ARTICLE: $3 gas makes hybrids look real pretty

local_host · 06-19-2007, 09:23 PM

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news.../11/11wear.html

The Austin-American Statesman
Monday, June 11, 2007

So, there I was a couple of weeks ago, idling at a light in my 17-miles-to-the-gallon used Taurus, the one I spend about $35 filling up every five or six days.

Looking out, I could see the Shell station's price board: $3 plus for a gallon of regular. Just ahead was the back bumper of a new Prius hybrid, its sleek beige paint job, shiny chrome and 60 miles per gallon (in the city!) fuel economy rating silently mocking me.

I could see only the back of the driver's head. We've never met. I hated him.

I'm not the only person suffering from Prius envy. This latest spike in gas prices, along with long commutes in our ever-sprawling cities and a growing consensus that global warming is real and potentially calamitous, could be a tipping point for hybrid cars.

The economics of paying thousands more for a hybrid (over a comparable traditional model) are looking better all the time.

Sales of hybrids in May increased 91 percent over May 2006, with 45,000 of them rolling out of U.S. showrooms. In 2006, about 250,000 hybrids were sold in the United States, about five times the 2003 number. As recently as 2000, fewer than 10,000 hybrids were sold domestically.

Now, last year's figures still gave hybrids less than 2 percent of the market. And in Texas, just 0.2 percent of registered vehicles in May (38,709) were hybrids. Of course, that number includes all the vehicles sold in previous years still on the road, and the Texas figure will increase with every totaled nonhybrid or junker that wheezes its last.

Hybrids, if you haven't heard or have forgotten, have both a traditional engine powered by gasoline and an electric motor running off battery power. Slowing or braking generates electricity to keep the battery charged. Drive the right way, with gentle acceleration most of the time, and you can come close to the rated fuel economy numbers.

So, what are the economics? Bill Brown, customer relations manager at Champion Toyota, told me that for a monthly car payment at 10 percent interest, every $1,000 of car price adds about $22. So, $4,000 extra for a hybrid (the high side) would mean $88 more a month, less if you have good credit and thus a lower interest rate.

If I drive my Taurus 1,200 miles a month (and unfortunately I do, at minimum), that's about 70 gallons, or $210. It's been worse some months.

In a Prius, even at 45 miles per gallon (for a lead-foot like me), that would be 27 gallons: $81. That's a difference of almost $130.

Where do I sign?

It might even work for people who are, in the colorful phrase of car salesmen, "upside down," meaning they owe more on their existing car than it's worth. Those folks (including, sadly, me) would have to fold in that difference to the loan for their hybrid.

So far, there are only about a dozen hybrids on the market, including now some sedans and sport-utility vehicles that use more gas than the squatty Prius. More models are on the way.

In the interim, of course, you can hang on and wait for gas to fall back below $2 a gallon. Good luck with that.

Getting There appears Mondays. For questions, tips or story ideas, contact Getting There at 445-3698 or bwear@statesman.com.

ystasino · 06-20-2007, 10:31 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(local_host @ Jun 19 2007, 09:23 PM) [snapback]464974[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news.../11/11wear.html

If I drive my Taurus 1,200 miles a month (and unfortunately I do, at minimum), that's about 70 gallons, or $210. It's been worse some months.

In a Prius, even at 45 miles per gallon (for a lead-foot like me), that would be 27 gallons: $81. That's a difference of almost $130.
[/b]

This economic comparison is misleading. He is comparing his current car's mpg with the pricing of an Prius-equivalent new non hybrid car.

He should either compare old car mpg with old car payments and old car maintenance with the Prius or

the alternative new car's mpg with the alternative new car's payments with a new Prius.

My friend just bought a civic and her payments are $80/mo less than mine. She gets about 36mpg, I get about 55mpg over 1200 miles/mo. She uses up 33.3 gallons/mo I use 21.8 gallons/mo. The difference times $3 is about $33/mo

Add to that the extra service the civic needs to $10/mo

Of course I'd sell my Prius for more $$ so I'd say economically the Prius might be slightly more expensive but WAYYY much more fun and good for the environment.

Swanny1172 · 06-20-2007, 10:53 AM

The value proposition for the Prius gets stronger the more miles you drive each month. Compared to what my wife was driving before, we are saving at least $350 per month on gasoline alone with her driving the Prius. Of course, she averages over 35,000 miles per year, so our savings are not typical.

auricchio · 06-20-2007, 02:47 PM

Three-dollar gas would be nice. It's about $3.40 in San Luis Obispo county, and thirty cents more here in Cambria.

Pinto Girl · 06-20-2007, 03:05 PM

Saw advertised: $3.99/regular, $4.09/plus, $4.19/premium...all self serve...at a Shell station in Burlingame, CA, on Monday, 6/18!!!

Tom6850 · 06-20-2007, 03:09 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Jun 20 2007, 03:05 PM) [snapback]465355[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Saw advertised: $3.99/regular, $4.09/plus, $4.19/premium...all self serve...at a Shell station in Burlingame, CA, on Monday, 6/18!!!
[/b]

Wow, last weekend we were in Va. and regular was $2.79.

apriusfan · 06-20-2007, 03:28 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Jun 20 2007, 12:05 PM) [snapback]465355[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Saw advertised: $3.99/regular, $4.09/plus, $4.19/premium...all self serve...at a Shell station in Burlingame, CA, on Monday, 6/18!!!
[/b]

Hopefully, you are not paying that outrageous amount for gas.... There are other Chevron stations in close proximity to Burlingame that are not charging those prices. PM me if you need the locations.

Swanny1172 · 06-20-2007, 04:05 PM

Regular is $2.69 at most stations in my area.

Rae Vynn · 06-20-2007, 04:48 PM

$3.24 at Shell, here in WA (on the coast)
My Prius is pretty no matter WHAT the gas costs

burritos · 06-20-2007, 04:54 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Jun 20 2007, 01:47 PM) [snapback]465347[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Three-dollar gas would be nice. It's about $3.40 in San Luis Obispo county, and thirty cents more here in Cambria.
[/b]

What are you complaining about? You live in Cambria. When you live in an idyllic area like that you don't get to complain.

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06-19-2007, 09:23 PM	#1
local_host Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 56 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news.../11/11wear.html The Austin-American Statesman Monday, June 11, 2007 So, there I was a couple of weeks ago, idling at a light in my 17-miles-to-the-gallon used Taurus, the one I spend about $35 filling up every five or six days. Looking out, I could see the Shell station's price board: $3 plus for a gallon of regular. Just ahead was the back bumper of a new Prius hybrid, its sleek beige paint job, shiny chrome and 60 miles per gallon (in the city!) fuel economy rating silently mocking me. I could see only the back of the driver's head. We've never met. I hated him. I'm not the only person suffering from Prius envy. This latest spike in gas prices, along with long commutes in our ever-sprawling cities and a growing consensus that global warming is real and potentially calamitous, could be a tipping point for hybrid cars. The economics of paying thousands more for a hybrid (over a comparable traditional model) are looking better all the time. Sales of hybrids in May increased 91 percent over May 2006, with 45,000 of them rolling out of U.S. showrooms. In 2006, about 250,000 hybrids were sold in the United States, about five times the 2003 number. As recently as 2000, fewer than 10,000 hybrids were sold domestically. Now, last year's figures still gave hybrids less than 2 percent of the market. And in Texas, just 0.2 percent of registered vehicles in May (38,709) were hybrids. Of course, that number includes all the vehicles sold in previous years still on the road, and the Texas figure will increase with every totaled nonhybrid or junker that wheezes its last. Hybrids, if you haven't heard or have forgotten, have both a traditional engine powered by gasoline and an electric motor running off battery power. Slowing or braking generates electricity to keep the battery charged. Drive the right way, with gentle acceleration most of the time, and you can come close to the rated fuel economy numbers. So, what are the economics? Bill Brown, customer relations manager at Champion Toyota, told me that for a monthly car payment at 10 percent interest, every $1,000 of car price adds about $22. So, $4,000 extra for a hybrid (the high side) would mean $88 more a month, less if you have good credit and thus a lower interest rate. If I drive my Taurus 1,200 miles a month (and unfortunately I do, at minimum), that's about 70 gallons, or $210. It's been worse some months. In a Prius, even at 45 miles per gallon (for a lead-foot like me), that would be 27 gallons: $81. That's a difference of almost $130. Where do I sign? It might even work for people who are, in the colorful phrase of car salesmen, "upside down," meaning they owe more on their existing car than it's worth. Those folks (including, sadly, me) would have to fold in that difference to the loan for their hybrid. So far, there are only about a dozen hybrids on the market, including now some sedans and sport-utility vehicles that use more gas than the squatty Prius. More models are on the way. In the interim, of course, you can hang on and wait for gas to fall back below $2 a gallon. Good luck with that. Getting There appears Mondays. For questions, tips or story ideas, contact Getting There at 445-3698 or bwear@statesman.com.

06-20-2007, 10:53 AM	#3
Swanny1172 Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 674 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The value proposition for the Prius gets stronger the more miles you drive each month. Compared to what my wife was driving before, we are saving at least $350 per month on gasoline alone with her driving the Prius. Of course, she averages over 35,000 miles per year, so our savings are not typical.

06-20-2007, 02:47 PM	#4
auricchio Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cambria, CA, USA Posts: 814 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Three-dollar gas would be nice. It's about $3.40 in San Luis Obispo county, and thirty cents more here in Cambria.

06-20-2007, 03:05 PM	#5
Pinto Girl Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 2,371 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Saw advertised: $3.99/regular, $4.09/plus, $4.19/premium...all self serve...at a Shell station in Burlingame, CA, on Monday, 6/18!!!

06-20-2007, 04:05 PM	#8
Swanny1172 Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 674 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Regular is $2.69 at most stations in my area.

06-20-2007, 04:48 PM	#9
Rae Vynn Resident Witch Join Date: May 2007 Location: Grays Harbor, WA, USA Posts: 2,211 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: Base Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 43	$3.24 at Shell, here in WA (on the coast) My Prius is pretty no matter WHAT the gas costs