Good karma

Forget the 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago I was drooling over last year. You know, the one that looks like a fighter jet without the wings, and has the really cool doors that swing up like a Swiss Army knife? (Okay, maybe forget is a little harsh…)

I'm going green. My new drool-worthy automobile is the 2010 Fisker Karma. According to Fisker, it's the “World's First Luxury Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle”. It was designed as a more elegant alternative for the Prius-driving Leonardo DiCaprios and Ben Afflecks of the world. Oh yeah, and the King of Denmark's chauffeur has already had all the fun.

Environmentally friendly, and sexy? I'm all over it.

My husband bought a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid and we love it. In warm weather city driving, he can get up to 55 mpg! When I bought my CR-V the next year, I was hoping Honda would have a hybrid version available, but alas, they didn't (and still don't). Still, downsizing from my old Ford Explorer took me from 18 mpg highway to as much as 36 mpg.

Just think of all the gas money and carbon emissions I would have saved on my old 70-mile round-trip commute between Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo, CA.

Sure, I lost a little cargo space (can't haul drywall anymore), but I doubled my gas mileage. It's cheaper to just rent the Lowe's utility truck by the hour for the few times I need the extra capacity than to pay an extra $10K for a Toyota Highlander Hybrid that gets the same gas mileage as my CR-V.

So back to the Fisker. At $80,000, we'll probably be in flying cars before I have the money for it, so I'll just have to drive one in my dreams. Hmm. Maybe my next hero can be rich and green… 😉

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0 Comments

Martha

14 / Apr / 2010

And, man, does Karma look good! That is one beautiful car.

Definitely worthy of a hero. *wink*
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  14 / Apr / 2010
  
  In my first “real” MS, COUNTING ON YOU, the hero drove a Prius (and he borrowed a Murcielago for a wild ride come to think of it). I’m thinking a rewrite might be in order. 😀
atomicgator

14 / Apr / 2010

Cool cars. Although, I might have a slight problem with the 80k hybrid. Some people that drive hybrids already act like they are better than me and I’m sure the people that can afford 80k hybrids will assume they are a lot better than me. Therefore, I don’t like them or their cars!! How’s that for a preemptive strike!? Again, great looking car but i bet a lot of the drivers would be complete a-holes. Don’t get me wrong, if I could afford it, I would be more than happy to piss everyone off!

~Rich
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  14 / Apr / 2010
  
  I totally understand. I’m pretty sure the guys who drive Lamborghinis look down on me, too. Although, it’s hard to look down on anyone from a Honda Civic, hybrid or not. I’m just saying…
Martha

14 / Apr / 2010

You know I’m laughing, right? A Prius?

Do you watch Jeff Dunham (the ventriloquist)? The Peanut routine with the Prius is priceless… and I would so give your guy a more… hero-ish car to drive.

😀
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  14 / Apr / 2010
  
  My husband likes Jeff Dunham, but I haven’t seen his whole routine. I’ll have to ask him about that one. I know the Prius sounds funny, but it was a statement. He was wealthy, but not “flashy”.
  
  Hey, give me a break. “First real book”, remember? 😉
atomicgator

14 / Apr / 2010

Have your ‘hero’ drive a stage coach. That’s a man’s ride. Just a thought. Imagine the book you and I could write Gwen. Total opposites. lol
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  14 / Apr / 2010
  
  LOL! I don’t write historicals, so that would really make it funny.
  
  We would create the most schizophrenic book ever. All good right up until the end when you killed everyone off with an atomic bomb. Happily ever after? Who needs it? 😉
atomicgator

14 / Apr / 2010

Dammit, there are enough happily ever after books. Lets deal with reality. Think about it though, a stage coach.. Even in the present day. Or if he’s the sensitive type he can drive a Rose Bowl parade float, you get the picture.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  14 / Apr / 2010
  
  I suppose we could have some kind of chase at Old Tucson or something. I do write romantic suspense after all…
atomicgator

14 / Apr / 2010

Never in a 100 years would I ever think I would follow a romance writer. Perhaps if Fabio is on all your book covers I would be more confident with my decision. Make it happen.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  15 / Apr / 2010
  
  Oh, come on. Fabio is so 80s. These days it’s Hugh Jackman all the women adore.
Curtis

14 / Apr / 2010

Now that’s a cool ride. All you need to do, (And, I know Gwen Hernandez would love this.) Pull the lil “moter.” Drop in a big block Chevy engine with World heads, badger pistons and add a couple 4barrels. Couple it to a tri-5 transmission. Let’s change out the rear end to a 9inch Ford with 3:92 gears.
I promise you. You mash on that you will bag your grass clippings, recycle paper and glass and never ever throw shopping bags in the land fill. But, you will love that bad ol high test fuel.

Go to our website http://www.reddirtworld.com Take a look at those wild machines. My bride did the site. She loves our street rod. These things fly.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  15 / Apr / 2010
  
  So, I admire nice cars, but I’m not much of a gear-head. All that was *over* my head. Very cool cars, Curtis!
mirellamccracken

15 / Apr / 2010

So you are an engineer too Gwen? is this what I understood from your previous post?
You have a lot of technical information in order not to be one:)
All I want in my future car is to be convertible LOL LOL
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  15 / Apr / 2010
  
  Both of my degrees are in business, MIS and Industrial Technology (similar to Production Management), but I worked as a Manufacturing Engineer at my last job because it’s essentially the same thing. I’ve always leaned toward the technical side of things, but didn’t realize it until I was older.
  
  I thought you were a lawyer.
  - Gwen Hernandez
    
    15 / Apr / 2010
    
    Okay, now I’m thinking you were probably asking if I am an engineer in addition to being a writer. Not “too” as in “like you”. 🙂 Sometimes my brain…
    
    So, yes. I am/was an engineer (of sorts) too. As is my hubby, but he actually did all the hard stuff in school and has an aerospace engineering degree.
KM Fawcett

15 / Apr / 2010

It’s definitely a sexy looking car. Don’t you have to change batteries in a hybrid every two years? I wonder how expensive that is on top of the 80 grand. But…I guess if you can afford 80K for a car, you can afford the batteries. All I can afford is the fuzzy dice, except it doesn’t “go” with the whole minivan look I’ve got going.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  15 / Apr / 2010
  
  Actually, my husband’s batteries are warrantied, I think for ten years. He’s had the car for four with no issues. He gets the oil changed once or twice a year and it’s like $20 more than normal. Maintenance has been very low. As has our gas bill. =)
  
  I understand the minivan thing. We did that for a few years when the kids were little. It was great when we were hauling strollers. Hopefully your next car will look good with fuzzy dice!
Rayna Vause

15 / Apr / 2010

Loving the Karma! Maybe when I make my first million. 🙂

Now if they could come out with a sexy, hybrid SUV version that’s be really awesome. I like to sit high. Oh, well. I still wouldn’t be able to afford it. Maybe they’d just let me sit in one for a little while.
- Gwen Hernandez
  
  15 / Apr / 2010
  
  An SUV version would be great, and in fact, I think they may have one in the works. I like sitting high, too. Just going from my CR-V to my hubby’s Civic makes a big difference. It’s pretty low, but I get used to it after a while.
  
  Anyway, yeah. This is all wishful thinking land. That’s why I write!