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Think Before You Trade High MPG Cars And Trucks

As gasoline prices pass to the $4 a gallon mark, and perhaps even beyond, you might be thinking its time to trade your gas-guzzler for a fuel-sipping vehicle. However, there are several things to consider before traveling down to a dealership to make a trade.

First, determine your needs. If you have a large family or frequently take along friends, take long road trips, demand a luxury ride, or tow a boat or trailer, high mileage cars like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris or Toyota Prius probably will not be on your list because they won't meet your needs.

Smaller, more maneuverable cars might better avoid an accident. However, if you do have an accident, your chances of avoiding serious injury or even death are better in the larger, heavier vehicle - though you'll cause more harm to others. This is important if you are older, as seniors are more prone to injuries and death in crashes.

Try before you buy. Smaller cars may be harder to enter and exit. Even consider renting a vehicle you plan to buy to see how it handles your day-today driving routine. Some dealers may even loan you a demonstrator for a few days.

Hybrids perform best in stop-and-go urban traffic, at low speeds, not when cruising for many miles at Interstate speeds. Indeed, many hybrids have higher city mpg ratings than their highway mpgs. That is because hybrid features like stop-start and regenerative braking don't save fuel unless you are doing lots of stopping and starting.

The typical four-cylinder engine gets more mpgs than a V6 or a V8, and uses less fuel than larger motors. However, if the smaller engine has to work harder under heavy loads than the larger engine, the smaller engine can use more fuel. Also the more heavily worked engine may wear out much sooner or even break, so replacement or repair costs may outweigh any fuel savings. This is particularly significant for people that carry heavy loads, lots of passengers or tow.

There used to be a rather significant difference in fuel economy between vehicles with automatic transmission and those with manual transmissions. Today's automatics have become so efficient that the difference is much smaller, and often there is no difference. Also a mile-per-gallon or two difference can be negated by sloppy shifting and clutch operation or more aggressive driving with a manual transmission.

The best one-stop source for determining fuel economy for all cars, SUVs and light trucks is the EPA's Fuel Economy Guide, which can be found at www.fueleconomy.gov. Dealers can also provide copies.

The EPA has changed the testing procedures it uses to measure fuel economy starting with 2008 models. The new procedures now reflect the effects of higher speeds and acceleration, air conditioner use and colder outside temperatures. The result is that mpg ratings are lower than for earlier year models.

The guide presents a way to convert the old ratings to the new mpg estimate, which should be helpful if you are considering used vehicles. As before, the actual mileage you get will vary depending on driving style, traffic conditions, and other factors.

If your gas guzzler is driven relatively infrequently, you might keep the current vehicle and buy a high mpg vehicle with less frills for daily commuting, especially if your trade-in has a low resale value. Or you could rent a "big" vehicle for infrequent heavy-duty jobs.

Consider overall costs. If the a vehicle's reliability is low, repair cost may outweigh fuel savings. Consumers Reports is a great place to determine reliability histories of a particular make and model.

Finally, high fuel prices might actually be a blessing for those who don't put many miles on their vehicles. It could mean getting a real bargain on the loaded luxury car or SUV you really want that is languishing on a dealer’s lot. Also high mileage drivers might be trying to unload their gas guzzles in a market that no longer wants them.

The bottom line - make your decision on the total cost of ownership, not just mpgs. This includes initial cost, interest on loan, higher insurance and registration, and repairs. Keeping a reliable vehicle that only gets 12-15 mpg may be cheaper overall than one that gets 25 mpg or more, especially you don’t drive many miles annually.