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"We are in a crisis, people, and one that's not going to go away easily." (http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/5938136.html)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2005_Toyota_Prius_-_Confidence_when_buying_used.jpgLiz Soares - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel (http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com) - Feb 12, 2009

Planning for the future is prudent... why do so many consumers only consider the short term? --Ed.

A funny thing happened when gas prices started sliding down. So did sales of hybrid cars.

Now gas prices are slowly creeping up. Will hybrid sales rebound?

As the owner of a Toyota Prius, I am puzzled by this phenomenon. I think of my hybrid as a car for all seasons. For high fuel prices or low, in sick economies as well as boom times, we are a team.

I proudly drove my Prius when gas bottomed out at around $1.63. My head's even higher now at $1.97 a gallon.

Really, I'd take 50 miles to the gallon if gas was going for 30 cents.

Does this not make sense to everyone?

My husband, Paul, and I didn't run out to buy the Prius at the first sign of high gas prices. Instead, we waited until our previous vehicle was 10 years old and starting to show signs of age. We needed a new car. We were aware of the danger of... http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/5938136.html

How many people plan past the tip of their nose in anything they do? Not many, from my experience.

How many people plan past the tip of their nose in anything they do? Not many, from my experience.

nope. you see it all the time, not only in the vehicles that are chosen, but how they are driven........oops, gotta exit here, get outta my way.......

Excellent article. Just good common sense and preparing for the future there.

Agreed on the driving just past their nose thing. I had one this morning who COULD NOT understand that I was timing the lights. I nailed the first light - rolled through at 30 mph on a 40 mph road. Next light, she was right on my tail again, impatient as always. Nailed that one again. She passed me, still without a clue.

And my boss, who 3 months ago bought a nearly-new Dodge Ram. At least it's not the Hemi.

Yeah, this morning I had a fellow get right on my tail as I was approaching a stopsign -- located right around the curve from where I was. On came the brights, and on came the aggressive regen braking. ;)

Most people don't get it that gas will go back up to $4 a gallon soon. It's no wonder that dealers are using this time to clear their stocks of trucks and SUV's before gas goes too high again.

If there is a crisis, the last thing one wants to do is get into more debt by making a new car purchase!
If saving money in the long term is the goal, get a cheap used import that is reliable with a stick and 4 cylinder, then get good at hypermiling, then you are saving gas and have NO CAR PAYMENTS. :)
I am beating all the hybrids out on the road today at mpg, unless they are hypermiling too! ;)