This is for a project for my marketing class. It was really help me out if you answer this honestly... Thanks, John

Hybrid Survey. Please think of each question separately. Copy and paste the survey.

1. Do you own or previously owned a hybrid vehicle? If you do not, please skip to part 2 of the survey.

2. Hybrids are generally more than their gasoline counterpart, was it worth the extra money? Why?

3. What benefits did you get from driving your hybrid?

4. What were if any disadvantages to having your hybrid?

5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?


Section 2. For those who don’t own a hybrid.


1. What is your reason for not owning a hybrid?


2. Say your car was stolen and you received a amount of money ($20,000), would you purchase a hybrid?


3. If hybrids were cheaper would you consider purchasing one?

4. Would a wider selection such as SUV’s and full size trucks change your mind about purchasing a Hybrid? What car/truck would you like to see as a hybrid?


5. What benefits did you get from driving your gasoline vehicle over a hybrid?

6. What were if any disadvantages to having your gasoline vehicle over a hybrid?

1. Do you own or previously owned a hybrid vehicle? If you do not, please skip to part 2 of the survey.
Yes, 2000 Honda Insight 5 sp

2. Hybrids are generally more than their gasoline counterpart, was it worth the extra money? Why?
My wife and I bought the Insight used, and yes it was worth it. The fuel cost savings have been great, but more importantly we have had much more fun in the Insight than any other car we have owned.

3. What benefits did you get from driving your hybrid?
Cheaper on fuel.
Fun to drive, and attempt to improve our milage.
Fun to show off to others.

4. What if any were the disadvantages to having your hybrid?
The insight is only a 2-seater, this prevents us from carrying more than 2 people. Usually not a problem for us.

5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?
Once we were driving through some very, very rough roads in the Shawnee forest in southern Illinois. I think it was really a dry creekbed! My wife assured me that we would be fine since the map indicated this was a "shortcut". We managed to drove over a rock that ripped a hole in the oil pan, and took most of the bottom covers off the car. We had to limp back to town and patch the oil pan until we could get it replaced.
Other than that, only routine maintenance in 117,000 miles.

2000 Honda Insight, Citrus Yellow

1. Do you own or previously owned a hybrid vehicle?
Yes, 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid

2. Hybrids are generally more than their gasoline counterpart, was it worth the extra money? Why?
Yes, it was worth it.
a. Tax credit and MPG narrowed the difference between a comparably equipped Civic EX, the HCH's closest sister.
b. Using the HCH's unique fuel saving features as well as I could, combined with the tax credit I erased the price diffence in the first year.

3. What benefits did you get from driving your hybrid?
a. Exceptional fuel savings. (See my signature below)
b. Drastically less time wasted at the pump
c. Driving the most technically advanced auto with the latest fuel savings gadgets
d. Fuel savings also effected my other vehicle(s), the fuel saving lessons learned in my hybrid raised our Grand Caravan's MPG by (up to) almost 50%.
e. Less pollution, especially noticable while stopped. (Auto Stop)
f. Talking points among friends
g. General satisfaction in a well made, unique car.
h. Exciting to drive, on almost every drive, even after 51K miles behind the wheel over 20 months.
I. Reliability. I hope/plan to drive mine well over 300K miles.

4. What were if any disadvantages to having your hybrid?
Hmmm..... Hmmmm..... Thinking...........
Agrivation by so much misinformation in general about hybrid vehicles, and people still ask me how far does it go and how long does it take to charge up. CR's rediculous 36MPG "Professional" rating.

5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?
None, except interior rattle repairs in the first month.
General maintenance has been the same as any other vehicle.

-Steve

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT

1. Do you own or previously owned a hybrid vehicle? If you do not, please skip to part 2 of the survey.
yes i own a 2005 honda civic hybrid cvt

2. Hybrids are generally more than their gasoline counterpart, was it worth the extra money? Why?
i got a really good deal on mine, i bought it used. if this hadn't come up i probably wouldn't have bought a hybrid (now anyway. i think they're great, if i hadn't gotten one now the car i would have gotten would have gotten atleast somewhat decent gas mileage and probably would have bought a hybrid or something similar)

3. What benefits did you get from driving your hybrid?
i use less gas, i've got more range than my last car. it's probably not good for me, but i can drive home from school (~425 miles/7.5 hours) without stopping. i got my hybrid because i needed a new car (my old car was 10 years old, also a civic, we still have it actually, my sister gets it)... so part of the benefits i'm getting from it are simply because of it's newness. i don't have to worry about it breaking down. it's cleaner (in more ways than one), smoother. it's fun to challenge myself to get better gas mileage. i like telling people the mileage i'm getting and seeing their reactions. my car makes me feel like a better person.

4. What were if any disadvantages to having your hybrid?
i drive a little different to get better gas mileage, not really a bad thing, except on the highway. it takes a little longer to get places if i'm going slower. my boyfriend gives me grief when i drive slow, and when all i want to talk about is my car and my mileage. i'd like to advertise my mileage on my car but i'm a little afraid to since others on the boards haven't had good expeirences doing so.

5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?
i've only had my hybrid since the end of august, so no repairs yet.


Section 2. For those who don’t own a hybrid.


1. What is your reason for not owning a hybrid?
pretending i don't, because i didn't used to. and i also probably wouldn't if i the newspaper hadn't printed the wrong price in the ad for my car. so, price would be the only reason that would keep me from being a hybrid owner, luckily there are deals out there.

2. Say your car was stolen and you received a amount of money ($20,000), would you purchase a hybrid? well my old car wouldn't be worth $20k, it's worth at most $5k. but if i did get $20k sweet, heck yes i'd get a hybrid! if my hybrid was stolen i still probably woulldn't get $20k but i wouldn't be happy with anything less than a hybrid.

3. If hybrids were cheaper would you consider purchasing one?
yes, cheaper would be great. but i wouldn't want to compromise quality.

4. Would a wider selection such as SUV’s and full size trucks change your mind about purchasing a Hybrid? What car/truck would you like to see as a hybrid?
no. i don't need a truck. i don't care from them much either.

5. What benefits did you get from driving your gasoline vehicle over a hybrid?
none? aside from no car payment in the case of my old car.

6. What were if any disadvantages to having your gasoline vehicle over a hybrid?
worse for the environment, can't go as far. in the case of my old car: older, more likly to have things wrong with it.

1. Do you own or previously owned a hybrid vehicle? If you do not, please skip to part 2 of the survey.

I have owned a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid for about three months. I call it the "Sainte Marie" after one of the railroad ferries that used to ply the Straits of Mackinac.


2. Hybrids are generally more than their gasoline counterpart, was it worth the extra money? Why?

My primary motivation was concern for the environment. By putting my money where my mouth was, I satisfied my own conscience as well by voting with my dollars for the kind of technology I wanted to see. In our market society, the dollar bill sometimes counts more than the ballot does. I wasn't sure that the vehicle would pay for itself when I bought it, but with good fuel economy, rising gasoline prices, low maintenence, tax deductions, and lower insurance; it might just do that and then some.


3. What benefits did you get from driving your hybrid?

In addition to fewer stops at service stations and repair shops, the most important benefit to me is knowing that I am not messing up my children's world as much as I would otherwise. I also wanted the manufacturer's of hybrids (curent and potential) to know that the market was there for them.

A bonus I did not really expect is that it is a fun car to drive.

Another bonus is that it is a nice conversation piece. Strangers see the hybrid badging on the car and start to ask questions about it.


4. What were if any disadvantages to having your hybrid?

I don't really consider them to be disadvantages, but there is limited cargo and towing capacity. The engine is small (assisted with the battery when needed) and the hybrid components add about a quarter-ton to the weight of the vehicle. I figure I've got all that I need. Some claim that it doesn't have good acceleration, but I have found that it has all that I need. I don't expect to enter it in any drag races.


5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?

None, yet. It's only three months old. Check back in ten years or so.

'06 FEH 2WD "Sainte Marie"

1. Do you own or previously owned a hybrid vehicle? If you do not, please skip to part 2 of the survey.

Yes 2. Honda Civic Hybrid & Honda Insight

2. Hybrids are generally more than their gasoline counterpart, was it worth the extra money? Why?

Don't think it was too much more. HCH (mine's '03) has climate control, better overall interior & of course the IMA. I feel the slight premium over an EX was worth it.

My Insight I bought used in May for $10k. IMO that wasn't out of line either. The car is way ahead of it's time and I generally get over 70mpg. For a $10,000 car that's fine by me, people still don't believe it's a 5 year old car. Some think it's some sort of prototype while others think it is brand new, when I go to small towns out in the country it always draws a crowd.

3. What benefits did you get from driving your hybrid?

Doing my part for a cleaner enviroment, saving gas while I'm doing it & I substantially slowed down as I used to speed a lot so I feel I am a much safer driver now too.

4. What were if any disadvantages to having your hybrid?

Uhh, I sometimes have to pull my car aound to the other side of the gas pump because I forgot what side the gas door was on. Another, people being very jealous every time gas spikes past $3 a gallon. As far as any serious disadvantages, I have none.

5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?

No repairs, just general MX.

'00 Insight "Wazabi" -75,000+ miles
'03 Toyota Matrix - 81,000+ miles
'03 HCH-CVT-OSBM-41,000+ miles (retired 04-10-06)
"I'm very secure with my little Insight, no Prius envy here."

1. Do you own or previously owned a hybrid vehicle? If you do not, please skip to part 2 of the survey.
Currently own.

2. Hybrids are generally more than their gasoline counterpart, was it worth the extra money? Why?
For me, it was worth it. I was looking at the Acura TL at first, and I saved $4k up front by buying the Honda Accord Hybrid (HAH) instead. So, initial purchase price, I've saved about $4K. Then there's the Fuel Economy (FE). I've calculated that I've saved about $142.81 in the past two months I've owned my HAH as compared to if I were driving the TL. In 10 years, at the current data values, I'll save $8,568.60 in FE alone. Look in this thread to see how I came up with these numbers:
http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/s...2118#post32118 Also, when comparing cars, I noted the cost to replace the HAH's 16" tires was about $240 cheaper than the TL's 17" tires. That can add up over the years/mileage.

3. What benefits did you get from driving your hybrid?
Better FE, of course. As I described in the previous question, I've saved money already. And I continue to save money every mile I put on this car. Even excluding the TL, those numbers I posted could be attributed to my previous vehicle. It got comparable mileage to the TL. Another benefit is the tax break at the end of the year. And for others, the benefits come in the form of free parking, access to the HOV lanes, a sense of belonging (most hybrid owners tend to bond on the mere fact that they share the hybrid experience), and it makes them more eco conscious. I know that since I became hybrid-aware, I've switched to all Compact Flourescent Light (CFL) bulbs in my home. I buy Energy Star appliances. I've adjusted my thermostat to balance energy consumption vs comfort. I've encouraged the purchase of CFL's at my office. The list of things I'm more aware of can go on!

4. What were if any disadvantages to having your hybrid?
Over the TL? Not much. Just a few luxury options. Memory seats, sunroof, HID headlights, LED tail-lights. But, I wouldn't call these a disadvantage. The only disadvantage I'd list for the HAH would be if a buyer were originally looking at the Accord EX-V6. The initial purchase price of the HAH would discourage a lot of buyers. But for me, the EX-V6 wasn't even an option. I was comparing the HAH to more expensive cars.

5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?
None, but note that I've only owned my car for about 3,900 miles. I don't feel I'll need to worry about repairs for this car for years to come. I'm so confident in Honda's build quality (I've owned other Honda products) that I didn't feel the need to purchase the 7 year, 120K miles extended warranty.

<Best Tank Economy!><Best Tank Endurance!>

I own a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, 4WD.


Oh hell yes! That's why I bought the thing! I drive about 500 miles every two weeks. That's a single tank of gas, compared to two or more tanks in a conventional Escape. With gas around $2.40, that's a savings of $75 every two weeks, which works out to nearly 2K a year. Add in a government deduction, and that my insurance dropped $300 a year, that price difference is almost immediately made up. After a decade, I could be as much as $23,000 ahead financially, over a conventional Escape over that same decade. That's nearly the price of the vehicle!

I'm assuming you mean over the conventional equivalent, rather than over the model that replaced it ('95 Ford Explorer)

There's the cool technology, like the Audio/Nav system; the power display, FE Graph, Navigation system, etc.

Few gas stops, less to fill up when you do stop, and insurance savings.

The quiet ride.

Knowing that you're getting better FE and you're so much greener and cleaner than pretty much every other vehicle on the road.

It's one hell of a conversation piece. Pretty much anywhere, anytime.

I had something I wrote in the newspaper, (About how to drive a hybrid.) and a part of a pretty good community.

Stealthing around at low speeds.

V6 Style performance without the performance costs (bad MPGs, etc.)


Uhhh.....

I don't let anybody else drive it unless absolutely necessary.

I want to beat up anyone who touches it without my permission.

A nearly uncontrollable urge to loudly announce how much gas is costing me when I fill up, and how far I'll be going on it, or to compare to other Escape/SUV owners our respective MPGs.

Quote:

5. What kind of repairs did you ever have to make to your hybrid?

Relating to the hybrid? Nothing.

I'm not sure if you'd count this, but I had my front windshield replaced when it got hit by a big rock and became a quarter sized distortion right in my line of sight.

First 4WD Hypermiler

Have you read the FEH FAQ?

Live in Michigan? Let it be known in Michigan Roll Call

Read My Automotive Blog at Rich Rambles

1. I own two hybrids, an '04 HCH and an '05 FEH.
2. I would not have purchased either vehicle in a non-hybrid version, so I never made this comparison.
3. Mileage. I get 60+ mpg on the HCH with a 115 mile daily roundtrip commute. The FEH gets above 30 mpg and sastisfies my need to have a 4WD on my farm.
4. I have not found any disadvantage, however, having limited options at purchase, whether because it was a hybrid, or because the model didn't come with those options, was annoying (ie, moonroof, heated mirrors, etc).
5. Nothing. Just standard maintenance.

-Charlie...