My local Ford dealer has identical Escapes in stock, one gas, and one hybrid. The gas model is a 3.0 6 cylinder rated at 17 mpg city driving, $17,988. The hybrid is a 4 cylinder rated at 27 mpg city driving, $27,988.

Based on the current $3.00 gallon gas prices, the gas model rated at 17 mpg in city driving -- the extra $10,000 I would pay for the Hybrid will take me 56,667 miles on 3,333 gallons of gasoline right off the bat in the gas model.

Somebody explain to me where all this "Save The Green Earth" foolishness kicks in? I'm suppose to pay $10,000 more for a Hybrid model just so I can feel good? While driving the Hybrid am I suppose to jump out and hug a tree occasionally, or am I suppose to hug a tree every day?

Is this same scenario playing out price wise in the new Hybrid Tahoes and Hybrid Suburbans? Sacrifice your first 50,000 or 60,000 miles in gas just ot have a cute Hybrid emblem on the door?

I just don't get it.

 

Well if I were in the market for an Escape, I would just go get the gasser. Then I would get some Hybrid badges from FTE PartsGuy and feel real good as I would still have $10,000 in my pocket.

 

Ohh, I'm not in the market for an Escape. But your idea is an excellent one.

I check a lot of local Ford dealer web sites lately hoping to find another nice low mileage earth killing Excursion.

It will only get harder to find a nice one now with gas prices easing off a little.

 

Plus you never know, you may even get to do another one of you famous interviews.

 

They were hard to find when gas was $4.50 a gal. and as far as a Hybird there was a tax credit given if you purchased one, and I'm not saying that I would buy one for 10G's more than a gasser for a tax credit but that would cut the 10G's down somewhat.

 

It has to be a "feel good" selling point, as this has been an on going discussion since hybrids started hitting the streets.

 

Steve,

Also, don't forget that you'll need to replace that lithium ion propulsion battery in 7 - 10 years.

 

And, I do believe that's not to cheap either.

 

The tax credit would be off your net taxable income based on the model.

$3,000 = $750 saved on taxes

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="99%" border=1 x:str="x:str"><TBODY><TR height=17><TD height=17 x:str="Ford ">Ford
</TD><TD>Escape Hybrid 2WD
</TD><TD x:num="3000">$3,000
</TD></TR><TR height=17><TD height=17>Ford
</TD><TD>Escape Hybrid 4WD
</TD><TD x:num="1950">$1,950
</TD></TR><TR height=17><TD height=17>Mercury
</TD><TD>Mariner Hybrid 2WD
</TD><TD x:num="3000">$3,000
</TD></TR><TR height=17><TD height=17>Mercury
</TD><TD>Mariner Hybrid 4WD
</TD><TD x:num="1950">$1,950
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Not a big incentive, plus they reduced and eliminated alot of credit based on the manufactures producing 60,000 units per year. After that the credit is removed, imagine buying the 60,001 vehicle and Uncle Sam say's sorry you don't qualify for the tax credit....

 

I think that you are confusing a tax deduction with a tax credit. A deduction allows you to deduct that amount from your taxable income (so you don't pay taxes on that amount). A credit is a direct lessening of your tax burden. If it is a tax credit of $3000.00 (and your tax burden is at least $3000.00) then you save $3000.00.

For instance, charitable giving is a deduction. You don't pay taxes on the amount you give. If you make $100000.00 a year and give $10000.00 to charity, your taxable income is $90000.00.

The child credit is a credit. If your taxes on the $100000.00 turns out to be 19000.00, you would deduct that child credit from the $19000.00.

There is a huge difference between a deduction and a credit, a credit being much better (dollar for dollar).

 

Good Idea, i think i need to order one of those escape hybrid stickers for my X since it is greener than any other econo-hybrid on the road!

 

I actually thought about getting a couple of the LEV decals like on the Honda's just to see the look on people's faces.

 

A $3K tax credit washes out the taxes for about $10K-$30K in taxable income, depending on your marginal tax bracket, making the hybrid deal in the OP at least a break even proposition (and maybe a money maker).

Like it or not, hybrids, clean diesel, plug in electric and high efficiency direct injection gasoline vehicles are the way the broader vehicle market is going. Though I'm sure you'll still be able to buy new trucks if that's what you prefer.

 

relax - guys - the problem is going to solve itself. Just do the math. India and China have become industrial giants. They make things to sell. The more they make things to sell, the more they develop a middle class that wants "toys".

There are lots of Chinese and lots of Indians. The Chinese teen-agers and the Indian teen-agers do pretty much what horny kids to everywhere. THEY BREED.

At the breeding rates of this planet today, there is no way in the world we can find, develope, and process gasoline as fast as people are breeding.

So - do the math - the problem, probably within our lifetimes, is going to solve itself.

 

so we use foreign kids for fuel? Isn't that still supporting imports?