New owner? Want MPG help? Read this first.

[rhino 660]

greay white up dawg

[txtabby]

Originally Posted by asierra45

I am new to the forum and I want to post a question. Traveling 150 miles each way, I can get either 47 or 55 miles/gal. I follow 95% of the recommendations given in the last 15 pages. I keep the same high/safe tire pressure, steady speed of 58 miles/hr using the cruise control, etc, etc.

The only difference seems to be the weather. If the environment has relative humidity 70% or more, and the temperature is = or < than 65 F, I get 47 +- 2 miles/gal If the temperature is above 70 F and the relative humidity is below 65%, I get 54 +- 2 miles/gal . This has happened since the car reached 20,000 miles (it now has 65,000 miles). Is this a general experience to the readership?

I hardly ever use cruise control, but then I don't travel 150 miles everyday. It's kind of odd though. Yesterday on the way home from work I made a few stops, then filled up the tank, then headed home. When I pulled into my driveway, I was averaging 62.2 mpg! It was evening...this has happened a few times before. But when I drive it again, the mileage goes down to upper 40's (47-49), and I'm okay with that, considering I'm getting almost twice the mileage as just about everyone else out there who doesn't own a Prius. Just an observation... My car rocks!

[JimboK]

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[kbe]

I picked up my 2008 Classic Silver Touring Hatchback w/Package #2 last Friday. It had 7 miles on it and the mpg was at 36.6. I have added 213 miles for a 220 total and the mpg is constantly rising and is now 44.6 for mostly 5-10 mile mixed city/Interstate trips. I keep the A/C on constantly. I am learning to use stealth mode more and more on these short trips and it is paying off.

Although not great mileage for the Prius as yet, it is way better than I get driving my 2003 Tundra V-8 A/C automatic dual exhaust Access Cab pickup. EPA on the Tundra is 14/17 and even with the patent pending gas saving device I added it only boosted me to an average of 22+ city/highway. (Although I have gotten 25.5 mpg using the device @55mph cruise control on I-75 from Tifton Ga to South Florida).

[SCfromSC]

I picked up my Silver Pine Mica "Miles" on 10/7 and have put nearly 700 miles on it so far. MPG average -- 49.5. All but two miles of them are mine.

[RichPasco]

Originally Posted by asierra45

The only difference seems to be the weather. If the environment has relative humidity 70% or more, and the temperature is = or < than 65 F, I get 47 +- 2 miles/gal If the temperature is above 70 F and the relative humidity is below 65%, I get 54 +- 2 miles/gal . This has happened since the car reached 20,000 miles (it now has 65,000 miles). Is this a general experience to the readership?

As any pilot can explain, the temperature and humidity affect air density, and denser air exerts more drag on a moving vehicle. At a given barometric pressure, cold air is denser than warm (because air expands as it warms), and dry air is denser than humid (because H2O molecules are ligher than either N2 or O2 molecules).

Several years ago I was commuting by bicycle to an office at the top of a hill. On my way home, I would free roll down the hill, my speed recorded on a digital speedometer. My weight and the geometry of the bike were constant, but on warm humid summer days my peak speed would reach 50 mph, while on cool dry winter days my speed wouldn't exceed 40 mph. I puzzled over the difference until my pilot friend explained the above.

I hope this helps.

- Rich

[spidermnmi]

Is there a way to damage the HSD system? I usually drive up a mountain pass for 1/3 of my commute, and it gets backed up quickly, a lot of stop and go on an incline. I was wondering if all that stop and go is bad for the HSD. Also, my partner took it out and he seems to like to use the gas pedal to hold the car in place during uphill climbs in traffic. Since he took it out, my HSD hasn't stayed in electric mode more than 20 mph from a stop. Could any of these situations damage the HSD system? I live in the Los Angeles area, and it's been cooler here (50s and 60s).

[excellent adventures]

I would save your money and buy a compact gas engine car like a Corolla. Our short trips in the cold weather (under 6 miles at a time) relegates our Prius gas mpg to 33 winter city. Not worth the extra thousands of price for Prius. Had I known, I would have stayed with a Corolla or small Honda.

[efusco]

Originally Posted by excellent adventures

I would save your money and buy a compact gas engine car like a Corolla. Our short trips in the cold weather (under 6 miles at a time) relegates our Prius gas mpg to 33 winter city. Not worth the extra thousands of price for Prius. Had I known, I would have stayed with a Corolla or small Honda.

An engine block heater will do wonders for your short trip MPG. I averaged just under 60mpg over the past 3 weeks of 20-30F temps.

Having lived in Palmer and worked in Anchorage I'm quite confident that 50mpg tanks are very much doable even in that cold weather with an EBH and some minor modifications of your driving technique.

Also, you're doing a lot to reduce smog and emissions by choosing the Prius over the Corolla...if your objective was to save money you should have purchased a well used small car.

[margo]

Thanks for the replies. . . very helpful.

As far as freaking out. . . that was not the case. I have been quite pragmatic in trying to figure out why our mileage is low - asking many many questions & having the dealership look over the car once more.

I even drove another prius under the same conditions with equal mileage and, guess what. . . the other car reached over 43MPG.

Perhaps, if the dealer had the same info as that galaxee sent in his posting, I would have felt much more hopeful.

Again, I really appreciate the replies. . . I am hopeful.

Margo