Help

I just finished typing up a nice post and it blew away!!!! Arrrggghh

Any way, my wife and I are considering buying a 2006 HCH (especially for the $2,100 tax credit). So far, we are being promised a non-NAVI for $21,000. The sales manager is moving one from another dealership.

My question is : If my daily commute is only 12+ miles each way (mostly level, higher-speed, back roads, about 3 stop signs, 5 traffic lights) along with various side trips - would this car be worth my while?

My wife is proposing that maybe she should use it for her daily trips (she stays at home with our 4 year-old and we have 12 and 15 year-olds also, so there can be LOTS of trips). Currently I drive a 96 Accord EX and she drives a 99 Odyssey. We would be saving the Accord for my soon-to-be-driving son.

BTW, I live in the Dallas, TX area so most of the months are quite HOT/warm.

Thanks in advance
John

Also, with it being near the end of 2006, do you think I can manage a NAVI for the same price...there are much fewer non-NAVI's available...probably for the same reason I'm not all that crazy about 'em...they're TOO PRICEY!

I commute about the same distance and travel conditions. I did have a 1995 Civic DX. I was getting 33 MPG with it, buying gas every 7-12 days. Now I have a 2006 Hybrid, I've averaged 45 MPG since I bought it. Buy gas every 14-21 days instead. I don't live where it's hot more than in the summer. But us Northerners take a FE hit in winter when it's cold instead. It's been worth it for me. 21000 seems high to me, I paid not much more than that and I bought my Hybrid lastJanuary.

Thanks for the quick reply. Our winter still gets pretty cold...and I'm originally from Missouri.

It's in the teens to low 30's for highs here in winter. Sometimes lower or higher, but 15-34 is common. I usually need to put gas in the car between 505 and 530 miles. I put in between 10.4 and 11.7 gallons.

Well I live in North Dallas and my commute is just around 7 miles and going up and down Plano or Greenville those 7 miles I usually get 42-45mpg, I've gotten over 50 if I've been really lucky with the lights in the summer. As winter is just starting and I've not had my car long enough I can't really say what it'll do but I do see the mpg going down lately. I think Gumby has his car longer than I have so he might have more info.

as if right on que...

I drive 75 miles round-trip to work and get 46+ MPG.
When driving around the neighborhood, I started out getting under 40 MPG, but I have learned more about driving the car (I think) and now can manage 45+ around town. Now this is NOT bumber-to-bumper rush hour traffic, but I think (with some effort) that I could get 40+ MPG taking Central from Richardson to downtown most anytime.

If the HCH2 would be replacing the Accord EX, it would take you a while to recoup your money in gas savings. But if you are unloading that car soon anyway, why not give an HCH2 a try? A Prius might be a good choice for you as well. They're both great fuel-misers.

You don't say what your other option would be if not getting the HCH2, so it's difficult to comment on whether it would be worth it.

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL

From my perspective, yes the car will be worth your while. You will use less gas than an equivalent non-hybrid car and that is a good thing. If what you meant to ask is whether the gas savings will pay you back for the hybrid upgrade, then at 24 miles per day it's not likely. But money is not the only concern. Many of us feel that doing the right thing is more important than saving money, and that's reason enough to take the hybrid plunge.

If you're weighing the difference between you driving the HCH and your wife, then it might help to know that fewer long trips will get you better gas mileage than several short ones. 12 miles one way isn't VERY long, but in terms of who would do better with the hybrid, it would probably be you, not your wife.

Lots of short trips to get groceries, run errands, pick up the kids, means that the engine has to warm up every time, that there's a lot more stop and go, start and stop, sitting just long enough to cool down and then being restarted again... not the best way to maximize a hybrid's fuel economy. Still, if your wife is putting substantially more miles on a car than you, or if she has to take the kids to lessons that are really far away on a regular basis or something that approximates a commute, then it's possible she could end up as the more efficient hybrid driver in the family.

As for the bigger question- is it worth it?- I think the answer is most definitely yes. It's true that without knowing your alternate purchase, it's not possible to calculate your exact gas savings, but it doesn't take a math genius to know that 48 or 50 miles to the gallon (which is completely achievable with a little effort- see the database) or even just 45ish (with no effort to speak of) is about twice the fleet average. The HCH is a great car, fun and easy to drive. It's socially responsible, it's got a great safety record, and it's energy efficient. If you drive it long enough, studies have shown that it probably WILL save you money.

Plus- there's the 'fun' factor of hybrids. If you do let your soon-to-be-driving son take it out for a spin someday (far) down the road, he and all his friends will just love it. You could be the cool dad with the hybrid!

You folks with 12 mile commutes should cancel you gym membership and get a bike to go to work :o)