So, you're thinking of getting one of those spiffy and fuel efficient Hybrid cars. Let's take a look at the numbers by comparing like-for-like models:
The Honda Civic Sedan Hybrid is reported to get approx. 45 MPG (so they say).
The Honda Civic Sedan DX is reported to get approx. 36 MPG (again, so they say).
That's a difference of 9 MPG. *woo-hoo*
The average driver drives 12,000 miles per year, which means that the standard Civic will use 333 gallons over the course of a year. The Hybrid model will use 267 gallons over that same period. That's a difference of 66 gallons a year. Gas is currently going at a national rate of $4.00 per gallon. That's a "saving" of $264 per year. Nice! Over a lifetime of 12 years, that's a saving of $3168. WOW!!!
But, the purchase price of the Civic DX is $15810, while the price of the Hybrid model is $25020. That's a difference of $9210. That means that you would have to drive that Hybrid for 35 years before you begin to recoup your initial investment. I doubt the car will last that long. Even if gas prices were at a steady $10 per gallon, it would still take you 14 years before you would recoup your investment.
"But, I'll be getting that cushy tax rebate," you say.
Uhhh, no you won't. That was only for the first 60,000 models purchased, and Honda and Toyota have already reached that sales mark, so... NO REBATE FOR YOU!
"But, I'll be saving the environment by using less gas," you say.
Ummmm, yeah... but that Hybrid has a lot more of those batteries with all those toxic chemicals that will need to be replaced on a regular basis just like your regular car battery. So, "six of one, half dozen of the other" as they say.
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