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Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus - MPG hit?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Daryl K, May 18, 2016.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've been getting all our tires at Costco, form maybe a decade now. They tend to stay nitrogen-only for about 20 minutes, the time it takes to get from Costco to Chevron, where I air them up a bit more.

    I also switch out the dorky-green valve caps while I'm at it.
     
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  2. shri_chanakya

    shri_chanakya Junior Member

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    Okay. Will go to near by chevron and put them to 40/38.. Hopefully that increases the mileage.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  3. Kurt Weiske

    Kurt Weiske Active Member

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    I've got a 2014 PiP, and the combination of not having a spare and the included inflation kit killing the TPMS sensor, bought my own spare kit. SLIME sells a nice tire inflator with a bottle of SLIME flat fixer for around $20, I paired that with a patch kit for less than $10 on Amazon.

    I should have bought the inflator a long time ago. It's so nice being able to top off my tires at home instead of trying to do it at a gas station, and the guage makes it easy to shut off at just the right pressure. It's great for bicycles, too.
     
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    nice! did you go with the 12v or 120?
     
  5. Daryl K

    Daryl K Member

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    What's this? I am an executive member and I did not see any mention of an additional $60 off for me. Where did you see of hear this from?
     
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  6. Daryl K

    Daryl K Member

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    This is why there are snow tires. I live in the snowy Midwest, and swap to snow tires every December and back again every March (or April).
     
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  7. Daryl K

    Daryl K Member

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    I always, always have a 12V inflator in every car I own. Even if the car comes with a spare tire. The first time you are on the side of the road changing a flat - only to find out your spare is also flat - you will also "never go without"!
     
  8. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I know but snow tires is not too common practice below the Mason Dixon line, and not too common little above the Mason Dixon line, into NJ etc. If we get a bad snow, we just take the week off.
     
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  9. Daryl K

    Daryl K Member

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    I live in one of the snowier parts of the country (but not the snowiest) and it's not too common here either. Instead, the buffoons just 4-wheel skate around on their worn-out all-season tires, bouncing off each other and the curb like it's a demo derby.

    I don't follow the common practices of those around me. I do what works best for me, makes me happiest, most comfortable (etc. etc.) even if I am the only one in the region doing so.
     
  10. PriusC_Commuter

    PriusC_Commuter Active Member

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    Costco Executive members Email Offer - $130 off installed Bridgestone Tires - Slickdeals.net
    Apparently some people receive emails from Costco with additional coupon codes for Executive Members. I have yet to figure out which button to check on their website to receive them myself, but when they do come up usually people post about it on Slickdeals.net , and then you can call Costco corporate and they will give you a code over the phone to be used online.
     
  11. Daryl K

    Daryl K Member

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    OK. I had mine installed early May, so this was a promotion which I was a little too early for. (Drat!)
     
  12. PriusSport

    PriusSport senior member

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    Just bought a used '13 Prius3 (really a 2, base model) with Ecopias on it- 20K miles lease car. I'm getting 52-53 mpg first 100 miles driving. About normal. Haven't checked tire pressures yet. I had Ecopias on my previous '08 Prius, and I was getting about 48 this time of year in similar driving. The Ecopias were a few mpg better than the Integrity OE tires on the '08. The Ecopias must have been the OE tire in '13? I kept tire pressures around 38/36 psi on the 08.
     
  13. shri_chanakya

    shri_chanakya Junior Member

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    So finally got a air compressor from Amazon.. Put it in prius cold in the morning, my nitrogen tires were showing 33/30 ... Costco told they had it at 35/33. Almost 2 to 3 psi less... No wonder my mpg took a hit and I ended up getting 50 to 51 mpg... I upped these tires to 42/40 and now mpg is up to 55...this as per the consumption on the hsi... If you are getting them from Costco highly recommend you to increase the psi in your tires... Might make it 43/41... But trying to be safe as max is listed as 44 on these tires..

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What kind of compressor? I'm always wondering what would be adequate for pressuring up tires, in particular in the 120 volt AC volt compressors. They never really say in the ads.
     
  15. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    I bought the item below, I think about two years ago from Home Depot. From the 1980s, all I ever used was a manual foot pump. I think I bought it at Sears for around $6 and it lasted some 15 years. Worked quickly and well, and, of course was good for the leg muscles. It finally died around 1995 and Sears was no longer a player, so I bought another foot pump (different brand, etal) for around $15, lasted, maybe, a year, and died. I repeated this with different foot pumps for a few years and finally around 16 or so years ago bought a Tailgate Tools A/C plug-in pump. It was a piece of junk and was $40 at the local TrueValue. But lasted around 14 years.

    The Home Depot pump below is certainly nothing special. And a $100 pancake pump would be much quicker, etc., but I don't have the room for one, nor the need. The $30 one below seems to work fine (and why they cost so much?).

    Husky 120-Volt Inflator-HY120 - The Home Depot
     
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  16. shri_chanakya

    shri_chanakya Junior Member

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    I bought this
    one... Nothing fancy just plug-in to your cigarette power out in the car

    Direct link


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  17. PriusC_Commuter

    PriusC_Commuter Active Member

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    Every time you get a tire rotation or tires replaced you should always check and adjust your tire pressure. I find the majority of the time the shops don't bother to check.
     
  18. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Or they put in the "standard" 32 psi all around....
     
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  19. Jerry Liebler

    Jerry Liebler Member

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    Bridgestone EP422 plus? tirerack.com lists at least 3 DIFFERENT tires with this label for 195/65/15 size! One is made in the USA, the most expensive, one made in Mexico, one made in Japan, the least expensive. The load ratings are the same for the US and Mexican tires, lower for the Japanese. The US and Japanese tires have a 4 rib tread and a 44PSI pressure rating while the Mexican tire has a 5 rib tread and a 51PSI pressure rating. Only the US tire has a tread wear warranty 70,00 miles. The section width is the same on the Mexican and Japanese tires and wider on the US tire. Tread width is the same on the US and Japanese but wider on the Mexican. Which tire does this thread pertain to? I just installed a set of the Mexican version, my choice was based on my assumption that running at 51 PSI will give the best fuel economy, helped by the slightly narrower section width and give the best traction because of the wider tread. We'll see!
     
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  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    ^ Nice summary. Nuts, isn't it; Bridgestone seems too complacent with this: a confusing puzzle for prospective customers.

    Please post how they work for you. I'd agree the Mex iteration seems the best.