Mike, we are lucky to have xcel for techical and FE advice on this board indeed.

Many of us here came from the same performance background as you but at a time when the internet wasn't around to find answers to our questions. With regards to you keeping a car 7 yrs, the FEH and MMH come with warranties of 8yrs and 100,000 miles on the hybrid components. By the time these components are at a point of needing repair, technology and techical support on these forums will have advanced to people like yourself and I and I think we will be doing mods on the FEH similar to what you talk about.

The R&D cost thats been put into the FEH and other hybrids makes them worth more than people will spend. The auto industry has discounted them enough to be affordable. It took Ford a number of years from a concept to mass production to the public. The FEH is the first full hybrid SUV that can operate up to 40mph in the pure electric mode.

Its just a matter in a short time when mods are bolt off old, bolt new or rebuilt back on. Its almost there now completely at the dealerships. Mods will be with techical improvements for performance and FE.

Aftermarket parts may or maynot go away but advances will come for the older hybrids in the coming years. The price of cars will be controlled by suppy and demand. My thinking is, I would not waste my money now or anytime on a non hybrid investment that can't get the same FE as the same size Hybrid.

GaryG