With gasoline prices on the rise, everyone is trying to save fuel. This is leading to increased interest in hybrid cars, which are quickly becoming a very popular option for many different types of people. Before you decide to buy a hybrid vehicle, you should know the basics of how it works, the cost of buying one, and the costs involved in maintaining these newer types of cars.
1- It is important to note that, on average, a hybrid vehicle will cost around $3,000 more than its gasoline counterpart. While most people will compare this price increase to the gas price they’ll save, it can cause a pretty bad case of surprise. Be prepared for this if you are buying a hybrid.
2- Like conventional vehicles, hybrid cars need a battery to work. While a traditional battery will cost approximately $50-$150 to replace, a hybrid car battery costs considerably more, $2,000-$3,000, and those prices are just for starters. With this in mind, it’s important to know that hybrid batteries have been known to run for 8-10 years before they need to be replaced.
3- If you are on the verge of making the decision to buy a hybrid vehicle or its more traditional counterpart, you may be interested to know that the government may allow a tax deduction for those people who choose to buy the more fuel-efficient hybrids. While this deduction is not guaranteed from one year to the next, in the past it has been as high as $2,000.
4- Another consideration in purchasing a hybrid vehicle that needs to be addressed is the maintenance that needs to be done after the car has been on the road for a while. The more complex power train systems that come with a hybrid equate to higher prices, this is because there are not as many trained mechanics to repair them. This price consideration should disappear as more of these vehicles hit the road and the demand for properly trained mechanics increases.
5- These cars require the use of special high mileage tires, they are smaller than the tires you are used to buying, but can cost much more to replace. This may be acceptable to some drivers since the tires last an average of 30,000 miles longer than other types of vehicle tires.
6- Many buyers of hybrid vehicles do it for a reason, they can live with increases in aftermarket parts and high prices from mechanics because they know what their car can offer them, fuel savings. On average, a hybrid car gets between 50 miles per gallon (MPG) in the city and up to 70 MPG on the highway. When these numbers are compared to an average of 30 MPG city and 27 MPG highway in a gas-efficient car, the savings are clear.
7- While it is important to know the costs that are involved when you decide to buy a hybrid vehicle, it is also important to know what you will be saving. For all the millions of people around the world who choose a hybrid over a traditional one, the end result is clear. The savings they see at the gas pump far outweighs any money they may have to pay to keep their vehicle running in the future.