Need some advice.

[Rogust]

I drive 50,000 miles per year on business here in New England, 90% is highway at 65-70 mph. Long-distances covered between stops every weekday.
I want to change cars from my current 26mpg gas car to a greener option.
Which cars/hybrids would be best for this type of driving?
My email is rogust71@hotmail.com
Thanks for any help you might offer.
Roger

[B Rad]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rogust @ Jun 27 2006, 06:18 PM) [snapback]277667[/snapback]</div>

Which cars/hybrids would be best for this type of driving?
[/b]

Get ready for the one and only answer on this site-----------PRIUS

[DocVijay]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rogust @ Jun 27 2006, 07:18 PM) [snapback]277667[/snapback]</div>

I drive 50,000 miles per year on business here in New England, 90% is highway at 65-70 mph. Long-distances covered between stops every weekday.
I want to change cars from my current 26mpg gas car to a greener option.
Which cars/hybrids would be best for this type of driving?
My email is rogust71@hotmail.com
Thanks for any help you might offer.
Roger
[/b]

A prius might work for you. Your driving habots sound like mine, although I will "only" drive about 36,000 miles this year. For me it was a no brainer, as my previous vehicle got 10-15 mpg. Moving up to a Prius was an obvious choice. For you, you already have a pretty fuel efficient car. Trading it in for a new more efficient car is not going to be as cost effective. Now if your current car is getting old and you were planning on buying a car anyway, the by all means get something hybrid. THe better mileage will be great. But if you are trading in a newer car then the money you loose on the trade-in will cancel out any gains you might make in gas savings.

[Tadashi]

Heck with 50k miles a year you will basically pay for the car in gas savings alone on a $26.5k Prius in about 7 years with today's gas prices assuming you can get 48+ mpg (I get about 53 mpg lifetime avg).

[Godiva]

If you can find an Insight, that would do for you. But I understand Honda isn't going to be making any and I imagine trying to find one used won't be easy.

So your next best bet is to buy a Prius.

[Rogust]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Jun 27 2006, 07:33 PM) [snapback]277680[/snapback]</div>

Heck with 50k miles a year you will basically pay for the car in gas savings alone on a $26.5k Prius in about 7 years with today's gas prices assuming you can get 48+ mpg (I get about 53 mpg lifetime avg).
[/b]

Do you really get 45+mpg on the highway???? I heard that the around town mpg was fabulous (50+) and highway mpg only "good" (40-). Any truth to that????

[galaxee]

over our last road trip, with cruise control at 75-80 mph and temps steadily decreasing as we headed north (this was in january) we averaged just over 42 mpg. and that was on winter blend gasoline. we're making the same trip next week, but with summer gas i bet it'll be better.

[Rogust]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(B Rad @ Jun 27 2006, 07:26 PM) [snapback]277676[/snapback]</div>

Get ready for the one and only answer on this site-----------PRIUS
[/b]

Yeah, I kinda figured that was coming, but I also know that the folks on this forum have already done all the research that I am just starting on. Be impartial. My driving needs are rather at an extreme, and if the electric part of the Prius is not used 95% of the time, then maybe I should just wait a year until Toyota unveils its' diesel or something else.

[tnthub]

I sent you an email.

[Jeannie]

At the time I first heard about Hybrids, 2004 maybe?, I did some online research on the available cars - the Prius, the Insight and the Ford Escape. I wasn't impressed with what I learned about the Ford, and the Prius was more expensive than the Insight, but at that point I think the Insight didn't have a side-airbag available, where the Prius did. So I started think maybe some day I'd get a Prius.

I totalled my old car this spring and needed a new car very soon. What I read about the Prius was still impressive, but I still heard that the Prius, like the other Hybrids, was still hard to get. I started looking for an 'econobox' car, but found a dealer who had a used Prius that I was able to test drive. It was so much better in my mind than the other cars I tried that day that I fell in love with it. So I started hunting for an 'available' one.
At the same time I tried to find a Civic Hybrid to test drive, and couldn't find one at all - the only dealer who responded to my queries said the MIGHT get one in about 6 weeks.

A week later I found a 2006 White Prius package 5 at a good price and bought it, and have no regrets.

I'd advise you to try at least test driving the models you're interested in - that might narrow down your field pretty quickly, since you spend so much time driving each day. A car that doesn't feel good to you will be a really bad idea, even if it gets incredibly good gas mileage. I like the Prius 'feel' for me - it may be a horribly uncomfortable car for you.

(And if some test drives aren't enough to narrow your choices, try renting your 'top 2' for a few days and give them an 'extended test drive')

Once you've narrowed down your possible choices to cars that are 'acceptable' to you, then go ahead and do a lot of research! Good luck in your hunting!

(And, of course, we-all here hope you choose a Prius<g>)