tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59209222011-12-14T22:03:49.555-05:00This is the story of a hybrid car, purchased in October 2003. Narrated by a once hyper-evangelistic owner who purchased special license plates reading "Mo Miles," this blog covers the owner's meandering drive from pre-purchase to post-purchase and carefully examines the gap between advertising promise and actual results. Author remains devoted to advancements and adoption of hybrid-technology, but is equally commited to educating buyers about the "complete story," especially around mileage.Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.comBlogger491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-54173705173322206702007-07-24T20:39:00.000-05:002007-07-24T20:44:51.107-05:00

Hard to believe this, but my beloved "Mo Miles" Honda Civic hybrid car was stolen this past weekend. Apparently, the police recovered the car somewhere in the middle of Cincinnati. I plan on picking it up sometime tomorrow, and I'm hoping the damage is minimal. At one level, I'd like to believe folks are so crazy about hybrid cars here in Cincinnati that they want to steal them, but the reality

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1159360717614731632006-09-27T07:33:00.000-05:002006-09-27T07:38:37.636-05:00

Just when things started to improve with MoMiles (I went through a brief period this summer when the car started getting about 38-40 MPG), someone in my neighborhood vandalized my cherished "Mo Miles" license plate. I purchased this cool frame for the outside that read "Learn and Lead -- HybridBuzz.com" that was completely ripped to shreds. Can't figure it out. Either a reckless drunk college

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1144403052927996652006-04-07T04:42:00.000-05:002006-04-07T04:44:12.943-05:00

Despite my ups and downs with my own hybrid car, I'm pleased to report that the government is getting more aggressive in creating incentives for consumers to test drive such technologies. More here.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1129385689369502772005-10-15T09:11:00.000-05:002005-10-15T09:19:36.590-05:00

This weekend's edition of USA Today includes a story on hybrid cars which features this author and this blog. What's great about the story is that it suggests that auto OEMs are starting to step up to the plate in educating buyers about how to optimize performance and mileage from Hybrid cars. To wit:...last weekend, Ford engineers spent two days teaching 300 well-educated, well-connected

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1129194431608290772005-10-13T04:04:00.000-05:002005-10-15T09:14:56.710-05:00

Autoblog reports that hybrid car manufacturers are taking strides to better educate consumers around optimizing mileage. This is a very encouraging development. Kudos to those stepping up to the plate!

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1128287995738270672005-09-23T16:11:00.000-05:002005-10-02T16:19:55.743-05:00

I've been driving my Honda Civic Hybrid for nearly two years now. I'm still quite proud of being part of the hybrid movement, and there are so many things I realy like about my car, but the low miles I'm receiving remain a source of deep disappointment. All in all, I've tried to make the best of the situation, and I even co-presented a case study on my experience with Forrester's Jim Nail, the

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1127000668116556602005-09-17T18:37:00.000-05:002005-09-17T18:46:44.760-05:00

Consumer Reports recently published yet another piece taking a very hard look at EPA mileage estimates. Here's a link to the piece, along with a relevant soundbyte from the article:"For years, automakers have been criticized for producing vehicles that get so-so gas mileage. But as gas prices climb and consumers seek more miles per gallon, it turns out that fuel economy is much worse than it

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1125611019856816912005-09-01T16:42:00.000-05:002005-09-01T16:43:39.860-05:00

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1124576244988360522005-08-20T17:14:00.000-05:002005-08-20T17:51:29.330-05:00

I'm not spending a penny to advertise this blog but a growing number of consumers keep stumbling into my commentary thanks to how it's been indexed on Google. Because I started writing this blog back in 2003, back in the early days of hybrid car adoption, my content has been rewarded on search engines. The fact that so many other bloggers or media writers have linked to this blog as a general

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1124066490958903072005-08-14T19:31:00.000-05:002005-08-14T20:10:00.496-05:00

Recently I received a notice from Honda about a small defect Honda Civic Hybrid's produced between '03-05. Honda's corporate office is encouraging all owners to bring the car into their local dealer for an inspection. I have set my appointment for this coming Wednesday, and I hope along the way to figure out once and for all why my hybrid only gets 32-33 MPG. I sincerely hope they find a

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1116195850862999112005-05-15T17:17:00.000-05:002005-05-15T17:34:25.536-05:00

Recently received an e-mail from Scott Nathanson from the Union of Concerned Scientists in DC. (He's a proud owner of an '05 Prius.) He noted that UCS is pushing for a revision of the fuel economy testing standards, which of course I support. Here's an article they penned on the subject. Anyway, Scott volunteered several consumer websites that consumers can use as resources for hybrid

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1113758664241530562005-04-17T12:20:00.000-05:002005-04-18T22:52:20.470-05:00

Hear this about a not-so-hard-to-predict bill by Senator Maria Cantwell to overhaul how mileage estimates are developed. I recommended the same thing in a letter to my own elected official, Representative Rob Portman, who, while responding to my note in short order, largely ignored the core issue. Here's another version of the link.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1101804183583951292004-11-30T03:19:00.000-05:002004-11-30T03:43:03.583-05:00

In case folks are new visitors to this blog, triggered perhaps by a recent blurb about my situation in Newsweek magazine, a quick refresher. I drive a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid. I passionately believe in the power of hybrid-technology. I was so excited about buying a hybrid I started this blog, bought a license plate that read "Mo Miles," and had my wife videotape my entire purchase experience (

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1098092803027991502004-10-14T04:42:00.000-05:002004-10-18T04:46:43.026-05:00

Here's the latest on my hybrid car. I'm drafting a long note to Honda about my overall experience. I hope I can offer some useful advice on everything from customer satisfaction processes to dealer/manufacturer communication. Honda is a good company, and I suspect their heart is in the right place, so I hope they'll fully internalize my input. In the meantime, I order a new set of license

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1095911878058071662004-09-22T22:35:00.000-05:002004-09-22T23:21:29.470-05:00

Today a friend forwarded me a link to a website where I was labeled by the editor of HybridDriver.com as the "poster child for the disenchanted". The author (the editor) also took Consumer Reports to task for test-driving hybrids at "near tip-over speed" to prove that the don't get the advertised miles. To be clear, once again: I have not lost faith in hybrid-technology. I have issues with how

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1095913940646173992004-09-19T00:32:00.000-05:002004-09-22T23:39:29.180-05:00

This is the relevant portion of the report from Century Honda about my Honda car. 2020 miles later, the car still barely gets 33 miles per gallon. Very disappointing and frustrating. Clearly for me, and maybe for Honda as well. The very nice person (Matt) who took it upon himself to conduct the full car inspection seemed confident the adjustments he listed in the report would do the trick.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1093100898659371542004-08-21T09:40:00.000-05:002004-08-21T10:21:01.166-05:00

What started as a "narrative" about my hybrid experience has transformed itself into an absolute fascination with blogs. While I'm not getting my desired car mileage -- not by a long shot -- I'm getting TONS of mileage in deeper understanding about this new and powerful "social networked" world in which we live. Just consider: yesterday, MediaPost writes a story about my hybrid car experience,

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1093011785921889982004-08-20T09:18:00.000-05:002004-08-20T09:24:03.126-05:00

Now this. Who would how all of this all this would unfold. I just want a fuel-efficient car that lives up to its promise. I'm now up to over 1500 miles since the last check-up and I'm only at 33.3 miles per gallon. All I want is a damn car that lives up to its promise, and that won't make my wife repeatedly tell me I'm a big fool.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1089342315956284732004-07-08T21:48:00.000-05:002004-07-08T22:13:01.093-05:00

As a courtesy to Honda, and just to demonstrate I'm not on a vendetta, I refrained from submitting anything to this blog until I fully tested my Hybrid car (e.g. drove several hundred miles) after its SECOND inspection. Now, let me report both good news and bad news. The good news is that the Honda dealer did in fact find a few problems with my car that the first dealer didn't spot or correct,

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1087736937943907452004-06-20T08:08:00.000-05:002004-06-20T08:08:57.943-05:00

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1086438006318966202004-06-05T06:50:00.000-05:002004-06-05T08:16:25.733-05:00

I'm still in a state of shock about the CBS Evening News Coverage about my hybrid car experience. And yes, there's real ambivalence, since I'm such a passionate believer in hybrid-technology. How on earth do these things happen? For starters, dissatisfaction is "viral" in this age of web "transparency," and how companies manage customer relationships in times of trial can have a huge impact.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1086133339881792282004-06-01T18:29:00.000-05:002004-06-01T19:00:57.553-05:00

One thing is certain. This "runaway" blog is getting way more mileage than my hybrid car, evident in the recent CBS News Coverage about the hybrid mileage issue. Which prompts me to once again issue a strong disclaimer. I'm a passionate believer in hybrid technology -- always have, and always will be. I simply have strong issues with how the misleading, innacurate EPA estimates are being

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1085216739245981242004-05-22T03:23:00.000-05:002004-05-22T04:16:50.983-05:00

First, let me repeat a key point. I, Pete Blackshaw, am a passionate believer in hybrid technology. But I'm equally passionate about truth in advertising. This blog has shifted from high-octave "love letter" to dispirited "tough critic" because I fear there's a troubling and well-documented gap between the brand "promise" -- reflected in Hybrid advertising, promotion, and dealer

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1084851875865525372004-05-17T22:38:00.000-05:002004-05-17T22:44:35.866-05:00

Investor's Business Daily is now taking on this issue. Importantly, the article provides a deeper perspective on Consumer Reports' mileage estimates relative to the EPAs. Early this evening I penned a note to Congressman Rob Portman requesting that he take an immediate look at the EPA mileage estimates. Lastly, I received a voice mail from Honda today in response to my most recent (4/15)

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1084720027179575392004-05-16T09:51:00.000-05:002004-05-16T10:07:07.180-05:00

Another round of thanks for all the great comments from everyone out there. We're building a real community around this issue. On Friday, NPR ran an outstanding story about the problem with the current EPA guidelines around hybrid cars. NPR's Michele Norris spoke with Csaba Csere, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver Magazine. A couple key points. One, the mileage problem out there is real, with

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1084529836645546612004-05-14T04:47:00.000-05:002004-05-14T05:17:16.646-05:00

First, a thanks to all of you who have shared thoughtful, provocative, and constructive comments -- pro or con -- directly to me via e-mail or on this blog. There's an incredible amount of "passion" around this subject, and despite the tough questions being raised (mine included), I just sense that EVERYONE wants this hybrid-technology to work and succeed. Second, I do want to reiterate that

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1084444692447978912004-05-13T04:47:00.000-05:002004-05-13T09:12:19.093-05:00

My IQ about the nature and behavior of so-called "product mavens" has increased 5-fold over the past 48 hours. Why? Because ever since word leaked about my Hybrid "opportunities" (I'm taking the diplomatic high-road), all manner of hybrid enthusiasts and experts have zapped me with e-mail, links to their blog entries, or comments on THIS blog. And that's before you count the absolutely amazing

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1084375472816540822004-05-12T10:21:00.000-05:002004-05-12T10:24:32.816-05:00

I sincerely hope this story takes a more positive turn. It's all pretty frustrating. This from Wired News yesterday.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1084012663000098612004-05-08T05:37:00.000-05:002004-05-08T05:42:12.030-05:00

Two facts are undeniable at this point. First, my Honda Civic hybrid car barely gets 32 MPG, ridiculously less than the advertised 47-48 advertising mileage. Second, my dear wife -- a no-nonsense brand manager at a local company that made it's name on defensible ad promises like "99.9% Pure...It Floats" -- thinks I'm a spineless wimp and wants to huck my "Mo Miles" license plate into the Ohio

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1084011616655714252004-04-17T05:20:00.000-05:002004-05-08T05:26:08.200-05:00

I finally sent a fairly in depth letter to both the Honda national sales VP and the CEO of Honda's main advertising agency. My rationale: these are the two folks that are most accountable for the brand selling proposition, and I can't imagine them not being responsive to thoughtful (and well documented) feedback that the Honda Civic Hybrid brand promise (mo miles) just ain't measuring up on the

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1080923056204492012004-04-02T11:24:00.000-05:002004-04-02T11:27:56.140-05:00

As I struggle with my frustrating mileage experience with my Honda Civic Hybrid, the Hybrid movement continues to sweep America. The latest buzz: Ford is about to launch a Hybrid SUV, the Escape. Great read in this new story. . Online, there are early signs of buzz about this car, but I suppose we'll start to see much more soon.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1080740895961258972004-03-31T08:48:00.000-05:002004-03-31T08:51:52.843-05:00

As I expected, my wife Erika accused me of being a spinless wimp for not giving the Honda dealership a bigger piece of my dissatisfied mind about the low miles. She's probably right, but then again I'm supposed to be the guy promoting temperate, rational, considerate, and win-win interaction between consumers and companies. Anyway, after sleeping on this a bit, I've decided to go after the Ad

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1080699396405107992004-03-30T21:16:00.000-05:002004-03-31T08:38:45.576-05:00

The saga continues....with no satisfaction yet. Not even close. After shooting a reminder note to Honda late last week, I finallly heard back from the dealership. The GM of the dealership suggested I bring the car in for a "diagnostic" to see if there might be anything irregular with the car. And so today (the same day I was quoted in the Wall Street Journal commenting on corporate

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1079327709706207392004-03-15T00:08:00.000-05:002004-03-15T00:18:24.483-05:00

OK...another week passes, and no response whatsoever from the folks at the dealer. Recall, I sent an e-mail to the nice guy who sold me my car (Dave). I never heard from Dave, but I did hear from someone at the dealership, who said they were going to send my note and concern to other folks at Honda. No response. So tonight, I went to Honda's "Ownerlink" system (remember, I gave this raving

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1078605929006903082004-03-06T15:35:00.000-05:002004-03-06T15:54:42.793-05:00

Hmmm....been about ten days now since I initially heard from my Honda dealer (who said he'd "escalate" my initial inquiry about my Honda Hybrid's low mileage to more senior levels), and NO response. Big Bummer! Not a day goes by when my wife doesn't give me grief for driving around with hybrid car with a license plate that reads "Mo Miles" that only gets about 60% of the advertised mileage.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1077669583004875762004-02-24T19:39:00.000-05:002004-02-24T19:48:56.873-05:00

Here's the latest. I finally shot a note to the incredible friendly and likeable Honda dealer who dropped the Honda Civic Hybrid Keys in my pocket (remember the guy in the video.). The message: "This car's not workin' as advertised. Say it ain't so?" Something like that. The good news is someone from the dealership responded today and asked if he could escalate my note to some regional

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1076283562288231302004-02-06T18:39:00.000-05:002004-02-08T19:10:16.250-05:00

Before you read this post, check out the following image. Now check out another more granular close-up of the same license place. This is the license plate for my Honda Civic Hybrid. So psyched was I upon purchase of this breakthrough, gas-saving, change-the-word car that I ordered my own special plates to tell the world. Just about everyone who sees my car also sees the

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1074478697184701212004-01-18T21:18:00.000-05:002004-01-18T21:20:14.716-05:00

Rest assured, I haven't lost my enthusiasm for my new Hybrid car. Yes, I was a bit miffed that the Toyota Prius garnered the lion's share of media coverage (Motor Trend Car of the Year) in 2003, but I remain eternally loyal to my Honda Civic Hybrid. That said, I'd be remiss in giving the car my unconditional love It just isn't cutting the mustard on the mileage front -- certainly not as much as

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1068292420452718932003-11-08T06:53:00.000-05:002003-11-08T06:57:56.066-05:00

Just returned from a week-long trip to New York, so I obviously haven't had much to write about my new hybrid car. Except of course that that battery didn't fail me when I turned on the ignitition switch for the first time in seven days. The car continues to drive wonderfully, and I for one remain one satisfied -- if not -- passionate customer. On another front, Motortrend magazine just gave

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1067316543424843742003-10-27T23:49:00.000-05:002003-10-27T23:49:04.030-05:00

Great piece the Boston Globe today regarding Hybrid cars. . Captures all the key issues around these new cars, and opens by pointing to the irony having more tax incentives aligned against buying a heavy SUV than a Hybrid car. Go figure.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1067176885076169342003-10-26T09:01:00.000-05:002003-10-26T09:01:25.940-05:00

Full confession: the economy aspect of this car (i.e. 50 MPG) was NOT the sole motivation in buying the Honda Civic Hybrid. Also on the "reasons to buy" list were a sense of "being there first," and perhaps a perverse suspicion that I'd among the rare few in Cincinnati driving such a vehicle. Put another way, I guess we all want to stand out. That said, my appreciation for the gas-saving/fuel

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1066805016440385692003-10-22T01:43:00.000-05:002003-10-22T01:47:38.713-05:00

I feel like I'm the guy behind the glass wall in a P&G focus group everytime I give someone a ride in my new Hybrid vehicle. Last Friday night, while driving a few folks to an evening event, I overheard the wife of a friend, seated in the back seat, make a passing remark: "So is Pete a Vegan?" A VEGAN! Such are the perception barriers and stereotypes one must overcome when putting a car

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1066649541144578102003-10-20T06:32:00.000-05:002003-10-20T06:36:06.500-05:00

At Intelliseek, we branded a new term: Consumer Generated Media (CGM). It's a more analytical take on word-of-mouth, in so far as consumers -- in this era of internet megaphones and rapid-fire communication -- are better advertisers than advertisers themselves. We also know from research published in Ad Age last week that word-of-mouth is far more impactful than television as a source of

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-106647974516203902003-10-17T19:22:00.000-05:002003-10-18T07:24:08.530-05:00

Today, I took a few minutes to finally sign-up for "Owner-Link," an online relationship marketing program sponsored by Honda. Honda touts the program as "your online resource for Honda care, information, and valuable offers." It uses "the power of the internet to delivery ongoing, customized information just to you." Hmmm....all hype, no promise? Or is there something special here? Signing

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1066279083361960992003-10-15T23:38:00.000-05:002003-10-16T13:52:34.766-05:00

Great first day with the new car! Heads certainly turned, and I for one delighted in every single ride. The car handles remarkably well, and it's just too cool when the gas shuts off at intersections or stops. The entire damn car goes silent. I just love that! Interestingly, I stumbled into a benefit I never considered before I bought the car. The stereo sounds ABSOLUTELY fabulous when the

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1066210149860072522003-10-14T22:29:00.000-05:002003-10-16T07:29:30.373-05:00

Well, today all the research and pre-work and price-comparisons came to a big close as I trekked to Superior Honda to finally pick up my 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid (Metallic color, I might add). I'll let the video speak for itself. Let's just say that so far I'm one happy customer. Let's see how long they keep me a raving fan. That is, after all, what it's all about in marketing today.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1066128757247424552003-10-13T19:52:00.000-05:002003-10-15T06:35:19.010-05:00

In a day or two, I'll make the final journey Superior Honda to pick up my 2004 Civic Hybrid. I just can't wait, and the only thing that could delay the pick up is nifty moonroof I'm having installed. While waiting for all this, I been working through all the "preliminaries" like extra insurance for the car. Overall, I got a great deal from Progressive -- $350 total for the year -- although I

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1065975219948281632003-10-12T11:13:00.000-05:002003-10-15T06:38:25.713-05:00

Well, I did it! I actually made a hard and fast decision and bought a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid. I did my research, checked a ton of reviews, and true to the gospel of Intelliseek and PlanetFeedback, diligently read over a hundred passionate, well-informed consumer comments from online discussion groups. The latter far and away had the biggest influence on my decision, and what struck me most

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920922.post-1065739780200279982003-10-09T17:49:00.000-05:002003-10-15T06:32:38.216-05:00

They call them "Hybrid" cars. Hybrid because they combine both gas and electric power, resulting in dramatically improved gas mileage and a one of a kind driving experience. so they say at least. I'm days away from purchasing a Honda Civic Hybrid. Just can't wait. The purpose of this blog is to track and review my experience with the hybrid. Stand by.

Pete Blackshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01812132345508517148noreply@blogger.com0