I Beat the EPA--Post 'em here

[hdrygas]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Old n Bold @ Jul 21 2006, 09:32 PM) [snapback]290332[/snapback]</div>

When commenting on gas mileage, it is helpful to mention tire pressure and other stuff. I now have 22,000 mi. on my 05 and have never seen mpg as low as 44 mpg for a tank load. I also keep track of mileage and gal. pumped to be a bit more accurate in lifetime mpg than averaging the mfd readings. However, I find the mfd to usually be within 1 mpg of calculated mileage.

My lifetime going into Dec. was 52 mpg. Tire pressure halways has been 40 F and 38 R. The alignment is pretty good as I find no wander at high speeds and it is very well behaved on the interstate.

In Dec. I switched to Michelin snow tires (not studs). I took a 2 mpg hit with cold weather and another 2 mpg loss with the snow tires. The winter average was the worst I ever got with a 49 mpg average. In March, I put the Goodyear Integretys back on and saw an instant jumpt to 54 mpg. That is combination interstate, secondary roads and some messing around town. My terrain is fairly hilly.

A week ago, we took a trip from WA to OR for a few days. Going south on the interstate we got a tank average of 53 mpg. Gassed up in Portland and found all stations had E85 blends. Returned to WA and struggled to get 49 mpg on Ethanol stuff. Ran the tank out and picked up some Shell regular near home. That tank jumped back to 54 mpg.

Believe (for me) the combination of 40 F and 38 R pressure is a good compromise for good mpg and reasonably comfortable ride. Oh yes, no noticeable wear on the Goodyears.
[/b]

E85 or did you mean E10 i.e. 10% Ethano? I have been in Portland a number of times and have yet to run across E85, it is rare here in Olympia and E10 is everywhere in winter? The computers in the car not to mention the rest of the system "may" have problems with E85

[Graz]

Holy Cow!!!

I just recorded an average MPG over a tank full at 51.2 MPG! I am entirely (and happily) surprised. Much of this was ighway miles, and even the EPA says that we can get 51 MPG on the highway. But I have NEVER approached reaching the EPA reports on any vehicle!!!

Then I filled up for a 200 mile return trip, and NOW my mileage reads 57.2 MPG!!! What is going on here? I am so happy I could nearly burst!!! Let's see what happens to my record of 506 miles on one tank!

[troe]

I finally beat the EPA for real. Here was my last tank.

[GUENWYVAR]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Graz @ Jul 31 2006, 08:53 PM) [snapback]295424[/snapback]</div>

Holy Cow!!!

I just recorded an average MPG over a tank full at 51.2 MPG! I am entirely (and happily) surprised. Much of this was ighway miles, and even the EPA says that we can get 51 MPG on the highway. But I have NEVER approached reaching the EPA reports on any vehicle!!!

Then I filled up for a 200 mile return trip, and NOW my mileage reads 57.2 MPG!!! What is going on here? I am so happy I could nearly burst!!! Let's see what happens to my record of 506 miles on one tank!
[/b]

I've had my Prius since April & just finished the break in period going 100 miles to DE from PA. On the way down it was in the upper 30's to 40's but on the way home,same road & same weather it was 51.6 average & showing 55 on some stretches of highway. I had filled up the tank before coming home...gas was cheaper down there....and the gas gauge didn't drop a block til I was a little over a mile from my house ! I LOVE IT !!

[hdrygas]

OK I just went over 70 mpg. Yes it was a short tank, I had to go to Seattle and then drive around for my Wife. At yes is was early in the morning and 61 degrees out, and I usually fill up late in the day, but OK it is the first time I went over 70 mpg. Yes I still thing a 3 tank average is the best, and yes the last tank was a bit low, but damn a tank over 70... I claim it... even if it may not be correct. Check out the August average for something close to truth. BTW I am now at 63+ I think I love summer. You’ll down south do you need someone to join you?

[bobbicougar]

Hi there,
I have had my 2006 Prius since December, and for the most part I am pretty happy with it. (Although I must say that I enjoy the luxuries of my partner's Toyota Camry hybrid.) We have many, many Prius owners here in western Sonoma County, CA.
Anyway, here are a couple of questions...
1) Do you find a difference between what the screen tells you for mpg, compared to what you calculate based on gallons of gas? I have been relying on the screen, but maybe shouldn't be?
I have only been getting a modest 43-44mpg and am discouraged as I used to drive a company Prius car (before I bought my own) and got 50-52mpg on that one. And this is summertime mpg (no heater, rarely use A/C). Same driver,same driving style. Hmmm Only difference was that it was a 2004 or 2005 and mine is a 2006.
2) I keep hearing and reading different things about tire pressure. Is it okay (safe) to inflate to 42/40? If so, why does the manual say 35/30 for tire inflation?
3) My experience agrees with the comments about scratched paint. Both the Prius and the Camry get scratched more easily than any cars we have ever owned! Hopefully the touch-up paint works well...
thanks for any input....
Sebastopol Prius

[tomdeimos]

Finally made it to 60 mpg for a whole tank! I've done better on short trips but a whole tank is hard with my short 10 mile commute and lots of traffic and mostly interstate highway driving.

This tank covered temperatures of about 60 to 85 degrees with most of it at near 75 deg. I filled up in Scranton PA so maybe 75% of the trip was highway driving at 65 mph. The rest was on smaller roads at speeds from 30 to 55 mph with a lot at 40 mph. Traffic prevents much of any pulse and glide and as you can see I have to brake often too.

Mileage was a bit higher right after my trip, but commuting to work even the back routes brought me down to 59.3 at one point. So I finished up today with a drive trying for over 70 mpg to bring back the average.

Final graph for locals was a drive out route 2A to 495 N and back on route 225 and up 128 to rt 3A to a Shell station. I didn't want to change gas brands after this, so I skipped trying for a record miles plus I know the gas station in PA did not really fill it full. So I filled up with 2 bars left.

I used premium Shell in PA due to something wrong with prev tank. This tank I filled with regular and mpg is holding about the same so far.

[vef579]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Aug 19 2006, 03:15 PM) [snapback]305963[/snapback]</div>

I used premium Shell in PA due to something wrong with prev tank. This tank I filled with regular and mpg is holding about the same so far.
[/b]

So is it that Shell gasoline is the trick to getting high gas mileage?

[tomdeimos]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gopher @ Aug 19 2006, 10:20 PM) [snapback]306052[/snapback]</div>

So is it that Shell gasoline is the trick to getting high gas mileage?
[/b]

I sure wish it was that easy! Not claiming that quite. But I have always found brand differences matter.
Main reason I try to use it is because it is the only top tier one easily available where I live.

see: http://www.toptiergas.com/

I've used 3 tanks of premium, but mostly I use regular octane. This tank was premium because I thought the octane might have been too low on my prev tank of Mobil that got very bad mpg. I often use Mobil with great results and have had one bad tank with Shell too. However my best tanks have just happened to be with Shell.

I'm not recommending premium normally, but I have found it never hurt my mpg.

So with this fill up my mpg shot upward immediately. Same happened before when I got bad mpg from a fill up and I tried boosting the octane, so I suspect octane too low is often a problem.

As to tricks the main things are well covered here. Only thing I do different than most is to do lots of stealth when I can and very little pulse and glide. Not against the pulse and glide but I find the traffic and terrain here rarely cooperate. Otherwise I just stick to speed limits, and pick slower routes when I have the time.

My general method is to use stealth for all down grades, engine for up hill grades, and let the car pick on flat areas.

Then you should try for your best mpg when the weather is warm as possible but cool enough you don't need AC going or at least very little of it. I like AC so that often ruins my mpg for a tank.

Generally the slow roads give me over 70 mpg but I do mostly highway and that is usually mid to high 50's.
Then my short commute brings it all down so I can only get a good tank like this if I've been on a real trip somewhere for the bulk of the tank. My normal tanks I feel good long as I can keep it over 50 mpg.

[FireEngineer]

Great job tomdeimos! I can't pulse and glide much either in city traffic, I do what I call glide and stop.

Wayne