To hybrid or not to hybrid
Yesterday, I filled up my gas tank. I found a “cheap” place in Clark that was $3.37 a gallon. In my Toyota Corolla, I filled up for about $40, which is cheap to a lot of people. These increasing gas prices have lead me to think about getting a hybrid. I am just a few months out of school, so I will get a recent graduate discount. I can save money on gas, but then again, I cannot afford a new car right now.
There are so many benefits to hybrid vehicles. New hybrid vehicle sales have grown more than 49 percent nationwide in the first seven months of 2007 when compared to the same time frame in 2006, according to R. L. Polk & Co. Hybrid cars can produce 90 percent less pollutants than comparable non-hybrid cars. Hybrids can get up to 60 miles per gallon on the highway, which means less fill-ups at the gas station.
When considering price of hybrids, the Toyota Prius starts at $21,100, for basic amenities. Even so, there are federal tax credits that total more than $3,000, but for Toyotas, the rebates have been phased out. These can be found here. Although the website has not been updated since 2007, and I’m not sure where the rebates stand. But then again, even though the cost is higher at first, saving on gas will help my wallet in the long run.
