Hybrid cars?

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Cathlete
My pickup truck is about to roll over to 200,000 miles! It's been a good truck, and when I got it 10 years ago, I really needed the hauling capacity.

But I expect it's time to start looking for a new automobile. I really need something with good gas mileage - my round-trip commute is about 100 miles. So, I'm looking at Hybrids. The two I'm considering are the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic.

Does anybody have any experience with these models, especially for long distance driving? I know the hybrids do better in town and at low speeds, where they can make more use of the battery system. So, would it be worth it for me to get one? I hardly do any in town driving!

Thanks in advance!
 
I'm really interested in this post too! I've heard some mixed advice on whether hybrids are actually worth it.
 
>I've heard some mixed advice on whether hybrids are actually worth it.

I think whether or not they are "worth it" depends on your reasons for buying a hybrid. If you want to save money on gas, then they may or may not be worth it, because they do cost more upfront - if you'd only keep the car a couple years before trading it in, then you wouldn't see the break-even point. If you kept the car for several years, I think you'd definitely see the break-even point (especially with the way gas prices are going these days).

However, there are other reasons to buy hybrid besides saving money on gas. For me, I really like the environmental aspect of a hybrid. It would be worth it TO ME to pay a little extra for super-low emissions - I like to help do my part for the environment and clean air. :)

With that said, I don't even have a hybrid... YET. I'm still driving my Honda Civic (which gets 38 mpg on average, and is a LEV - so it's not a bad car by any means), and plan to keep driving it till it gives up the ghost. THEN I will get a hybrid. :) That could be a while, and who knows what kinds of hybrid cars will be available then? I really like the Toyota Prius right now, but I'm sure even better things will come along down the road...

Just my $0.02. :)
 
Another regular Civic driver here. I was considering the Hybrid, but even w/ the amount of driving I do, I would have to have the car more than 11 years before I'd come out ahead money wise. :-(
 
I have a Prius and I can say that I love the car. I fill the gas tank and it only costs around $20. The engineering of the car is terrific. I love the back up camera, keyless entry and roominess of the vehicle. I feel like I'm doing something for the environment while driving a fun car. This is my favorite car that I have ever driven. If I had it to do over again I would have purchased the navigational system...but I just got VZ navigator put on my phone and that works as well. The bluetooth in the car makes it easy to conduct business while driving with the touch screen. GREAT CAR any way you look at it.
 
DH and I bought a used 2005 Toyota Prius in June of 2007 and have been VERY happy with it. It gets excellent gas mileage (we routinely get over 430 miles per tank of gas, however, in the winter, as with all cars in cold weather you experience reduced gas mileage, but it's still excellent).

With the Prius we have noticed that the gas mileage is better on long trips (highway driving), than in the stop and go of town driving. While you're right that the battery system engages at speeds of approx. 40 mph and under, when you accelerate and deccelerate often the gas engine engages. There is a method of "coasting" at these speeds (you can find info. about this online), that uses the minimum amount of the gas engine. Some guys supposedly took their Prius for a 1200 mile trip in one tank of gas :)

The dual engine system in the Prius is not gas only at high speeds and electric only at low speeds, for example, if while driving at high speeds you start to go down hill or ease off the gas at any time, the gas engine will switch off, and the electric engine battery will charge. The car actually goes virtually silent and enters "stealth mode." ;) Which is kind of fun. At these times the onboard computer that is constantly calculating and displaying the both the current mileage you are getting and the total mileage for the trip, will show you that you are getting 99.9 mpg. The onboard computer system just rocks btw.

We've been nothing but happy with our purchase and because we bought the Prius used from a smaller, independent dealer we ended with a GREAT deal. If you have any other questions please let me know!

Mattea:7
 
Hi Shannon,

My husband has a Prius, too, and just loves it! He actually does mostly freeway driving since he commutes about 35 miles each way to work, and the gas mileage has been great. Another couple we know each have a Prius, and they love theirs, too.

HTH!:)
 
I haven't read the other posts but thought I'd give you my opinion. My parents own a Prius and they love it. My dad uses it for his daily use and they have used it numerous times for long road trips (8+) hours and they do like it a lot.
 
Hey everyone, thanks! I love all the great reviews on the Prius. That's kind of what I've been leaning toward.

Did it take you a while to get used to the weird dashboard? It seems like all the stuff (speedometer, etc.) is arranged completely different from any other vehicle I've seen.
 
May I suggest a non-hybrid car that is great on gas mileage:

A Volkswagen Jetta Diesel (TDI I think is the model).

My sister has one and they get 50 miles to the gallon. And when deisel fuel costs less than regular gas, added bonus!

No higher up front costs either.

Just a thought.
 
If you are worried about environmental footprint then DON'T buy a hybrid. The manufacturing and disposal at end of life are worse than that of a standard vehicle.

Theres two major reasons vehicle batteries are sent overseas for recycling and disposal, EPA and OSHA. Apparently doing the job the right isn't cost effective. But I guess as long as its NIMBY it doesn't matter.
 
I don't have either, but I DO have a Ford Escape hybrid I like a bunch. I love that it's 4 wheel drive and still gets good mileage. I'm not to the point where I need/want anything smaller yet, (hauling dogs, kids and multiple trips to Home Depot etc) so it suits my needs just fine.
:)
Valerie
 
My DH is a Ford mechanic, and when he works on the Hybrids, he has to put up all of these barriers and attach a warning sign not to cross, as it could lead to unwanted electrocution. He also has to wear special non-conductive gloves to protect himself. They also had to train his co-works on what to do if he ever gets zapped. I worry about him working on them!! Luckily, they don't seem to be coming in to be fixed very often. If they ever have a major recall on them, I'll have to have my DH up his life insurance;) .
 
Shannon,
I thought it would take a long time to get used to a Prius. It didn't. It just took maybe one day. It is arranged so you can drive it intuitively. In most ways it is quite a bit easier to drive than other cars....keyless entry and start is a really fun benefit. When your hands are loaded it is nice to keep your key in your purse, press the button and off you go. The back-up camera makes moving in reverse easier than ever. The Prius' size makes parking easier also. All in all I would say that driving a Prius is easier not harder than other vehicles.

Another advantage to the vehicle is it's roominess. My husband is quite tall (6'4 1/2") and there is enough room in it for him. The back seat goes down so you can haul things. It is so well engineered. I have not had any problem with mine and it is a 2006. It is my favorite car I have driven.
 
I also have a 10 year old Pick-up. Because I am used to the extra room for hauling stuff we went with the Ford Escape 2 wheel drive. It is not as good on gas milage as the Prius but then it is a small SUV. We have had it for about 2 years and no problems. I get about 30 to 32 MPG driving in town. I keep the back seats folded up and love the extra room for taking my dogs with me and hauling odd sized stuff. I still would love to have a new full size truck as that is what I have always driven from my days of having horses but alas no horses or livestock now and gas is so expensive and it is easier to zip around in a smaller vehicle.

Susan N
 
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