Trading In for Fuel Efficiency, Part 4 – MPG Choices.
Aug 11th, 2008 by gmoran
Once again, taken from Tom Wilson’s MSN Autos article presenting the pros and cons of trading in your current vehicle for a more fuel efficient model. We’ve looked at the problems with trading in early but if you’re ready for a new car, what’s the skinny on the gas-electric hybrids? If most of your driving is city, they are most efficient because the electric component relieves the gas engine of its duties more often in stop and go traffic. But the electric powertrain is mostly excess weight while the gas engine does the work on the highway. The gas-electric hybrids cost about $4000 more. Depending on your driving habits, you must calculate how much your fuel savings will be to determine how long you have to own it before it will save enough fuel to put the $4000 back into your pocket. And what of the mechanical and maintenance costs? Next: Running the Numbers