Should I trade in my pickup truck for a hybrid?
The more I look into this, the more confused I get. My 2006 Tundra gets around 17 mpg. I'm averaging only 11k miles/year, and did 8k last year and hope to of dropping that to only 6-7k. I'm looking at a hybrid Escape that would nearly double my MPG (I have two kids and haul stuff often). I'm fortunate b/c I don't have to worry about the cost. I'm interested more in emissions.
But if I trade in the truck, someone else will most likely drive 15k/year or more, right? (I guess I could keep it!) Plus there's the issue of the energy consumed to build a new car.
Some say I should keep driving the Tundra and reduce my emissions by continuing to drive less and employing other emission-reducing techniques. Others say I'm nuts--that if I really care about the environment, I have to get a hybrid NOW. I'm leaning toward just keeping the truck, and many years from now, trading it in for an even more efficient vehicle than today's hybrids. Thoughts?
If you don't want to add to demand and cause the carmakers to make more cars, by all means keep your current car (especially if it's working fine).
Nothing wrong with conserving resources by getting as much use as possible out of what you already have.
When time comes to retire the truck (i.e. once it starts developing problems that will cost more to fix than what the car is worth), then look for a more fuel-efficient car.
