Am I correct in my understanding that there is no longer a tax credit to businesses for the purchase of hybrid or clean diesel fleet vehicles (cars)? The key to good Google searches is getting the right combination of words, I obviously wasn't using the right ones.

It's getting near time to replace one of my sales rep.'s '07 Chevy Uplander (it was her choice, biggest piece of $h!t that I personally or we as a company have ever owned), we have managed to milk 165K miles out of it. She really only needs a van for about a cumulative month/year so I've been toying with the idea of breaking tradition and going with either a Prius V (wagon) or a VW SportWagen TDI. Fuel consumption alone would justify the purchase in my eyes, but I'm wondering what other incentives might be out there. (As a semi-pertinent aside, we either pay out of our account at the time of purchase or finance through our bank -mainly larger delivery vehicles- due to loan covenants so manufacturer's and dealer financing-related incentives don't come into play)

We typically keep the rep.'s vehicles for 5-6 years, mid- to high 100's K mileage. Whenever visits to shop + inconvenience to the rep. comes into play. Battery life (hybrid) and emissions controls (TDI) aren't a huge concern of mine given the time-frame we keep them.

I think a Ford Transit is the right combination of compact size + capacity, and I like the funky factor, but with the gasser the mileage is only marginally better than what the Uplander has been getting. If only they offered a diesel...

Fuel savings over 6 years would be significant. The Uplander used 8450 gals. so far, the Prius would use about 4000 and the TDI about 4700 over that distance if the average mileage estimates are correct. Thats' about $15K and $10K savings respectively. More than enough to justify renting a vehicle only when needed.

I'm not going to kid you, it's not an easy decision to buy a non-American brand (even though most foreign marques are as "American" as "American" brands are). But fuel costs and transportation are a huge issue and $2-3K/yr. saved is, well, $2-3K/yr. that could be put towards something else besides fuel. And there currently is no domestic hybrid or diesel wagon option.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I should add that she had a diesel Jetta Wagon for her personal vehicle so she knows all about pumping diesel.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Doesn`t Ford produce at least one hybrid trucklet? Or at least used to with the Escape hybrid. As far as the Transit, it`s mostly made in Turkey

Frankly, if the UAW parasites and their scummy bosses don`t produce what you want to drive, there`s ZERO reason to inconvenience yourself by buying American.

Would your customer base see the non-American vehicle and look poorly on it?

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Slap Ford or Chebby badges on it and say it`s the latest prototype.

You mean the U.S. market Transit is petrol only? Stupid Ford.

Your numbers justify either the Prius or the VW without any additional tax credits. I vote for the VW, but I'm also somewhat curious how a Prius would hold up over the time/miles you plan on putting on it.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

They're used as taxis in NYC and some other East Coast cities, and they apparently hold up just fine after 150-200k miles of stop-and-go rough traffic.

The VW is the worst choice - days in the shop for VW's less-than-avg reliability will have you questioning your sanity. A Prius? Reliable but not cheap. You need bulletproof because it's a work car. You need cheap because it's a work car that'll depreciate fast becuase of the high miles you'll put on it. Sure Prius gets 45 mpg, but you're paying more for it in the purchase price up front, which just means more depreciation.

Accord
Yaris
Corolla
Fit
Scion XB
Matrix

Preferably one that's two years old with a warranty. But, if you're gonna go new, get the best cheapest one that gets any mpg over 30 highway. Run some numbers; I own three companies. I have experience here.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

You can get a "Pontiac Vibe" which is a wagonette, but it's really a Toyota Matrix with GM stickers on it.

~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

Both VW diesels and Priuses are commonly used as taxis (rougher treatment than a company salesmobile) outside the Septic market. I call nonsense on your fears. Maybe if it were 1985...

Back when I was in the marine business VW Jetta wagon diesels were quite popular. The reps would run them 300k than get rid of them.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I am into my 2nd week of TDI ownership and been having an ongoing argument in my mind on my choice. Fuel and Insurance savings per month justify the cost with me. There are a couple of negatives to the car but when you step out of a W220 thats expected. Family and Friends say I will be back into a MB as a daily driver by fall, maybe so.

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

In her case, I don't see it being an issue. She deals with the garden center clients and with all of the independents catering to the heirloom/open-pollinated/non-genetically engineered customers so it would probably be well received, if noticed at all.

She's the only one it would work for, not necessarily because of image, since all of my other reps have to haul more than a station wagon's-worth of stuff around with them.

So many golf courses and landscapers have Isuzu and Mitsu trucks now, I think that stigma is gone. If someone, foreign or domestic, would make a full size 1/2ton small diesel pickup with a 6.5 bed and an extended cab I'd be looking for a half-dozen right away. We've had great luck with our P-strokes, D-Maxx and Cummins (1 ton through 55 ton trucks) but I wish they'd offer a smaller option in a lighter truck.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

They do offer the Escape hybrid, I've never been enamored with the Escape but it might be worth taking a look. The issue with that is the mileage difference isn't nearly as great as with the TDI or the Prius, I'd imagine the weight difference is significant.

A Transit diesel or hybrid would be damn-near perfect.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Yup.

True, I was just wondering if they still offered the credits. I'll admit to being hypocritical. If there's federal money available, I'm taking it.

The vehicle does a fair amount of driving empty. And when she needs to carry a load, it's a volume issue more than weight (lots of boxes or cardboard displays). I'm starting to see 1st and 2nd Gen Prius' pop up on the market in the 150K range, I'd imagine as commuter duty, so I guessing they'd last at least as long as I need them to.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)