Keep The Change - Expert Advice To Save You Money - Consumer Feature

As the prices of gasoline and diesel climb every week, we thought it would be a good time to step back and provide some background and advice. You can bet all the manufacturers are looking into new technologies and strategies to help combat controllable and uncontrollable economic forces to keep their products at the top of your buying lists. Add to that the good intentions of our government officials and their legislative "solutions" and you begin to see the direction in which we're heading. There's no question the look of our vehicles in the future will be different; the powertrains that move them will be different; and the way we think about transportation will be different. We're already seeing the significant impact of what the price of crude oil is doing to the airline industry. Of course, there will be certain situations we won't see coming, but of those things we can predict, such as driving habits and future technologies, we can offer some suggestions and advice. Whether you're looking to buy your next truck, SUV, or crossover, or are just curious about what you can do to save money with the vehicle you currently drive, we've got the information you need right here.

The Price Of Oil
We may or may not have reached peak global oil production, but rapidly escalating demand in developing countries will push up world oil prices. Here at home, the recently enacted Energy Bill demands 35 mpg average for all cars and trucks by 2020. Between price-driven demand and government mandates, truck fuel economy will be improving in the coming years, and buyers today should consider these trends when selecting a vehicle.

•Lease any vehicle you want and can afford after calculating an estimated annual fuel cost, assuming a worst-case scenario of five- or 10-percent annual price increases. Resale value is predetermined and negotiated in the terms of the lease.

•Buy only as much vehicle/engine/drivetrain as you absolutely need. Shifting demand for increased fuel economy could seriously erode the resale value of high-consumption "vanity" vehicles.

•Warm-weather buyers and even northern flatlanders can probably get along without four-wheel drive and the weight, friction, and rolling resistance it adds. Winter tires are a cheaper and more efficient way of dealing with light snow and ice.

•Pickups used for gardening and home renovation don't need a huge V�8 and may not need four doors and two bench seats if the other family car can accommodate the brood. Consider compact or midsize car, SUV, or pickup options.

•For serious towing, pay up for a diesel engine. Yes, diesel fuel costs more right now, but it shouldn't persist at 20 percent more than gasoline, so the fuel-economy benefit will net savings and greatly boost resale down the road.

Buying Fuel Economy
•Hybrid gas/electric drive systems save fuel primarily by recovering energy, returned via electric power, during braking. They also typically switch the engine off at a stop. Hybrids pay for themselves in stop-and-go traffic. However, note that there are three different types of hybrids:

•Mild (2008 Saturn Vue Green Line): Modest price premium ($2920) buys modest economy boost (28 percent EPA combined).

•Full (Toyota, Lexus, Ford/Mercury/Mazda SUVs): Steeper upcharge ($3880-$6040) delivers greater savings (34-44 percent EPA combined), but towing capability is low and often all-wheel drive is electric only, so when batteries are depleted, you're back to FWD.

•Two-mode (Chevy/GMC/Cadillac full-size SUVs/pickups, Dodge/Chrysler SUVs): Highest price combines economy benefit of full hybrid (32-49 percent) under light loads, preserves non-hybrid model's towing and payload capacity.

•Diesel fuel has higher energy content and its unthrottled compression-ignition turbocharged combustion system is inherently more efficient, saving around 20-36-percent fuel consumption in city and highway conditions. Cleaning up the emissions is costly, however, so the price premium for 50-state-compliant models will be steep.