From: Logan Shaw 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers misc.consumers.frugal-living misc.consumers.house misc.rural
Subject: Re: List of highest MPG *used* cars...
Date: Wed, 07 Sep 2005 01:28:44 GMT

Ted B. wrote:
> The problem with a natural gas 
> vehicle will be availability of fuel.  Owner satisfaction plays a DIRECT 
> role in the long-term reliability of any vehicle.  Simply stated, if you 
> like your car, you will take better care of it.  I don't see how any owner 
> of a natural gas powered vehicle could be real satisfied with a car that has 
> limited infrastructure support.

Well, I'll not deny that this is an obstacle right now, but one thing that
might make it a little nicer for people is that it should be possible for
many people to refuel at home.  Many houses already have natural gas service,
there is at least one company that makes a "Vehicle Refueling Appliance"
called "Phill", which allows you to put natural gas provided by your
utility company into your natural gas car.  Here's the product's web site:

       http://www.myphill.com/vehicles.htm

And here's some info about home refueling from Honda:

       http://automobiles.honda.com/models/civic_gx_phill.asp?ModelName=Civic+GX

Home refueling doesn't change the fact that there are plenty of road trips
that would simply be impossible in a natural gas vehicle (because of a lack
of stations), but imagine the convenience of having one of these machines
installed in your garage at home.  No more having to make time to stop off
at the gas station on the way to work -- just refuel your car at night
while it's sitting in the garage.  For someone who mostly commutes back
and forth to work or otherwise drives in town, that could actually be
much MORE convenient than a traditional car.

   - Logan