Hi Cali30US:

___Given the markups above MSRP and long waits with deposits for the wrong car etc., have you considered a PZEV anything else? Given your California purchase location, you could purchase any number of other automobiles that are as comfortable, larger, faster, better handling, and just as clean for quite a bit less $’s out the door? The money you could save on initial purchase and/or financing will far exceed your fuel cost savings of a hybrid in most cases. If you are a mostly highway driver, the Accord I4 w/ Auto is supposedly good for ~ 39 mpg according to CR’s with the Prius II good for 44 mpg on average. In the city it falls far short in comparison but again, for upwards of $12K+ USD, you can purchase enough fuel to take a PZEV based Accord LX or Camry LE from California to the moon for free. If you drove both the Prius II and the Accord to the moon, you could drive back on the savings with the Accord whereas the Prius II … Well let’s just say you would be permanently planted in lunar orbit

___I know the above was corny but it might broaden your new car purchase choices somewhat?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net