Does anyone here wish they would have waited before purchasing this vehicle? Wish they would have selected another hybrid? Waited until there was more of a hybrid SUV selection from which to choose from?

 

I'm perfectly happy with mine and wouldn't change a thing. I'm sure when the 2008 comes out I'll feel a bit of remorse for not having the newest model.... Thats true of any car, not just a hybrid.

I get 30MPG in a 4WD when I would be getting 17MPG, and I kept more AMERICANS employed doing it... whats not to like?

 

Good question. I don't regret a thing right now, because my wife and I don't have kids, and we bought it for her to go to and from school, work and for me to drive to work a few days a week. But, I have to admit, AFTER I bought it, I saw the Highlander Hybrid, with more room, captains chairs, V-6 power(just in case I had to tow something) and 33/28 mileage written on the window, I could see trading up in a about 5-10 years. Especially if we have a couple kids. But I'm sure it's more expensive and can't match the fuel economy of the Escape, so we made the right decision right now.

 

There will always be something more luxurious, more powerful, more efficient, etc. You can only evaluate what is available at the time and if it makes sense to you to take advantage of it.

We don't regret getting our 06 AWD at all. By shifting more than half of our annual miles driven away from our truck, and trading in a car that only got 2/3 of the economy of the FEH, we started saving money from day 1 - even with the extra $188/month payment.

Frankly, I don't think that it is a simple choice for most people. I ended up running a spread sheet that calculated fuel cost against tax incentives and economy to ultimately conclude our savings potential. And with an 8 year/100,000 mile warranty on the hybrid part of the powertrain, that took much of the worry about the new technology out of the picture.

In my opinion, a significant price disparity will continue to remain between hybrids and their non-hybrid counterparts for many years to come. So I think it really comes down to this: If gas prices rise suddenly and stay there, those who adopt the technology early stand to save the most money in the short run with recent tax incentives, and those who wait can reap better fuel economy - but may lose the tax incentive.

So if like me, you can start to save money today and plan to purchase a new car anyway, there is little reason to wait. Much of the extra value will still be there if you choose to trade up for more efficiency later on.

 

Nope. Waited over a year to buy a new car, 'til the hybrid tax credit reached its max (vs. the tax deduction pre-January '06), and bought exactly the vehicle I wanted.

If I'd had foreknowledge, I'd of course have waited a month or so when Ford expanded the 0% financing for 60 mos. to states/areas other than just California and Washington, D.C. But them's the breaks... Buying a new car is never a really grand financial move, so I'm not going to cry over incentives that weren't available at purchase time. Got a good deal at the time, and love my vehicle.

 

My wife and I looked at the Escape and the Highlander hybrids with the knowledge that our eight-year-old Explorer was nearing the end of its usefulness and a desire to downsize. The Toyota had several attractive features; most notable the electronic stability control and a greater towing capacity. The Highlander literature did state, however, that the vehicle was not designed for off-road use. The drive train on the Escape Hybrid appears to be identical to the normal version once you get past the transmission, and there is no prohibition against off-road use. The Escape came with better fuel economy, leather, navigation and other amenities for about $8,000 less than a comparable Highlander. It's also smaller, so it fits in our garage with little risk of self-inflicted door dings. When we combined these factors with an X-plan price, 0% financing and a couple of incentives due to my wife's working on a graduate degree, it became a no-brainer.

I am disappointed that Ford has not included electronic stability control in the Escape, especially in light of the government roll-over rating. It is a available in the Honda CRV and the Toyota Rav-4, which are comparably sized. I'm hoping that the 2008 model will have it.

Pat

 

nope, Ford is a brand that i know and trust, and i got a great deal with my boyfriends discount. i have never enjoyed (i even still get giddy when driving) driving any of my old cars anymore than just a few weeks when the "new" feeling would wear off. My car has curbed my need for speed driving and given me great gas miliage in return and i thank her for it.

 

You could ask this question about any purchase big or small. However, you'll find that most hybrid owners have done their homework and are quite happy with the exception of some Lexus owners. Higher prices equals higher expectations. Luxury purchases as a whole are done with less research than standard purchases. As a result, those purchasers will have differing opinions.
I, myself, am quite happy with my Lexus in sheep's clothing even though I won't get a loaner during oil changes.

 

But they're so ugly..........

~John

 

After 2 months, I have no second thoughts. The only thing I saw as a deficiency is the towing capacity.......it's a little shy of pulling a 2-place snowmachine trailer. But I also realized that for anything out of town, I'd want to use the truck anyway. I also sort of wish I'd looked a little more at cargo space.....it's not quite as big as the old S-10 Jimmy, even though it looks that way.

But the only alternative was the Highlander, and while I have no problem with the looks, it's just more than we need/want. Fun to drive, good performance, very useful for most stuff. I'd do the math on saving money......I don't know that you can ever call buying a new car a smart way to save money.....but if you're going to buy one anyway........good choice.

And we didn't find out about the tax rebate until after we'd taken delivery......