I've recieved a few quotes for the Civic LX and Hybrid. The quotes for the LX were just above invoice where the quotes for the Hybrid are comming in closer to the MSRP for a difference of just under 6 grand between the two.

I'm favoring the hybrid for a variety of reasons, which as hybrid owners yourself I need not get into. Cost is also a factor for me and working through some different numbers (gas costs, milage per year) it would take a little longer than I would like to recoup enough of the difference to bring me back into that comfort zone.

I may end up keeping the car for 10 years, in which case the justification point is there, but I'm more than likely going to sell after 3-5 years. If hybrids are still going at a premium, I might be able to recoup enough then to make it worthwhile, I'm just not sure.

Anyway, sorry for rambling, but I wanted to see what others think of this.

Thanks

 

Don't forget the tax credit for 2006. That will make up a signigicant portion of the difference. And the "coolness" factor is priceless !!!

 

You're probably going to make your decision based on whatever assumptions you make about resale value / actual cost per mile of ownership / and personal preferences. Honestly - I doubt you will go wrong with either decision. I made the EX / Hybrid decision in favor of a Hybrid and I don't regret it... much (I wish the Hybrid had a sunroof and 5 spd manual). Based on the "predicted" resale values I've seen floating around (Intellichoice.com, actual listings on Autotrader.com, Edmunds.com) I went with the Hybrid. For instance actual values on Autotrader when I did my survey said that a 2003 Civic Hybrid was selling for 84% of original value while a 2003 EX was selling for about 76%. It may make a huge difference what gas prices are when you sell too?? Good luck with your decision and enjoy your new car.

Eric

 

Keep in mind that fuel prices are far from static. Nobody really knows what's going to happen but I suspect the payback period for the hybrid upgrade may end up being a quite a bit less than you think. We've been looking at annual gas price increases 15-18% in recent years. Extrapolate that curve for 3-5 years and things start to get crazy. (Seriously, break out a spreasheet and see what happens.) Just something for you to consider in case you hadn't.

 

Consumer Reports compared the ownership costs of an EX (not LX) to a hybrid and found (after correcting their initial flawed analysis) a breakeven at 4-5 years. If held 5 years or more the hybrid will cost less. I think their analysis still is biased against the hybrid because of their incorrect MPG assumptions. They did assume that gasoline prices will be up to $4/gallon in five years.

If you're going to keep the car for five years or more, I think the hybrid definitely makes sense. It may be attractive in any case if you want to make any contribution to the environmental and oil dependency issues. Finally, a hybrid is good insurance in case gas prices really shoot through the roof.

For me all these considerations were secondary. Being able to use the carpool lane was what decided the deal, even if it were to cost a lot more.

 

For me, it was either an EX or the hybrid. If this was purely a money issue, the EX would have been the correct choice but the Hybrid offered more than just gas savings to me. If there was no 2006 Fed Tax help, the decision may have been tougher. In the end I considered the Hybrid piece an option like leather seats would be. The difference is that this option saves gas and pollutes much less. Plus I really like the Auto Stop.

Throw in that the price of gas (IMO) can very easily spike to high levels and I made my decision. Since Civics w/NAVI are in very low supply around me, I ended up waiting 6 weeks for mine to come in. I pick it up tomorrow night.

 

Think about this. Will any of the other options you get for the car pay you back? No, so why should the hybrid option have to pay you back to be a reasonable consideration? It's just the right thing to do. It simply costs more to do things right and I was willing to pay a little extra to rape and pollute the world less, regardless if that would ever pay me back financially. That stereo upgrade, the nav option, the floor mats, etc. Will they ever pay you back?

 

I purchased my hybrid, not based upon the financial recoup, but because I have been educated to be morally ethical in my decisions. It is my goal to consume as little of the earth as possible and to save some of it for future generations.

Considering I will never have children, I am obviously doing this for your future generations and not mine.

It irks me that I drive by so many Hummers here in Los Angeles. If I'm getting 50 mpg, and they are getting 11 mpg, you do the math. It's just sad that most Americans are uneducated and do not think about the inevitable consequences of their consumption.