(05-29-2009 08:29 AM)Rock Bottom Wrote:  

(05-29-2009 08:27 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-29-2009 02:23 AM)RobertN Wrote:  

(05-28-2009 08:27 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(05-28-2009 08:07 AM)Rock Bottom Wrote:  

(05-28-2009 07:53 AM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  Hybrids will sell well again as the price of gas nears $3/gallon again.

Even then the payback period is usually far too long to make up for the difference in the higher costs of hybrids. Most who actually look at it from an economic perspective, not an green one, determine that hybrids aren't worth it.

Not sure I understand why hybrids "aren't worth it". My wife drives a Prius. She is not out to break world speed records, and she loves the car. We bought the car for economic reasons first, and "green" reasons second. What we spent on the Prius, we would have spent on any car. The Prius is averaging 45 mpg. Thus, I don't understand how hybrids do not make economic sense.

Well, one thing to keep in mind is the batteries only last slightly over 100,000 mile before needing to replace them-and they aren't cheap. I can't remember how much but it was somewhere in the $1000-$3000 range. I think the battery/gas is a good bridge to a complete change. I don't think they are good because most of the resources to make the battery is in south america(which is better than the middle east) but won't make us self sufficient which should be the goal.

Yes, thank you, I forgot about the batteries. However, if my wife's Prius has no problems whatsoever up until 100,000, I won't mind paying for the batteries. She has had the car for 4 years now: not one problem (as hubby keeps his fingers crossed). We'll probably get rid of the Prius, before 100,000 miles anyway. I have never kept a car over 90,000.

I am buying my new car (Ford Escape) tomorrow. I won't get the hybrid version because the technology is still too new for me to own two hybrids. The mileage on the Escape is about average for a small SUV (not great), but the car meets my current needs - and I am now determined to buy American. My wife likes the Prius but when we eventually replace it, it will be with an American car - if there are any still around then.

So, batteries aside DogFan, do you now see why hybrids don't make sense from an economic perspective?

Yes, I do. Makes sense. But for us it worked because the Prius does not come in a non-hybrid version, and what we spent for it, we would have spent on any car. When we bought the car, the cost was less than a Camry. And...I'll take that 45 mpg - at least until we need new batteries.