37 MPG !?!?!

efrench515 · 03-17-2006, 07:04 PM

Ok, I have had my Prius for a week now, Have put 360 miles on it and my avg MPG is only 37.3. Now I have red several of the other post relating to gas milage, I have adjusted my tire pressure and my stack or regen cars is larger than my milage bar. about 100 of the miles have been highway and the rest have been my work comute, it was a slow week I usually put on about 800 miles per week. Typically in the city I am getting 25 MPG or less. Now I live in Michigan and is still cold but I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong as I have not seen anyone get this bad of milage. I am already well into my second tank of gas and my average milage just keeps dropping. Should I take it in or am I just Parinoid?

aaf709 · 03-17-2006, 07:14 PM

http://priuschat.com/forums/kb.php?mode=article&k=23 is a good article to read. You're helping with the tires and the driving habits, but it's more than that. I know someone who was getting 39mpg, largely due to his commute.

kkister1492 · 03-17-2006, 07:15 PM

You are going through what just \about everyone else has. The gas mileage you are experiencing is not all that uncommon - especially in in winter. Between the winter formulation of the gasoline as well as having your heater and defroster on and thereby keeping the ICE running more is nlt helping. Take it easy and enjoy your new car and learn all the features and wait until the break-in period is up. I remember a nice jump when my car reached 4500 miles. What speed are you driving on the freeway? Pedal to the metal is gonna eat up your gas.

tripp · 03-17-2006, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by efrench515@Mar 17 2006, 06:04 PM
Ok, I have had my Prius for a week now, Have put 360 miles on it and my avg MPG is only 37.3. Now I have red several of the other post relating to gas milage, I have adjusted my tire pressure and my stack or regen cars is larger than my milage bar. about 100 of the miles have been highway and the rest have been my work comute, it was a slow week I usually put on about 800 miles per week. Typically in the city I am getting 25 MPG or less. Now I live in Michigan and is still cold but I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong as I have not seen anyone get this bad of milage. I am already well into my second tank of gas and my average milage just keeps dropping. Should I take it in or am I just Parinoid?

[snapback]226144[/snapback]

If you're getting 25 MPG in city driving something is not right unless you're doing 1 mile trips in cold weather. How would you characterize your driving style? Just what have the temps been. From the looks of it you're driving a lot during a typical week so I'm assuming that you do a lot of highway driving. Is that correct? What's the terrain like in your area? It's probably NOT the car itself. The likely souce of the low mileage is either your driving patterns (ie lots of short trips) or your driving style (lead foot/aggressive) in combination with environmental conditions. Also, factor in winter fuel and a new car and that'll ding you somewhat. Look at a lot of the "old timers" fuel economy graphs (see TonyPSchaefer and EFusco's signatures) and you'll see that they're mileage improved each year as they learned the car. Summer fuel, warmer temps, and a broken in engine will help your cause even if nothing else changes.

hawkjm73 · 03-17-2006, 07:21 PM

Can you describe your transit for a typical day during the last week? Mostly, how many trips per day, how long were the trips, and what kind of speeds were travelled.

syncmaster · 03-17-2006, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by efrench515@Mar 17 2006, 08:04 PM
Ok, I have had my Prius for a week now, Have put 360 miles on it and my avg MPG is only 37.3. Now I have red several of the other post relating to gas milage, I have adjusted my tire pressure and my stack or regen cars is larger than my milage bar. about 100 of the miles have been highway and the rest have been my work comute, it was a slow week I usually put on about 800 miles per week. Typically in the city I am getting 25 MPG or less. Now I live in Michigan and is still cold but I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong as I have not seen anyone get this bad of milage. I am already well into my second tank of gas and my average milage just keeps dropping. Should I take it in or am I just Parinoid?

[snapback]226144[/snapback]

what is the speed when you are doing the highway driving ?
Try to keep it around 65MPH

Let the car break in a little before thinking you have a problem.
At least 5000 miles would be good.
Cold weather is very hard on the MPG
Also try using the cruse control for highway driving.

more than likely the problem isn't the car.... it's the driver.

Vespasian · 03-17-2006, 07:32 PM

If the temperature outside is well below freezing and you have the heat on most of the time, 40 MPG per tank is typical. I had a 39 MPG tank earlier this year, although I'm back above 50 now.

efrench515 · 03-17-2006, 07:33 PM

My typical morning comute is 2 miles City to pick up an additional person, 3 miles to the freeway, 2 miles of freeway at 70, 4 miles of rural at 45, drop off other person, 6 miles (4 rural, 2 city) and I am at the office. I have been setting my cruise while on the free way at 70 or less. My evening comute does not include the other person and only takes about 9 minutes. The temp this morning was 29 and on the way home today it was 39. Additionally today even without an ev switch I was able to complete my entire last mile on battery only. I have been keeping my defrost off, and one of the stations near me sells 89 octane for the same as 87 so when I filled up I used the 89 octane hoping for atleast a slight inprovment. I am enjoying the car, I woul enjoy it even more if I could atleast average 40, it is embarasssing when you take your boss for a ride after bragging about your new highbryd and he says "why does this screen say avg mpg 38?"

kkister1492 · 03-17-2006, 07:37 PM

Just try to relax and remember that you are probably getting at least twice the mpg you did on your last car - or your boss gets. It helps to put it into perspective.

Frankly, the extra weight from the the passengers contributes. Can you leave them home?

Bill Lumbergh · 03-17-2006, 07:39 PM

I've seen as low as 33 MPG for a tank this year, and I've got close to 10,000 miles on my '05. Winter is a killer, as are short trips. Running the heater keeps the engine running, so there goes more gas.

Until it warms up, you're unlikely to see the full potential of the car. Try to coast as much as you can approaching stop signs/lights. I also accelerate very gradually to try to maximize the time the ICE is not running.

03-17-2006, 07:04 PM	#1
efrench515 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Saginaw, Michigan Posts: 53 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Ok, I have had my Prius for a week now, Have put 360 miles on it and my avg MPG is only 37.3. Now I have red several of the other post relating to gas milage, I have adjusted my tire pressure and my stack or regen cars is larger than my milage bar. about 100 of the miles have been highway and the rest have been my work comute, it was a slow week I usually put on about 800 miles per week. Typically in the city I am getting 25 MPG or less. Now I live in Michigan and is still cold but I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong as I have not seen anyone get this bad of milage. I am already well into my second tank of gas and my average milage just keeps dropping. Should I take it in or am I just Parinoid? __________________ 2006 Barcelona Red Headlight flasher EV Mod

03-17-2006, 07:15 PM	#3
kkister1492 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 354 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	You are going through what just \about everyone else has. The gas mileage you are experiencing is not all that uncommon - especially in in winter. Between the winter formulation of the gasoline as well as having your heater and defroster on and thereby keeping the ICE running more is nlt helping. Take it easy and enjoy your new car and learn all the features and wait until the break-in period is up. I remember a nice jump when my car reached 4500 miles. What speed are you driving on the freeway? Pedal to the metal is gonna eat up your gas. __________________ 2005 Salsa Red Pkg BC (#6)

03-17-2006, 07:14 PM	#2
aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,830 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	http://priuschat.com/forums/kb.php?mode=article&k=23 is a good article to read. You're helping with the tires and the driving habits, but it's more than that. I know someone who was getting 39mpg, largely due to his commute.

03-17-2006, 07:21 PM	#5
hawkjm73 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 246 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Can you describe your transit for a typical day during the last week? Mostly, how many trips per day, how long were the trips, and what kind of speeds were travelled.

03-17-2006, 07:32 PM	#7
Vespasian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 126 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	If the temperature outside is well below freezing and you have the heat on most of the time, 40 MPG per tank is typical. I had a 39 MPG tank earlier this year, although I'm back above 50 now.

03-17-2006, 07:33 PM	#8
efrench515 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Saginaw, Michigan Posts: 53 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	My typical morning comute is 2 miles City to pick up an additional person, 3 miles to the freeway, 2 miles of freeway at 70, 4 miles of rural at 45, drop off other person, 6 miles (4 rural, 2 city) and I am at the office. I have been setting my cruise while on the free way at 70 or less. My evening comute does not include the other person and only takes about 9 minutes. The temp this morning was 29 and on the way home today it was 39. Additionally today even without an ev switch I was able to complete my entire last mile on battery only. I have been keeping my defrost off, and one of the stations near me sells 89 octane for the same as 87 so when I filled up I used the 89 octane hoping for atleast a slight inprovment. I am enjoying the car, I woul enjoy it even more if I could atleast average 40, it is embarasssing when you take your boss for a ride after bragging about your new highbryd and he says "why does this screen say avg mpg 38?"

03-17-2006, 07:37 PM	#9
kkister1492 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 354 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Just try to relax and remember that you are probably getting at least twice the mpg you did on your last car - or your boss gets. It helps to put it into perspective. Frankly, the extra weight from the the passengers contributes. Can you leave them home?

03-17-2006, 07:39 PM	#10
Bill Lumbergh OEF/OIF: "We Spy, They Die" Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Persian Gulf Region Posts: 504 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	I've seen as low as 33 MPG for a tank this year, and I've got close to 10,000 miles on my '05. Winter is a killer, as are short trips. Running the heater keeps the engine running, so there goes more gas. Until it warms up, you're unlikely to see the full potential of the car. Try to coast as much as you can approaching stop signs/lights. I also accelerate very gradually to try to maximize the time the ICE is not running.