Camry Hybrid

[FTT]

I am new to hybrid cars and am trying to understand the related economics. We are considering purchasing a new car within the next six months, and it will probably be a Camry. The question is - should it be an LE or a Hybrid. I would appreciate any advice concerning the pros and cons. In particular, a mechanic at our garage told me that you must replace the battery every five years or so and that these cost between $5,000 and $6,000. If that is true, it is a large disincentive to owning a hybrid. Thanks.

[wtarchala]

I purchased my 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid back in 2006 when they just came on a market. Actually, I had to wait for the car about 5 weeks as this car was built in Japan. This is the MOST reliable car I have ever driven and after 8 years, I hit 100k miles, primarily servicing my TARCHALA IBS web business. After 8 years, I still average about 36/37 mpg in mixed driving. Batteries are great. Toyota Synergy Hybrid system is the best on a market. Highly recommended.