ot-anyone have a hybrid

gtc08 · Apr 24, 2008

i got a tiburon, 98 with 111,000 miles on it. im going to drive it until it dies. gets decent gas mileage.

now im not like some people who are obsessed with driving around in a 35,000-40,000 car that depreciates the second it leaves the lot. what i care about most is gas mileage, comfort. i dont need to go 0-60 in 2 seconds, and i dont need 400 horsepower.

if anyone has any advice on some used or cheap new hybrids that are comfortable, id appreciate if you could give me some suggestions. the only thing ive seen that looks intruging are the toyotas so far.

shdw01 · Apr 24, 2008

not sure what you mean by cheap but from what I hear, the Prius is by far the best hybrid. It is designed and built solely for fuel efficiency.

Doug · Apr 24, 2008

I don't think you could get one cheap, as in like 5-10k used.

mr21 · Apr 24, 2008

The money you save on gas mileage driving a hybrid is basically a push when you factor in the higher sticker cost and a few thousand dollars to replace the batteries down the road. Environmentally, they may be worse because of the battery disposal.

I would recommend looking at something like a Civic DX which should get you around 35 mpg (also very cheap to insure and maintain). The Toyota Corolla is also a very nice economical car.

Brock Landers · Apr 24, 2008

i had a hyundai Sonata as a rental car on my last trip, that thing got over 30 MPG. It was impressive to me.

shdw01 · Apr 24, 2008

mr21 said:
The money you save on gas mileage driving a hybrid is basically a push when you factor in the higher sticker cost and a few thousand dollars to replace the batteries down the road. Environmentally, they may be worse because of the battery disposal.

I would recommend looking at something like a Civic DX which should get you around 35 mpg (also very cheap to insure and maintain). The Toyota Corolla is also a very nice economical car.

This is exactly what the non-hybrid dealer (Acura) was telling us when we were mentioning possibly a hybrid. OP doesn't factor environment so I guess that aspect is moot. But I think some hybrids now are including their battery with the extended warranty. That can be a big plus....I have to think 5-7 years down the road those batteries will cost less.

The other "negative" was that those puppies are basically entirely lined with batteries. Very bad for disposal but if you get into a car accident, your car can turn into a big electrical unit and touching anything can shock the shit out of you. Firefighters have special procedures for hybrid/electric cars....they can't just bust in the jaws of life so if you are severly hurt, you will have to wait a few extra steps in your hybrid.

nascarphenom · Apr 24, 2008

I work in the wholesale/retail car business.

There is no such thing as a cheap hybrid, or really any 4 cyl car anymore. We have to pay top dollar wholesale to even think about getting one to sell retail....the demand is out the roof right now with todays gas prices. If the seller is smart, they can sell it for kelly blue book or more.

Last fall we couldnt GIVE away hybrids...nobody wanted one....now we cant buy em!

as stated before, Pruis makes the best hybrid.

A great alternative is the Pontiac Vibe. 27/34 MPG. You can still find them 7-10G. ***Pontiac Vibe was actually made by Toyota!!! Great product***

gtc08 · Apr 24, 2008

nascar, any opinion on the civic hybrid?

Doug · Apr 24, 2008

mr21 said:
The money you save on gas mileage driving a hybrid is basically a push when you factor in the higher sticker cost and a few thousand dollars to replace the batteries down the road. Environmentally, they may be worse because of the battery disposal.

I would recommend looking at something like a Civic DX which should get you around 35 mpg (also very cheap to insure and maintain). The Toyota Corolla is also a very nice economical car.

I don't know how the batteries perform. Here's a comparison:

100k miles ( battery life ?)

35mpg car needs 2857 gallons
55 mpg hybrid ( too high mpg ?) needs 1818 gallons

1039 gallons saved at $4 a gallon ( too low ?) saves $4156

It does seem to be not enough savings given higher purchase price, battery replacement, and possibly a less proven car.

shdw01 · Apr 24, 2008

I have been against the hybrids because I can't get past the additional costs.

But I will say if gas continues to skyrocket, these puppies will become more and more worth the price.

FWIW, I have no idea how gas isn't 5x more expensive than it is now (considering the rise in oil the last 10 years, gas has barely even doubled)

CalvinTy · Apr 24, 2008

I am on my 2nd Prius, and I feel that the fuel savings and tax credit (previously a deduction) equal out the additional hybrid-related costs. In some ways, it is harder to compare apples to apples because Toyota doesn't have a non-hybrid Prius so we don't know how much difference in cost it *really is*. However, the number $2K-$3K has been thrown out on the wall as the extra cost of a hybrid.

In that case, as I read somewhere a few years ago, a hybrid would make up the differences in around the 3rd year if you are capable of getting the full tax credit (with old fuel prices 2 years ago or such).

With my 2004 Prius, I had a $2,000 tax deduction (translating to probably $500 in tax credit, a wild guess) to report on my tax return. Then with my better 2006 Prius --loaded with options-- I got the full $3,150 tax credit.

If the Prius only costs $3,150 more than a comparable car because of its hybrid parts, then the fuel savings of at least 10-15 MPG better is what makes it a good value.

Even a conservative number of "only 10 MPG better" than another car, that's $30-$35 saved every 10 gallons, which is usually the full tank for a Prius.

* CalvinTy

docmercer · Apr 25, 2008

mr21 said:
The money you save on gas mileage driving a hybrid is basically a push

With gas doubling in price in the last couple years, that math is a bit subjective.

ot-anyone have a hybrid

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