Buy your own oil and oil filter and you pay WAY less. I buy all Mobil 1 stuff, oil and filter and I pay half as much as Honda oil/filter.

 

I learned last week that Honda will give you a discount on the oil filters when you buy 3 or more. In my case that brought the price down to about $5 each from $7.xx at the parts counter, which is pretty reasonable for OEM filters in my book. Now I can just stash the other two to use over the next year.

 

have to agree with tim here. you either want a hybrid because of all its cool technology and/or because you like knowing that you're saving the environment a ton (literally) of pollutants and carbon emmissions or you don't. personally, i love the car, technically and i believe i'll come out ahead financially in the long run. however, i really smile thinking that every year i'm cutting more than 2 tons of greenhouse gas emmissions from being spewed into the atmosphere than the regular civic. and over 6 tons less than my mercedes.

 

While you're at it, sell the car, walk everywhere, and pay nothing. :-)

It's all in choices. This debate is old and tired. I don't have time to **** around under the car, go buy oil and filter, find someplace to recycle the dang oil, etc. It's way worth it to me to just get it done.

I had no intention of complaining about the cost of this. My post was about the cost difference between the HCH and regular civic because they charge more do do that stuff on a hybrid.

 

My personal guess is that the hybrid costs Honda more to make than a normal Civic but that the company is prepared to make less of a profit in order to achieve market penetration. (swings and roundabouts - what you lose on one you make on the other).

When you see the advanced technology of the engine (video) and the special components and metals used therein you realise what a very special car you are getting!

I particularly enjoy the quiet air of sophistication which the Hybrid exudes! No contest as far as I am concerned.

 

Artyin - OK, you've served your time got a little $$$ saved up from not having anywhere to spend it except for all that overpriced AAFES junk and now you're going to college. I got all that right? (or did you buy tons of PSP stuff? X-Box?)

Now, as its been said you may want to consider something else. I'm taking another guess - the Marines didn't issue you a wife and you don't have one at the moment. Right again?

How about a two seater? An Insight. Great mileage that beats anything on the road except a moped, older used ones are normally half the price of a new one so that is always a consideration. I know the styling is "take it or leave it" for most and it may be "leave it" for you - try driving one though and I bet you'd change your mind.

It may not fit your lifestyle though but if you considered a Tc, a used Insight is a strong consideration.

 

Tim, Nbalthaser and Zimbop,

I TOTALLY agree about the intangible benefits you listed, Tim. It's just that many folks cannot see them unless they feel comfortable with the cost of attaining such benefits.

Like I said, I did NOT consider maintenance cost differences. A $15 difference in oil changes, times 20 of them (every 5K, which many consider too soon) amounts to $300 over 100K on the car.
One brake-pad/rotor change less on the Hybrid could offset that $300. Not to mention a caliper, which may be less likely to stick, due to less overheating necessary to stop the car. The 15" LRR tires of the Hybrid probably cost more than the 16" ones on the regular Civic, but they may also last a little longer. I figured it would be near enough to a wash to not complicate the matter.

the www.fueleconomy.gov site is cool, potentially less-biased information, but it only gives a single, combined MPG figure. Plus, it is a small sample size (just 30 2006 Civic EX, and 28 2006 Civic Hybrid). GreenHybrid has 168 2006 CIvic Hybrids in the MPG database, averaging 46.4 MPG. My estimating can easily use any MPG figures. I just want folks to consider that owning one makes sense, whether for CITY or HIGHWAY or COMBINED driving (unlike what is reported by the naysayers). Here are my estimates using the www.fueleconomy.gov's MPG numbers (31.7 for the EX, and 45.2 for the Hybrid):

Before the $300 price increase, the NET higher cost was $1140.00.
My OLD estimated actual miles-to-breakeven @ $3 gallon:
40,332 City/Highway combined (31.7 for Civic, 45.2 for Hybrid)

My OLD estimated actual miles-to-breakeven @ $4 gallon:
30,249 City/Highway combined (31.7 for Civic, 45.2 for Hybrid)

After the $300 price increase, the NET higher cost is now $1499.40.
My NEW estimated actual miles-to-breakeven @ $3 gallon:
53,047 City/Highway combined (31.7 for Civic, 45.2 for Hybrid)

My NEW estimated actual miles-to-breakeven @ $4 gallon:
39,785 City/Highway combined (31.7 for Civic, 45.2 for Hybrid)

These numbers are even more impressive, since the MPG disparity is greater (13.5 MPG difference) than my estimates. I went a little more conservative, knowing that EVEN on this site (GreenHybrid), we have a number of under 45 MPG Hybrid folks.

As for the $5 a gallon gas in a couple years' time - I agree that it could happen. I am keeping it simple by using FIXED $3 or $4 a gallon estimates. Remember, this is over the entire time of the miles-to-breakeven. So, $3 a gallon now, and $5 a gallon in two years could average to $4 a gallon for those two years.

Any way you choose to look at it (unless you are just paranoid of the new technology/hybrid battery), the Hybrid should NOT eat-your-lunch. There is certainly not a big premium to pay for opting for the Hybrid. The new FED Tax CREDIT and the $3 a gallon gas has made a Hybrid almost a "no brainer" (to quote a wise one ).

If anyone has other MPG numbers they'd like me to post a comparison for (it's easy for me, now!), send 'em on.

 

Yep. I am really starting to appreciate this the more I drive the car. Its the real deal for a car for now.

 

A visit to tirerack.com shows the tires that came on my car (Dunlops) to be about 80 dollars each.

 

I'd gladly trade the sunroof and folding rear seat for the automatic climate control. Just my 2 cents.