How does the tax credit work?
Lets say I do my taxes and I get a $4000 refund, then i tell my tax guy oh wait I bought a civic hybris. Will my refund now be $6100???

 

Just off of the Saturn's website:
Saturn Aura Hybrid:
$24,205.00 MSRP without Navigation (not offered)

Honda Civic Hybrid:
$23,235.00 MSRP without Navigation

Again, it really depends what the car is going to be used for. If you need to carry people in your car, they will be more comfortable in a larger car. If you need to carry equipment or documentation with you, a larger car might do (but a small car could work also).

If you really just want to save gas ultimately, then the Civic will do you better.

Civic will have a lot better resale value down the road, but again, if you never had a Honda and you encounter a problem, you might say Honda sucks... When I got my Mercedes and it encountered its problems, I cursed Mercedes and I finally traded it. It doesn't discount all the other Mercedes drivers out there that never have problems. If Mercedes was total junk, they would be gone from the seen.

GM is not total junk either. They have problem, but they seem to be solving and resolving alot of their issues. Once they finally get rid of their Union workers, they will be a better off company.

 

Idareu,
I don't know the answer to that question. My accountant will be doing my taxes for me this year and this will be the first time I will be applying for the Hybrid credit.

 

Most likely yes.

If you don't itemize and actually pay more than $2100 in taxes definitely.

If you itemize and have lots of kids and a large mortgage and make 75K plus it is possible you will hit the Alternate Minimum Tax and lose the credit.

One tip, you should change your withholdings, no one should be getting $4000 back, you should be taking home $333 more each month, not waiting until next year to get your money back.

 

Alternative min tax limit?
Really now what is that??
I'm leaaning towards the hybrid civic but if i lose the tax credit then I'll buy the reg civic.

 

I hope for 21k you are getting the HCH w/ navigation. I just bought my 2007 for 21800 new with navigation. If you aren't getting the price then you need to shop a little harder

 

Here's a short read explaining it.

http://www.smartmoney.com/tax/filing....cfm?story=amt

Basically if you make enough money (75K comes to mind but don't quote, and that might be filing married status) and have a lot of deductions (mortgage, kids, etc) the AMT is a 2nd and overriding tax system. It was to prevent rich people from paying no tax. Many of the people here are so rich they don't get the credit.

 

Get a Prius. It's my EUV (environmental utility vehicle). I don't even miss my Pathfinder. with rear seats that fold down and a hatch back, or room for 4 full-size adults and 'stuff', plus 46 MPG overall average, I've got the best all-around hybrid to date. Less emissions, less consumption...more utility.

 

Subjective opinions....What if I'm hauling 5 people and ski gear up a mountain road? What if I'm on the highway going downhill?

On the plus side even the Aura gets better mpg's than a normal Aura sedan, If you choose the hybrid over the normal car then all the more power to you!

 

if you will buy hybrid saturn aura you have to check the saturnfans forum.they have a lot of problem with the 2007 aura hybrid some say ....it just die(stop) around 7000 to 13000 miles.i don`t know about 2008.about the space i think the leg room is much better in civic hybrid.