Local television broadcaster Jim Leahey had the truck of his dreams. The black, 2002 customized Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Supercharged pickup was everything he always wanted in a car.

"It was beautiful. It was fantastic. Leather seats, all the amenities, and it was my pride and joy. I loved it. I hugged it. I actually hugged it," Leahey said.

But keeping the 4,600-pound truck on the road became a costly burden for the longtime TV and radio sportscaster. That's something many Hawai'i residents trying to cope with skyrocketing gas prices are facing.

When Leahey turned 65 last year and began to think about retirement, he came to the painful realization that he could no longer afford his muscle truck and reluctantly decided it was time to make a change.

"I said to myself, 'I've got to get rid of this. I don't want to get rid of it. I really don't want to get rid of it,' " Leahey said. "My wife kept telling me, 'You worked hard all of your life for that, why do you want to get rid of it?' I said, 'Because it's going to get worse. It's not going to get better. And I have to make a decision.' I needed to make the change because the money isn't going to be there anymore."

Late last year, Leahey traded in his truck for a four-cylinder Honda Element. Although he said the car looks "hideous," he's glad he made the change.

The Ford had a 22-gallon gas tank and its last fill-up cost Leahey nearly $80. It also got a maximum of 14 miles per gallon.

With his Honda, Leahey said, he'll go about 300 miles on one much smaller tank of gas, and he doesn't have to buy the top grade of gasoline like he did for the Ford.

"Every time I started it up I felt guilty," Leahey said of the truck.

FEELING THE CRUNCH

Leahey's story is similar to that of many other residents facing gas prices that are inching up to the $4 mark. The cost of fuel also has driven electricity prices up, prompting people to make sacrifices to stay afloat.

Kula resident Jill Spalding said she has turned Tuesdays and Thursdays into stay-at-home "gardening days," partly to avoid using her car.

"I try not to drive on Saturdays or Sundays either," the Maui resident said.

The lease on Spalding's Volvo V70 station wagon expires at the end of the year and she said efficient gas mileage will be a key factor in picking a new car.

"I want to get at least 30 miles per gallon and still drive a station wagon. Right now I don't see my dream car on the horizon," Spalding said.

Grant Davis flew from his home on the Big Island to Honolulu to attend the First Hawaiian International Auto Show, which runs through today at the convention center. On Thursday, Davis, 53, was one of dozens of people checking out the latest fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles.

Davis said he had his eye on the Toyota Prius.

"I travel about 21,000 a year commuting to and from work," said Davis, a physical therapist who lives in Kalapana and works in Hilo. "I love my car now, but if I got something like a Prius I would save about $2,000 to $2,500 a year in gas. That's a lot of money."

Davis said his home is solar-powered, so electricity bills are minimal. But the cost of gasoline has prompted him to rethink his day-to-day life.

"The increase in gas prices has caused me to tighten the budget," he said. "Where I live, if we go to movies or any type of entertainment in Hilo, we all ride together to save gas."

Millie and Len Carman of Kaka'ako spent some time looking over a Lexus hybrid SUV, but the retired couple said they wanted something with better gas mileage. The Lexus hybrid gets under 40 miles per gallon.

Millie, 85, and Len, 86, said they also were leaning toward the Prius. Living on a fixed income, Millie Carman said they haven't had to alter their lifestyle — yet.

"I can see it coming," Millie said. "When you get to our age, you see your IRAs that you put your money into, you see it going away, which they already have for us."

HYBRID OPTION

In addition to savings on fuel, people who buy certain hybrid vehicles can claim a federal tax deduction. The amounts vary depending on the model of car and when it is purchased.

Because of the popularity of Toyota and Lexus hybrids, there is no tax credit for those cars purchased after Sept. 30, 2007. Reduced credits are available for Honda hybrids bought this year, but the tax break will end in 2009.

Consumers who buy a two-door Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner hybrid will be eligible for a $3,000 tax credit, while four-door versions of these cars qualify for a $2,000 tax credit, according to the IRS.

Hybrid vehicles are more expensive than their all-gasoline counterparts and it will take several years before owners will recoup the difference. But as gas gets more expensive, that gap begins to narrow.

For example, the sticker price for a 2008 Honda Civic EX is about $19,210, $3,390 less than a comparable Civic hybrid. Subtracting the $1,050 tax credit, the difference is $2,340.

Using Friday's average price of regular gasoline in Honolulu at $3.47, a driver who averages 8,700 miles a year would save $454.84 a year in gas in the hybrid. Assuming gas stays at this price, which isn't likely, it would take about 5.16 years to make up the difference in cost between the hybrid and gas Civic.

In 2005, it was estimated that it would take about seven years to recoup the cost.

IN LOVE WITH THE LITTLE

Despite the savings in gas, sports broadcaster Leahey said he's not ready for a hybrid. He said he's not convinced the technology has been perfected.

So for now, Leahey said he'll stick with his boxy Element.

"I have simply fallen in love with it because I went from the high-souped engine to four little cylinders who are very obedient," he said.

"The only trouble is now people cut me off left and right because they think it's a clown car. They don't respect me anymore."

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