Parents are looking for a hybrid now

[Maximus_NSX]

My parents have finally had enough of high gas prices and want a hybrid. They are leaning toward the Prius. Are there any better cars out there? I hear the demand for the Prius is crazy and the prices reflect it as well. Does anyone have any leads on good deals on the Prius in the Bay Area? Thanks.

 

[lazynok]

All I can say is buy a Prius with the carpool sticker on it... I feel sad for people without them.. sitting in traffic.. while a ton of Priuses rush by us in the carpool lane driving alone.

 

[ChopsJazz]

What will they use it for primarily? I have an Insight and I love it. I average between 65 and 70 mpg on the highway and 55 to 60 in the city. But it is only a two-seater, so family trips are out of the question. It does, however, have a surprising ability to hold a lot of cargo.
Honda stopped making them in '06, but a neighbor of mine just managed to find a used one at a good price.

 

[EuroBoutique]

Unless you are buying a used Prius for the carpool sticker, go for it otherwise I don't see the advantages at all, do the math!

For the extra premium you pay for a Prius you won't see any savings until like 5-6 years after the fact. We too were looking for a hybrid but I highly suggest you go look at a Honda Fit. 31/37 mpg, huge carrying load and a 2007 used one with 20k miles can be had for $14k fully loaded.

Of course you can't drive in the carpool lane but that is the only drawback.


btw, on 680 the other day I saw a new Prius (no plates) and this guy used scotch tape of all things to tape a fake carpool sticker near the trunklid. If you are going to fake it at least make it look REAL - shiet what an idiot!


rk

 

[Maximus_NSX]

My parents have a few cars and are sick of their gas guzzlers. They just want the car primarily for going shopping or visiting me (they live in El Dorado Hills, near Sac). I'm going to look at the Civic hybrid, Prius and a few other cars later this week. Thanks guys.

 

[NSXrunner]

Just an FYI, one thing folks forget is if they hang on to their Hybrids long enough. Battery replacement can be a big chunk of change if it ever needs replacement. This cost can nullify some of the savings in fuel. This is why I went with a Honda Fit. Just something to think about....

 

[Litespeeds]

My parents have a few cars and are sick of their gas guzzlers. They just want the car primarily for going shopping or visiting me (they live in El Dorado Hills, near Sac). I'm going to look at the Civic hybrid, Prius and a few other cars later this week. Thanks guys.

If they are not looking for a car for commuting, then I would recommend a regular Honda Civic or Fit or a Toyota Corolla or Yaris. Probably not the kind of cars your parents are use to driving but if they are concerned about gas prices, you are going to have to go with a compact car.

I recently bought a 1993 Honda Del Sol Si with a SOHC VTEC 1.5 motor which I am getting around 33 mpg overall. Not trying to drive it conservatively but I think I should be able to get around 35 overall if I didn't use the AC all the time.

My wife has a 2005 Civic Hybrid with carpool stickers and loves it because she has to cross the Bay Bridge every day during the week. We are averaging overall after 3 years and 50K miles, a great 43.5mpg.

 

[NSX GT]

Sang

How did it turn out Monday? Which Honda Model did you get? Shoot, gas is going up every day. I was thinking about purchasing a stock 92 CRX Si ($1600.00) from a soon to be mother @ the local 7-11. She was surprised by my high offer.

 

[BATMANs]

Unless gas prices are $8/gal and/or ur folks are doing alot of city driving, u won't see much financial gain, if any from a hybrid.

Get a regular Civic. Cheaper, lighter.

 

[Litespeeds]

Just heard on the news that gas prices will stay in the $4-$4.50 range for the next year. Might hit $5 during the Summer months but it's not going to get any cheaper any time soon.

Everyone has to remember that sometimes buying a commuter car for the better gas mileage really isn't the way to go because you will have to pay extra for car insurance, registration, depreciation and sometimes the lack of comfort.

If you do the math, it doesn't make sense why people are buying up the hybrids just to try and save money on fuel when they pay that premium up front. I guess in the long run it could save you but let's take a look at this.

Most people say that it will take between 4-5 years to recoupe the additional cost from a regular Civic to a Civic Hybrid but what if after 6 years you have to replace the batteries and say it cost you $2500, then you are back in the negative again for a few more years so in reality, without a car pool sticker that you can benefit using from now till 1/2011, there really isn't a good reason to buy a hybrid for an average driver. My 2 cents.

 

[NMYMIRR]

Just heard on the news that gas prices will stay in the $4-$4.50 range for the next year. Might hit $5 during the Summer months but it's not going to get any cheaper any time soon.

Everyone has to remember that sometimes buying a commuter car for the better gas mileage really isn't the way to go because you will have to pay extra for car insurance, registration, depreciation and sometimes the lack of comfort.

If you do the math, it doesn't make sense why people are buying up the hybrids just to try and save money on fuel when they pay that premium up front. I guess in the long run it could save you but let's take a look at this.

Most people say that it will take between 4-5 years to recoupe the additional cost from a regular Civic to a Civic Hybrid but what if after 6 years you have to replace the batteries and say it cost you $2500, then you are back in the negative again for a few more years so in reality, without a car pool sticker that you can benefit using from now till 1/2011, there really isn't a good reason to buy a hybrid for an average driver. My 2 cents.

I totally agree with with Sidney on this. I was also considering buying a Hybrid, but after weighing out the difference it just doesn't make too much sense, maybe if you're thinking short term upfront fuel cost. God forbid if the battery ever goes out on a Hybrid. I was told it could cost serveral thousand to replace/repair, so there goes what you thought you were going to save in the long run. The only way I would consider buying a Hybrid now, is if there was one as cheap as or comparable in price of a regular all gasoline powered vehicle would cost

 

[PeterM]

i don't see what the craze for hybrids are about...

diesel automobiles have been getting those mpg for ages. also due to the gas prices, i just picked up an 81' vw rabbit diesel and it needs tuning. even with the enging running a bit funny, i'm getting close to 40mpg. once dad and i finish working on this sucker should do close to 50 and the bio-diesel conversion is on the way. it's another alternative to hybrids...also, there's no need to smog a diesel ever.

 

[BATMANs]

There was some report that floated around that stated greater pollution and use of resources than the Hummer.

Think about it:

Batteries
and 2 engines

 

[JeffShoots]

There was some report that floated around that stated greater pollution and use of resources than the Hummer.

Think about it:

Batteries
and 2 engines

Bat,
That's why I still DD the H1 but I do need help pulling that little pus$....prius thing out of my front grill

 

[Cairo94507]

Look, I have had a Prius since January 2005, it is a '05 loaded. I now have 87K on it and have never had a single problem with the car. The car has been to the dealer twice, both for quick fix technical service bulletin issues that took like 20 minutes to correct. The car is not due for service until 100K. I do oil and filter every 5K, rotate tires every 5K, air and cabin filters every 20K and the thing runs perfect. Now I have done some mods to make it more distinctive, but I do that for all of my cars. The mods are as follows:

TRD sport suspension (lowered it 1" and stiffened it up a bit"
chassis stiffening plate
strut tower brace
larger rear sway bar
leather interior
heated seats
17"x 7.5" Ray's Gram Lite wheels
HID driving light upgrade
clear bra
tinted (lightly) windows
Carpool stickers (of course)
XM radio
Shark fin antenna which serves a radio antenna and covers the XM antenna

Anyway, I drive the car like a regular car, I make good time where ever I go. I run through the canyons pretty quickly and regularly go about 70-75 on the freeway. With all that I regularly get 45 MPG.
For me the better mileage is nice but it is more about sending a message that I am tired of people relying upon gas hog cars for daily drivers and having to send tons of money to the oil companies. We need to send a message to the American auto manufacturers that we are done accepting the junk they make. It my already be to late for them however. What a shame they didn't wake up back in the early 70's when we had the first gas shortage- remember that? I sat in those lines as a young driver.

 

[JeffShoots]

.........Anyway, I drive the car like a regular car, I make good time where ever I go. I run through the canyons pretty quickly and regularly go about 70-75 on the freeway. With all that I regularly get 45 MPG.
For me the better mileage is nice but it is more about sending a message that I am tired of people relying upon gas hog cars for daily drivers and having to send tons of money to the oil companies. We need to send a message to the American auto manufacturers that we are done accepting the junk they make. ...........

Funny you admit it. I get Prius FLYING be me all the time.

I don't know what "message" you want the car companies to get? They can't evan make the batteries than run your car in America the chemicals are illegal here.

In a wreck it takes a special clean up crew to pick up that tin can :smile:

 

[ChopsJazz]

God forbid if the battery ever goes out on a Hybrid. I was told it could cost serveral thousand to replace/repair, so there goes what you thought you were going to save in the long run.

All states mandate a 10-year/150K mile warranty on batteries.