Anyone Drive a Hybrid?

[I_H8_Crawford]

Well I made the smart decision and decided to spend less on a car and more on a home, so no Infiniti for me yet...

With my job I do a LOT of driving, so I am looking at hybrids, in particular the Camry Hybrid.

Does anyone have any experience with this car, or any other hybrids? Are they truly worth the extra $$ or would I be better off getting a regular Accord/Camry instead?

I will be leasing it, so resale value isn't important to me...

[metallicat]

I read a great article in Macleans, probably over a year ago, on Hybrids. Not that I was in the market for one, but I definitely wasn't after reading it.

I am pretty sure this is the article, alone with some discussion on it.
http://forums.di.fm/archive/index.php/t-94613.html

[Sylvanfan]

In the ask a car salesman thread TimSJ has said he's not sold on them yet. Volkswagen TDI might be an option for you as Deisel currently is less than gas, and those engines have a bit of a track record built up for getting good mileage.

[Nuje]

Not only is diesel less expensive, but the cars burn a lot less liquid. Using www.fueleconomy.gov, comparing 3 Automatic VW Jettas from 2006 (I'm using Autos just because most people here drive automatics)

1.9L Diesel: 7.1L/100km
2.0L Turbo (needs premium): 9.4L/100km
2.5L 5 cylinder (runs on regular gas): 10.7L/100km

Take the website, you can set how much you drive annually, and the gas prices in your region as well (Calgarygasprices.com has a lot of them posted). I myself am not sold on the hybrids. I think it's a great idea. Sure electric cars are 'clean' per se, but you plug them into an outlet powered by a petroleum driven power plant, etc. etc. So a hybrid is an electric car with its own efficient specifically built powerplant....BUT diesel has just gone so far with efficiency, it's nuts. Great economy, and as far as diesel being bad for the environment, that's quite a myth. If you're an Andrew Ference about it (not that it's a bad thing, the world needs people like that) I heard somewhere (I'll try to find the official stats) but the average 2000 built diesel vehicle emitted only 2% of the crap that an average 1985 built diesel vehicle did.

[Bill Bumface]

I know a Prius owner and talked to a cabbie in Victoria who was driving a Prius around and both got great fuel economy. I drove out to the Okanogan following a Prius and he had used almost half the gas of my small 4 cylinder car. The cab driver said he was barely making any money with his old cab and how the hybrid works great for him. Doesn't spend as much time gassing up and saves big on his fuel costs.

[Claeren]

The biggest problem is that the i4-Camry is SO good on gas itself relative to the amount of car you have that over a 3 year lease you are likely saving money over a hybrid. Of course political, environmental and personal ethics issues may negate that...

The Camry is a GREAT car though, and the i4 has more than enough power and poshness... It is the V6 that has the greater disparity in gas usage with the Hybrid.


I have a late model Accord i4, loaded, and it is a GREAT car. Fuel economy, comfort, reliability, etc. And the new Camry's are a step above that (as they are the next generation obviously, which the next gen Accord will battle with next year).

I have driven the new Camry and you feel it is like they build it as a Lexus and then just take away a few options and change the badges...



Claeren.

[Hack&Lube]

I think hybrid and especially battery technology is still developing. If you get one, lease it so you can get rid of it within 3 years in case the battery craps out on you in the future.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I think hybrid and especially battery technology is still developing. If you get one, lease it so you can get rid of it within 3 years in case the battery craps out on you in the future.

Not sure about Canada, but in the US Toyota warranties the battery for 100,000 miles (~160,000 km).

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Nuje

Sure electric cars are 'clean' per se, but you plug them into an outlet powered by a petroleum driven power plant, etc. etc. So a hybrid is an electric car with its own efficient specifically built powerplant....

the electricity portion in hybrid cars is usually derived from braking the car itself. there is no need to plug anything in.

[habernac]

heck, I'd get one just so you wouldn't have to worry about useless idleing at red lights, etc.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Claeren

The biggest problem is that the i4-Camry is SO good on gas itself relative to the amount of car you have that over a 3 year lease you are likely saving money over a hybrid. Of course political, environmental and personal ethics issues may negate that...

The Camry is a GREAT car though, and the i4 has more than enough power and poshness... It is the V6 that has the greater disparity in gas usage with the Hybrid.


I have a late model Accord i4, loaded, and it is a GREAT car. Fuel economy, comfort, reliability, etc. And the new Camry's are a step above that (as they are the next generation obviously, which the next gen Accord will battle with next year).

I have driven the new Camry and you feel it is like they build it as a Lexus and then just take away a few options and change the badges...



Claeren.

I was looking into the new camry but the 4 banger's engine sure seems underpowered compared to other cars in the same market.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I think hybrid and especially battery technology is still developing. If you get one, lease it so you can get rid of it within 3 years in case the battery craps out on you in the future.

Well the Honda Insight is going into it's 9th year with no problems.

Honda's battery warranty is 8 years.

If you truly want to save gas you have to get either the prius or civic.
The accord and camry gives you v6 power at 4 cylinder costs.

Right now I'm paying $36 to fill it up to get 650kms in the city. Too bad i have to pay $70 to get 450kms for my TSX. hehe.

[burn_baby_burn]

I read an article in Maxim a few years ago that basically stated that you woudn't save any money driving a hybrid. The extra cost vs the savings in fuel over 5 years (the average length of owership for a new vehicle in the US). Of course this would all depend on how much driving you did as well.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I read an article in Maxim a few years ago that basically stated that you woudn't save any money driving a hybrid. The extra cost vs the savings in fuel over 5 years (the average length of owership for a new vehicle in the US). Of course this would all depend on how much driving you did as well.

I almost think an article like that would need to be updated every few months. A lot of emphasis (finally) seems to be going on in this area of study, so it wouldn't surprise me is the technology could change on an almost monthly basis.

[Nuje]

Originally Posted by Table 5

the electricity portion in hybrid cars is usually derived from braking the car itself. there is no need to plug anything in.

Oh I know that. The Hybrid is essentially an electric car, except it has its OWN powerplant under the hood (the gasoline engine) which, along with braking, charge the battery. I probably worded that all wrong.

[tkflames]

It depends on where you do most of your driving. Since the hybrid charges most of its power from braking there is obviously no use in getting a hybrid if you are usually driving on highways. Most cabs in vancouver have switched over to the prius because there is constant stop and go driving for days on end. There are some really good articles out there that really give you the break down but the fundamental message of them all is "invest in a hybrid for the environment, not for the savings". There isnt that much in savings unless we go up to and beyond the $1.50/ltr mark.

[skins]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I read an article in Maxim a few years ago that basically stated that you woudn't save any money driving a hybrid. The extra cost vs the savings in fuel over 5 years (the average length of owership for a new vehicle in the US). Of course this would all depend on how much driving you did as well.

I read something very similar in Consumer Reports. They concluded that over an 5-8 year period (depending on the car and driver), the savings in fuel were negated by the higher initial cost and maintenance costs. The benefit isn't financial, it's environmental.

[Table 5]

If the money spent and performance is equal, why not take the environmentally sound option? Seems like a no brainer to me.

[ken0042]

I seem to recall hearing once about issues with hybrids involved in crashes; that due to the high amperage emergency crews need special equipment to handle thing like the Jaws of Life- and that time spent could be the difference between life and death.

Not sure if anybody else has heard anything like that. It is possible since I don't recall where I saw it; mine may not be a credible source.

[Bobblehead]

Per Consumer Reports (I have an online subscription) a lot seems to depend upon the future costs of gasoline.

They did a study last Sept to look at ROI after 5 years with an expected increase in gas prices (which they freely admit no one can forcast with any guaranteed accuracy). It also was in the US based on their prices & subsidies.

They compared a hybrid vs the same gas powered model.

Some of the hybrid vehicles would result in a savings after 5 years (Ford Escape), some would still be more expensive (Highlander & RX400h) and the others were in between, usually depending upon if there were any Federal subsidies.