I've been searching and I can't find a reliable study that displays the difference in annual projected maintenance costs between the regular Escape and the Hybrid.
I'm just trying to figure out how long (hypothetically) it takes to recoup the higher purchase price of the Hybrid model. It's pretty easy to calculate the annual fuel savings, but I've got to think there are added maintenance costs to consider that can offset the gas savings... Does anyone have a link to a reliable source of information on this? (other than Ford company "propaganda"... I love Ford, but want independent analysis)...

Thanks!

 

Found this if it could be helpfull

http://www.cars.com/go/crp/buyingGui...erer=&year=New

 

Its hard to tell what you are "thinking" from what you've written....but just to be sure....regularly scheduled maintenance costs are less on the hybrid. For starters, oil change intervals can be longer because the engine does not run for 100% of the odometer miles. etc. Lot's of first hand knowledge since '05 on this forum - I'm sure others will offer some specifics.

The more someone tries to justify a hybrid drive train purchase using a "ROI" calculation - the more ridiculous it seems. How do you measure ROI on other vehicle options? (fancy dvd players or roof racks, etc.) Do you think that fuel prices are going to go down over the next 5-10 years? The tax breaks often contribute significantly to the calculation - yearly property tax breaks in some states - but they may be starting to fade. [If you are not going to keep the truck for more than 3-5 years...get the 4-cyl FE.]

 

hi Glenn,
Thanks. To hopefully clarify, I am just trying to figure out if buying a hybrid actually saves money long term, because short term you spend more on it. It is of course all projections, like the future cost of gas, but I assume for the sake of argument that it is fixed. I also thought that since a hybrid has two systems (gas and electric) and one technology is fairly new, the maintenance costs would be higher... You can't spend money fixing the hybrid electrical system on a regular car that doesn't have one. Anyway, I hadn't thought of the scheduled maintenance costs actually being lower (that's cool), but I was wondering about real world maintenance expenses... From what I understand, Mercedes were notorious for costing more to keep running.
Put another way, I'm wary of "green washing", which I'm all too familiar with because it is prevalent among some but not all companies in the industry I'm in (trade show display producers, i.e. http://www.pinnacledisplays.com/, which can make true green claims and doesn't green-wash), and I want to cut through any eco-fog smoke and mirrors and just determine the bottom line.
Hope that makes sense. I understand some will go hybrid to save the environment... I'm just wondering about those that want to save money (or at least not spend more)...
Anyway, I'll do some more reading....

 

"...Mercedes were notorious..."

Are you sure of that...??

Or was it the fact that upscale buyers have deep pockets and somewhat willingly allow the dealers to rape them...??

You should see what some of the Lexus dealers have done over the years to "improve" their service income. The problem they have is that these days many upscale buyers attained that level via BRAINPOWER.

Of course the widespread availability of knowledge via the internet hasn't helped. The print media was never very willing to denegrate product and service suppliers, "their" supply of bread and butter, in the way such information is so vey readily available on the 'net.

 

The actual hybrid components are covered either for 8 years / 100K, or 10 years / 150K (CARB states), so any components DIRECTLY related to the hybrid system will not incur additional expenses. The batteries have actually lasted in excess of 150K miles in taxi applications.

About the only maintenance I have heard of exclusive to the FEH is that the air filter for the hybrid battery needs replacing (at 15K intervals in my urban case).

There have been reports of a couple of isolated failures in the various systems, but nothing to indicate any design errors - they appear to be isolated instances.

 

Here are a few of the financial benefits of owning a FEH:

-Federal, State and Local Tax benefits (federal phasing out soon, state and local depend on your area)
-Reduced Insurance premium (depends but some companies offer hybrid owner discounts)
-Reduced Fuel consumption (obvious but, as always, YMMV)
-Reduced Brake pad wear (regenerative braking, once again YMMV)
-Extended Oil/Oil Filter change interval (Ford recommendation is 10,000mi)
-HOV lane access? (not sure if this is still in effect in CA or not)

 

The FEH was never eligible for HOV access in CA.

 

Cost of ownership includes many factors. For example a 2006 FEH is worth about $4,000 more on trade in than a comperable XLT. Certainly something I considered when I bought my FFH. There may be a small trade off when it comes time to buy tires as the fuel efficient ones may cost a few bucks more.

 

How about in VA? Any VA FEH owners out there?