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Car And Driver realizes that while hybrids and alternative fuels may get all the hype, the solution for many people on fuel economy is still the simple old econo-bucket beater. However, they've come up with five reasons why buying something like a cheap old Geo Metro isn't a good idea. Car And Driver makes some valid points, but we're thinking we'd still rather have a old beater. Although our five reasons below the jump won't apply to most consumers — we think maybe consumers should just become more like us. Reliability: Sure, an old Geo may not be as reliable as a brand new Toyota, Chevy or Ford, but it's still more reliable than say, an old MG. Besides, "poor reliability" is just another way of saying "lots of character," and who doesn't want to have a car with a personality? Safety: Yes, a rusty Metro make a Brilliance look like a tank, but who's to say you can't install a roll cage and wear a fire-proof suit and a helmet...
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As much as it may hurt to have to fill up your car every month (or week), the price of gas still isn't high enough to make trading in for a hybrid a reasonable solution for most, a reality punctuated by the Gas-Mileage Savings Calculator from Edmunds . The calculator takes the value of a trade-in compared to the cost of a more-efficient vehicle and, based on driving distances and the cost of gas, determines how long it would take to break even. For example, we took a 2006 Explorer XLT V8 and compared it to a new Jetta SportWagen TDI at $4.25 a gallon and 1,200 miles a month. At that rate it would take four years to make up the difference. The price of gas would have to rise to a ridiculous $16.50 a gallon to break even within a year — and we don't expect those prices until 2010 or so. Press release below the jump. Gas-Guzzler Trade-In Calculator Introduced by Edmunds.com SANTA MONICA, Calif. — June 30, 2008 — Should you dump the SUV for a gas-sipper? That's...
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There may be no better indicator that many carmakers have been unable to adjust to the sudden increase in gas prices and the resulting shift in consumer demand than hybrid sales. Although there was an obvious run to more fuel-efficient cars — witness the Civic besting the Ford F-150 in overall sales for the first time ever — hybrid sales overall were down 11% from April to May, down 24.3% month-to-month from 2007 and even the market-leading Toyota Prius experienced a 31% drop in sales for the month. How did that happen? There are a few factors at work here, which we've helpfully outlined below the jump. First off, there was an overall drop in vehicle sales in the United States — that's obviously going to affect sales of the largest fuel-suckers first, but the current economic situation affects anyone looking to buy right now, even in the hybrid marketplace. But the biggest factor isn't the issue of demand, it's supply. Toyota decided to only create about...
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