A Couple Common Misconceptions About Hybrids

Capitalism is amazing because the people have the ability to control its direction. By people, of course, I mean consumers. As modern society has become environmentally conscious and gas price savvy, the hybrid vehicle has appeared.

While hybrids have certainly become a popular alternative to big gas guzzlers, there are some definite assumptions that simply are not true. The assumptions are both positive and negative, so let's take a closer look at two of the big ones.

Everyone hates taxes, but not when it comes to hybrids. The common myth is you can get a huge tax benefit if you buy a hybrid. As with anything involving taxes, you should know this is sometimes true and sometimes not.

If you want to claim a tax credit for buying a hybrid, you have to comply with a few regulations. First, you have to purchase a brand new hybrid. Second, the IRS must have ceritifed the car. Third, you can only claim the amount then available.

The funny thing about the tax benefit of purchasing a hybrid is it is a moving target. The IRS initially sets an upper limi and then has the option to lower that amount each quarter of the year after it analyzes the number of cars sold.

The interesting and scary thing about the tax credit is it is designed to disappear for each car after a certain number have been sold. For instance, Toyota hybrids are about to lose their tax benefits entirely. Yes, there will be zero tax benefit.

The Japanese manufacturers have always been way ahead in the game. Toyota is about to lose its tax credit, and Honda can see the end of its in a few years time. This is just the way the law was written, not a territorial matter.

The batteries used in hybrid vehicles give us our next area of controversy. These are not the run of the mill batteries found in your average automobile or truck. Rumor has it they don't last long and are incredibly expensive to repair.

The great hybrid conspiracy is truly funny once you look at a key fact. Each new hybrid comes with a battery warranty between 80,000 and 100,000 miles. This would suggest that they last a long time, no?

Hybrids represent definitive progress in kicking our oil addiction. That being said, they are not the cure all to it. When deciding whether to buy a hybrid, ignore the fluff, collect the facts and then do what you think is right.

Article Source: http://www.search4allinfo.com

Jon Buttress writes hybrid car articles for HybridCarDealerDepot.com

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