Or any other high mileage car? Gas prices are down significantly, and have dropped more than 25% in the last 2 weeks. Why wait several months and pay thousands more for a new Prius when you can get a midsize or larger car or truck at a big discount and take delivery immediately?
That line of reasoning would make perfect sense if fuel prices remained at the current level for many years. However, since it is inevitable that gas and diesel fuel will creep up again in price (and, in fact, could be back to their previous price levels in 9 months or so), I believe that it still behooves anyone interested in thrift to buy a fuel-efficient car.
While a hybrid only makes sense for those who do mostly or entirely urban driving, a non-hybrid fuel efficient car that is kept for 7-10 years will pay its owner back royally, IMHO, whereas the person who is lured by current discounts on large-displacement gas hogs will likely be kicking himself in a few months and will keep kicking himself every time he fills the tank over the next 7-10 years.
Everyone but me. I will keep the old car and let others keep the prices down.
First off…why would you buy a truck if you’re looking for a car?? Second…I hate to tell you this, but the Prius isn’t the ONLY hybrid out there. There are several mid-size hybrids and even larger like the Lexus. Third…I suggest you really look at the price of a Hybrid. Lets compare a Hybrid Camry or Honda Civic. Yes the BASE model Camry or Civic IS thousands less then the hybrid…HOWEVER…if you really look at it…the Camry or Civic hybrid’s are fully loaded cars. When you compare a fully loaded (gas) Camry with a hybrid the cost difference is less then $1200. For the Civic it’s less then $1000.
And 4th…A hybrid is NOT for everyone. If you drive 20k miles or more and most of your driving is NOT highway AND you plan on keeping the vehicle for several years then buying a hybrid could be a very wise decision. Even if gas prices go down it’ll still save you money in the long run. And as prices (which they will) the savings could be significant.
Why would you not want to get the max. mileage out of your vehicle no matter what your lifestyle or vehicle might be? Hybrids are good vehicles for the right person and/or family, not mine but for plenty others.
Gas prices are down significantly, and have dropped more than 25% in the last 2 weeks.
Ah, they have succeeded in conditioning you to think $3.00 a gallon is a good deal. Raise the price high from one point, then drop it somewhere in the middle of the two points and plenty of people think it’s a good deal even though it’s still to high.
You’re right, there’s no need (and never was there a need) to wait months and pay a premium. That makes no economic sense. Which means that in a month or two it could be the ideal time to buy a hybrid. Demand will be down, supply will be up, and discounts will be back. Most forget that, right before the current price runup, you could get factory cash back on a Prius!
You should buy what you want and what you need. Fuel economy is only one aspect of it. If you need a truck then buy a truck. If you need a comfortable car that will carry a number of passengers and luggage, then there is nothing wrong with a standard car getting 30-35 MPG. I’m not a hybrid fan because they are such single and limited use vehicles for the cost. Only really best in town in traffic in mild climates IMHO. Just the place where a bus or a bike fits. Same thing if you buy a $30,000 truck to pull the boat a couple times a month.
I can remember when gas was 17? a gallon. Gas is not cheap and is never going to be cheap again. It is funny, but just a year or two ago people would be screaming about fuel prices if they were what they are today. The prices have been going up for a long time, that is not going to stop now, it is only going to get higher.
There is a simple reason to conserve fuel. When demand increases, so will the price. Using less fuel helps keep the price low for everybody.
You know, hybrids aren’t the only fuel efficient cars on the road.
A new vehicle will last 10-15 years. Use $4-$5/gallon for fuel cost for the life of the vehicle to decide on what type and size you want.
As others point out, basing a vehicle purchase on today’s gas prices is very foolish. Just because the whole world is now in a recession does not mean that will last forever, and world oil supplies are still not increasing as fast as consumption.
How does the old saying go? Those that ignore the past are doomed to repeat it. Americans have always been shortsighted. We ignored the first warning signs over 30 years ago and were lulled into a sense of security. Now we have seen the next big red flag and yet, the minute the price abates even marginally, people will start reverting back to their old ways. Rose colored glasses are on sale at WalMart…
Can’t agree more. The other thing…people are now brainwashed into thinking that $3.00/gal is GOOD. A year ago we all screamed when gas went to over $3. Now were happy that it’s come down to $3. We should ALL conserve as much as we can. I’m NOT saying we all should go out and buy Priuses…But when you purchase a vehicle…one factor you should consider is gas mileage. I’ve been doing that for 30 years…ever since the FIRST gas crisis.
Bought my '06 Ford Escape hybrid 10/2005 because after driving both the v6 and the hybrid I like the handling and power of the hybrid much more. Oh, and by the way, if I want good mileage, it’s there for the asking.
I have been test driving/pricing new vehicles for the past 3 months. We ended up purchasing a Toyota Prius. The only vehicles that compared to the Prius in size and quality that we looked at were the Chevy Malibu, Honda Civic, maybe Ford Fusion class. All but the Fusion were more expensive with the Fusion being within $2K of the Prius. Have driven it for 1500 miles, getting 50+ miles per gallon average. By the end of the year that $2K will have been recouped. Received the vehicle two weeks after I told the dealer that I wanted one… no waiting, unless you call two weeks a “wait”. I was a skeptic on the performance of hybrids, but I love driving this car.
First you seem to be looking a matter of weeks or at best months ahead and owning a car usually is measured in years. Over the years the price of gas is likely to increase, very likely to higher prices than you have seen,
Second, no matter what the price of gas, it still is expensive and why not have a car that uses less?
Last, why hybrid? Hybrids often get better mileage, but there are other solutions. My car gets about 50mpg city and 60 highway and it is not a hybrid. For some drivers (highway use) hybrids offer little advantage. We live in a world of increasing fuel prices. Fuel used to heat your home or power your transportation is going to go up. It would be wise to think long term, and choose jobs, home locations, home design etc all with that in mind.
Hybrids IMHO are for people seeking transportation as an appliance. Yes great fuel economy but otherwise they have do not have a remote hint of interesting to drive and disengage the driver. I have driven the following hybrids Camry, Prius, Civic. Maybe the Altima or Accord are better? blech…
Avid hybrid owners might, on the other hand, say that to get the best mileage you have to be very involved in the driving, using specific techniques to maximize the value of the hybrid drive train. A different kind of ‘fun’, I guess.
And I’m most disappointed that the Altima Hybrid is not available in TX - it seems the best combination of good mileage and decent driving performance.
What does this have to do with what I asked? It’s all insignificant, peripheral drivel.
The Prius is an example. I’ll get tired listing any other car in the good gas mileage class. And there really is a $2000 premium, and probably a 6 month wait, too.
Anyway, I was just having a bit of fun. I wanted to see how everyone would react to such a startling suggestion. I’m still driving my Accord and have no intentions of changing. But I really will like the $600,000,000,000 tax break from lower fuel prices. Won’t you?
it is true that you have to use different driving techniques to maximize the mpg. But I don’t. My 06 Escape hybrid only gets 26 mpg when driving absolutely normal, pedal to the metal, keep up with all the other traffic practices but I love the way it handles and it’s get-up-and-go power under these conditions.