Christopher Davidson asked:


There are enthusiasts for every type of vehicle in the world and it’s these individuals that drive the market. No matter the purpose, any vehicle will inevitably be tweaked by it’s owner, for looks, for speed, or sound. The new hybrid market will be no exception, we are already seeing a few body kits developed for hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic. But what affect does this have on the greenness of the hybrid car, will adding a body kit affect gas mileage and efficiency?

The answer to this question can only be answered by what type of kit you are adding. The body kits available now are small, stylish, and only add subtle styling cues. As the market matures I’m sure there will be more and more outrageous styles, but for now any kit you add will not likely affect your hybrids efficiency. These body kits replace the bumpers and side skirts existing on the car, they generally are not added on top of. Therefore you are not adding weight to your hybrid car.

Something else to consider when adding body kits to a hybrid car is how it will affect aerodynamics. As mentioned previously, most hybrid body kits are not outrageous, they are small enough to where they will not be adding considerable drag. However, if you plan on adding a large spoiler or large mouth front bumper, it’s possible to lose some gas mileage. The more drag a car has the harder the engine must work, therefore adding too large of body kit components can decrease your gas mileage.

When looking for a body kit for your hybrid car, don’t forget why you decided on a hybrid in the first place. It’s important that any additions you make to the vehicle will not adversely affect it’s efficiency. However, purchasing a stylish and simple body kit will not likely affect gas mileage in any noticeable manner. Lastly, remember that enthusiasts like yourself drive the market and the more kits sold the more that will be designed and released.

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Brenda Williams asked:


So you bought into all of the advertised benefits of owning a hybrid vehicle. You now feel like your carbon footprint is a little smaller and you have seen the benefits of saving money on gas after driving around your new fuel efficient car. But have you had to fix your hybrid yet? An even better question – how much will it cost to fix a hybrid? This is an issue that many new hybrid owners are now having deal primarily because of two reasons:

1. Hybrid parts are more complex and as a result are much more expensive to purchase.
2. They are more expensive to work on. Mechanics tasked to work on hybrids need special training which then trickles down to the customer in terms of the cost of labor. The mechanics of these vehicles it turns out are incredibly complex.

Hybrid Car Repair – This Isn’t Your Father’s Repair Shop
First and foremost you have at the core design of a hybrid car all the parts and mechanics of a conventional gas powered vehicle. Added to that are all the intricate elements designed to make this a hybrid vehicle. The simple task of moving a hybrid car from the lot into a vehicle shop could create an electrical charge that could actually shock the mechanic. The mechanic entering into the repair of one of these vehicles has to arm himself/herself with the knowledge of things like regenerative brakes, capacitors and a control system that combines electrical and gas propulsion. For mechanics at dealerships and car rental repair shops this is no longer a “pop the hood” situation.

Fixing A Hybrid – Parts, Labor and Apprehension
It’s a common phrase heard in the repair shop, “Hybrid car repair is scary.” What does that mean for the proud owner of one of these vehicles that feels like they’re doing something better for the environment and for their wallets? It means that they should know that before being sold on the aforementioned benefits they should know things like:

• Repair shops have to buy original equipment parts for hybrids and not the more affordable aftermarket stock parts.
• And the hour charge is close to $100 in labor.

Ideally as these cars become more accessible to everyone and are sold and rented more then you will stand a better chance of seeing these costs decrease. Is there anything you can do to protect yourself from these expensive costs? Good insurance, even though it may seem like a costly protection can help offset those costs. Another benefit is that currently, hybrid cars are not ranking up heavy statistics in terms of breaking down. The most important things for hybrid owners and people interested in buying a fuel efficient vehicle know is that dealerships and rental car companies already know that currently they have to budget for higher costs in terms of repairing these new cars. Know what you’re getting into, do your research and get all the facts on your particular hybrid so then when the time comes to actually get that repair, it you’ll be prepared to the cost.

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