Should I pick bad or stupid?

Stev0 · 12-18-2006, 11:59 PM

Most of my trips are five miles or under, so I get (for a Prius) pretty lousy milage. I do combine trips, but still it's drive a couple of miles, turn off the car for 20 minutes, drop something off, drive another mile, turn it off for a half hour, pick something up, etc.

I know I could get much better milage on the avergae just driving for a half hour or so nonstop a couple of times a week just for the hell of it. However, then I'm wasting gas for no particular reason.

So: Should I save gas and get horrible milage, or should I waste gas and get pretty good milage?

berylrb · 12-19-2006, 12:20 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Dec 18 2006, 11:59 PM) [snapback]364039[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Most of my trips are five miles or under, so I get (for a Prius) pretty lousy milage. I do combine trips, but still it's drive a couple of miles, turn off the car for 20 minutes, drop something off, drive another mile, turn it off for a half hour, pick something up, etc.

I know I could get much better milage on the avergae just driving for a half hour or so nonstop a couple of times a week just for the hell of it. However, then I'm wasting gas for no particular reason.

So: Should I save gas and get horrible milage, or should I waste gas and get pretty good milage?
[/b]

LOL, Hey Stev0!

I was contemplating the very same thing today thinking what would I have to do to end the year above my average for 2005.

Turns out, in your words, I would have to pick stupid and supplement,

, our normal in town driving with a 300 mile jaunt, assuming I would do my usual 6 gallon fill-up, that would yield a typical highway excursion to Sacramento for instance (we average about 57 F, so not a whole lot of bladder stretching going on). But I only have two weeks, man, but I'm oh so tempted!

Someone is going to post and tell you to ride a bike, LOL!

fshagan · 12-19-2006, 01:37 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Dec 18 2006, 08:59 PM) [snapback]364039[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Most of my trips are five miles or under, so I get (for a Prius) pretty lousy milage. I do combine trips, but still it's drive a couple of miles, turn off the car for 20 minutes, drop something off, drive another mile, turn it off for a half hour, pick something up, etc.

I know I could get much better milage on the avergae just driving for a half hour or so nonstop a couple of times a week just for the hell of it. However, then I'm wasting gas for no particular reason.

So: Should I save gas and get horrible milage, or should I waste gas and get pretty good milage?
[/b]

Save gas, even if the mileage you get isn't enough to impress people here.

Given your driving pattern, the Prius is still probably the best car you could get in terms of emissions. And burning less gas is always preferable from an economic standpoint. You spend less money.

BTW - what is "lousy mileage" for you? Are you below 20 MPG?

Stev0 · 12-19-2006, 01:59 AM

Quote:

BTW - what is "lousy mileage" for you? Are you below 20 MPG?[/b]

35. Which I realize is still damn good compared with most other cars, but when people here say, "OH NOS! I DROPPED DOWN TO 90 MPG!" I admit I get a bit jealous.

jbarnhart · 12-19-2006, 02:16 AM

Don't worry about it. I have the same issue -- my work is only a couple of miles from home. I also get mid-30's if I'm careful. But my other car (Audi A8) got 14 mpg over the same route!

qbee42 · 12-19-2006, 07:48 AM

A full electric would be ideal for your driving. Perhaps you should consider buying a, a, hmmm, let's see...who makes a good electric car? <_<

Tom

tomdeimos · 12-19-2006, 09:13 AM

I don't have to pick. It is being done for me. Don't know yet but I will either be commuting farther and get better mpg or I will be commuting less and getting worse mpg but use less gas.

Should know by spring time.
Right now I go 10 miles and car barely has time to warm up.

If the change is to the shorter distance I'll have lots more incentive to add and electric plug in conversion kit.

**TonyPSchaefer** · 12-19-2006, 09:21 AM

Hey Steve.
It's always refreshing to hear that someone's combining trips. I read your original post a couple times looking for the tip off but couldn't find it. When you combine trips, are you going to the stop that farthest away first? That's the best way to do it. That way, your engine warms up more during that first (farthest) leg and even though it will coll a little while you're inside, it will still be warmer than if you went to the closest one first.

Like I said, I could not infer if that's what you're already doing, so I figured I'd through it in.

Additionally, I agree with Tom. Get yourself an EV.

Beryl Octet · 12-19-2006, 09:49 AM

Driving around for no good reason just to warm up the car more and see a higher MPG number, but for more miles driven seems like a waste of gas and money. Perhaps a block heater to preheat the car might be cost effective for you, it would seem to have the most payback for someone who spends the most time in the cold/warm up cycles.

Combining trips is preferrable, but not always possible. Try not to worry about the absolute number and take satisfaction that you are conserving more and polluting less than you would be otherwise.

Charles Suitt · 12-19-2006, 12:42 PM

<_< Seems like new Prius owners tend to forget the THERMOS under the left leadlight. You know... the one which saves ICE coolant, keeps it hot and pumps it back into the ICE to hasten warmup at startup. Especially, when you drive short daily commutes, this would make standstill ICE warmups completely unnecessary and wasteful.

In my 2007 Owner's Manual, page 324, there's a good illustration and explanation of the "Coolant heat storage system."

12-18-2006, 11:59 PM	#1
Stev0 Aluminum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northampton, MA Posts: 4,814 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 7	Most of my trips are five miles or under, so I get (for a Prius) pretty lousy milage. I do combine trips, but still it's drive a couple of miles, turn off the car for 20 minutes, drop something off, drive another mile, turn it off for a half hour, pick something up, etc. I know I could get much better milage on the avergae just driving for a half hour or so nonstop a couple of times a week just for the hell of it. However, then I'm wasting gas for no particular reason. So: Should I save gas and get horrible milage, or should I waste gas and get pretty good milage? __________________

12-19-2006, 09:21 AM	#8
TonyPSchaefer Ruler of Omicron Persei 8 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 8,644 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 4 Times in 2 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 18	Hey Steve. It's always refreshing to hear that someone's combining trips. I read your original post a couple times looking for the tip off but couldn't find it. When you combine trips, are you going to the stop that farthest away first? That's the best way to do it. That way, your engine warms up more during that first (farthest) leg and even though it will coll a little while you're inside, it will still be warmer than if you went to the closest one first. Like I said, I could not infer if that's what you're already doing, so I figured I'd through it in. Additionally, I agree with Tom. Get yourself an EV. __________________ Proud father of Priapus: the '04 Tideland BC9 with an OEM EV button and sense of self-righteousness >>Current Mileage<< Spreading information and passing gas in the Greater Chicagoland area

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
New Pick Up Tomorrow	ttayloriii	Newbie Forum	1	07-13-2006 07:29 PM
Pick UP Tomorrow	ttayloriii	Prius Main Forum	2	07-13-2006 04:53 PM
Pick it up tomorrow!	jmcclun	Prius Main Forum	3	05-21-2006 06:34 PM
Help pick out a motorcycle for [you]!!!	Mystery Squid	Fred's House of Pancakes	25	05-11-2006 10:49 AM
About to pick up car - do I have everything?	Varko	Prius Main Forum	20	10-09-2004 01:00 AM

12-19-2006, 02:16 AM	#5
jbarnhart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 629 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	Don't worry about it. I have the same issue -- my work is only a couple of miles from home. I also get mid-30's if I'm careful. But my other car (Audi A8) got 14 mpg over the same route!

12-19-2006, 07:48 AM	#6
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 6,240 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	A full electric would be ideal for your driving. Perhaps you should consider buying a, a, hmmm, let's see...who makes a good electric car? <_< Tom

12-19-2006, 09:13 AM	#7
tomdeimos Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lexington, MA Posts: 995 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I don't have to pick. It is being done for me. Don't know yet but I will either be commuting farther and get better mpg or I will be commuting less and getting worse mpg but use less gas. Should know by spring time. Right now I go 10 miles and car barely has time to warm up. If the change is to the shorter distance I'll have lots more incentive to add and electric plug in conversion kit.

12-19-2006, 09:49 AM	#9
Beryl Octet Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Abingdon VA Posts: 1,294 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Driving around for no good reason just to warm up the car more and see a higher MPG number, but for more miles driven seems like a waste of gas and money. Perhaps a block heater to preheat the car might be cost effective for you, it would seem to have the most payback for someone who spends the most time in the cold/warm up cycles. Combining trips is preferrable, but not always possible. Try not to worry about the absolute number and take satisfaction that you are conserving more and polluting less than you would be otherwise.

12-19-2006, 12:42 PM	#10
Charles Suitt Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Dallas TX Posts: 1,622 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	<_< Seems like new Prius owners tend to forget the THERMOS under the left leadlight. You know... the one which saves ICE coolant, keeps it hot and pumps it back into the ICE to hasten warmup at startup. Especially, when you drive short daily commutes, this would make standstill ICE warmups completely unnecessary and wasteful. In my 2007 Owner's Manual, page 324, there's a good illustration and explanation of the "Coolant heat storage system."