My brother in Portland recently bought a Honda Civic Hybrid. He called me to talk about his experience as I plan on my next car payment going towards a more fuel-efficient and environmentally conscious car. He knew I was in the aftermarket radiator business and the first thing he told me was that the Honda Civic radiator for his hybrid looked much like the a regular radiator and he asked me how changing fuel efficiency standards affected the radiator business.

I started to tell him how a replacement radiator is needed to cool most engines regardless of whether or not a gas engine was assisted by an electric motor when he tuned me out. “You know, I thought I’d get a few more looks from the ladies, especially some of the hippies out here but most people can’t tell this is a hybrid. I should have got the Prius,” he lamented. My suspicions that my brother’s purchase had less to do about the environment and more to do with his libido were confirmed. I told him an all aluminum Honda radiator might score with the ladies but he saw through my ploy to sell him a more expensive Honda part.

1-800-Radiator is currently in the process of expanding product line to include HVAC air parts, all of which will be in demand, even as state and federal legislators require the automotive industry to think ‘green.’