Where's the Hybrids!

What you said is not at all true. We have not attacked any country for oil.

Oh excuse me, it was for WMD's (snicker).

The fact is though that we really need to develop this sort of technology to become more energy independant. That is why I responded to this, and I applaud any company that goes in this direction. We have a 2003 Sante Fe which we love but I'm in the market now for a second car which will probably be a Toyota Prius. I hope Hyundai will develop similar cars ...and I would consider them as I am very impressed with Hyundai quality.

But unfortunately, this does all tie in with politics. China and India (1/3 of the world population) are rapidly developing. Their energy needs are going to skyrocket soon. Oil prices will do the same. The more energy independant we are, the better.

Don

At the Petersen Car Museum in Los Angeles I saw an unrestored gas/electric hybrid car that was manuafactured in 1918.

Old_Timer

Better mileage than what? If you mean better than an Accent, you're dreaming! Thats' not even remotely possible.

Well, if is saves you so much money on other things, what are you complaining about?

How often do you carry more than four people, or more than two, for that matter? Asmall car, a trailer hitch and a cheap utility trailer costs a lot less than an SUV, hauls more stuff and gets better gas mileage when you're not hauling the trailer.

Who said anything about a Hyundai hybrid for '05? I haven't heard about anything coming out this year.

Boy do they stink & majority of them have black smoke out the tailpipe.

Diesel fuel is $.30 more a gallon than 98 Octane!

What a joke HONDA has. They advertise a hybrid but it get 29 mpg???? As the salesman attempted to explain their pantented hybrid technology he stated the gas engine is ALWAYS RUNNING!

Our deaership manager still states the MG is due out in a few months to replace the Accent, then the hybrid Tucson will follow for 2006. Santa Fe will not be hybrid.

A friend has had a Toyota Prius for about 6 months. He keeps pretty meticulous records and uses it on the job, so he puts a lot of miles on it. He says he's been getting about 52 mpg. His last trip was to go skiing so there was considerable climbing too.

Don

If you actually sit down and do the math, figuring the increased cost of the car and fuel vs. the improved mileage, you'll probably find that it will take you in excess of 10 years to actually save any money.

One thing that people lose sight of in all this hybrid craze is that whether buying a hybrid is a good idea from an economic standpoint or not depends on your current automotive situation. If you definitely need a new car - because your current car is worn out or you need an additional vehicle - buying a hybrid makes sense. However, if you have a functioning car that gets reasonable gas mileage and has a few years of life left in it, getting rid of it and buying a hybrid is unlikely to save you any money, due to the high cost of the initial purchase. If you're the type of person who regularly turns their cars over every few years, you're used to wasting money so you may as well go for it. ;-)

thats your look / view what ever u call it i guess =) i just dont like paying for unexpected car repairs id rather have new every

The friend with the Prius is in Boston ...pretty chilly there.

Don

Leasing is the most expensive way to "own" a car. It ranks right up there with buying and trading in every 2-3 years. Essentially, you're paying for the cost of the car's depreciation during the years when it depreciates the most. The reason that car companies push leasing is because that's where they make the most money. While leasing makes sense for businesses, it rarely makes economic sense for an individual.

Nothing personal, but it seems a bit odd to me to quibble over a few bucks in fuel costs when you're throwing away thousands of dollars due to your choice of ownership method.

If you're truly interested in saving money, the best way is to buy a car that's 2-3 years old and keep it until it's worn out. Second best is to buy a new car and keep it until it's worn out. By "worn out", I mean that the cost of repairs exceeds the value of the vehicle. With reasonable maintenance, that can easily be ten years and 150,000 miles or more.

I'm generalizing here and perhaps you're in a special situation that creates a different need. There are some good books available that explain this in greater detail and help you decide what ownership method makes the most sense for your situation, and how to negotiate the best deal. The "classic" text on the subject is Remar Sutton's book, "Don't get Taken Every Time". The few bucks you spend on the book will save you thousands.

It's not mine at all, it's simply what I've learned from experts in the field who know much more about it than I do.

So in order to avoid paying for repairs that may never happen, you're paying more for your cars up front, EVERY time, by getting rid of them while they still have a lot of life left?

Please don't take this personally, as I don't intend it that way. I didn't realize this either until I read the book I referred to in the other post above (many years ago) and some other materials that corroborated it. Although it's possible that you may avoid a costly repair once in a while, on balance, it's much more expensive to turn your cars over prematurely. The fact that you're hanging onto them for 5 years rather than 2 or 3 mitigates that somewhat, but it's still not the most economical way to own, especially considering the durability of modern vehicles. Please don't take my word for it; check it out for yourself. There are a lot of good references on the subject.