 |
|||
Why do political conservatives attack environmentally friendly vehicles such as the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid? We all have our inconsistencies but many who call themselves "conservative" are for anything but conservation. Now my father was a conservative. Raised in the midst of the great depression, dad saved and conserved everything. He recycled plastic milk cartons before recycling was cool, weather stripped everything in the house, and tried to save fuel even when gasoline was only twenty five cents a gallon. Real conservatives understand conserving natural resources. But this new irresponsible breed of right-wingers is certainly not "conservative." So I found it interesting a few weeks ago when Joseph White, Detroit bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal wrote despairingly about the economics of Hybird vehicles. Of course pompous provocateur Rush Limbaugh jumped on the bandwagon lambasting hybrid drivers as environmental wackos. Some politicians have even called for a tax on hybrid vehicles because they don't consume enough! One can make an economic case for buying a hybrid right now, but we all know they have yet to reach their full potential. Hybrids save fuel in city driving, they are good for the environment, and for now you still get a nice tax incentive for purchasing a hybrid vehicle. Federal tax incentives for purchasing hybrid vehicles are always in peril. But if you purchase a qualifying hybrid vehicle such as the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid before December 31, 2005, you could claim the $2,000 "Clean-Fuel" tax deduction on line 35 of your 2005 Federal Income Tax Form. Wait till January 2006 and you might take an even better tax credit instead of a tax deduction. Best estimates are that the tax credits authorized by the 2005 Energy Policy Act will range between $250-$3,400. However the schedule has yet to be published and credits are eliminated after the manufacturer sells 60,000 qualifying vehicles. Always check with your tax professional for advice. 2006 and 2007 tax credits were signed into law on August 8, 2005 but expect future attacks on these incentives. Recently automotive press was invited to the Kansas City Ford Assembly Plant to witness the unveiling of the new Mercury Mariner Hybrid and to watch the actual assembly process. 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid represents the newest addition of hybrid powered vehicles to the Ford stable and it promises to be a hit. An upscale cousin to the already successful Ford Escape, the Mercury Mariner gives a hybrid based compact sport utility vehicle to Lincoln Mercury dealers. Built in Kansas City along side the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute, the well-heeled 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid represents a unique opportunity for dealers and provides good paying jobs to your neighbors. The 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid's utilizes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and fully automatic, electronically controlled, intelligent four-wheel-drive system. On normal dry-pavement power is directed to the front wheels but when slippage is detected, an electromagnetic clutch directs the right amount of torque to the rear wheels until traction is regained. If your mileage is a lot of stop and go urban driving then the math may work out to save money. But even if you didn't save a dime, this is an excellent vehicle that is good for the environment. I believe the 2006 Mariner Hybrid is a vehicle that would have made even my conservative father proud.
2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2.3L I-4 Atkinson-Cycle Engine with
CVT Transmission Automatic All Wheel Drive Base MSRP $29,225 Estimated MPG 33/29 Additional Web only Information and Resources For Additional Reviews: |
©2006 - Stan Risener