Hybrid or Gasoline?
 

hey guys as we all know gas price are shooting sky high again. I'm thinking of getting a hybrid "Pirus or crz :rofl:" for daily.

soo far this is what i know

Pros
-ultimate gas saver 2010 Prius gets "4.6 city 4.9 highway" $20.00 = 400KM
-very quiet
-quite roomy as well

Cons
-still considered as new technology.
-expensive battery and maintenance ( how much? )

so with all these facts that i know, can i save money getting a hybrid or stick with gasoline (i do most of the maintenance = save some $$).

can i do my own maintenance if i do get a hybrid?

please add if i'm missing anything THANKSS!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

It might help if you list the things you are looking for in a car in order of importance.

Imo you wanna save on total cost (purchase+gas+maintenance) i recommend
a) used TDI jetta/golf - 1000km/tank, reliable engine, i like the look of the 06 jetta, good resale
b) used manual civic - decent fuel economy, reliable, good resale value

(basically saying the hybrids don't really save anything in the long run, the crz runs out of power for the electric motor in minutes if you accelerate too fast)

i'm not looking for anything specific, i just want a car that saves $$ and yeah i heard the diesel gets pretty good mileage i was thinking of getting one of those too

Get ready to eat your words:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...s-chevy-sprint

A 1984 Chevy Sprint. Now that's frugal!

^ 0-60 in 15 seconds lol, times have changed

wow.. wow.... 49 city, 61 highway =.=""

If saving money is your goal, buying any brand new car is a bad idea.

I bought my Prius new in 2005, and so far have not had any problems with it mechanically. None. I get regular maintenance done at Downtown Toyota and I have never paid more than about $80 (before tax) each time. It's been a trouble free car. I did buy the 7 year extended warranty just in case, as back then the Prius was new tech, but I haven't had to use it at all. I am averaging 5.6L/100km at the moment. Fuel economy drops in the winter, as the gas engine runs more frequntly due to heater usage. Other times the fuel economy is great! Remember, the A/C runs off the main battery, so fuel economy isn't affected. I have sat in the sun in the summer with the A/C going, reading a book and with a fully charged battery, it lasted about 20 minutes before the gas engine kicked in.

I wouldn't call the Prius quiet, but it's not too bad - under load, the car is noisier than a Corolla, but on the highway, it is more quiet. Of course, when it's running on battery power alone, it's dead silent at low speeds, but you do get tire noise at higher speeds. It is roomy, especially the rear leg space - I believe the Prius has more rear leg space than a Camry. Cargo space is pretty good too. The large hidden compartment is very handy to store things.

I don't know about the current model Prius, but my 2nd gen has a battery that is divided into 10 cells that are individually replaceable, and each cell costs something like $175 to replace. However, the batteries have so far been bullet proof - apparently, Toyota Canada has never had to replace one yet - even in vehicles used as taxis.

Is it fun to drive like a Honda or BMW? No, it's not built for that, but it's not too bad. You will initially have to get used to how power is transferred between the gas motor, battery and wheels, but you'll get used to it within 3 days.

I originally bought the Prius because at the time, it was the only car in its class other than the Audi A3 that came standard with side & side curtain airbags. I was seriously looking at the Mazda3, but the lack of side airbags was the dealbreaker for me. I don't regret buying the Prius, but at the same time, I miss the refinement & power of my Lexus...but on the other hand, a $50/month gas bill is much easier to handle.

Yes, but it's a deathbox in an accident.

As long as you stay out the left lane with the hybrid everything will be fine.

great info thanks a ton! =] i was always worried about the battery breaking down and costing thousands to fix.. never knew is that durable. i'm gonna go for a test drive the Pirus and the VW jetta TDI then ill pick and choose. Thanks guys. :thumbsup:

Because we all know that Hybrids don't have a gas engine right? :rolleyes:

I reported this post for racism

I would probably suggest finding a lightly used camry hybrid. Drove one for a week and loved the hybrid tech. I find hybrids have a pretty low resale value but at the same time there are a lot out there with very very high mileage.

With the camry hybrid I got about 6.0L/100km in the city, they have a meaty engine along with the electric motor which is what I liked about it. Also it's not so in your face with the hybrid smugness that some people can't stand. One drawback is the handling really is quite poor. Take any turn just a little fast and you hear the tires screaming, but hey that's not what the car's for.

A/c worked great, car was comfortable, and you can probably find one with a lot more features

This one here is only a year old fully loaded for 24k
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/va...103908557.html

If you don't mind waiting a little for a cheaper used fusion hybrid to come up would be a good idea in my books. The car has won so many awards and they do make a quality car these days. Also has a very cool lcd screen :D

IMO I much prefer the toyota/ford type of hybrid and after your initial learning curve and alter your driving style a little you will probably love driving these things. Maybe I'm just easily amused but I love watching my fuel economy gauge in these cars.

My 2K5 Prius has been fantastic. Only maintenance are oil and fluid changes. I just changed my front brake pads for the first time @ 180,000KM.

After 2006, they came standard with touring suspension, which improves handling significantly. Additionally, there's aftermarket braces to stiffen up the whole thing.

My Toyota dealership uses a 2010 Prius as a service shuttle, and it seems like a decent car. It's a bit weird for me since I'm kind of used to hearing the engine constantly, but the ride is fairly smooth and it handles well. It does have a bit of give for being able to stay in the left lane on the streets, but I doubt it's useful on the highway. There is a small bit of noise when braking, but that's the energy recovery system using the brake friction to charge the battery.

Customers dig the quietness of the ride, and take interest in the Energy Monitor showing how all the power is being transferred between the battery and the engine.

PRIUS FTW

and two of my favourites

damm never knew the little pirus can turn out like that ! :bowrofl:

Losing MPG by putting on heavier rims lol....the blacked out prius is pretty cool.

Its no wonder its 24k. The damn thing has 51300 kms! Now not to say its gonna break down soon. But that is excessive for a one year old car. The owner must have done a lot of highway driving. Or maybe its a rental, or a dealership shuttle. Which is not the type of car you would want to buy second hand after what I hear about customers do to these cars.. But thats just me.

Oh, c'mon - the Prius isn't that slow. :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...p/PICT8459.jpg

it still depends if you do more city driving or highway
get a hybrid if you do more city and get a gas engine if you do more highway for the extra power

i had a 00 insight till 112km.. it was pretty decent.. it was really light, so for 0-60KM!! is not that bad.. it gets crazy fuel economy, and actually, i feel the CR-Z has alot cues from the early insight..

i didnt have to do much.. just your typical honda.. oil changes.. and i had to change the tires once.

full hwy.. i can achieve in the 3.xL/100km range..
just over 1000kms a tank

i can never do so good in the city.. usually 5ishL/100kms.. coz it has shift lights for ideal shifts.. i cant do those shifts.. they just cause traffic

Any front pics of this car?