Buzz Out Loud Lounge: Toyota hybrids save you $13000
Toyota hybrids save you $13000
by thriftyT - 2/25/07 7:00 AMI just saw a commercial from Toyota running on TV claiming that owning a hybrid saves the owner $13000+ over five years.
My reaction: ***??!!!!
My jaw dropped because most people's back-of-the napkin calculations show that buying a hybrid at this point is still essentially a charity case; the owner would be lucky to break even after 5-7 years.
Also, this claim doesn't pass the common-sense test because if they really save that much money, then hybrids would be much more than just a niche vehicle.
The claim toyota is making is apparently based on an intellichoice study:
http://www.intellichoice.com/press/Hybrid-Survey-2006
Please help me understand this. BOLers. Thanks.
Try it in London
by Chris_Fon - 2/25/07 11:58 AM In reply to: Toyota hybrids save you $13000 by thriftyT(this is my first one, let me have my moment)
Well Actually:
Hybrid cars in London save a driver £8 a day on congestion charge (a fee to pay if you enter london on car) as hybrid and electric cars are exempt from the charge. (Congestion charge, a sorry attempt to get people off the roads and onto the trains, before the trains became sooo expensive!!). I also think theres some discounts on road tax involved. Plus theres the exchange rate from pounds to dollars.
very interesting
by thriftyT - 2/26/07 2:08 PM In reply to: Try it in London by Chris_FonI had no idea there was a toll just for the pleasure of driving into London. If I was a Londoner, I would probably buy a hybrid just for that reason alone.
Wow
by joe_news - 3/8/07 2:21 AM In reply to: very interesting by thriftyTWhat is it with England! Not only do they have cameras watching you non-stop you have to pay a toll to use a whole cities road system! Unless they don't do taxes thats super lame.
Try it outside the USA.
by R. Proffitt
- 2/25/07 12:23 PM
In reply to: Toyota hybrids save you $13000 by thriftyT
Gas prices are north of 8 bucks a gallon in some places.
In our family we have 2 Honda hybids. The 2003 is a gem and easily has paid it's way. The 2006 looks to be a dud and we may never recoup the premium (hint, avoid Honda for now for hybrids).
It still gets a tax credit plus other benefits. Today I'd pick up the Prius if I was shopping.
BOb
Which 2006 Honda do you have?
by mcintoshusa - 3/3/07 3:40 AM In reply to: Try it outside the USA. by R. Proffitt
I ask because we have a 2006 Honda civic hybrid and my wife loves it! She gets an average 50-54 miles to gallon on the highway and average 45 mpg in the city. She did get 61 mpg on one road trip but has not been able to duplicate that one. So far she really is impressed with the millage, comfort, power, everything.
Ours is the 2006 Civic Hybrid now getting 35-37 MPG
by R. Proffitt - 3/3/07 7:23 AM
In reply to: Which 2006 Honda do you have? by mcintoshusa
It's about 30 to 40 degrees and due to programming in the car it doesn't do any hybrid tricks until the engine is fully warmed up. Our old 2003 didn't wait as long and even in the worst of winter would get over 40.
It's a software bug that wasn't present in the beginning of the year and the story is pieced together from discussions at greenhybrid.com and test reports. Honda America has been scoring a zero on this and the 2007 model from me.
If the temperature was set about 5 degrees cooler to start going hybrid I bet the issue wouldn't have been so apparent but some bright person set it to the exact number so it takes about 10 miles for the engine to get to full temp which is all in it's non-hybrid operation.
Guess what? Trip to work is ... 9.5 miles.
Bob
California example
by LenSp - 2/25/07 1:43 PM In reply to: Toyota hybrids save you $13000 by thriftyTIn California, they were letting buyers of hybrids have the right to drive in the car pool lanes. This was worth a lot to many people so hybrids were selling at a big premium. Though, now, the number of hybrids allowed in the car pool lane has been capped, so the latest buyers don't get that extra value.
Then there's the US Federal tax credit -- Toyota's sold so many hybrids that, if it hasn't already happened, the credit will no longer apply to Toyota hybrids. The law authorizing the credit allowed it only for so many vehicles per manufacturer. To be honest, it's more of a subsidy for the Big 2.5 than an attempt to reduce gas usage.
Estimate my hybrid saves me between $5,000 and $7,000 a year
by Owyn - 2/25/07 2:06 PM In reply to: Toyota hybrids save you $13000 by thriftyTHybrid bike that is. 99% of the places I go are within 8km/5mi of my residence. I bike there year round. Annual bike costs (including new tires every year, new commuter bike every 3 years) are about $300. No permanent vehicle now, rent if I really need personal transit out of town.
On top of that, regular biking / reasonable diet eliminated the need for cholestrol medication and any sort of weight control plan.
Nice claim Toyota....
by dro0001 - 2/25/07 5:49 PM In reply to: Toyota hybrids save you $13000 by thriftyTGotta love it. Hopefully they re-did the calculations with the new fuel economy standards that were just introduced, because hybrids took a major hit on the MPG ratings. There is a reason hybrids are not popular outside of the US...it is because they can use diesel engines to get the same mileage as what hybrids allegedly get. The problem for Toyota is that hybrid sales have stalled and they are simply trying to get people to buy them. Outside of cities with major stop and go traffic, they are useless.
Top this. Reality check.
by R. Proffitt - 2/25/07 7:18 PM
In reply to: Nice claim Toyota.... by dro0001
Our 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid hits 50+ MPG on a 200 mile round trip. Those that write it doesn't work on the highway are likely repeating something they read. On greenhybrid.com this and other misconceptions soundly dashed.
Outside of the US they team up the diesel with the hybrid to get insane mileage. Sad we can't get them here.
The stall is all about the price of gas. Pure economics.
Bob
Depends...
by dro0001 - 2/26/07 4:17 AM In reply to: Top this. Reality check. by R. Proffitt
on how the car works. Most hybrids simply use the gas engine at highway speeds. Perhaps the Civic kicks in the electric motor more then other hybrids (it looks like yours has variable gear ratios). The 2007 Civic hybrid is now rated at a combined MPG rating of 42 with the new fuel economy standard. Your 2003 also drops down to 40. Still not worth the extra cost.
Speak for yourself. Our 2003 is the dream car.
by R. Proffitt - 2/26/07 6:36 AM
In reply to: Depends... by dro0001
I take it that you don't own and drive any hybrid? If not, how can you write such.
Bob
Never have to replace batteries?
by robstak - 2/26/07 1:51 PM In reply to: Top this. Reality check. by R. Proffitt
sounds expensive
Look at ...
by R. Proffitt - 2/26/07 2:05 PM
In reply to: Never have to replace batteries? by robstak
greenhybrid.com about that. Our battery warranty runs on in 2011. So far we haven't seen this issue. But naysayers will drag that up.
Bob
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