Care to share any your special Driving tips?

[windstrings]

For those who have figured out how to get above average mileage?

Care to share any your special Driving tips?

First of all, Please state your average mpg on a typical tank before starting the questions. "needs to be above 50mpg"

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

3. How far are your commutes?

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?

5. What is your terrain like?

6. Are your commutes rural or city?

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?

15. Weather temp is very important, but not something we can alter or change.. feel free to add that if you want for good to know info.

16. Whats your approx Elevation associated with your driving stats?

Hopefully we can all compare.

P.S...If we add extra items to the end, everyone can edit thier own posts if they want and also address those "added to the end" items.

[lowspeed]

I would also add:

* What climate?
* Heavy traffic ? (on the highway it actually creates less wind drag)
* Elevation is a factor too.

[galaxee]

i only have a sec... incubation is almost over... but my philosophy is this:

use the gas engine sparingly and to its greatest capacity.

aka step on it, get to speed, and lay off. i blow most sports cars off the line.

nice temps lately are getting me 50.5, still on the rise even at 220 miles on this tank

[bshef]

please define "average"

[HybridVigor]

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"
Midway. My mpg during acceleration is typically in the 9-19 range.
2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?
No EV switch
3. How far are your commutes?
15-20 miles, morning and evening.
4. At what speeds to you typically travel.
30-45 mph.
5. What is your terrain like?
Very flat, 1200 ft elevation, give or take. Phoenix Arizona means winter temps in the 40-70 degree F range, Summer temps are 100-115 deg F.
6. Are your commutes rural or city?
City surface streets
7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"
Standard 87 Octane, usually Chevron.
8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?
No
9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?
I'm just under 10,000 miles. I think I saw a break-in increase around 3000 miles.
10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?
I drive alone during my commute.
11. What tire psi pressure do you run?
42-44 PSI, all four tires are OEM Integrities.
12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?
At, or just below the full mark
13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"
Synthetic 5W/30. Usually Mobil-1. Both oil changes have been at Toyota, so far.
14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?
6-months.

In my opinion the biggest single contributor to good mileage is length of trip. I find that I don't even get back to my starting mileage each day until about 20 minutes into my commute. Any short trip I take is a killer, and can easily knock a mile per gallon off of my tank average, so I try to combine trips when possible. Second biggest contributor is keeping speeds in high mileage range (25-40 mph) with good pulse and glide techniques: glide as far as you can, traffic permitting, hopefully from 40 mph down to 28 or 29 mph if you can. After these two, the most influential elements for me are air temperature, weight in car, tire pressures. I don't think that changing acceleration methods makes any real difference.
--edit: For those reading this and comparing, keep in mind that Phoenix may be the optimal mileage grounds, and my commute may also be nearly optimal: Flat, warm weather, surface streets, commute over 10 miles. As of the time of this post, my summer mileage has been 50-55 mpg, my winter mileage 58-63 mpg. If I moved to somewhere cold and hilly, say...Colorado, and lived 5 miles from work, I'd expect my mileage to be more like... 45-47 maybe?
**add-on based on request in later post in-thread: my mileage numbers, as reported to greenhybrid.com are based on my pumped gas calculations. MFD mileage has been fairly consistently 1-3 mpg higher(!) No good idea why yet though.

[efusco]

My LMPG is ~57.5 right now
My average tank is probably 57mpg but varies from mid-40s (rare) to low 60s (summer only).

*sorry guys, I've previewed and reviewed this and can't figure out why my quotes aren't working....

For those who have figured out how to get above average mileage?

Care to share any your special Driving tips?

Have in the past, will again, but in a much less detailed way. The most important of these I've elaborated on in the past and I think you're familiar with my philosophy.

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

Moderately fast...Trying to keep RPM in the 2600-3000 range.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

I've detailed this recently and I'm 99% sure you've read it. If someone knows where the thread is a link here would be appropriate b/c I really don't want to reiterate the whole thing.

3. How far are your commutes?

~10miles RT for kid's school/daycare
~26miles RT for work

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?

I've had a few dates with some very nice elderly ladies....I stick to the speed limit for the most part. My regular route has no zones over 45mph speed limit...I average 39mph (see my 39mph secret thread)

5. What is your terrain like?

Rolling hills in the SW Missouri Ozark mountains...about 1200 ft. elevation.

6. Are your commutes rural or city?

half and half

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"

cheapest I can find.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?

Engine block heater and EV button are the only ones that would affect FE.

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?

Just over 40k miles...yes, it's broken in

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?

Alone on work commute, with kids one way twice daily to their school when I take them.

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?

42f/40r on Michellin HydroEdge

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?

It's slightly below the "Max" mark...I always put in 3.5 quarts.

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"

Mobil 1 Synthetic 5W/30

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?

2 years, 4+ months

[tomdeimos]

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

Slowly as possible. Typically try for over 25 seconds 0-60. Except when trying to use stealth, some harder acceleration is necessary for good stealth swichovers.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

Yes. Many posts here. But depends on conditions, except I use it daily at end of trips.
Has no real effect on daily mileage except in these special conditions like some traffic jams where it helps a lot. Sometimes gains me over 5 mpg.

3. How far are your commutes?

12 miles

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?

35 mph on small roads, 55 on freeway. Up to 70 mph sometimes but only in warm weather and on a trip.. Never in winter.

5. What is your terrain like?

Flat and small hills.

6. Are your commutes rural or city?

Closer to city. Congested with traffic usually.
In commute stops at maybe 8 traffic lights.

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"

Any octane Shell. Usually regular. Exxon or Mobil sometimes.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use? biggrin.gif

None except block heater and radiator blocker for winter.
Canview to control what I am doing.
Minimum heat and AC usage.

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?

over 15,000 miles.

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?

alone.

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?

42/40.

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?

At the full mark to 1/8 inch below.

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"

Mobil 1 synthetic. 5W/30

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?

1 year plus.


Typical tank mpg winter = 48 mpg (temps 15 deg to 40 deg typ.)
Typical summer mpg = 55 mpg (temps over 50 deg F but under 85 deg so no AC)
Typical summer mpg with AC = 52 mpg (when it is really hot.)
Best tank ever = 59 mpg

[mitchbf]

Care to share any your special Driving tips?[/b]

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

I usually accelerate quickly if there are cars behind me otherwise I'll baby it a bit.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?

No EV switch

3. How far are your commutes?

I commute 80 miles a day

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?

I probably average around 70 mph. I peak at 75

5. What is your terrain like?

I'm in Illinois so it is nice and flat

6. Are your commutes rural or city?

It is a city commute and almost all highway

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"

I'm with Evan, I use whatever is cheapest. I don't think it matters.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use?

Only additive is coffee on the way to work. That goes in my tank, not the Prius'

9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?

I'm coming up on 15,000 miles

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?

I'm alone

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?

42 F and 40 R. I think that's what it says on the door...

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?

I'm at full or slightly under

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"

I've used Mobil 1 5W/30 since it first came out. Great stuff!

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?

Are we still talking about driving?

I was getting 49 - 51 mpg in warmer weather and now I'm at 43 - 45 mpg. Better on Hwy too!

[micheal]

With the below conditions I usually get around 60-62 mpg on my work commute and on trips around 15 minutes, and 55 mpg on trips shorter than that (in warmer weather). Cold temps (below snowflake) it drops about 5 mpg. Combined, my wife and I get around 54-55 (current tank at 54.7) with her doing multiple less than 5 minutes trips on the days I don't drive to work.

1. How fast do you accelerate to get to the speed limit? "baby it, or do you get on with it?"

I usually try to get up to speed pretty quickly, but not floor it. I would say moderately fast. Between 10 & 20 mpg for the first 30 mph or so.

2. Do you have an EV switch and do you use it, and if so how?
No EV

3. How far are your commutes?
My commute to work is about 12-13 miles and takes 25 minutes. Around town it is usually a 10-15 minute drive to most of the places I go.

4. At what speeds to you typically travel.....ie: over 60 or do you hang out and with flirt with grandma on the freeway?
I usually drive the speed limit, which is 40-65. Most of the trip (10 miles is 40-45) with some on the highway (2 miles).

5. What is your terrain like?
Nice and flat. I can see stoplights from a long ways off usually.

6. Are your commutes rural or city?
Mostly city and I try to stay on the surface streets and off the interstate or loops.

7. What Brand of Gas do you use? "and any special octane?"
Whichever gas is cheapest. I think regular is 86 octane.

8. Any modifications we need to know about?...like what type of gasoline additive or nitro do you use? biggrin.gifNone


9. Is your car broke in?.. how many miles are on it?
Yes, a little over 30K

10. Do you typically drive alone, or are thier others in the car with you?
To work, alone. Around town, with wife.

11. What tire psi pressure do you run?
42 front/40 rear

12. Do you run your oil at the full mark or 1/4 inch below?
Full mark

13. Do you use synthetic oil or other than typical 5W/30? "and what brand"
5w-30 or 10w-30, I think Quaker State. Whatever oil the dealership uses. I have been requesting 5w-30, but receipts still says 10w.

14. How long or how many years have you been working on your technique?
Hard to say. The first probably 8 months, I tried to just get up to speed and use the cruise control. About 6 months ago, I tried to avoid the cruise control and go all natural. It seem like natural gave a 3-5mpg boost. I pretty much always tried to coast up to lights and use the electric only when going at low speeds like in parking lots or on the last 1/4 mile to house. My main things have been to try and learn the lights so I know when I will make a light and when I won't. With the flat elevation, sometimes, I can get a good 1/4 of a mile of coasting up to a light and never completely lose my momentum.

Climate and traffic (I try to avoid 5pm traffic--although there are a lot of people that love to speed up to the light and hit their brakes) are generally both conducive to good MPG. The summers are warm 100 degrees for a month or two and can have several months of 30 degrees, but most of the time it is between 55 and 85. I only use the heater when absolutely necessary (i.e. to save my wife from freezing to death or to keep the windows unfogged) and hardly ever use the A/C (only to save my marriage). It really is ideal conditions, except for maybe a slightly longer commute (on colder days).

Edited: Put MPG on top.

[subarutoo]

I have been getting 50-51 according to the car computer for the past 2 weeks. My worst tank ever was 45 (first tank). I drive pretty normally, with most traffic in the LA area. I have 2 or 3 major hills on the 210 freeway. Whenever I see traffic slowing down, I begin to coast down and sometimes, dont even use the brakes in stop and go traffic, just idle along at whatever speed we are creeping along at. I seem to get the best mileage when I ignore the display, and just drive. One help I have on my 45 mile each way commute is that the last 2 miles are slight downhill in a 35 zone, which everybody does 50 in. It usually boost the mpg numbers on final approach to my house. Just drive and enjoy it. Even if you are moving along smartly, you're still doing better than most cars, mpg-wise. Don't obsess over the big numbers. My car has just over 3100 miles since new Jan 12. I'm usually on the road about 2 hours a day, at speeds from 0 to 80.