Oil is going up and we all see the pump prices rise. We all talk about getting more fuel efficient, but only a few take the leap back to a small compact or drop the extra up front money on a hybrid.

The propane car intrigues me. Honda makes a civic (Honda Civic GX) that is currently available in New York and California. I am still looking to see if the car could be delivered to the midwest.

The concept of propane is great. Propane is cheaper, more efficient, burns cleaner and will extend the life of your engine parts by not having so much carbon build up. Many fleet vehicles are using propane and you may see propane stations appearing in your town if your municipality is using propane powered fleet vehicles.

Safety question: Explosion? Never you mind. Remember gasoline is also flammable and explosive. If the car were to crash, the leaking propane gas would rise into the air as opposed to forming a puddle on the ground.

There are not many propane fill up stations, but you can buy a "Phill" unit to put in your house and tap into your gas line. The device will take up to 12 hours to fill when empty, but you can plug it in each night.

The mile range on a tank is about 240 miles which makes the Honda Civic GX your commuter car and not your road trip car (unless you plan around fuel stations).