Hybrid Cars

[Thunderbroom]

Are they worth the added initial cost?

 

Per my car troubles thread, I may go ahead and bite the bullet and get my wife a new(er) car. Since she drives a boatload of miles each year (16-20K), a Hybrid seems to make sense at ~50mpg. The Honda Civic is

 

Anybody own a Hybrid?

[Svi]

 

Are they worth the added initial cost? Per my car troubles thread, I may go ahead and bite the bullet and get my wife a new(er) car. Since she drives a boatload of miles each year (16-20K), a Hybrid seems to make sense at ~50mpg. The Honda Civic is Anybody own a Hybrid?

 

 

Nope, but make sure you really do your research before you buy. I heavily looked into the Civic Hybrid and overall, it just wasn't worth it. I might have some articles stashed away in some old emails, and if I find them, I'll send them off.

[Thunderbroom]

While not a Hybrid, I love the look of the Honda Element!

[78pbass]

From Consumer Reports:

Hybrids can present a dilemma for car buyers. On one hand, they are more fuel-efficient and produce lower emissions than conventional, gasoline-only vehicles. Most current models have also scored well in our testing and are highly rated in our reliability and owner-satisfaction surveys. But hybrids are typically priced thousands of dollars higher than similar all-gas models.

 

So, for people who believe that hybrids will also save them money, the picture hasn't been so clear and can be further clouded by changing fuel prices and sales incentives. That's why Consumer Reports investigated and continues to follow all of the major ownership costs and financial benefits of these models. Our update reveals two notable findings:

 

* In our analysis, four of seven hybrids we tested recovered their price premium and provided an overall savings of $100 to $2,500 in the first five years and 75,000 miles of ownership (see Hybrids vs. all-gas models, available to subscribers). Extra ownership costs over five years for the other three hybrid models ranged from about $4,800 to $6,400, compared with those of similar all-gas models.

 

* The benefits and costs of hybrids vary significantly, depending on the model. Because of the wide range of hybrid vehicles available, it's especially important for consumers to look carefully at all aspects of the vehicle before buying.

 

 

THE BENEFITS OF HYBRIDS

 

The rising price of gasoline and concern over U.S. dependence on oil have generated a lot of interest in hybrids, and with good reason. They typically deliver the best fuel economy in their classes. The Prius and Civic Hybrid delivered an excellent 44 and 37 mpg, respectively, in our real-world fuel-economy tests--the best gas mileage we've measured in any five-passenger vehicles. The Ford Escape Hybrid, which achieved the best fuel economy of any SUV we've recently tested, can save you about $900 per year in gasoline costs.

 

Hybrids emit less pollution, with some models classified as Partial Zero Emission Vehicles by the California Air Resources Board. Each gallon of gasoline not burned prevents the emission of 19 pounds of carbon dioxide, which many believe contributes to global warming.

 

Several hybrids--the Honda Accord, Lexus RX400h, Toyota Highlander, and Toyota Prius--are outstanding overall packages that score at or near the top of their categories in our Ratings (available to subscribers). Not only do the Accord, Highlander, and RX400h provide moderately better fuel economy than their conventional counterparts, but they also provide notably quicker acceleration. The Highlander and Prius are among our "Top Picks for 2006."

 

For those hybrids for which we have data from the "Annual Car Owner Satisfaction Survey," owners are enthusiastic about models with good gas mileage. But hybrids that emphasize performance over fuel economy earn less-glowing reviews.

 

In California, some hybrid drivers can use special car-pool lanes regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle, a considerable benefit for commuters in traffic-choked areas. In Virginia, all hybrid drivers have this advantage. There are also federal and state tax incentives.

 

Those benefits add up to an inviting package for many car buyers who are willing to pay a premium for them. But for those who believe that one of a hybrid's attractions is that it will save them money, our figures show that even the most cost-effective models require an investment of about five years for the owner to break even.

[Svi]

Here's an article I didn't get to read all the way through, but it's nice and pretty with all those different graphs.

 

http://www.omninerd.com/2005/11/11/articles/41

[Thunderbroom]

 

Here's an article I didn't get to read all the way through, but it's nice and pretty with all those different graphs. http://www.omninerd.com/2005/11/11/articles/41

 

 

Bottom Line:

While no "green" person would ever advocate buying a hybrid for purely economic reasons,49 it is painfully obvious that existing hybrids lack the ability to make up for their steep prices with gas savings. While a hybrid would present significant savings over something like a new Ford Super Duty, you would always save more with any of a number of economy cars.

 

That'll do it for me.

Thanks!

[bassman1956]

I've actually considered the Ford Escape Hybrid.

 

What I could use is a small sport wagon. None in hybrid. And I don't want to go smaller, or give up awd/fwd; between cross-country in bad weather, and launching small boats, I like the bennies of awd too much. How about a Forester as a hybrid? Crysler Pacifica AWD? Volvo?

[jmb374]

I only have experience with the Prius. My grandfather has one (he is 93 and still drives!). It is a really neat car. The technology is impressive to say the least. And aside from a few quirks it functions like a normal car. It's roomy, keeps up with traffic easily, and feels pretty nimble around town.

 

There are a few caveats though. The seat is the least comfortable of any newer car in which I've ever sat. Now his is the base model, but if I have to drive more than 30 minutes, I have a sore back for the rest of the day. Also the legroom in the front leaves a bit to be desired, but I'm about 6'2" and 225lbs.

 

The only mechanical issue I know of is battery related, oddly enough. The car has two battery systems. The 48(I think) volt battery for the motor, and the 12 volt system that runs everything else. On 2 occasions that I know of, his 12 volt system has drained completely and left him stranded in the garage. Now he will sometimes go a week without driving, and his driving is mostly short trips around town, so it may or may not be a problem for everybody, but I've heard it happen to other people too.

 

Hope this helps. I realize this post got a little long.

[Thunderbroom]

 

Bottom Line: While no "green" person would ever advocate buying a hybrid for purely economic reasons,49 it is painfully obvious that existing hybrids lack the ability to make up for their steep prices with gas savings. While a hybrid would present significant savings over something like a new Ford Super Duty, you would always save more with any of a number of economy cars. That'll do it for me. Thanks!

 

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[jmb374]

I forgot to mention some irony in my previous post. My grandfather, the hybrid owner, owns and operates a small (really small) oil and gas exploration company.

[beam]

I'm still waiting on a hybrid diesel

[fretless]

Mother Earth may say so .

[PtPt]

 

Are they worth the added initial cost? Per my car troubles thread, I may go ahead and bite the bullet and get my wife a new(er) car. Since she drives a boatload of miles each year (16-20K), a Hybrid seems to make sense at ~50mpg. The Honda Civic is Anybody own a Hybrid?

 

 

 

 

Buy her a Harley.

67 mpg.

 

Pt

[King Kashue]

Bottom Line: While no "green" person would ever advocate buying a hybrid for purely economic reasons,49 it is painfully obvious that existing hybrids lack the ability to make up for their steep prices with gas savings. While a hybrid would present significant savings over something like a new Ford Super Duty, you would always save more with any of a number of economy cars. That'll do it for me. Thanks!

 

Plus, even that elevated price point is lowered by government subsidies...So the taxpayers are making sure the cars are cheap. Most folks wouldn't care about that. You on the other hand..

[burdizzos]

rikshaw really likes his Honda Element, IIRC.

 

I wouldn't buy a hybrid, I just don't see the advantage.

 

Now the instant they throw a diesel micro-turbine into one, they will get my attention and my money.

[bassnutz]

Sure, they may save you a few grand for gas over the years, but you'll spend about $7k for a battery replacment.

[Bob O'Brian]

How come a hybrid only gets you 50mpg?

My Ford Fiesta diesel does 65mpg on a good day, and, OK, it's kinda small, but you can still fit in all our PA and backline gear on one trip and the drums and instruments on a second trip, and that is still carrying a passenger both times.

(yes, I am buying a van soon...).

 

Fuel prices are also going to rise, inevtiably. So if a more efficient vehicle takes five yerars to break even financially at today's prices, the chances are that within those five years fuel prices will go up anyway... so it makes more sense...

[FreestyleIntruder]

{censored} hybrids, my bro has one of these and he literally CAN'T get below 50mpg out of it

 

(it's the TDi obviously)

 

Dunno how much used ones are over there though...

[Mytola]

Yeah, those Audi/VW TDi's are very nice indeed. On an episode of TopGear, Jeremy Clarkson ran a Audi A8 with the big V10 diesel London-Edinburgh-London without stopping for fuel. That's over 40mpg, with a huge car, and a huge engine.

 

If you want a car that doesn't sip a lot of fuel, a small diesel is probably your best choice.

[burdizzos]

 

Sure, they may save you a few grand for gas over the years, but you'll spend about $7k for a battery replacment.

 

 

 

Only if you put more than 200,000 miles on it.

 

I like the idea of hybids and I'm glad that people are buying them because that will drive the technology forward. Eventually, hybrids will offer better performance and fuel economy than their standard drivetrain counterparts.

[ezstep]

There are a couple of things to remember and decide about your driving styles. First, whenever the a/c is turned on, the gasoline engine kicks in - automatically. Around here, that would be probably 7-8 months per year. (Expected high today is 67 degrees. Expected high tomorrow is 43 degrees.)

 

Also, if your wife does a lot of "in-town" driving, the gasoline engine might not kick on at all. But once she gets up to a certain speed (say 45mph or so) the gasoline engine kicks in. Around here, the gas engine would be on over 90% of the time. I honestly think that many of the comparisons used to show energy savings are distorted - say, comparing a Prius to a Tiger tank.

 

My mom drives a Corolla that gets 42-43 mpg. Compared to a Dodge 10-cylinder dually, she does GREAT!

 

IIRC, Clatter Amy and Joe bought a Hybrid Toyota Highlander. Give them a call.

[Thunderbroom]

IIRC, Clatter Amy and Joe bought a Hybrid Toyota Highlander. Give them a call.

 

I don't have Amy & Joe's kinda dough.

[burdizzos]

The Highlander Hybrid only gets 26 mpg in the real world anyway.

 

You would be best served with the most reliable vehicle available. Spend the coupl eof dollars to buy a Consumer Reports membership and read through their car database.

 

Based on your needs and available cash, you should be able to find numerous used and new solutions that will serve you well.

[Thunderbroom]

 

The Highlander Hybrid only gets 26 mpg in the real world anyway. You would be best served with the most reliable vehicle available. Spend the coupl eof dollars to buy a Consumer Reports membership and read through their car database. Based on your needs and available cash, you should be able to find numerous used and new solutions that will serve you well.

 

 

Lookswise, I'm digging the Honda Element and the Toyota Scion Xb. For some reason, I like the boxy design. I'm gonna try to get the truck running today so as to buy me some time.

[burdizzos]

 

Lookswise, I'm digging the Honda Element and the Toyota Scion Xb. For some reason, I like the boxy design. I'm gonna try to get the truck running today so as to buy me some time.

 

 

Cool, that makes the most sense.

 

Check out the Ford Freestyles, they can be had used with less than 30,000 miles for under $18K. My wife has one and it is a damned nice ride. Wih responsible interstate driving, it will get over 25 mpg.