Used hybrids are current sweet spot in the car market on clarkhoward.com

During last year's hysteria about gas prices, Clark said it was a bad idea to buy a hybrid. Even at $4.11/gallon, the payback on hybrids simply did not make sense. In addition, dealers were doing what the marketplace allowed at the time and charging far above sticker price.

Now that the price of gas is back down, sales of hybrids have fallen by two-thirds. The Chicago Tribune found that the average supply of Priuses was at 2 days last year. Now it's sitting at 80 days! Keep in mind that a 55-day supply of vehicles on dealer lots is typically where supply and demand are at equilibrium.

The Chicago Tribune is also reporting some people have bought Priuses for $5,000 below MSRP, even though dealers are still pricing them high.

In another example of the declining demand, Chevy Malibu has a hybrid version that's priced above the gas engine model. But they sell less than 100 per month!

Meanwhile, Honda's new Insight hybrid is the first hybrid to be priced in the teens with a $19,800 list price.

The real opportunity, however, is not buying a hybrid new; it's buying one used. A lot of people who got caught up in the hybrid craze last year have discovered they don't exactly love driving around in a "putt-putt mobile."

So now may be the time to strike. Gas won't always be this cheap…

What others are saying

Hybrids
We have two Hybrids, a Prius 2005 and a Lexus 400h 2006. These cars are fantastic. We are shopping for a another new one. They get great mileage, are comfortable, have plenty of power under all conditions, are reliable, and have been driven all over the USA. We have not found any of the problems being complained about in these comments. The warranty covers the main battery, if needed. Toyota make the best cars and I have owned Fords, GM, Mercedes, cars.
By Dick Deininger @ 05/17/09 02:47:37 PMreport abuse
Hybrids vs VW Jetta TDI
I have been driving a VW Jetta TDI for 5
years now @45MPG minimum on city and highway driving. New cars have to get
alot better mileage to convince me to spend $. It's comical to hear the advertisements for 30+ MPG.
By Buffy @ 04/03/09 07:45:49 PMreport abuse
Hybrids
Hybrids may be getting less expensive, but the cost to insurance them is significantly more, as is the cost to repair them if they are in an accident. There also has been issues with firefighters being injured at crash scenes, particularly if the first resonder cannot tell if the car is a Hybrid (some models, such as Civics, Altimas, etc, can be a hybrid or "standard" car (for lack of a better term.
By Nancy @ 03/25/09 08:41:43 AMreport abuse
Worth the Investment Last Year
If we would have used our 95 Oldsmobile Sillouhette and 97 Saturn SL2, we would have spend ~$7,850 of fuel. Luckily, we were able to share the Prius. Instead, we spent only ~$3,500 in fuel for the year. The best mileage we got in this car was 68.6 mpg. On average during the summer months 51.4 and winter months 39.9. (Indianapolis area)
By Charles @ 03/25/09 01:23:11 AMreport abuse
Hybrid Battery
Used Hybrids are definitely much less expensive than new but you have to take in to account the imminent and very expensive battery replacement.
By Bob Rose @ 03/24/09 08:42:17 PMreport abuse
Current auto values
Is now a good time to buy a car even if you don't need to? If you would normally buy a new car 2-3 years from now, would it be cost effective to buy now when prices are so good?
By Bob @ 03/24/09 11:33:11 AMreport abuse
Hybrids Battery Warranty
Sam,
You must be a Hybrid salesman. Have you seen the warranty on that Prius battery? It has holes in it so big I could drive an 18 wheeler thru it.
By Buzz G @ 03/24/09 09:00:50 AMreport abuse
hybrids are stupid
my brother (a real tree hugger)bought a ford escape hybrid about 2 years ago and probably paid 8-10k more than an equivelant gas model. he is convinced even with my showing him otherwise that he is saving money. he is not. even with gas at its peak, it is at most a losing deal. wise up america, the current hybrids (part time) are a waste of money. only the plug-in models, yet to be released offer a glimmer of hope, and that is if they come in at less than a $3k premium (after any federal/state cashback tax rebates) to gas only models. don't be a sucker and buy one of these even until at least another 3-5 years as efficiency to price will dramatically get better
By brian @ 03/23/09 08:53:12 PMreport abuse
Hybrids
The Prius battery is rated for 180,000 miles. Unless your in an accident were the battery is damaged, you should not have to replace the battery until then. Ad if your in an accident, that's why you have insurance. And if the battery dies early, use the warranty for a replacement.
By Sam @ 03/23/09 07:23:40 PMreport abuse
Hybrids
Wait until the battery dies and the consumer sees what he has to pay for a new one. I knew a lady whose Prius battery died and rather than buy a new one she chose to run it on gasoline only. But it was so underpowered she put herself and everyone else on the road in danger every time she backed it out of the garage. Clark loves these gimicks, but reality has a harsh way of intruding on daydreamers. Clark has enough money he could laugh it off, but many consumers could not afford such trendy nonsense.
By Buzz G @ 03/23/09 04:26:06 PMreport abuse

Hybrids

We have two Hybrids, a Prius 2005 and a Lexus 400h 2006. These cars are fantastic. We are shopping for a another new one. They get great mileage, are comfortable, have plenty of power under all conditions, are reliable, and have been driven all over the USA. We have not found any of the problems being complained about in these comments. The warranty covers the main battery, if needed. Toyota make the best cars and I have owned Fords, GM, Mercedes, cars.

By Dick Deininger @ 05/17/09 02:47:37 PMreport abuse

Hybrids vs VW Jetta TDI

I have been driving a VW Jetta TDI for 5
years now @45MPG minimum on city and highway driving. New cars have to get
alot better mileage to convince me to spend $. It's comical to hear the advertisements for 30+ MPG.

By Buffy @ 04/03/09 07:45:49 PMreport abuse

Hybrids may be getting less expensive, but the cost to insurance them is significantly more, as is the cost to repair them if they are in an accident. There also has been issues with firefighters being injured at crash scenes, particularly if the first resonder cannot tell if the car is a Hybrid (some models, such as Civics, Altimas, etc, can be a hybrid or "standard" car (for lack of a better term.

By Nancy @ 03/25/09 08:41:43 AMreport abuse

Worth the Investment Last Year

If we would have used our 95 Oldsmobile Sillouhette and 97 Saturn SL2, we would have spend ~$7,850 of fuel. Luckily, we were able to share the Prius. Instead, we spent only ~$3,500 in fuel for the year. The best mileage we got in this car was 68.6 mpg. On average during the summer months 51.4 and winter months 39.9. (Indianapolis area)

By Charles @ 03/25/09 01:23:11 AMreport abuse

Hybrid Battery

Used Hybrids are definitely much less expensive than new but you have to take in to account the imminent and very expensive battery replacement.

By Bob Rose @ 03/24/09 08:42:17 PMreport abuse

Current auto values

Is now a good time to buy a car even if you don't need to? If you would normally buy a new car 2-3 years from now, would it be cost effective to buy now when prices are so good?

By Bob @ 03/24/09 11:33:11 AMreport abuse

Hybrids Battery Warranty

Sam,
You must be a Hybrid salesman. Have you seen the warranty on that Prius battery? It has holes in it so big I could drive an 18 wheeler thru it.

By Buzz G @ 03/24/09 09:00:50 AMreport abuse

hybrids are stupid

my brother (a real tree hugger)bought a ford escape hybrid about 2 years ago and probably paid 8-10k more than an equivelant gas model. he is convinced even with my showing him otherwise that he is saving money. he is not. even with gas at its peak, it is at most a losing deal. wise up america, the current hybrids (part time) are a waste of money. only the plug-in models, yet to be released offer a glimmer of hope, and that is if they come in at less than a $3k premium (after any federal/state cashback tax rebates) to gas only models. don't be a sucker and buy one of these even until at least another 3-5 years as efficiency to price will dramatically get better

By brian @ 03/23/09 08:53:12 PMreport abuse

The Prius battery is rated for 180,000 miles. Unless your in an accident were the battery is damaged, you should not have to replace the battery until then. Ad if your in an accident, that's why you have insurance. And if the battery dies early, use the warranty for a replacement.

By Sam @ 03/23/09 07:23:40 PMreport abuse

Wait until the battery dies and the consumer sees what he has to pay for a new one. I knew a lady whose Prius battery died and rather than buy a new one she chose to run it on gasoline only. But it was so underpowered she put herself and everyone else on the road in danger every time she backed it out of the garage. Clark loves these gimicks, but reality has a harsh way of intruding on daydreamers. Clark has enough money he could laugh it off, but many consumers could not afford such trendy nonsense.

By Buzz G @ 03/23/09 04:26:06 PMreport abuse

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Mar 23, 2009 -- Used hybrids are current sweet spot in the car market

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