"The only hesitation in buying the hybrid was ...ascetics that you get..." she said.

Really? ascetics??? I'm thinking she said AESTHETICS. Then again, that may be what she meant.

General...If you're talking about the Ford dealer on Navarro, I agree with you completely. It's not just hybrids they can't fix. I won't even let'em change the oil in my car. I've no experience with the dealer in "booming Port Lavaca."

I can fix this situation now! Don't buy a FORD Hybrid. the local's do NOT know how to fix them. I made a huge mistake trusting a local Ford dealer and their promises of timely repairs. 4 months and it's STILL at the dealership and of course they want more money then originally quoted. do yourself a favor and don't touch Hybrids here in Vic. Houston would make more sense. they have qualified mechanics. We don't. Shame for us..

I remember reading an article in 2008(USA Today) about people wanting to buy a 2007 Toyota Prius for practically the same amount as as the 2008 was selling for because Japan couldn't produce enough of them to satisfy demand....Japan did not keep a large inventory so it took an avg. of 6 months for a car to be delivered to its owner and then you had to put down an earnest deposit....I couldn't wait, so I got my at Champion in Corpus Christi 3 days later. .

It helps with the carbon footprint,reduces dependence of foreign oil,
less trips to the service station BUT in 3 years I will probably have have to replace the hybrid battery pack in 2015. Right now they cost ~$1500-$2000 but I don't get excited when I hear gas prices may go up to $4.00.

Did anyone notice that only one dealer was mentioned? There are other hybred makes available but all we heard about was Toyota.

When I retire, IN 50 MORE WEEKS, the plan is to get rid of both the cars we have now and get -- probably -- a hybrid so we can travel and not worry too much about gas prices. I don't know about the Prius, though. I kinda lika a car that looks, you know, like a car. We've got a year to think about it, though.

My hope is that enough of our population will continue to buy fuel efficient vehicles to make a significant reduction in our dependence on crude oil. If this occurs over the next several years, it could even reduce the price of gasoline and diesel for vehicles that need to haul heavy loads. Or am I just dreaming?

The goal needs to be stop using the combustion engine, of course switching to other fuel (natural gas or electric) will just make that item go up in price but it is a product we are not needing from another country. Working on longer, smaller battery and solar panels will help a large part of the population that drives 60 miles or less a day. Only really high gas prices seem to bring those ideas to the forefront of discussions.