Convert Your Car To A Hybrid For $100 |
|---|
|
Scott Jason
16 June 2008
Okay, it's official. Even the cheapest gas is over four bucks a gallon. And the morning news said it would likely be five dollars per gallon by July 4th!
The obvious solution, if you can afford it, might be to buy a hybrid. But that can be an expensive answer, even after factoring in savings at the pump. Unfortunately most hybrids cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 more than their "gas only" counterparts and finding a good used hybrid is near impossible.
In this article, we'll look at two options to get you huge fuel savings; 1.) finding the best deals on a hybrid and 2.) converting your current car, truck or minivan into a hybrid. First for the best deals...
To find the best deal you need to factor in all the angles. Let's start with some added benefits of driving a hybrid. Some states, like California and Virginia, allow a single occupant to use the high occupancy vehicle lane (or carpool lane) if driving a qualified hybrid. If you've ever been stuck on an LA freeway or the Capital Beltway during rush hour you might fork over the extra few grand for that little benefit alone.
If you're looking for more monetary incentive, ask the dealer about Federal and state tax benefits for buying a hybrid. You might qualify for up to $5,000 in tax credit depending on the vehicle you buy and where you live.
As for cost, it depends on what you want. Most dealers can barely keep a hybrid on the lot so they are not likely to make great incentive offers. If you need a car big enough for the whole crew try to avoid the temptation of hybrid SUVs since the typical fuel savings is far less than that of a four or five seater car. If you only need a two seater, consider the "Smart Car" http://www.smartusa.com/ . They have features you expect on a $40,000 luxury import, like 5 speed automated manual transmission with Paddle shifters, but with a price tag of $11K for a simple "pure" model to $16K for the luxury sport Cabriolet convertible. And of course you're getting about 40 to 45 mpg with whatever model you choose.
Now for the second option; convert your current vehicle to a water fuel (hydrogen) hybrid. Don't worry, it sounds a lot harder than it is. I converted my 1995 Isuzu Pickup for $106 in just a few hours (including the time it took to go buy the parts.)
I'm not talking about adding batteries and changing the way the engine works. You can build or buy a simple hydrogen conversion kit for about $100 and install it in less than a half hour. It only takes 5 minutes to remove if you ever want to and does not alter your engine.
There are two quick and easy ways to convert your car to a hydrogen hybrid. You can go with a system that uses ordinary tap water (from any household faucet) or one that uses distilled water. Both work great and cost about the same to build and install or you can buy one ready built.
First is the one I've used, that works with plain tap water. "RunYourCarFromWater.com" offers a complete easy to understand DIY hydrogen hybrid manual for $49, http://www.RunYourCarFromWater.com. The parts to build it cost about $50 to $60 and you can get the parts from your local Wal-Mart or hardware store.
They guarantee a minimum 40% increase in your gas mileage. I got more than double that on my 13 year old pickup truck (about 90%) so 40% is a bit low in my experience. You'll probably do much better.
Or you can try "Water for Gas", which uses distilled water in its fuel cell. The manual is $97 and is available from http://www.Water4GasWeb.com. The site also offers info on how to buy a readymade conversion unit and tips on getting a mechanic to install it for you.
Doing it yourself you will probably recoup all expenses in a month or less, depending on how much you drive. If you buy a readymade unit and pay a mechanic to install it, it might take a few months to pay for itself.
I hope you have a chance to experience just how great it feels. Good luck!