Quote:
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Originally Posted by abowles
Thanks for the additional info Bob. This is what I came up with using the figures you provided from Kelly BB.
. . .
This means if I bought a Prius and keep it 5 yr/120K and sell it it will cost me at most $1449.46 more that the Echo over the 5 year period, including the price differential. Using CRs mileage amounts (75K) would make the number between the $1449.46 and $309.46 That's between $5 and $25 per month more.
I am not addressing anything but depreciation here but I think CR really missed this part. I believe they did use a Corolla instead so the numbers might change but I am (just) guessing the result would be similar.
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You're welcome on the data. After my arithmetic error, I'm glad you ran the numbers. I agree CR missed the boat on depreciation costs as others have pointed out. There are several ways to calculate depreciation costs but the consensus is they blew it.
As for using the Corolla, this really confused me. In 2001, we needed a car for my wife and compared the 1500 cc Echo to the 1500 cc Prius. Both cars had simular dimensions, identical displacements and only a 500 lb. difference in weight. We looked at the Corolla but it was significantly lower to the ground than the Echo and Prius; had a larger engine than both the Prius and Echo and; worse MPG than the Echo.
BTW, I wrote CR a 'letter' too:
Quote:
March 4, 2006
Margot Slade
Editor, CR/Editor-in-Chief
101 Truman Ave.
Yonkers, NY 10703-1057
Dear Margot,
The April 2006 article "The dollars & sense of hybrids" states on pp.
21:
Quote:
". . .
Hybrids aren't expected to hold their value as well as their
conventional gas-powered equivalents, according to our analysis of data
from Vincentric, a company that compiles ownership costs for some 1,900
vehicles . . ."
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Yet a press release from Vincentric reports something quite different:
Quote:
"BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan - January 17, 2006 - Vincentric's Best Value
in America(TM) awards were announced today, with hybrid vehicles leading
the way."
"The Toyota Prius, along with the hybrid versions of the Ford Escape,
the Honda Civic, . . ."
"The strong value of hybrids was clear when both a hybrid and non-hybrid
version of the same vehicle were compared to other vehicles in the same
segments."
"In those instances, the hybrid version had ownership costs that
averaged 16.2% lower than a similarly priced competitor, while the
non-hybrid version had ownership costs 7.9% lower.
. . ."
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http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...17/207569.html
Why does Vincentric, your source, reaches a different conclusion than
your article?
Robert J. Wilson
9011 Randall Road
Huntsville, AL 35802
256-***-**** (w)
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