# Is your future hybrid cost effective? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 28, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316 "2008-07-28T01:05:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/1 "2008-07-28T01:05:14Z")
Hey everyone, thought this was interesting. Not all hybrids are worth going green. So, is going green worth it? The answer, as you may have learned by now, is that it all depends on what car you’re buying. The key is to choose wisely, consider your options carefully, and always take time to do the math. Check out this chart for specifics on how hybrids compare to their conventional versions. Hybrid Average MPG Price Premium for Hybrid Version Annual Gas Savings Years to Pay Off Mercury Mariner 32.2 $1,770 $801 2.2 Ford Escape 32.2 $2,740 $581 4.7 Lexus RX 400h 25.65 $4,180 $641 6.5 Saturn VUE 28.15 $4,120 $593 6.9 Nissan Altima 34.1 $6,860 $926 7.4 Toyota Highlander 26.1 $6,700 $616 10.8 Toyota Camry 33.45 $6,630 $575 11.5 Honda Civic 42.25 $7,590 $624 12.1 GMC Yukon 21.45 $14,700 $920 15.9 Chevrolet Tahoe 21.45 $14,960 $920 16.2 Saturn Aura 27.6 $3,495 $175 20 Chevrolet Malibu 27.6 $3,995 $175 22.8 [http://aut…J0aC1pdA–](http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/614/is-going-green-worth-it;_ylc=X3oDMTFhcW1jMmU1BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRvZGF5BHNsawNncmVlbi13b3J0aC1pdA--) ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/2 "2008-07-28T03:34:29Z")
Don’t know about the rest of the numbers, but the Camry hybrid is not $6600 more than an equivalent non-hybrid. It’s much faster than the 4cyl, with more standard equipment, so anaylsis is faulty. ---
**Author:** ![HybridFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@HybridFan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/HybridFan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 6:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/3 "2008-07-28T06:31:54Z")
Fuel cost savings is certainly one fact to consider. Two other substantial components of total cost of ownership are depreciation and service costs. Some hybrids are very good in the former and also save some in the latter. Edmunds has a TCO calculator that is useful, after you correct their unreasonable depreciation values. You can find rasonable ones elsewhere on their web site. Odd, eh? DAS ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/4 "2008-07-28T14:42:34Z")
This is one of those stupid biased analysis. YES the Camry hybrid IS $6000 more then the BASE Camry. But the Camry hybrid comes fully loaded. The Base Camry accounts for less then 20% of ALL Camry sales. If you compare a fully loaded Camry to a fully loaded Camry hybrid then the cost difference is only about $900. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/5 "2008-07-28T14:47:58Z")
Exactly, and this analysis also doesn’t account for the higher resale value (you’d make money on a 2 year old Prius, I’d bet). Only with hybrids is the ‘cost’ put under this kind of a microscope. When’s the last time the value of, say, a nav system, big wheels, or a stereo was analyzed in this way? ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/6 "2008-07-28T23:13:20Z")
I’d rather have a diesel than a hybrid ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/7 "2008-07-29T00:07:57Z")
IMHO fuel costs is a secondary or even tertiary consideration when making an automobile purchase based on financials. The primary considerations should be depreciation and insurance costs. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/8 "2008-07-30T00:39:44Z")
This is one of those stupid biased analysis. I agree, things like this can say whatever the gatherer wants to say, but I thought it was worth perusing. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/9 "2008-07-30T00:42:10Z")
I would also, anybody ever put a $3000 battery in a diesel? ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/10 "2008-07-30T14:00:00Z")
For my type of driving and the fact that I need a vehicle for towing…I would LOVE a diesel. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-your-future-hybrid-cost-effective/17316/11 "2008-07-30T14:01:04Z")
Anyone ever put a $3000 battery in a Hybrid?? First off the cost of those batteries have come down…and second…they are very very reliable.