Hydrogen Injection systems work. They have been proven to work over and over. Don't take my word for it. Send me an e-mail and I will send you several official reports from NASA, DOT and others that have all of the technical details to backup my statement. Now, there are MANY scams for sure. Nobody can assemble a quality, efficient system with parts @ the hardware store. It's a little more involved BUT IT WORKS. Send me your e-mails. Sales@HHOMonster.com. Yes, I sell systems but I also offer hard evidence that it works. I don't give "first hand accounts" but reports from reputable companies.

I think scam.. oh and note... these things are made for carborated engines, which have not been sold in the US since 1990, so even if they do work (doubt it) good luck digging up a pre 1985 car to install on.

Some big pickups (Dodge Ram and others) are being offered at great discounts & incentives. Should I buy one & hope gas eventually drops in price, even if it's not at previous levels.I will need a bigger vehicle anyway, so it's not that I want to make a killing...

I'm in the middle of building a hydrogen generator for my f-150. All of my research says it will work. With all of these people saying it's a scam I'm curious if any of them have tried it or are they just running off at the mouth. I will have mine up and running in the next couple of days. I will let you know if it works or not. I do like the comment that said let someone install it on your vehicle and see what it does then feature it on your show. Any one with prof whether it works or not please e-mail me at bad.boy.bil@hotmail.com

Run your car on water sounds great! And even better, all you need to do just to spend $60 or so to get materials available in your local hardware stores.

It sounds too good to be true! And it is a scam!!!

This scam claims that you can build a conversion kit that uses your car's battery / alternator to split H2O to HHO(Brown's Gas), then send the HHO to the engine and it will burn with the gas thus reduce the use of gas.

The part of splitting water is sounding. Actually this is an experiment being done over and over in some high school chemistry classes. However, splitting water needs energy. In the model above, the energy comes from the car burning gas. According to the First Law of Thermodynamics, the energy taken to split the water will be equal to the energy that released by the combustion process. Consider there are losses during the combustion, you will get less output from your engine by burning HHO. Hence this will not save you any gas if you connect the kit directly to the battery or the alternator.

This type of scam is not new. The following Wikipedia link has listed several cases of this type of scam:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-fuelled_car

Other than doing investment fraud, the modern day Water-fuelled_car works in the following ways:

1. Get victims to buy so called ready-to-install kit. The kit costs anywhere from $500 to $3,000

2. Get victims to buy so called do-it-yourself kit or book. The kit or book costs anywhere from $19.99 to $300.

3. Get people who wants to research the subject click on their web sites. These web sites usually have either get paid from advisers by number of visitors on their sites or installing spyware on unsuspected people's computers. Sometimes both will happen.

So please do NOT fall for this old scam! Do your physics and you will know this kind of conversion kit will NEVER WORK! Or you can use the logic if you are not so good in physics: if this Run-You-Car-On-Water is so simple and so easy to do, why none of the automakers had not converted their engine yet? With gas price so high, wouldn't they want to sell more SUVs?

Not more than 2 days ago FOX news interviewed a 70 something year old gentleman who is a retired engineer and put a conversion kit on his old car. He went from 30 mpg to 75 mpg. This gentleman lives in S.C. Even a local garage was looking into putting them on customers cars. Does it work? I sure hope so because this mail carrier sure could use one on her car with 210,000 miles on it. It would be nice to fill the tank once a week instead of 2 or sometimes 3.

Bruce thanks for doing your part, that is, buying two new cars with all the energy and resources that went into building it. Thanks for doing your part to put two older vehicles which were fine into the scrap heap to be absorbed by the delicate ecosystem as opposed to buying an older, dependable Honda, Toyota etc. which still gets 30+mpg. Thanks for doing your part Bruce. By the way, set the thermostat at 58 in the winter and wear a sweater, 80 in the summer, compost in your back yard etc.
Rob

Did you say that buying gas when it is cooler saves money? If so why?

I need to buy a used car for my 18 year old son. It needs to be heavy and extremely fuel efficient. Any ideas?

This calculator is silly. It doesn't take a lot of things into account which are important. All things even, it told me I would save $5,111 over 5 years in gas. However, because my car is almost paid for, I actually save $21,000 over the next 5 years by keeping the car I have and eating the gas cost. They recommended I buy a new car. They are crazy.

I have a '93 Taurus LX with 87,000 miles. Has been garaged since I got it; still looks like new. Gets 19 mpg around town running errands and 28 mpg on the road. Considering the price of a new vehicle, sales tax, registration fees and insurance cost, can't see why I should dump it for a new one. Less worry when I take it out that someone is going to scratch it or steal it. Lots more new cars out there worth more.

Your fancy-dancy interactive tool did not yield the answer I secretly dsired. However, it did reflect what I knew in my gut which was to keep the old tank if ita's paid for and maintenance is minimal. Dang it!! Oh well, my '98 Expedition with 182,000 miles is destined to keep on truckin' much to the dismay of my ultra green save the penguins 13 yr. old daughters. Thank you for giving me some sound ammunition to counter the oppression I feel driving around in my tank. Afterall, I do think that my "carbon footprint" with this ride is smaller than getting a new ride.

I believe in recycling and I believe in helping a friend, so I chose to sell my best friend my old 1986 Toyota Pickup Truck for $1. It looks a little rough, but runs GREAT at 250,000. I had just started to get it broken in. Well, it gets super mileage and now has a new life.

J. Bolton - Please read my last comment to Amanda and feel free to considered replacing her name with yours. By the way, please understand that I am laughing really hard at how silly it all really is. Gas isn't going anywhere soon, not in our lifetime anyway. What's the point in conserving it if we can just use another energy when it's gone? What good will it do us sitting in the ground unused? Think about it some more before adjusting your lifestyle over political/tree hugging agendas. As far as the price goes, deal with it. I live in a house that fits my income and also drive in a manner that fits my income. If you choose to drive something more "economical", that's fine, but so far it sounds like there are a lot of jealous people out there bashing those of us who choose to spend a few extra greenbacks on some gas. I'm not rich by American standard, just average, but I am happy with the way I choose to spend my $$. Remember, I'm still laughing at how silly it all is.

Clark said the ultra small Honda 4 cylinder is good but what other brands would he recommend?

18 years ago we bought a new GMC full sized van so that our two teenaged sons who were pushing 6 foot would have plenty of leg room on long trips. They have long been gone from home but we have converted our van into our camping vehicle. It has 280,000 miles with all its original parts, meaning transmission and engine. Of course it has used up a starter and alternator and a few belts but other than those things it has been very good to us. It hardly uses oil and my husband changes the oil every 3,000 miles and does other maintenance at that time. The gas mileage isn't great. We are lucky to get 18 mpg on the open highway. We just bought a 2008 Honda Accord, 4 cyl, and hope to have it last as long. We will take the car on long trips that do not include camping to help with our gas consumption.This is the second new vehicle we have bought in the 37 years we have been married and feel that we certainly have gotten our money's worth out of our van. The Honda is replacing a 1994 Buick which had a cylinder go bad in it and not worth fixing. We considered a Hybrid but my husband doesn't trust them yet. I hate to pay at the pump but we are doing our best to drive the car most of the time and to keep our speed down on the highway.

For me to trade my paid-for E320 wagon on a new Honda Fit gas would have to be $22.00 a gallon to break even. Not counting the difference in price for premium gas for the Merc.

Strangely, the break-even point for trading my wife's 05 Accord on a Fit is also $22.00 a gallon.
Perhaps fuel costs for both vehicles should be an option in case someone wants to consider a diesel vs. gas, or premium vs. regular.

I always read whatever you have to say at Clarkhoward.com. You all are great!
What are some good deals for a safe,economical, reliable car(used) at a really cheap price. Oh, I live in Florida, so a fantastic air conditioner for the hot season(just when needed) is as important as the other criteria.
Thanks, I quote you all the time. Just wish you came in clearer and more often into our market - St. Petersburg/Tampa.

I have loved this rig in nearly every way. I LOVE it! I will continue to buy another and another…actually I just did last month. There is nothing wrong with my other one, but just wonder how long I should keep it before all resell value would be gone. Besides, the newer one is more loaded and has only 50K miles and has a factory warranty still…I bought it for $16,000. While I would like a 2007 or newer body style especially with the variable cylinder motor for the better MPG, I will have to wait a while as I hate debt more than I like that truck. Maybe in a year or three I will get one. One thing is for sure, I will keep one of these around if at all possible or until my kids are all gone.

Now all the above being said, if I could have all that I am offered from my Yukon XL in one that got 30+ MPG, of course I would buy it. Do I think that they could build it? YES! Do I think they could cost effectively? Many including manufactures say no, but I say YES; especially when you consider the SUV is one of the highest profit margin vehicles out there (Think $47,000+ MSRP for one new.)

Now on a different note but related: Years ago I had a 1983 Volkswagen diesel Jetta…yes ‘83’. At the time it got 41-45 MPG. I mainly sold it as where I lived at the time I struggled to find stations that carried diesel and when I did, it was 25% more. These days I hear about these total propaganda related hybrids. I say bid deal! I question there long term reliability, cost effectiveness before (resources expended to build) during and later. Especially so when many get at best slightly better MPG than my 1983 diesel Jetta…most are the same or worse. It is amazing to me that we haven’t come further in this regard and wonder what the point of driving a hybrid is when I got that kind of MPG 25 years ago. Anyway, I wish you all well in what you buy and respect your right to do so…please reciprocate this action.

It is flat out the most useful and one of my most favorite vehicles EVER. It's a part time 4WD, safe, dependable, cheap and easy to maintain. It tows easily when needed, it has an AUTO 4WD setting that's easy for my wife…16 year old daughter…and for me. It's by far one of the smoothest, quietest, most comfortable rides I have ever owned…and does so for NINE passengers. (This has been especially nice for hauling extra friends but even more so when both Grandma’s and Grandpa’s visit, so we don’t have to take two cars everywhere, sight seeing etc. The nine of us fit comfrtably in one vehicle with all our gear and with them in their 70’s they feel better about it as well. It hauls a ton of cargo…even more ridiculously so with out passengers as I've done a ton of home improvement jobs with it’s help. It has a rack on top that's actually usable. I have a huge 19 CU/ft Yakima cargo carrier and also the receiver hitch carrier for tent camping (I don’t really like hauling a trailer any more.) Both are nearly unnoticeable when driving. It will tow a trailer or reasonable boat with ease to the river and back.

The thing is, the 5.3L V8 Yukon XL get’s better gas mileage than most realize. (The 2007’s get even better with their MORE powerful but variable cylinder motors…mid to low 20’s on the highway) I basically get 16 MPG in the city no matter how I drive and 20 if I keep my foot out of it on the highway driving 75-80 (With AC on). Do you know what my AWD Chevy Astrovan that I had before this got? 14 MPG city and 17 MPG on its best day on the highway. Boy was it ever uncomfortable to drive to…a royal pain to work on…read expensive also...and handled terribly! If you want to talk about ridiculous gas mileage…sooo many of the smaller SUV’s get no better than my full size Yukon XL or only slightly so.

As mentioned, I have 5 children which I do not regret in the least! (With dozens of friends) So…what am I expected to drive to meet their needs? I guess I could do what a few of what my myopic friends have done in the interest of supposed “fuel conservation”….that is to drive two economy cars everywhere (what a pain) that would cost me a ton up front, 2X the maintenance, tax and registration fees…and still would use more gas to get my family to church etc. than my big, safe, dependable, comfortable behemoth. ,,,and it would be a royal PITA. Not to mention that this increases the safety risk at least 2X due to two cars everywhere…and then there is the issue of them just being plane smaller less safe on top of that.

This is not a rant on how great my vehicle is and how you should buy one just like it. Nor is it how bad the micro-cars are or how much extra money I have to burn¡because I don't. It is meant, mostly to express some of my points of view. It is also to educate why my vehicle works for ME and why I'm willing to pay what I do to drive it. Also to maybe give some true to life facts about some of these vehicles. Admittedly many vehicles are not as good as they could or should be (in several aspects) but especially MPG. This would include some of the micro-cars and SUV¡¦s both in MPG and safety. That said many of the "big bad vehicles¨ are maybe not as "bad" as some think and have many redeeming qualities...at least some of them.

I will begin by saying that we are a two car family because we live on the edge of metropolitan area (almost rural) and I have 5 children. One of our cars is a car is a 2002 Nissan Maxima with a 6 spd manual that has 255 HP, gets 27 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. This car is fast, safe, dependable, comfortable and fuel efficient; it also takes much of the daily driving mileage pressure away from our less fuel efficient vehicle. Next my other vehicle has been a NINE passenger 2000 Yukon XL for the past 4 years. (Newer body style with the excellent and then new 5.3 L V8.; GM¡¦s version of a Suburban.) It has all the important luxuries and amenities with out being ridiculous. I bought it 4 years ago, obviously used; I paid then $14,500 which was really a steal at the time. (BTW that was including TTL etc. as the actual purchase price was $13,250.) There was nothing wrong with it and it was a one owner¡Kdocumented. I think it's price and sale was related to it being a nine seater (which I actually wanted as I have 5 beautiful children) and with out 4 captain's chairs, leather or a DVD player. (FYI it's been paid for 3.5/4 years.) In that time I have put nearly 60K nearly maintenance-free miles on it now and it now has 139K. Do you know what I have done to it besides general maintenance? (Oil, tires, etc.) I have put breaks shoes and 2/4 rotors THAT'S IT, NOTHING ELSE! It owes me NOTHING! But you know what? I can sell it tomorrow, since it is still in great shape and clean. Probably near 10K even with current gas prices.

My wife, son and daughter were rear-ended at a stop light by a semi truck doing 40 mph. She was driving an older mini-van that got the same mileage a suv gets. They were all wearing their seat belts. My 4-year old son spent a week in intensive care with broken vertabrae in his neck and my wife still suffers from her injuries. If they were driving something small and fuel efficient, I believe I would have buried them instead of taking them home from the hospital. Today my wife drives a 2002 suv and if I have to pay a little more for gas knowing my family has a better chance of coming home safe, than so be it.

I still get 38mpg on my 20 year old 1988 Honda Accord, $35 car tags, low insurance, and averaged $550 maintenance per year over the life.

This article could not have come at a better time. My husband and I are looking at trading in my Premium gas SUV for a Honda Accord. We are halfway in paying off my car but this Interactive Tool REALLY helped confirm that we need to get rid of it. THANKS so much for this!!!

GREAT

Donna make no different. Theye gonna screwed you no masser what it is you dooze. Yor vehicle wored out?? Get another one.. Try for a low milage program vehicle. New cars not good bargain.. nosiree

SAVE $ BY BIKING ON SMALL TRIPS

My Lincoln Town Car is 8 years old. I
paid cash upon purchase of vehicle. It
has approximately 65,000 miles. Obviously, I do not put a lot of mileage on my car - I fly most of the time. It is loaded (the gas mileage is automatic in the system.) It has only been serviced by Lincoln; therefore, I have a print out any time I need it. It looks new! I have it waxed twice a year. Michelen tires & etc. I am
"toying" with the idea to purchase
a new vehicle. I won't get anything
if I trade it in. I think I will keep
the Lincoln. What do think of the
Lincoln MKZ?

Walk into the dealer with cash in your pocket (maybe you borrowed but get it in cash) for your purchase. Take only the amount you want to pay.

Those guys can't resist the cash. I've bought two cars this way with thousands off the price. Dealers ate the fees and taxes too.

I feel sorry for people who think it's OK to drive a great big car, especially for safety, as they are deluding themselves. Those cars/SUVs aren't safe.

The attitude that's it's OK to drive large gas guzzlers misses the point--we are a community and we are running out of gas.

I have a 1995 Ford Taurus 3.0 V6 with 166k miles. I have properly maintained the engine and transmission over the life of the vehicle. I travel quite a bit and fillup to fillup on the Interstates, I get 29-30 mpg. Mixed mileage is 24-25 mpg. I use cruise control whenever possible and fudge 5 mph on the Interstates.

Gas prices is what it is. Get use to it. My husband wants to go bigger than our current SUV. I say...let's drive on!!!!!!!!

HOW DO WE JUSTIFY BUYING A NEW CAR WITH
BETTER MILEAGE IF WE BUY CASH AND NOT HAVE CAR PAYMENTS?

Love the tool. Too bad it can't add in the social responsibility factor as well!!

Howard, I bought an F350 {one ton Ford } with a Diesel engine in 2004 because the price of Diesel was lower than gasoline at that time. Now Diesel fuel is higher than gasoline and I haven't driven my new truck for nearly two years. I put up for sale in two news papers and didn't get one call on it.Presently I'm using my older truck , it runs on gasoline but it has a 454 cubic inch displacement and gulps the fuel down, But it's cheeper than Diesel.

where's my comment??

Thank you for your brilliant insight Clark. It's amazing how the public can be so gullible falling for all these false premises: Global warming (it was global cooling a few years ago, and we were supposed to be in an ice age at this very moment); save the planet..save it from what?; etc, etc, etc. what most people don't realize is that by accepting these false premises, they take a hit in the pocket book (wallet for men) every time. Diesel used to be cheap, but now that the government mandates that low sulphur, the cost has went up tremendously because more resources have to be used to remove the sulphur. Do we really need sulphurless diesel? Again, that happened because no one challenged the premise, it was just acccepted. These false premises usually have built-in anticapitalism in them. Like a trojan horse. What we need is less government, less regulations, less false premises in our lives. The sky isn't falling, no matter what the the anticapitalists say. For thousands of years the earth has been bombarded by forces far greater than man (volcanos, earthquakes, meteors, rays from the sun, floods, hurricanes, etc. Yet, the earth is still as healthy today as the day it was formed. One volcano spews out more pollutants than all the cars, trucks, airplanes, trains, rockets, ships, combined. How many volcanoes have erupted in the last two thousand years? Yet humanss are living longer. Are we supposed to put a catalyctic converter on every lively volcano. What are we saving the planet from again? Think before you empty your wallet/pocket book. The false premises come with no proof. Stop falling for them. Live your life. Apparently there are some people who have too much time on their hands and use this time to make your life miserable because their lives are miserable. Misery loves company and reaching into your bank account.

I'm so pleased to be able to make comments. I have never been able to get through to you with email, and we do not get your radio show in my city. Thank you!

I downsized an Isuzu Rodeo and bought a Honda CRV. Interior room is almost the same. Also commute by MARTA, so amount of total driving has gone down.

I only go 15 miles to work one way and bought a new Mercury Grand Marquis that avgs 20mpg with a V8. I love the room and fantastic ride..police cruisers smile at me since we drive the same vehicle...sweet!!

I, don't want this, but if gas was $10.00 to $15.00 a gal right now. We would do something about using gas. When gas goes up a fue cents every time, We will still buy it.

As appealing as hybrids can be, I wonder what the battery disposal issues will be in twenty years. More immediately, a local EMS captain (DeKalb Cty, GA) sid that they lack the tools and training to extricate people from wrecks in which high voltage powertrains are present.

As you correctly point out, replacing like for like is the sanest approach although replacing one used car with another means allowing $2000 or so for the deferred maintenance of the last owner. Better the devil you know.

We love you Clark Howard :-) Since we got rid of all Credit Cards we stay right on track. We paid cash for our 1999 Windstar and our 1998 Town & Country. They are both great cars without the payment!! If we can't pay for it we just don't need it. Thanks for all of your guidance and research!!Vaughn & Rennae

My paid for car uses too much gas, but, I OWE NOTHING. Will keep it till it does not run.

The "Do I or don't I" calculator doesn't figure interest on the loan, if you get one, or on the depreciation of the newer vehicle. Too many variables unadressed. Good guide, though, for a cash purchase on a car that will not depreciate over time.

I have over 195,000 miles on my cylinder Toyota Camry LE. I get 26 around town and 32 on a trip with it. Should I trade it in on a Prius? I'm afraid that the repairs on it some day may be more than what I would get on a trade in. I have only invested around $1,000 in it since I bought it.

I was writing a comment on the fact that most of the small cars are frightening to drive, when I went to post it the reply vanished. I guess this is politicaly correct site????

The Toyota Prius gets 50 to 53 MPG around town and Toyota backs up the Battery system with a 8 year/100,000 mile warantee. Why don't you mention the advantages of this car more often on your show. The initial cost isn't outrageous either at only around $23-$24K

1996 Toyota Camry - 4 Cyl. bought new, now 125,000 miles, never a major problem and gas mileage 24-29. I'm happy and don't plan to replace it for a very long time.

I have a 5 speed forward, 1985 VW Golf Diesel and I get 50+ miles to a gallon. This car is like a tank - I love it. Best car I ever owned.

Katrina, I'm all for keeping cars until they fall apart but a 22 year old minivan? You only live once y'know. Upgrade to a 10 year old minivan at least! There's things like airbags, anti-lock breaks and keyless entry that are the must have features of 1994. I think you're missing the boat for the sake of...?

I've got two guzzlers right now. Both have been paid off for years. Mechanic bills average out to way less than what a car payment would be.
I'm not ready to give up the lack of a car payment.

My '05 Jetta 2.5L 5cyl averages about 28 mpg per tankful accounting for both city and highway driving and it has great power for its size! I put foot in it a lot and still make decent MPG.

great article, loved the car calculator. i'll keep my 94' caddy. thanks

I BOUGHT A 1995 SABLE NEW.IT HAS BEEN A LEMON FROM THE START.IF I'M LUCKY I GET
10MPG-I HAVE ONLY GOT 50K MILES- NO MORE
FORDS FOR ME.

4 cylinders doesn't always translate to better gas mileage. I'm currently driving an '02 PT Cruiser which gets around 25 mpg and it really doesn't matter how I drive it - it gets 25 mpg! Prior to that I owned a 1992 Crown Victoria that could be counted on for 30 mpg if I behaved while behind the wheel. Both cars were/are driven over the same routes as I have lived and traveled to the same locations for ever. Do I want my '92 Crown Vic back? No way! The '02 PT is more comfortable, more fun to drive, far less maintenance and over all the better car by far. I bought both cars new. The PT is a long time paid for and is worth next to nothing on trade-in (I've been looking at Prius), at 95k and still running strong, it owes me nothing. I will continue to treat it right and drive it till it drops!

Never does anyone speak of safety,I drive a 95 diesel suburban.17mpg/20hwy.225k trouble free miles.When it finally breaks down,I will pick the safest car for my family.The general public drive like idiots!

Clark, you would be proud, we bought a low mile acura tl with 50K, great mileage, great comfort, and low depreciation. These cars are always out there , it takes digging around to land them. Also bought a 2002 honda civic with 942 miles in 2003 for a $5000 discount below new from a private party. Drove it 22K and sold for a profit.

The person that posted the comments about their Hummer H2 being worth it because they can change their daughter's diaper in it, is hilarious to me. Why even get a hotel room or cabin on your travels, when you could sleep in your H2?

BTW, did your wife change your child's diaper while you were driving? I really hope not an if that's the case you should have followed your friend's lead and stopped at the McDonald's!

we had a 98 ford windstar, was a real work horse. The final mileage was 180k and then the transmission went. We were getting around 18mph and now with the 08 corrolla , we are getting 38-40 mph. we now have a car payment again but its a nice dependable car and the savings in gas nearly pay our car payment.

i drive a '93 olds cutlass. it's a tank of a car but i'm able to get 25-28 mpg by "grandma driving" - i ease into acceleration, i accelerate down a hill and coast up the next hill, don't carry any unnecessary items in the trunk and leave more than adequate space between me and the car in front of me (so that i'm not having to slam on the breaks and accelerate again if they slow down a little). that's all it takes!

I have just over 100,000 miles on my Olds and get 22-28 mpg. It runs and drives great and keeps me from driving my pick-up more than one day a week. I will keep it until the wheels fall off. I have my name in for a Chevy Volt when they come out but will go for an electric pick-up if they develop one before then. My wife drives a Tahoe that has been paid for for years and gets 15-20. My truck gets 22 on highway and 16 in town, just need to drive it one day but take it on trips for comfort. Sure fuel is high but we will not drill for more or build more refineries or storage. We reap what we sow. I get passed on the highway like I'm sitting still doing the speed limit, must not be too bad yet.

We have a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE, paid cash for it 3 years ago. 7 Passenger, premium stereo w/CD, AC in rear, 20 mpg. Joy to drive and so far it's been very reliable. I just can't seem to justify getting rid of it when I would have to then pay for gas AND have a car payment, too.

I purchased my Bonnie new in 1993. Highway miles consistently ran between 28-32 mpg. SOld it to my daughter and son inlaw 6 years ago, purchased it back (always at a loss to myself) 2 eyars ago, put money back into it to get it back to good condition and still get 24-25 town and 28-30 highway mpg. ALl of the GM vehicles that have the 3.8 liter V-6 with teh lock up torque converter get around this same mileage. Granded it's not in the super high mileage like a lot of teh smaller newer cars, but it's solid, big, safe, and still comforatable to drive. I also have a 2002 Ford 1/2 ton small box pickup with a v-6, 5 speed that gets between 19 - 21 mpg all the time. My wife drives a 2002 Subaru Legacy Outback S/W and gets 26-27 mpg mostly highway driving. My old pontiac does better than that.

BUY USED

Clark,
I put my 03 Avalanche into dry dock and purchased an 08 Toyota Camry. I walked into the dealership with a check from the credit union....made out to another dealership and got the deal of a lifetime. I paid less than what Car Max wanted for a used one. I love the fact I can fill up for less than $50 and go the entire week. I still have my big truck....it's paid for. But I still need it for hauling stuff home from Sams, Costco's and Lowes.

Clark, you can find good deals on hondas, toyota and similar that get close to 40mpg (or higher) for under $3k. I have a 1993 Civic with over 315k miles that gets over 42mpg on the hwy and 38-40 in Atlanta traffic. My 1996 gets 30mpg in town and 36-38 mpg on the hwy.

If we don't buy new, the manufacturers will be forced to bring affordable electric and alternative fuel vehicles to the market.

If you drive less than 80 miles a day, you can convert your compact car to electric and plug in every night, it costs about $5-10k for the conversion on a limited range of about 50 miles in a compact car. Keep a fuel efficient vehicle for road trips and more than your daily run around. You can eliminate most of your maintenance costs (other than batteries, brakes and tires) plus you won't have to stop to get fuel.