Yeah, it's basically a juggling match in my head right now, trying to decide if I want to spend the money for it or not, I don't want to go over $25k pretty much, and even though that's my ceiling I get to reading reviews and stuff of a bunch of cars and then think I could just buy some $14k - $16k car and pretty much pay for it in cash instead of buying the hybrid.

The only other non-hybrid cars I was really considering were possibly a leaner (ie. less option heavy since going to an EX means I may as well get the hybrid IMO) regular Civic, the Yaris, and possibly a Nissan Versa sedan, though I know relatively little about the Versa at this point, and the Yaris, while I like it's styling has that whole annoying center console thing going on which I really can't stand on the interior. I'd actually read some really bad things about the real-world Fit gas mileage so sort of took it off my radar, and after seven years with the Focus hatchback I'm kind of in the mood for a sedan now anyway since I'm no longer moving every few months like I was when I was in school.

Since I'm putting like 38k miles per year on my car just for my job commute (with some extra for weekend driving, though far less miles then obviously, but still mainly highway), I tend to drive my cars into the ground and never really look into trading them in for any significant value, so residual doesn't really matter to me in the long run. There's also the possibility that I may end up in Washington DC for work within a year or two and then I'd have the commute from there to Richmond, VA (where I am now) to visit family. Obviously, such a move would cut into the amount of commuting miles I accumulate (commute from Richmond, VA to Hampton, VA via I-64 right now), which could be a factor. Regardless, I'm not one of those that trades in cars every other year, so I plan to just keep the car as long as it runs for the most part.

I guess I really need to sit down and do the math and figure out how the numbers would fall given my driving situation. Of course, I haven't test drove any of these either - aside from driving my brother's 2007 Civic EX, which I liked, it was a manual though - so that's another issue. I spend soooooooooo much time in my car I really hate to go to cheap and be uncomfortable or unhappy in the vehicle itself.