Which Hybrid is the Most Cost-Effective?

CNN is running a story that compares the best & worst hybrids for your dollar. The rankings shake out like this

#1) Toyota Prius - Cost $22,279, annual fuel cost savings $543.

#2) Chevy Malibu Hybrid - Cost $22,140, annual fuel cost savings $116.

#3) Toyota Camry Hybrid - Cost $25,200, annual fuel cost savings $483.

#4) Ford Escape Hybrid - Cost $25,075, annual fuel cost savings $458.

#5) Saturn Vue Green Line - Cost $24,170, annual fuel cost savings $303.

Read the full story at CNN.

Toyota and Honda up Incentives to Move 2007 Models

With the market jittery over just about everything these days, it looks like car manufacturers are operating with some urgency as well. Honda and Toyota trying to clear out room on lots for the 2008 model year cars by throwing greater incentives at customers which is good for you.

Toyota has upped incentives about $480, while Honda has increased incentives about $250. This may sound like pocket change when you are considering a new car, but the incentives have rose from $896 to $1,146 for Honda and $1,009 to $1,492 for Toyota since July of last year.

Reports are also saying that the two companies are pushing leasing incentives that are worth even more money. You may not get the newest model, but lately the improvements year-over-year have been minimal. There is a good chance you will save a bunch of money on your car or at least you will have more leverage than normal.

Read the whole report from Forbes.

10 Ways to Save on Gas This Summer

With gasoline rising by the day and major media spreading rumors of $4 gas on the horizon. Here's a few things you can do to make the most out of the car you have and stretch your gas dollar.

1. Drive cautiously and avoid unnecessary acceleration and breaking: Common sense here.
   
   
2. Check your tire pressure and don't over or under inflate your tires. This can rob you of 1% fuel efficiency for every 2 psi your tires are under inflated.
   
   
3. Check your air filter and replace if dirty. This can save you 1/2 to 1 mpg.
   
   
4. Keep your car maintained and tuned up: This can save you 4% according to my car owner's manual, but varies between makes and models.
   
   
5. Avoid idling and turn your car off if you will be sitting for an extended period of time.
   
   
6. Remove excess weight from your car and avoid transporting items on top of your car on the roof rack or roof top carrier if possible. Extra wind resistance cuts down on fuel efficiency.
   
   
7. Keep the outside of your car clean to save on air resistance.
   

Fuel consumption myths

1. Buy bigger tires: Bigger tires weigh more and don't necessarily buy you any fuel efficiency. Wider tires can create more drag as well.
   
   
2. Run your air conditioner less: Depending on your car make and model, you may actually create more drag and use more fuel by driving with your windows rolled down.

If all else fails you can always start shopping for a hybrid or learn about "hypermiling" (@ Washington Post)

Sources:
K&N Air Filters
Summer Gas Tips @ LifeHacker
Gas, Money & the Environment @ Carnegie Mellon

Calculate The Fuel Cost of Your Trip

If you are planning a trip to relocate for a job like me, you might be wondering how much your trip will cost based on gas prices. AAA has a nice tool that will help you calculate fuel costs based on the various states you will drive through and their current average fuel prices. The only potential problem is the calculator limits you to major cities, but it does have a wide selections of car makes and models to choose from.

Link
Fuel Cost Calculator @ AAA

Even More Reason I Hate Owning (and Paying) for Cars

My first car was a manual 1991 Honda Civic 4-door-deathtrap, but it worked remarkably well and clocked in around 40mpg. The body gave out before the motor and I squeezed about 160,000 miles out of it before I was at the point when rust covered a greater portion of the body than paint. Thus, my rocky relationship with all things automotive began.

I'm not a "car" guy, nor am I "handy" in any sense of the word. If there is one thing I hate more than paying money to fix a car it is paying a shop or dealership to fix my car where I can have the pleasure of getting talked down to and screwed out of large sums of money all at the same time. The Digerati Life has a nice article on the true costs of automobile ownership. It adds up a whole lot faster than you might think and that isn't including gas.

The main things I got out of the article I guess weren't the focus of the post - but were interesting to me never the less.

1. Mazda has the lowest total cost of ownership compared to other major car manufacturers at least for minivans.
   
   
2. The total cost of maintaining your vehicle will run you about twice the cost you paid for it. Does this sound like a 30 year mortgage to anyone else? At least you can have some equity when things are said and done if you choose the house & write some of the interest off.

Head over to The Digerati Life to get the full story
Do You Really Know How Much It Costs To Own Your Car?