Tuesday, October 23, 2007

5 Buying Tips For Hybrid Cars

With the rising cost of gas, it is getting less and less affordable to own a car these days. As a result of this increase in cost, car manufacturers have lately been very aggressive in promoting their line of hybrid cars designed to save fuel.
While a hybrid car in general does saves you some money on gas, you may want to bear these points in mind when looking to buy a hybrid car.
1) Hybrid cars generally are more expensive than conventional gas powered cars. The price difference can be as much as $10,000. Hybrid cars are still new to consumers and may take a while before prices drop.
2) The batteries used in a hybrid car is different from a conventional car. The prices are much higher. They are about $2000 more expensive. However, hybrid car batteries have a longer life span as well.
3) The government has a tax deduction for hybrid cars owners. The hybrid car tax deduction varies from year to year but in general, you can save at least a couple of thousand dollars.
4) The cost of maintenance for a hybrid car is also higher. Also it has more complex systems and engine, a normal mechanic may not know how to repair it. In most cases, you need to send back to the hybrid car manufacturer for maintenance and repair and the cost is not cheap.

5) Hybrid cars use special tires that are wore out more easily than conventional cars. These hybrid car tires cost more and need to be replaced around 25,000 miles.
While the above points may seem that buying a hybrid car is more expensive, the fuel savings in itself is definitely worth it in the long run.
By: Ricky Lim, operates a hybrid cars site. Visit his site for more information on hybrid car battery and hybrid car tax