07-09-2008, 07:04 AM
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Active Enthusiast
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Real Name: Michael
Hybrids: Saturn Vue 2007
Posts: 109
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Re: Hybrid Vue Too Much Trouble?
Glad you checked out my spreadsheet.
My ROI is computed the following way. My numbers are as of 7/8/2008.
Following the guidelines from www.fueleconomy.gov - I took the EPA estimates of the:- 2007 Saturn Vue 19mpg city & 25mpg highway 50city/50highway driving = Avg 22mpg
- 2007 Saturn Hybrid Vue 23mpg city & 29mpg highway 50city/50highway driving = Avg 26mpg
- I also factored in the Saturn statement that the Hybrid gets 20% better gas mileage than the regular Vue. 20% + 22mpg = 26.4mpg
- With the EPA difference of 4mpg and the 20% Saturn difference of 4.4mpg I pushed it up to 5mpg.
My Theory - My Saturn Hybrid Vue gives me about 5 mpg better than the Regular Vue. With my driving style - if I average 32.2mpg than I would avg 27.2mpg with the regular Vue.
I take the 5 mpg difference, apply it to each tank and that is how I come up with the total savings of $818.46.
Some may say there is no way a Regular Vue can get 27.2mpg and that maybe true, they also say the 32.2mpg with Hybrid Vue is not possible as well. So if you like, a quick recalculation of the numbers (from my spreadsheet) and here are some savings.
If you say the Saturn Hybrid Vue gives you a 6 mpg advantage = $1020.00 7 mpg advantage = $1237.74 8 mpg advantage = $1473.72 9 mpg advantage = $1730.35 10 mpg advantage = $2010.51 savings My Hybrid cost me $2250 more than the Regular Vue.
I received a $650 tax credit from the Federal Government.$2250 - $650 = $1600 If you factor in my savings from gas $818.46, I am more than half way to breaking even.
20 months of ownership + rising gas costs = I should break even by 36 months or three years.
Thats the financial take on the Hybrid Vue.
The environmental take is a calculated savings of 280.553 gallons.
The psychological take is that I do not have to fill up more than once a week - even driving an average of 500 miles per week. In addition, I drive a Hybrid SUV that gets over 30 miles per gallon. Pretty good for 2008 standards. Maybe in a few years 40 or 50 miles per gallon will be the new standard. At least for now I feel like I am doing at least my small part. (Mass transit - smaller car - carpooling - unfortunately does not work out for me at this time.) In addition, I have a sense of pride that I am very good at how I drive the Saturn Vue Hybrid.
There are not many Hybrid SUV owners on www.GreenHybrid.com getting 6 mpg better than their groups average.
In the mean time, the Hybrid Vue and I continue on our journey together. 
Last edited by HybridVue; 07-09-2008 at 07:10 AM.
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