On Mon, 12 May 2008 13:07:14 -0500, RPS <rps@null.void> wrote:

>Elmo P. Shagnasty <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote:
>
>: Well, you may be thinking that it's "too expensive to buy". It may or
>: may not be too expensive to operate.
>:
>: The up front cost is only one of the many costs. You buy it once, but
>: you operate it over and over again. You must look at an overall cost,
>: per mile, to come to any conclusions.
>:
>: I'd compare similarly equipped Corolla and Prius...
>
>Just using round numbers, the price difference appears to be $6000.
>
>If I drive 12000 miles per year, Corolla (30 mpg) would need 400
>gallons of fuel. Prius (40mpg) about 300 gallons. Difference is 100
>gallons, let's say $500.
>
>That would mean 10-12 years to merely recover the extra money you pay
>upfront. So, I am not saying Prius is not a good car, but it has become
>something of a fad/fashion too and I don't see the economy: I give them
>$6000, and hope that maybe I'd earn it back by 2020?
>
>So, I am inclined to stay with the best of conventional cars. Trying to
>figure out which one!

As others have pointed out, the Prius is larger than a Corolla so the
comparison isn't completely fair. OTOH, a Civic Hybrid costs about
$3000 more than a Civic EX and the 40 to 30 mpg comparison would be
about right fro these two. So it could pay for itself and then some
during the period you expect to own it.

As for your original questions:

Civic LX or EX model is worth considering. LX saves you about $2000
if you don't need a sunroof, alloy wheels or a fancy stereo.

Use Edwards and the manufacturer sites to do your research. Google is
your friend.

I would shop any place that sells the cars. You can play them against
each other to see who will give you the best price.