Entries from December 2006 ↓

An Extended Warranty for Your Hybrid

Hybrid vehicles have grown more and more in popularity with American consumers since their inception to the automotive market last year. Given rising prices at the gas tank and environmental concerns when it comes to omissions from gasoline powered cars, hybrid vehicles appear to be the smartest and safest choice for car owners.

However, the difference between hybrid vehicles and the gasoline powered cars we have grown accustomed to can be confusing for some consumers. Hybrid vehicles combine sources of power to fuel the vehicle. By not relying solely on gasoline as fuel power to power the vehicle, hybrid vehicles use less gasoline and omit fewer fumes into the already damaged atmosphere. With global warming becoming more and more of concern, hybrid vehicles are growing in popularity. Hybrid cars use gasoline combined with an electric motor powered by batteries to fuel the vehicle. When the vehicle is being used in typical day-to-day driving scenarios where there is a lot of stop-and-go traffic, hybrid vehicles rely heavily upon their battery power. When use of the gasoline engine takes place, or when the car slows down or brakes, the electric battery pack is able to recharge itself, readying itself for more use powered by the electric engine rather than the gasoline engine. Seemingly, the downfall of purchasing a hybrid vehicle becomes the increased cost and the chance that parts could fail or break.

Hybrid cars typically cost four to five thousand dollars more than their gasoline powered counterparts. Although some consumers justify this price increase by the money they will be saving at the gas pump, it is a price some consumers do not want to pay. The second concern, the longevity, or lack thereof, of the vehicle’s electric parts that keep it running leads to the question of whether or not an extended warranty is a smart choice. Hybrid vehicles are extremely new to the automotive market, and therefore, their parts run more expensive since there are less of them out there. If something goes wrong with the electric powered battery that is one of the prime power sources for the hybrid vehicle, the owner could be burdened with major expenses to replace the part.

However, an extended warranty on the car and its parts could save the hybrid owner considerable amounts of money and hassle in replacing and covering the broken or damaged parts. Currently, since so many hybrid parts cost a lot of money to replace or fix many car manufacturers that currently market hybrid vehicles already offer extended warranties with the vehicles. For example, many Ford hybrid buyers have the option of selecting warranties that last for upwards of ten years, sometimes longer than most people even own one car. This allows the owner to find help, if needed, should something go wrong with their hybrid vehicle. In addition, by the time many long-term warranties on hybrid vehicles do run out, hybrid vehicles are expected to be increasingly more common and the parts should be easier to find, and therefore, less expensive.

Many car companies that are now marketing hybrid vehicles will openly tell consumers of the faith they have in the new hybrid vehicles. This is why such warranties are possible. An increasing amount of meticulous research has gone into the planning and building of hybrid vehicles. Given this, there is often less chance that things will go wrong. Oftentimes, these warranties cover hybrid related problems only and problems not relating to hybrid parts are not covered by such warranties. However, there are a number of different types of warranties covering all different types of problems and concerns that may go wrong with hybrid vehicles.

There are also a number of car manufacturers, from Ford to Toyota to Honda, that now market hybrid vehicles. Every car company will have its own types of warranties to offer customers. Since hybrid vehicles are so new to everyone from car dealers to consumers, it is important for anyone interested in purchasing a hybrid vehicle to first do research concerning the types of vehicles offered, the pros and cons, and the benefits of an extended warranty. Only by doing research on your own will you be able to determine what type of hybrid and what type of warranty suits your lifestyle the best.

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While some people are becoming more concerned about environmental issues, one can still see the smog that encases many cities during rush-hour. Anyone who watches the news can also see that we are struggling with our energy resources. Almost everyone relates hybrid cars with less pollution and better gas mileage. Besides saving money on gas, there are a few other reasons that buying a hybrid is such a good idea.

One can start by looking at what the EPA has to say. Comparing a regular car to a hybrid is quite an eye-opener. The EPA thoroughly checks vehicles to see what kind of emissions they are putting into the air, and then rates them by the results. It is no wonder that hybrid cars, SUVs and soon, minivans, are the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) favorites. The Toyota Prius hybrid, for example churns out less than half of what the gas-only Camry does of carbon dioxide. Other pollutants like nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons are cut by two-thirds and halves with hybrid vehicles. The reason that the EPA can give hybrids ratings in the best category is based on their green house emissions rating. Except for trucks, hybrids are ending up in the best categories again and again. It sounds great to hear that a hybrid emits so much less pollution, but when one hears that most hybrids cumulatively emit 97% less toxins than the average car, it makes one wonder how anyone can justify not driving one yet. For now, long waiting lines and high prices can appease the guilt.

Churning out fewer emissions is directly linked to the other reason that hybrids make sense. Mileage tests show that hybrids get between the 20s and 30s for some SUV and truck models and into the 60s for cars. The Honda Insight in automatic gets about 50 mpg and the mid-60s for the manual version. Hybrids are simply more efficient than their gas counterparts. Although, there is debate about the degree of greenhouse effects from the use of fossil fuels, most people are unable to deny the fact that better mileage in vehicles is one of the ways to produce less of them. Not understanding the complete ramifications of unchecked toxins, does not make most people feel any better about only getting 15 or 18 mpg. Hybrids show that there is a way out of the gluttonous gas usage which has us polluting the skies.

It is not just the environment of “Mother Earth” that many people are worried about. Anyone who has lived in highly congested areas, and has had to commute with their car, knows that traffic fumes can become overwhelming on some days. Even sitting behind another car in the bank drive-through is enough to make one wonder how much their lungs and blood can take. Looking back at the EPA standards for what is an acceptable amount of carbon monoxide and methane (if any), we have to ask ourselves if we are not so wrapped up in our world that we will sit and breathe poison on a daily basis. The EPA is trying to tell us that most cars, trucks and other vehicles account for a third of America’s total air pollution. With links to the causes of cancer and other diseases still being studied, it still seems like a good idea to not only be concerned about the effects of pollution on our outside environment, but the internal, human one as well. Hybrid cars are paving the way for vehicles which lets us keep our lifestyles, without dumping tons of toxic gasses into our bodies.

According to EPA standards, having a vehicle which gets 25 mpg instead of 20 mpg cuts the amount of carbon dioxide being pumped into the sky by 10 tons. The Environmental Protection Agency has its fingers in every industry, and is trying to measure and relay results back to those industries, the effects they are having on the environment and all living things. As technology gets better, the excuses for driving inefficient vehicles are becoming fewer and fewer. Although the EPA may not have all the answers yet, it does not hurt to take their information seriously. Along with their knowledge about the chemicals, which most automobiles put into the air, and the effect this has on our world and bodies, a hybrid vehicle should be considered an option by more and more people.

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With gas prices skyrocketing to over $3.00 per gallon across the nation in the past few months, consumers have been searching for a way to get from place to place without spending a fortune. Some consumers seem to think they have found the solution to their problem. Hybrid vehicles have become the new alternative to spending your entire paycheck on filling your gas tank. In addition to saving you money at the gas pump, hybrid vehicles are also a safer choice for the environment. Hybrid vehicles combine sources of power to fuel the vehicle. By not relying solely on gasoline as fuel power to power the vehicle, hybrid vehicles use less gasoline and omit fewer fumes into the already damaged atmosphere.

With global warming becoming more and more of concern, hybrid vehicles are growing in popularity. Hybrid cars use gasoline combined with an electric motor powered by batteries to fuel the vehicle. When the vehicle is being used in typical day-to-day driving scenarios where there is a lot of stop-and-go traffic, hybrid vehicles rely heavily upon their battery power. When use of the gasoline engine takes place, or when the car slows down or brakes, the electric battery pack is able to recharge itself, readying itself for more use powered by the electric engine rather than the gasoline engine. The car manufacturing company Ford has become one of the leaders in hybrid vehicle manufacturing.

Ford has been a staple of American culture for decades. It was Ford who led car manufacturing in the United States for many years and now they have come out with a number of hybrid models to suite any type of consumer. Ford manufactures everything from typical cars to trucks to SUVs in the hybrid form. Ford’s hybrids are expected to get up to seventy five percent better mileage per gallon of gasoline when compared to conventional Ford vehicles. This can save owners of hybrid vehicles a considerable amount of money when it comes to the amount of gas purchased each week.

When it comes to the environment, hybrid vehicles could make a word of difference. With so many natural disasters plaguing the globe recently, particularly in the form of hurricanes, fingers have been pointed at global warming as the cause. The large amounts of fossil fuels used in today’s society has taken a toll on the environment and will likely only get worse if things continue the way they have been going. Ford hybrid vehicles omit up to ninety seven percent less fossil fuels than regular vehicles. Ford has been one of the leaders in producing vehicles that omit less and less carbon dioxide and other harmful gasses into the environment. Hybrid vehicles manufactured by Ford can typically be driven twenty five miles on electric power without having to switch over gasoline power to recharge the battery. During this time the engine discharges no harmful fumes into the environment.

Many consider hybrid vehicles the future of the automotive industry. With a growing need for environmentally safe vehicles, hybrid vehicles have become more and more popular. Since companies such as Ford have worked so hard to develop effective hybrid models, hybrid cars have become a glimpse of the future available today. Places in the United States that have been plagued by heavy pollution, like the state of California; have seen a growing trend in the purchase of hybrid vehicles over regular vehicles. In fact, millions of Americans are currently living in areas that have poor air quality. Hybrids could provide the beginning of a solution to this problem. Without a doubt hybrid vehicles will provide somewhat of a reprieve from dire air quality. Many engineers and car manufacturers believe that hybrid vehicles will eventually begin to gain significant ground in sales. Although the vehicles keep becoming more and more popular amongst American consumers, it is believed that it will be short time until the hybrid vehicle becomes the standard. It is thought that eventually automobiles will be powered solely by hydrogen, using no gasoline at all and only omitting steam into the atmosphere. Although we are not there yet, today’s hybrid vehicles do provide a safer alternative so we will be able to provide a future where the atmosphere is still healthy and clean.

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