How to save more gas by using A/C & Freeway.

[Aces]

Last Sunday I realized a way to reduce gas use by running the A/C and using the freeway (60 mph) on a trip to a dinner party. How? By carpooling with a couple of friends who were going to the same event! I know that's kind of a tricky way of looking at it.

But you must realize that in the 10 months I've had my Prius, my friends have become to expect me to always sacrifice speed/comfort for better gas mileage. And they are usually right... But I realized that if I could coax this couple into carpooling with us, that no matter how badly I drove, or what creature comforts we ran in the car, we'd still save a bunch of gas. And we got to joke about my "obsession" on the drive as well. This kind of follows the idea to remember to have fun driving the Prius too.

I figure I was getting 53 Mpg instead of 60 Mpg on that 60 mile trip. But it kept a 24 Mpg car off the street.

Does anyone else have any stories of creative ways they've saved gas?
-Kevin

[Ichiro]

Wtg
But why do u need A/C in May in Seattle?

[JimN]

Originally Posted by Aces

Last Sunday I realized a way to reduce gas use by running the A/C and using the freeway (60 mph) on a trip to a dinner party. How? By carpooling with a couple of friends who were going to the same event! I know that's kind of a tricky way of looking at it.

But you must realize that in the 10 months I've had my Prius, my friends have become to expect me to always sacrifice speed/comfort for better gas mileage. And they are usually right... But I realized that if I could coax this couple into carpooling with us, that no matter how badly I drove, or what creature comforts we ran in the car, we'd still save a bunch of gas. And we got to joke about my "obsession" on the drive as well. This kind of follows the idea to remember to have fun driving the Prius too.

I figure I was getting 53 Mpg instead of 60 Mpg on that 60 mile trip. But it kept a 24 Mpg car off the street.

Does anyone else have any stories of creative ways they've saved gas?
-Kevin

Ouch. You could have saved more gas by riding in their car.

[Aces]

Ichiro, I guess you aren't the Mariner's Center-fielder, or else you'd have spent enough time in Seattle to know we do get sun sometimes....

JimN, I meant total gas used (think "save the earth", in little steps). My car plus their car. Instead we took one car, and used 1.13 gallons of MY gas, instead of 1.00 of mine and 2.50 gallons of theirs (=3.50 gallons), or 2.50, if we rode with them. But you're right in that they probably "owe" me $ for 0.13 gallons of my gas! Well I think I'm going to drive over there and ask for $0.50 from them. (or maybe I should just relax a little...)

BTW, maybe it's because of my good karma, but I'm still going to make my first ever 60 MPG tank when I fill up tonight! (I'm sitting at 60.2 MPG, with 521 miles driven.) What really made the difference was realizing the dealer was over filling my oil, and I made them drop it down to mid-way between the high & low marks.

-Kevin

[Ichiro]

No, I am not Suzuki-san, studmuffin centerfielder (and what is going on with the M's??)

I did however grow up in Seattle ... I just don't remember seeing much sunlight between October & July when I lived there.

I do have some bad memories of driving on I5 to get in or out of the city. My lord, what a clusterf**k!