At what point will hybrid cars become more cost efficient than standard compacts?

[Nitemare]

Was thinking about getting a hybrid beause of the gas mileage until I spoke with a mechanic.

Pretty much any repair or maintenance has to be performed at the dealership. When will they become more mainstream so that Joe Schmoe Mechanic can work on it or when will everyday mechanics be cross-trained on it?

Currently a Honda Insight will get 68/61 mpg. Dealerships charge 100-120 per hour. Gas price is between 1.50 and 2.25.

Could not find any information about the maintenance cost

 

[flot]

Perhaps you should speak to a smarter mechanic.

What he meant to say was that any repair or maintenance must be performed at the dealership because no one else knows how the car works.

According to www.new-cars.com, a honda insight weighs under 2000 lbs - which in fact is so light it is scary. (even a 2 door civic weighs 2500 lbs)

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: flot
Perhaps you should speak to a smarter mechanic.

What he meant to say was that any repair or maintenance must be performed at the dealership because no one else knows how the car works.

According to www.new-cars.com, a honda insight weighs under 2000 lbs - which in fact is so light it is scary. (even a 2 door civic weighs 2500 lbs)

This was a year ago, so the weight could have changed...

So when do everyday mechanics get trained on hybrids so I don't have to pay the dealership 100 per hour to work on it?

 

[Siddhartha]

"At what point will hybrid cars become more cost efficient than standard compacts?"

When a gallon of regular gasoline hits $4.00.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth
"At what point will hybrid cars become more cost efficient than standard compacts?"

When a gallon of regular gasoline hits $4.00.

Hehe I was gonna say that

 

[PowerMac4Ever]

A new set of tires for an Insight would cost $200...

Also, the 2004 insight weighs 1881 pounds for the manual, and 1975 pounds for the CVT. Your mechanic obviously does not know what he is talking about when it comes to hybrids.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I'd rather just have a diesel.

 

Mechanics will be a thing of the past when electric motors become fully realized.

Combustion engines are very complex, and need a lot of training to work on them.
Electric motors are by comparison, not.

 

[rahvin]

As far at the title goes. Volvo has begun serious discussion of welding their hood shut to prevent customer access.

Something to think about:

Ford Explorer AVG MPG 20mpg.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV Target MPG 35.

Average number of miles driven per year = 15,000.

Life of car, 10 years.

Total lifetime milage: 150,000 miles.

Assumed AVG price of gas over the 10 years: $1.70

Total Cost of Gasoline for Ford Explorer = $12,750

Total Cost of Gasoline for Toyota Hybrid Highlander = $7285

Savings in Gasoline alone: $5465

And that is if Gas stays at $1.70 a gallon and it's not going to. I expect gas prices are going to permanently top $2.00 a gallon within a year. The saving are even more dramatic with hybrid autos as average MPG's depending on your driving habits can be upwards of 70mpg. With a federal tax deduction of $1500 dollars in 2004, the fuel savings, ability to use HOV lanes in some states and possible state tax credits for hybrid purchases I think it's a no brainer.

 

[NutBucket]

Eh. I would trust any competent mechanic armed with the proper tools and shop manuals/software. Of course, the key is finding a competent mechanic (have one)

 

[0roo0roo]

eh gas in california is already over 2 bux... just 2 days ago i paid 2.15 for regular...arghhh!!!!!

 

[tnitsuj]

Just buy a Honda Civic HX. 40+ mpg combined baby.

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Mechanics will be a thing of the past when electric motors become fully realized.

Combustion engines are very complex, and need a lot of training to work on them.
Electric motors are by comparison, not.

Of course there will still be all the other system in the car that can break like breakes, transmissions, ac, windows, ect. Plus there will always be the need for people to put your car bake together when it is involved in an accident.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: rahvin
As far at the title goes. Volvo has begun serious discussion of welding their hood shut to prevent customer access.

Something to think about:

Ford Explorer AVG MPG 20mpg.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV Target MPG 35.

Average number of miles driven per year = 15,000.

Life of car, 10 years.

Total lifetime milage: 150,000 miles.

Assumed AVG price of gas over the 10 years: $1.70

Total Cost of Gasoline for Ford Explorer = $12,750

Total Cost of Gasoline for Toyota Hybrid Highlander = $7285

Savings in Gasoline alone: $5465

And that is if Gas stays at $1.70 a gallon and it's not going to. I expect gas prices are going to permanently top $2.00 a gallon within a year. The saving are even more dramatic with hybrid autos as average MPG's depending on your driving habits can be upwards of 70mpg. With a federal tax deduction of $1500 dollars in 2004, the fuel savings, ability to use HOV lanes in some states and possible state tax credits for hybrid purchases I think it's a no brainer.

How much does the hybrid engine add to the initial cost though and how many people actually keep cars 10 years?

 

[Kelemvor]

The only problem with hybrid cars is if you find a model that comes in standard or hybrid, they usually jack up the hybrid price about $3k. SO by the time you make up the difference in gas costs, it's time to get a new car anyway.

I'm hoping the Hydrongen Cell things GM is working on come out and work well. Next time you go to Epcot Center, be sure to go on the Test Drive ride. At the end of it they had a huge GM display with a video and a guy to ask questions about their new fuel cell thigns they have in the works.

But he said pobably not until 2009.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Mechanics will be a thing of the past when electric motors become fully realized.

Combustion engines are very complex, and need a lot of training to work on them.
Electric motors are by comparison, not.

How about the rest of the car. I mean brakes, tranny, suspendion?

 

[LAUST]

These best bang for the buck is still the regular old Civic.

Hybrid has too much to go wrong and the savings just isn't there over the regular engine, by the time you make it all up in 10 years or so you prolly need new batteries or whatever and how much will those cost?

Diesel is too much money up front, sucks in the cold climates, expensive repair and regular maintenance, smell like sh!t and are only practical in big trucks and tractors/trains/etc, pumps are not as regular, and just like with the hybrid it takes years to make just the initial cost back let alone will you ever catch up with parts that cost 3X as much.

 

[ElFenix]

civic ex - $16464 at carsdirect for houston
civic hybird - $19544

mostly the same, but you can't have a sunroof on the hybrid, whereas it's standard on the ex

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Mechanics will be a thing of the past when electric motors become fully realized.

Combustion engines are very complex, and need a lot of training to work on them.
Electric motors are by comparison, not.

i disagree with that, i generally fix my own stuff and over time i've come to the conclusion that if i can see it i can figure it out. in an IC i can look inside and say "hmmm that looks broken". on the other hand though i was reading about induction motors the other day and that sh!t gets complicated pretty damn quick.

keep in mind that i have no training and i'm just your avrage HS student so my opinion is probably worthless

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
How much does the hybrid engine add to the initial cost though and how many people actually keep cars 10 years?

I think it's around $3k to the intitial cost structure. The batteries are warrantied for anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 miles or so.

To answer your second question, anyone that doesn't keep a new car till it starts having major mechanical problems (10years) is foolish.

 

[ElMono]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
The only problem with hybrid cars is if you find a model that comes in standard or hybrid, they usually jack up the hybrid price about $3k. SO by the time you make up the difference in gas costs, it's time to get a new car anyway.

I'm hoping the Hydrongen Cell things GM is working on come out and work well. Next time you go to Epcot Center, be sure to go on the Test Drive ride. At the end of it they had a huge GM display with a video and a guy to ask questions about their new fuel cell thigns they have in the works.

But he said pobably not until 2009.

Honda has already released the FCX in Los Angeles. It uses hydrogen for fuel and its only emission is water vapor. Unfortunately, they're very expensive and they plan to only release 30 of them in the next several years...

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: ElMono

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
The only problem with hybrid cars is if you find a model that comes in standard or hybrid, they usually jack up the hybrid price about $3k. SO by the time you make up the difference in gas costs, it's time to get a new car anyway.

I'm hoping the Hydrongen Cell things GM is working on come out and work well. Next time you go to Epcot Center, be sure to go on the Test Drive ride. At the end of it they had a huge GM display with a video and a guy to ask questions about their new fuel cell thigns they have in the works.

But he said pobably not until 2009.

Honda has already released the FCX in Los Angeles. It uses hydrogen for fuel and its only emission is water vapor. Unfortunately, they're very expensive and they plan to only release 30 of them in the next several years...

Wasn't the Hindenburg made out of hydrogen? How safe would that be?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: LAUST
These best bang for the buck is still the regular old Civic.

Holy crap, LAUST condoning the purchase of a Civic?

- M4H

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: ElMono

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
The only problem with hybrid cars is if you find a model that comes in standard or hybrid, they usually jack up the hybrid price about $3k. SO by the time you make up the difference in gas costs, it's time to get a new car anyway.

I'm hoping the Hydrongen Cell things GM is working on come out and work well. Next time you go to Epcot Center, be sure to go on the Test Drive ride. At the end of it they had a huge GM display with a video and a guy to ask questions about their new fuel cell thigns they have in the works.

But he said pobably not until 2009.

Honda has already released the FCX in Los Angeles. It uses hydrogen for fuel and its only emission is water vapor. Unfortunately, they're very expensive and they plan to only release 30 of them in the next several years...

Wasn't the Hindenburg made out of hydrogen? How safe would that be?

The real problem with the Hindenburg was the doping on the fabric skin - Not the hydrogen.

http://www.vidicom-tv.com/tohiburg.htm
http://www.dwv-info.de/pm/hindbg/hbe.htm#LZ129

Viper GTS

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
The only problem with hybrid cars is if you find a model that comes in standard or hybrid, they usually jack up the hybrid price about $3k. SO by the time you make up the difference in gas costs, it's time to get a new car anyway.

At least for people in the US, there's an alternative energy tax deduction , that reduces that price premium somewhat. (edit: deduction, not credit as I originally thought).

Unfortunately, it appears that it's currently set to phase out entirely by 2006, so you'd have to buy this year for it to be maximally useful. Then again, consumer prices may begin to fall in tandem.