Auto Trends

Here’s a terrible thought: you’re planning to trade in your gas guzzler for a Toyota Prius, that famed hybrid car offering industry leading fuel economy, when you learn that the price you can expect to pay for the car has increased by $650. Sure, car prices go up all the time, but when you realize that the cost of the car has now topped $22,000, you begin to wonder if your investment in worth it.

Like all automotive manufacturers, Toyota is feeling the heat from skyrocketing raw material costs, including steel, and needs to recoup these increases by selling their cars for more money. However, this news may cause consumers to weigh their options including foregoing the hybrid for an economical gas model, such as the Toyota Yaris, a commuter car that gets 35 mpg and sells for $10,000 less than the Prius.

Some would argue that a hybrid car is always of more value than a gas model, particularly a car that returns at least 45 mpg on the highway, an advantage of 9 mpg over the Yaris (14 mpg combined city/highway). But, as consumers can quickly see, making up the cost differential between these two Toyota models can take years even if gas goes back up to $4 per gallon.

Let’s take a look at a chart comparing the Prius and the Yaris to see what kind of savings is realized after about seven years of driving or 100,000 miles:

Toyota Prius

• Gas: $4.00
• Miles Driven: 100,000
• Fuel Economy: 47 mpg combined
• Gallons Used: 2127
• Cost: $8511

Toyota Yaris

• Gas: $4.00
• Miles Driven: 100,000
• Fuel Economy: 33 mpg combined
• Gallons Used: 3030
• Cost: $12120

In the seven year time frame you would save $3609 in fuel, but still fall short by about $6400 for what you paid for the Prius. Of course, if you’re comparing your Prius purchase with getting rid of your 20 mpg combined city/highway 4WD Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, you would come out exactly even at the end of those seven years. Two very different vehicles I might add, a radical lifestyle change you’ll need to be prepared to make.

I’m not saying to avoid buying the Prius or any other hybrid and federal as well as state tax credits could make your purchase more affordable. What I am saying is that if you’re panicking over high gas prices and think that a hybrid model is always the answer, you could be wrong. Unless, of course, you plan on keeping your car for many, many years as a long term investment in your fuel conserving effort.

Copyright 2008-2012 — Matthew C. Keegan is the owner of a successful writing and marketing business based in North Carolina, USA. He manages several websites and is a contributing writer for Andy’s Auto Sport, a retailer of quality Lamdo doors and ground effects.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hybrid-Car-Prices?-Going-Up!&id=1439058

Be On The Look Out For Storm Ravaged Vehicles

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, tens of thousands of cars were scrapped, damaged beyond repair by flood waters, wind damage, or other storm related insults. Some reports put that number at 250,000 vehicles, cars registered to owners in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and adjoining states.

Flood Damaged Cars Retitled

Though most of these vehicles were hauled away and their titles changed to reflect that they had been totaled, in some cases cars were bought, retitled in other states, and put on the market. Unsuspecting buyers, thinking that they were getting a quality used car, eventually learned that they were storm ravaged, thanks to rusting body panels, foul odors, malfunctioning components, and a host of other ills.

It has been three years since America was ravaged by these storms, but the warning about flood damaged cars remains. Historic flooding in the Upper Midwest earlier this year is yielding a bumper crop of damaged vehicles, with the same post-Katrina scenario starting to rear its ugly head: cars that have been totaled by insurers and are back on the market, available for purchase.

How To Avoid The Scam

Car buyers should be alert to this scam in order to avoid being ripped off. There are several tools at your disposal to help you avoid being conned, three of which can save you from plenty of grief:

Check KBB - Kelley Blue Book at www.kbb.com has the price of thousands of different used car models going back for well over a decade. One thing about flood damaged cars is that they are often priced below market levels. This should be a concern to you as a quality used car should retail close to what KBB says it is worth.

Check Carfax - Carfax is a great way to check your car’s history as all fifty states send their flood damage information to the company. You can find that information at www.carfax.com/flood and can order individual reports for a specific car too.

Check With Your Mechanic - Always insist on an inspection of the car from your own mechanic. He’ll know what to look for, especially signs for water damage, engine wear, transmission problems, brake and exhaust problems, as well as electrical and engineering issues.

If It Sounds Too Good To Be True….

With any used car purchase the maxim, “if it is sounds too good to be true, then it isn’t,” is the best approach when buying any car. Certainly, you want to get the best price for a used car, but not at the expense of your wallet or safety. Flood damaged cars have a short lifespan and could put you and your family in harm’s way if an important part suddenly fails.

Copyright 2008-2012 — Matthew C. Keegan is the owner of a successful writing and marketing business based in North Carolina, USA. He manages several websites and is a contributing writer for Andy’s Auto Sport, a retailer of quality tail lights and headlights.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan
http://EzineArticles.com/?Beware-of-Flood-Damaged-Cars!&id=1446443