High gas prices are just another reason to re-think your wheels.
The thing about environmental issues is this: no amount of nagging, bullying or guilt will move the dial in the end.
People have to get there on their own – and a big kick in the wallet is usually the turning point.
That said, the recent spikes in gasoline prices, the seasonal consumer tendency to buy new vehicles in spring and tweaks in the 2007 federal budget means that when it comes to demand for fuel-efficient cars and trucks, the rubber may finally be about to hit the road.
Awareness of new technology and new gas-saving models has been on the rise - as have the range of choices on offer. With critical mass building, there's finally some buzz about the difference between hybrids (which use both electric power cells and internal combustion engines). And that includes their cost which typically runs at least $5,000 more than the same model with a combustion engine.
Still, there are some financial offsets in addition to reduced gasoline use.
Stung by their early failure to grasp the resonance of environmental issues and the demise of their first effort to design a national environmental policy, the Conservative government introduced a vehicle efficiency inventive of up to $2,000 on the purchase of a greener car or truck and a new Green Levy on imported gas guzzlers in the latest budget.
(Five provinces including Ontario, Quebec, B.C., Manitoba and Prince Edward Island also offer a rebate on the cost of a hybrid or other more efficient cars.)
Although insurance companies are still collecting data, their psychological profiling has led them to conclude that drivers of fuel efficient cars are conservative and responsible. And premiums have been designed to reflect that.
Furthermore, to dispel consumer concerns that hybrids can be more costly to maintain – and to be fair, there isn't a long record on this score since they've only been around since 2000 – hybrid manufacturers often offer more comprehensive and longer-term warranties. (Toyota, for example, offers an eight-year or 160,000 km coverage on the hybrid components of the Prius and Highlander models.)
But the desire – and even the incentive – to save money and ozone with a more ecologically-friendly car isn't all that's required. It helps to have a good grasp of the issues and options as well.
After all, for most people their ride is their second-largest purchase.
Start by asking yourself a few fundamental questions: how much driving do you do in a week? How many people of what size do you need to transport regularly?
It's also important to acknowledge that you need to feel even a little emotional pull towards your prospective purchase.
If you don't like the car, you'll only end up trading it sooner than later – and that's never a sound financial strategy. Green or otherwise. (In fact, the fuel-efficiency of some models has been diminished in recent years because those that achieved optimal savings were so unappealing to drive.
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Doing your online consumer research is critical and be prepared to wait. The popularity of some of the new hybrid vehicles often means getting on a waiting list. The days of driving it off the lot aren't over, but it doesn't hurt to adjust your expectations.
Because of that supply/demand equation, try not to get into bidding wars or to capitulate to high-pressure sales tactics. Your savings on gas will take a whole lot longer to achieve if you end up paying a premium price to get rolling.
Of course, even if you decide against a hybrid, electric or natural-gas powered car or SUV there's the issue – as with any vehicle purchase – of the various options.
When it comes to engine size, smaller isn't always better.
The weight and size of the car should be matched to engine output to avoid overworking or excess capacity. When you research the mileage and the road tests, also be on the look out for any report comments about the sufficiency or lack of power.
Consider that some axle ratios are more economical than others and if you have a choice, go with the lower numbers. An economical axle has a ration below 3:1 while the high-performance axles that offer fast acceleration or the power to tow trailers are more likely to be in the 4:1 ballpark
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Depending on the kind of driving you do (city versus highway) the choice of manual or automatic transmission may affect fuel efficiency as well. Not only can manual shifts be more fuel friendly, they cost about $1,000 less.
It's important to be weight conscious in the extreme.
All-wheel drive systems tend to consume more fuel than two-wheel drive.
Weight is the big issue here, adding as much as 200 pounds to the total tally for a car or truck – a trade-off if you drive in severe winter conditions.
Likewise, the weight of air conditioning units also makes a car less fuel-efficient and heavy use of it can take up about 10 per cent of gas consumption. Sunroofs with their extra motor, tracks, glass and reinforcements also contribute to vehicle weight and energy drain, as do power windows, power seats and power locks. Roof racks diminish aerodynamics.
A black car may look cool, but in reality it's anything but.
Light-colored cars and trucks reflect rather than absorb sunlight, the reverse of darker tones.
When it comes to driving, most cars (depending on load factor) are most efficient when traveling at 40 to 60 MPH.
It's also critical to ensure that your tires are adequately inflated because failure to keep them pumped up can take as much as 15 per cent off a car's fuel mileage.
Regular maintenance is also key to saving on gas costs: a misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 30 per cent and replacing clogged air filters can improve gas mileage by 10 per cent.
As always, you have to spend some money to save – and that now includes the environment.
By Deirdre McMurdy
