2008 and 2004 different mpg!

indpocket · 08-10-2008, 03:43 PM

hi,
i just purchased a 2008 prius and have a 2004 with 97,000 miles.
the new one has nitrogen tires and is getting around 45 mpg--although
on a trip to colo. and nm it got about 48mpg. the 2004 has just had its
95,000 mi service and is getting 38 -40 mpg. my question is ,why the
difference? i notice in the forum tires,oil and ethanol are popping up in explaning lower mpg. is there any hard data on any of these factors? any indication that age per-se has an effect ? note it IS 100-110 degrees daily
where i live!
thanks.

a64pilot · 08-11-2008, 07:38 PM

I can tell you that filling the tires with nitrogen is silly at best. Worse if you paid for it. There is no advantage to filling your tires with N2.

mshore6k · 08-11-2008, 07:46 PM

actully there is an advantage to filling tires with nitrogen. Less times to the air station to fill up.

F8L · 08-11-2008, 07:52 PM

Maybe your 2004 has a bad auxilary battery?

jdenenberg · 08-12-2008, 08:33 AM

Are both used for the same driving conditions? Short trips lower your MPG significantly.

JeffD

brick · 08-12-2008, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F8L

Maybe your 2004 has a bad auxilary battery?

This is a very good suggestion. I know for sure that Honda hybrids will suffer when the 12V battery gets weak because more energy is wasted charging it. While I haven't read much about it here, I can't think of a good reason why the same shouldn't apply to Toyota.

ctbering · 08-12-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I can tell you that filling the tires with nitrogen is silly at best. Worse if you paid for it. There is no advantage to filling your tires with N2.

My Prius came with tires filled with nitrogen at an nominal cost, of course. The purpose of the nitrogen versus air is to reduce the deflation that commonly occurs in weather fluctuations, specifically warm to cold. I wasn't told there would be an increase or decrease in MPG's. I was told the nitrogen molecule is larger and does not escape somehow like the air molecule from the tire. It sounded like it was good advice at the time of the buy.

mingoglia · 08-12-2008, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctbering

My Prius came with tires filled with nitrogen at an nominal cost, of course. The purpose of the nitrogen versus air is to reduce the deflation that commonly occurs in weather fluctuations, specifically warm to cold. I wasn't told there would be an increase or decrease in MPG's. I was told the nitrogen molecule is larger and does not escape somehow like the air molecule from the tire. It sounded like it was good advice at the time of the buy.

I know the local Jeep dealership in tow offers lifetime Nitrogen for $39 I believe. Pay once and you can bring your vehicle back to have your tires adjusted for free. It's a bit on the expensive side, but convenient for many people that want to check their air pressure a bit less frequently.

richard schumacher · 08-14-2008, 12:08 PM

What are the tire pressures?

08-10-2008, 03:43 PM	#1
indpocket Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: scottsdale az. Posts: 1 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	2008 and 2004 different mpg! hi, i just purchased a 2008 prius and have a 2004 with 97,000 miles. the new one has nitrogen tires and is getting around 45 mpg--although on a trip to colo. and nm it got about 48mpg. the 2004 has just had its 95,000 mi service and is getting 38 -40 mpg. my question is ,why the difference? i notice in the forum tires,oil and ethanol are popping up in explaning lower mpg. is there any hard data on any of these factors? any indication that age per-se has an effect ? note it IS 100-110 degrees daily where i live! thanks.

08-11-2008, 07:38 PM	#2
a64pilot Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany Ga. Posts: 770 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: III Package: N/A Thanks: 19 Thanked 53 Times in 46 Posts Friends: 0	Re: 2008 and 2004 different mpg! I can tell you that filling the tires with nitrogen is silly at best. Worse if you paid for it. There is no advantage to filling your tires with N2.

08-11-2008, 07:46 PM	#3
mshore6k Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Finger Lakes NY Posts: 2 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: 2008 and 2004 different mpg! actully there is an advantage to filling tires with nitrogen. Less times to the air station to fill up.

08-11-2008, 07:52 PM	#4
F8L Collecting Data on Nature Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA. Posts: 6,380 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #4 Thanks: 84 Thanked 395 Times in 259 Posts Friends: 36	Re: 2008 and 2004 different mpg! Maybe your 2004 has a bad auxilary battery?

08-12-2008, 08:33 AM	#5
jdenenberg Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Trumbull, CT Posts: 569 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: Base Thanks: 0 Thanked 37 Times in 28 Posts Friends: 12	Re: 2008 and 2004 different mpg! Are both used for the same driving conditions? Short trips lower your MPG significantly. JeffD

08-14-2008, 12:08 PM	#9
richard schumacher Destination: Eschaton Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: United States Posts: 5,886 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: #6 Thanks: 140 Thanked 203 Times in 130 Posts Friends: 0	Re: 2008 and 2004 different mpg! What are the tire pressures?

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