Who has a hybrid car?

Question

Tell me about it. What are the advantages/disadvantages? Gas Mileage? Any issues?

Answer 1

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius.
Advantages -
Average 52 mpg, reliable, no more expensive to maintain than a gasoline engine car.

Disadvantages - Slow as molasses from a stop.

Overall, definitely worth the purchase.

2 things to note -
1) Don't let anyone tell you that they batteries for the hybrid will die in 3-5 years and you will have to pay a fortune to replace it. Since 2001, when the Prius was introduced, zero batteries have had to be replaced (ZERO).

2) With gas at $3 a gallon, it you only need to keep the car for about 4 years now (with average driving) for the gas to offset the difference in price.

Answer 2

I own a 2007 Prius. The only disadvantage is the higher initial cost. However, a hybrid will make up for the initial cost in about 5 years:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/08/22/bc.autos.hybrids.reut/index.html

depending on the hybrid, the car you're comparing it to, and how much you drive. So if you pay for the car with a 5 year loan, your gas savings will make up for the higher monthly payment, and after 5 years you'll be saving money.

I get about 50 mpg in both city and highway driving. It handles great, is very roomy and comfortable, and has a cool dashboard computer. I can fit 2 bicycles inside with the back seats down because it's a hatchback. It's also very reliable. The Prius is also the greenest car on the planet:

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL2733658020070727?feedType=RSS

At this point there's really no good reason to choose a non-hybrid over a hybrid.

Answer 3

I do, it is a 1991 Chrysler LeBaron Premium LX. It is a mix of old parts and new parts, does that qualify as hybrid. It does get 27~30 MPG, and has ALL the creature comforts, and tons of GLH factor (Go Like Heck). Best of all, I have NO car payment, and the insurance is very inexpensive!

It also has a great sound system. The exterior color is Black Cherry Pearl, the interior is Burgundy leather w/ mahogany trim work and matching leather inlays in the doors and dashboard panels. It is a great "personal luxury car".


If you look at the "carbon footprint" of any given vehicle, you must also look at what it took to manufacture the vehicle. It makes less of a carbon footprint to make a high mpg regular vehicle (Toyota Echo, or Nissan Versa) than it does to make a hybrid version of the same car.

Even though the carbon footprint of the final car is smaller, the overall effect is very nearly the same. You will have fewer maintenance issues with a standard car, as well. There is just less stuff to go afoul with the standard car, than with a hybrid. I am a bit skeptical just yet, myself.

Answer 4

my son bought one,they get good gas mileage and that's all.i personally didn't like it.if you got the ac on and stop at a red light or stop sign or stop for any reason the ac shuts off till you take off again.not to mention the batteries that you have to replace every two yrs that will cost 2000 bucks.so the money you save on gas you will have to put in batteries.plus it had no power at all.he got rid of that thing and got a Toyota corolla that gets the same gas mileage and it's a real car.so check out every thing about those hybrids before you buy one.good luck.

Answer 5

im from england and i own a Vauxhall Combo DualFuel Van.
It only runs on petrol to warm up the engine and then runs on gas all day long! its easily capable of doing 80 mile trips on about 5 english pounds worth of gas which is very cheap! as in my main car to do 80 miles your looking 25 - 30 english pounds (this car is a 1986 petrol turbo by the way).

anyway, the dualfuel van is a 2003 ecotec engine which has covered 150,000miles!!! it doesn't tap, isn't loud and runs absolutely mint! is also quite nippy even when leaving it on gas.

Answer 6

I can tell you that the extra money you pay for a hybrid not worth it. I sold Honda's for 2 years and we did the math on how long you would have to drive to make up for the difference in the price of the car. If you are looking solely at gas milage, see this:

Honda Civic LX - msrp approx 15,000. It gets approx 30 mpg

Honda Civic Hybrid - msrp approx 21,000. It gets approx 45mpg

You have about 6000 to make up in gas over the life of the car from what you paid up front for the hybrid. given a round figure of 3.00 per gallon, it would take you well over 200k miles to break even.