Spending around $10,000/year on fuel and getting 20 mpg finally got me to desire a Hybrid... The feeling one gets while getting 40+ MPG gives you a warm fuzzy feeling! Not to mention a wad of cash in your pocket for other stuff!

 

Coming on almost 2 years of owning the 06 HCH I had my father in the car and he asks "Your car uses gas?"....

No he wasn't making a joke. To someone in the age 68 range he assumed all these new hybrids are really plug in cars. I think to a good majority of the "aged" americans (60+) they don't understand the concept of gas/electric cars yet.

If you think about it many "of age" americans don't surf the net, or watch anything beyond basic cable or select stations, or even read magazines. They only think back to seeing old full electric prototypes from the 80's or early 90's and think all hybrids are expencive cheap buckets with little room, and hardly any driving range. Old school thinking could use some advertising and info directed at them.

Step one: teach saving fuel. Step two: teach that "colored" is not a socially acceptable term

 

I wonder who replied "under 16"

In most states, 15 year olds can indeed drive, but only under a learner's permit with a parent or driving instructor in the passenger seat. SO this is possible. That, or somebody lied, or they're driving illegally.

Nice bell curve showing here...

 

not to be argumentative, but i think you are making some rather wide generalizations here. i am 60. i surf the net, don't watch TV because it's mostly crap, and read voraciously. i know what makes my car work, and people who have asked if it plugs in have been of many ages. i bought it because i was sick of paying so much for gas, and found the gauges and the way the car can be driven to be quite intuitive as far as learning to get the best possible mileage from it. frankly, and maybe i am generalizing, i find that most of the people who don't care about saving gas are young men in large, loud pickup trucks who feel the need to announce their presence with their pipes when they pass you on the double yellow line markings.

i don't know your age, but i feel a little insulted by your assumptions. so would my 86 year old mother who also uses the net, reads, has more than basic cable and until recently, still bowled on a league.

at 60, just last week, i rode in a horse show doing walk/trot/canter classes, and even did barrel racing. just because we are 60+ doesn't mean we don't know or do anything.

 

That's what my dad thought... until he saw my HCHII!

Good point.... I guess this poll shows the average age of hybrid drivers who are active members of greenhybrid.com

 

24 years of age here, I made my first "real" car a Hybrid. I'm glad I did, and I'm not looking back. I got 60MPG today, mostly on the freeway. Love this car!

 

My appologies to Laurie, I'm only pointing the limited view I see from my own father and his group of lifetime friends and contacts.

In my fathers case its lack of knowledge because he doesn't stray inside the information routes where hybrids are seen. I think this could be said of a good portion of the population, not just one age range. Didn't mean any offence at any direct range reference.

Point in case our local paper this week featured a review of the "refreshed" Ford Escape. They put the mpg figures in the fine print, and mentioned the hybrid escape as "an oddly overpriced alternative, that would be more suited for around town cruising in the lower states." Clearly the author is just as ignorant as my own dad, Figuring that any hybrid could neven handle heavy driving or new england winters.

 

I think everyone on this website knows what you're talking about... plus you get to brag to all of your friends, family, and coworkers on how much gas you're saving.

 

apology accepted. i know there are a lot of people out there who don't have a clue. however, driving tonight was kind of fun......i turned onto a highway and a prius turned on right behind me. i stuck my arm out and gave him a thumbs up. it took him a few seconds, but then he returned the salute......for a change i knew i had someone behind me who wasn't going to go roaring past me gunning his engine in disgust.

 

I have thouroughly enjoyed reading through this thred. It's been quite interesting to see the different observations people have made.

Being this is only my 2nd post, I thought I would outline my past automobiles. I started with an 89 Mercury Tracer, which had 100K+ miles on it when my dad purchased it for me. It lasted 6 months, and was replaced with a 95 Geo Metro (you all remember that strawberry sized, 3 cylinder car??). After I got tired of driving something that shook at 60 MPH and had no a/c, I traded it in for a Mazda Protege (5spd). That got totalled in a parking lot (I love doing 360s but not when someone else causes it!) and got a Nissan Maxima. After getting tired of being ripped a new one at the pump, I traded that in for an 03 Civic. I got a steal on that car, and loved the 30MPG around town compared to my 18 I was getting. Now I'm onto my first brand new 07 HCH. It is awesome!

I love the quietness of the car when I'm driving as well as the MPG I get. I usually average around 45 around town (lots of lights here in DE!). One of the best feelings, is pulling into a gas station, and leaving before the guy with his SUV is done pumping! I always make a smart comment to the extent of "45 MPG, not too bad this time!". Then I gotta make a quick get-a-way before they get too mad!

I have come to the realization that the price of oil is not going back down as the government may want you to believe. It will one day run out and I can easily see it hurting the US economy in the long run if something isn't done, and done FAST. 10 years away will be too late to begin, but GW doesn't want to believe that. My step-dad has a VW TDI Passat. He gets the 40-50MPG without the hybrid, but makes you wonder what they could do making it into one. I see it this way:

30MPG w/ Unleaded
50MPG w/ Diesel
45MPG w/ HCH (a nice round figure)

Using that logic you should get 75MPG w/ Diesel Hybrid. I'm still learning the fun you can have with a hybrid and the gas savings. However, I leared that with my Geo Metro the faster you go, the crappier the gas mileage. You've got to weigh the cost of time vs. gas savings at some point though.

Ok, I've rambled enough, but maybe it can generate some more conversation for me to enjoy :-).