Quote:
Originally Posted by jyl
Don't be confused about the difference between a solar-powered car and a gas/electric hybrid.
And don't be confused about the difference between a Geo Metro and a car that you'd actually want to own. (I notice I haven't heard that you're driving a Metro.)
Well, be confused if you like. I don't really care. If it makes people feel better about their $100 fill-ups, they can be as confused as they want . . .
For me, in the real-world, the car gets up to 2X better MPG as the other cars we considered buying, for a similar purchase price, and to date almost zero depreciation and utter reliability.
If its a gimmick, give me more like it.
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The problem as I see it is that the hybrids are selling at a $12k premium around here lately and the mileage on comparable conventional cars is almost as good (difference in MSRP is almost $8k and they are marking up the hybrids big time).
Take a civic hybrid. Expensive. Close to $28,000 in so Cal. A regular civic with the same trim level is closer to $16k.
A regular hybrid is much cheaper, will hold it's resale almost as well and still gets good mileage.
If a regular civic is getting 35 mpg and a hybrid is getting 45 mpg, you have to burn up allot of gas to justify the $12k difference in purchase price.
Break-even point is probably long after the car is gone unless you drive a crapload of miles every year.
If ther hybrid was a $2500 option it'd be a no brainer but for the serious bank they are asking for one, a hybrid doesn't make sense to me at all.
If I werer that worried about gas mileage I'd buy one of those new toyota yaris sedans for $13k and get 30 mpg before I'd spend $28k on a new prius.