Florida Driver's License driver license renewal is going up to $48 on Sept 1, 2009. Currently, it's $20. You can renew up to 18 months in advance, so check yours to see if you can renew early before the increase date.
http://www.flhsmv.gov/realid/
For those who battle commuting traffic, Kris, author of this blog, Help Yourself, mentions signing up for a customized traffic alert, which is sent to your cell phone. You can specify the time when a voice message telling you where traffic problem spots are and how severe they are. Locally, our newspaper, The Orlando Sentinel, has a service like this. Hit up your local newspaper's website to see if they offer it for your area. You'll save gas and time by avoiding messes on the commute.
Another blog on the same website, Shakespeare's Coffee, gave Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot a shout-out today. Check it out! Rebecca blogs about books and industry news, plus highlights local authors and events.
Consumer Reports now says it made a mistake when calculating hybrid ownership costs: Toyota Prius saves $400 and the Honda Civic saves $300 compared with gasoline-only models.
In this same issue of Consumer Reports that I mentioned yesterday, there's a report about the expense of hybrids. They say gas-electric hybrids end up costing owners from $3,700 to $13,300 more over five years compared with similar gasoline models. Some of that comes from the car being more expensive up front, but the cars also don't hold their value like the gasoline models.
Consumer Reports has released their best picks of 2006, and Honda cars top the list:
• The Accord was named the magazine's pick as top family sedan for the fourth straight year.
• The all-new Civic was named top small sedan.
• Honda's first-ever pickup, the Ridgeline, won top truck.
• Honda's Odyssey was named top minivan.
More in the news today about fuel economy, so I thought we’d post again on the topic. This blurb comes courtesy of Relevant intern Cassie Serianni:
As a result of last year’s energy bill, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been required to change their methods of testing and rating the fuel economy of cars. The 2008 car models will mark a new era of more accurate mile per gallon estimates.
The current fuel efficiency testing uses indoor tests that simulate mild outdoor driving conditions and maximum highway speeds of 60 mph. Currently, the tests do not take into account high speed driving, stop-and-go traffic, the effects of starting cars in cold temperatures, or the running of amenities such as air conditioning, power windows, power seats, and DVD players. The EPA’s new plan will take into consideration these other driving variables.
The new proposed changes in the EPA’s testing system will be the first alterations to the system in 20 years. It has been speculated by the EPA that the fuel economy estimates of many car models will decrease 15 to 20 percent of the current in town and city driving estimates.
A new energy bill that went into affect this year allows hybrid purchasers to file for a tax credit. This article says the 2006 break is better than the 2005 tax deduction because a credit directly reduces the taxes owed.
The IRS hasn’t assigned a dollar amount per car yet, but it looks like the Toyota Prius will have the most, with a possible tax credit of $3,150.
The tax credit is in affect until each manufacturer sells 6,000 hybrids. That will probably happen around April, the article says.
The requirements:
• The vehicle must be purchased in 2006
• It must be new
• It must be used or your own personal or business use
• You can’t turn around and resell it
Some states offer additional tax incentives and some insurance companies offer discounts to hybrid buyers.
But while hybrid cars may give you a tax break and save you some at the pump, over the course of the car’s life, you’ll end up paying more than you would for a regular gas-powered car.
This article features a study that showed how a Honda Accord hybrid could cost $3,800 more than a regular Honda Accord EX V-6 over five years. That includes the purchase price, maintenance and gasoline expenses.
Get smart and save money on fuel in other ways:
• Drive more gently; don’t accelerate aggressively or speed. By doing so, you can improve your gas mileage by 30%, according to driving tests by Edmunds.com.
• Consider diesel engines. They qualify for the new tax credits in 2006 as well. They get better gas mileage than regular cars because of their more durable engine. Plus, diesels have a higher resell value than gas-powered cars.
• Look to more fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicles. Ditch the big SUVs and opt for a lighter car. You’ll sacrifice engine power, but what’s more important to you? Saving money or riding in style? Hopefully you can find a model of car that accomplishes both.
This article explains how basic car maintenance can improve your gas mileage.
• The easiest and fastest way to improve gas mileages is to replace your car’s air filter. You can get up to 25 extra miles from a tank of gas with a clean filter (the equivalent of 24 cents a gallon in gas). Cost: $10-$30
• A tune-up can give you an extra 100 miles (or about five miles a gallon). Cost: $90+
• Rotating your tires (and replacing them when needed) and balancing your alignment will improve your mileage as well, as uneven tires will cause your car to work harder. Cost: $75-400+
My husband and I are watching Mythbusters on Discovery ... they're testing the myth of the tailgate down vs. tailgate up as it relates to gas mileage for trucks. The myth is that you'll get better gas mileage with the gate down (the thinking is that it makes the truck more streamlined). They tested it two ways and found that the myth is false.
Leaving the tailgate down actually creates major drag. With the gate up, air gets trapped in a circulate motion bubble in the bed and actually creates a streamlined flow of air. When the gate is down, the bubble is lost and the air falls right on the gate, creating major drag. Their tests showed that you could get 30 more miles on a tank of gas with the gate up.