7/2011 at 1:00 PM, rover said:

The 2nd gen prius is still being manufactured in order to compete with the Honda Insight. The base price of the Prius EX is about $19,700 at current exchange rates (1,890,000 yen, the exact same base price as the Honda Insight in Japan) and Toyota hopes to sell about 2,000 a month.

See this- http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/18/toyota-releases-new-ex-grade-second-gen-prius-in-japan/

Your missing the point. One of the reasons new versions are released are to provide fixes for old versions. Keeping the old version in production means that whatever faults that were caught and fixed for Gen 3 will still be in those cars, even tho its still being made.

On 5/7/2011 at 6:41 PM, Californikan said:

If there were no hybrids in Sri Lanka your position would make sense. But the fact is that the hybrid experiment is well underway in SL with thousands on our roads and thousands more on the way - irrespective of what the reliability data in other countries may say.

BTW, the Prius was introduced in India only last year with a few dozen sold every month and those are brand new cars so the Indian reliability figures are not translatable or useful to the current local situation.

The fact that "the experiment is underway" doesn't mean that, as a motoring community, we need to blindly promote that. There have been plenty of experiments that were underway with popular backing that did not contribute to the betterment of mankind. Hitler was voted into power so he could experiment with his ideal of aryan supremacy and kill all the Jews ideas. The Tata Nano experiment is well underway, despite the fact that it seems to spontaneously burst into flames for no good reason.

And in case you missed it, Sifaan gave a much better reason that taking the overall Indian picture wouldn't work. Also, this is interesting.

Quote
"the vehicle is being sought by doctors, industrialists and top executives aged between 35 and 50 years

This means people who typically don't know much about cars (typically, unless they have a personal interest. We already have had discussions on AL about car advertisements that mention "doctor owned, executive owned" etc). They are buying into the image, much like most of California, rather than actual car.

At the end of the day, the Prius in particular, is an econobox. Its not glamorous. And econoboxes are made cheap to run cheap. In the context of buying a car. And as the old saying goes, cheap things no good, good things no cheap.

rover · May 8, 2011

On 5/8/2011 at 6:20 AM, Pericles said:

At the end of the day, the Prius in particular, is an econobox. Its not glamorous. And econoboxes are made cheap to run cheap. In the context of buying a car. And as the old saying goes, cheap things no good, good things no cheap.

I cant agree with you on that.Infact hybrids are manufactured at a higher cost than their other counterparts, The only reoson that we are getting them cheap here is becuase of the tax cut.

And NO you cant call hybrid owners cheap people, there are lots of other real econoboxes to buy for less than 3 mil, and someone who buys a car for 3.5-4 mil You call them Cheap?

Edited May 8, 2011 by rover

Crosswind · May 8, 2011

On 5/8/2011 at 12:07 PM, rover said:

I cant agree with you on that.Infact hybrids are manufactured at a higher cost than their other counterparts, The only reoson that we are getting them cheap here is becuase of the tax cut.

And NO you cant call hybrid owners cheap people, there are lots of other real econoboxes to buy for less than 3 mil, and someone who buys a car for 3.5-4 mil You call them Cheap?

In fact, they are the cheapest of the cheap.

If a person buys an Maruti 800, that's cos they cant afford anything better. If they can afford a Vitz for example, they will defa go for the Vitz, even if the Maruti does better on fuel.

On the other hand, those who buy hybrids are ones who have the money but who want to penny-pinch on petrol. Expect them to spend millions and count cents. For me this is the cheapest of the cheap cos they got the money but still want to economize.

rover · May 8, 2011

On 5/8/2011 at 12:19 PM, Crosswind said:

In fact, they are the cheapest of the cheap.

If a person buys an Maruti 800, that's cos they cant afford anything better. If they can afford a Vitz for example, they will defa go for the Vitz, even if the Maruti does better on fuel.

On the other hand, those who buy hybrids are ones who have the money but who want to penny-pinch on petrol. Expect them to spend millions and count cents. For me this is the cheapest of the cheap cos they got the money but still want to economize.

I'm sorry about you'r friend's son. But don't get carried away with emotions bro,seems like you started posting antihybrid topics all around.

And talking about cheap most people who have money and buys a gas guzzling suv is to show their financial status (or in other words show off) and it is a common thing not only here but in many parts of the world. And do you think that its a right thing to do If someone have enough money he should not buy a fuel efficient and moderately priced car but instead buy something else which consumes more fuel so he can spend more on fuel. A car is not every thing, at least not for me. I have other priorities kids, school, built a house,etc.etc. All I need a car is to serve my purpose, that means take me from A to B with the most economical way.Spending wisely is NOT as same as being CHEAP.

Edited May 8, 2011 by rover

zerocool · May 8, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXEah7k0n40

Watch 6:22 - 7:21...

Cyclist · May 8, 2011

On 5/7/2011 at 12:37 PM, VVTi said:

See for the majority car buying public in SL, if its cheap then even if its a Trabant, they will buy it.

Yes,The majority of people in SL have middle or low income , so its logical for them to get a vehicle for fits the budget that fills the basic requirement.

Cyclist · May 8, 2011

On 5/8/2011 at 12:19 PM, Crosswind said:

In fact, they are the cheapest of the cheap.

If a person buys an Maruti 800, that's cos they cant afford anything better. If they can afford a Vitz for example, they will defa go for the Vitz, even if the Maruti does better on fuel.

On the other hand, those who buy hybrids are ones who have the money but who want to penny-pinch on petrol. Expect them to spend millions and count cents. For me this is the cheapest of the cheap cos they got the money but still want to economize.

Well said.

REDLINE · May 8, 2011

On 5/8/2011 at 12:19 PM, Crosswind said:

In fact, they are the cheapest of the cheap.

If a person buys an Maruti 800, that's cos they cant afford anything better. If they can afford a Vitz for example, they will defa go for the Vitz, even if the Maruti does better on fuel.

On the other hand, those who buy hybrids are ones who have the money but who want to penny-pinch on petrol. Expect them to spend millions and count cents. For me this is the cheapest of the cheap cos they got the money but still want to economize.

Dude seriously??!!!...thats one stupid example...anyway its a well known fact that money is not an unlimited resource, so any human being wants to economize. So as long as it doesnt put anyone into any inconvenience I dont see any reason why anyone should degrade the hybrids owners so much.Yeah! they might look for a savings of the fuel expense ,so what does the rest of us car?? its there money right??...atleast they have taken some initiative to reduce the need for fuel.Hats off to the 3000 hybrid owners!!!...