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Old 03-21-2008, 02:35 PM   #6 (permalink)
trebuchet03
MechE
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,151

The Miata - '01 Mazda MX-5 Miata
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bennelson View Post
I don't like how expensive and complicated they are.
Expensive? Yes... Complicated? I think the auto mfr's make them seem more complicated then they really are... "Power Split Device" - the same technology in every single planetary automatic transmission (which is just about all of them until recently)... The concept is pretty close to differential... The electronics, sure - that may be a more "complicated" - but hybrid tech. has been put to use since the 1920's.

Electric cars aren't complicated.... Gas cars are so common, we can consider them to not be complicated... A differential isn't complicated.... Advertising/marketing - now that's complicated

The term "complicated," in my opinion, ensures the mfr's are justified in MSRP. Of course, I respect the engineering costs etc. as it takes a great deal of resources to make a reliable {insert anything here}.
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