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Colder weather has zapped my mileage to 44mpg

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by cmalberto, Dec 5, 2009.

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  1. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    If it gets crappy mileage in summer or winter, there is not much to complain about. I guess it has a lot to do with psychology and emotional purchase.
     
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  2. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Despite the repeated denials and claims that the reason was to save money, it really was buyer's remorse.
    .
     
  3. Lloyd9

    Lloyd9 Junior Member

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    I have found the same, cold wet weather that requires the front/rear defrost the mileage decreases. I try to limit the use if possible and can keep mileage higher. Dry cool weather do not seem to have as much of an affect as the wet cool weather.
     
  4. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    What? My biggest fans attacking me again? You just can’t live with the fact I hated the Prius and love my new and real car?

    Moderators action to keep instigators away is needed here. Last thing I want is to instigate someone on PC... Since I was banned once for doing so, not sure why any of you have not been banned yet!

    I have to laugh at my fans now... fortunately, lately, moderators are doing a good job keeping your attacks against me away and helping you guys to focus on the topic... I thought I said my priorities for trading that piece of junk (my opinion, just my honest opinion, ring a bell?) called Prius was first comfort (not crappy seats), quality (interior mainly and with no rattles and cheap feeling... you get the idea), and decent hwy MPG (MPG is not everything in a car... did you know that?). Besides, you guys never got, that my problem with the MPG in the Prius was the 30-35 % WINTER DROP, not absolute MPG numbers, did you? Go back and read my post describing my Sonata experience again and again, eventually you will get it...

    Here it is... http://priuschat.com/forums/other-cars/76701-end-my-prius.html#post1068868

    Enjoy it!

    I have to laugh.... :dance::dance::dance:
     
  5. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Complaining about the MPG dropping so low in the winter that you'd never be able to make up the difference in the summer made sense.

    Then you traded for a car that gets far below either.

    Whatever.
    .
     
  6. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    Yeah, exactly, whatever. You’re happy with your car, I'm super happy with mine. So what? Time to move on... I'm not obsessed about FE... if I was, I would have waited and traded the Craprius for a Volt. Geez…


    :wave::wave::wave:
     
  7. nooaah

    nooaah New Member

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    Yet, here you are, no longer a Prius owner and posting in the fuel economy forum. Schmuck.



    Anyway, without my grill blocked because I'm lazy, I've figured out a way for me to hover at 50-51mpg with temperatures below 40 and in hilly terrain. Basically, you don't want to drive with ECO on for the whole trip. You'll want it on during warmup. This will ease you out of the first few warmup stages without too much of a penalty on MPG. My rule of thumb is to turn off ECO once I can go to battery-only in mid-motion. That's enough of an indication that the engine will turn off quickly when stopped in normal mode. 5-10 minutes into the drive is when this usually occurs.

    I think this all comes down to driving technique, but I just find it easier to "briskly" accelerate in normal mode. In ECO, I feel like anything before the red zone requires too much pressure on the pedal for my liking. FYI, driving with ECO only results in about 48.5MPG for a tank in similar weather conditions.

    To establish a baseline, I'm usually at ~55mpg calculated in warmer weather.
     
  8. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Bad idea, but I'm going to attempt to understand IndyKing for a second:

    The major selling point of the Prius for him was the fuel economy. When that (appeared) to be below his expectations, the car's subjective value to him was poor, since he did not particularly like the car's other attributes.

    He accepts ahead of time that the Hyundai fuel economy is middling, but finds value in the styling etc, particularly at the cost paid.

    ok.

    I'll just add, that he now has a *lot* of psychic motivation to like his new car. Otherwise he will have to admit to himself that he has compounded errors in judgement. This is part of the reason why he now says "I don't *really* care about fuel economy." He is realigning his values to insure the outcome he wants (the trade was a good thing.)

    No use arguing, it will just cause him to dig in his feet all the harder and become a Prius hater. I'll be happy to just hear objective fuel economy results from the Sonata, that can be compared to his Prius driving.

    /armchair_psychologist
     
  9. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    One more fan? I was asked, even by moderators, to come back to PC (aftre the ban, of course) and post what I got to replace my craprius. That's all I did. From there, some fans went insane attacking me again... :eek: Wonder why...
     
  10. nooaah

    nooaah New Member

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    I think it's because you're an donkey. :eek:
     
  11. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    I guess the question a psychologist would ask you all first is:

    Why, please tell me why, would any of you even care about my choices if you think that they make no sense to begin with? It’s a mystery, isn't it?

    PC followed all my frustrations with the craprius. Everything was reported here since the beginning; saying that my only expectation was FE is a joke, a bad one!

    I first related how cheap the interior was and how rattles were driving me crazy. Then I related that the seat support was pathetic and my doctor, who actually drives an Azera, recommended me to change the bloody seat or get a decent car. Then, the only thing left was the MPG, which was also a big disappointment because of the Drop. So, do you now maybe, just maybe, get the order of importance on the facts? No psychologist is needed to understand that the car first gave me poor quality, then gave me poor comfort, then gave me poor MPG.

    Come on... go play with your craprius and get over it for good!
     
  12. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    Thanks, one responding to another one. sweet.

    Go play with the energy bars.... :)
     
  13. nooaah

    nooaah New Member

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  14. priusmiselus

    priusmiselus New Member

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    I hate to feed this ridiculous discussion here and go off topic but the guy does have a point. I'm not sure why so many are bothered by his opinions about the Prius and decision to get a Sonata. The question for that answer should provide the root cause for such discomforts FWIW.
     
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  15. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    Thanks... but I'm sick of all these fanatic posts... let them keep asking the question to themselves, maybe they will figure out the real reason some day or maybe not.

    Here is the link for my last contribution for a while... Some have asked for this.

    I'm hoping to vanish soon...

    http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...eed-temperature-weight-mpg-5.html#post1070480
     
  16. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    You have not been on here long and been subject to his ridiculous ranting.
     
  17. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    I thought it was your wife's. We understand how relationship can be affected if she is not happy.... and you won't be happy getting less often ;) ... I see you caved in....

    That's my conjecture and I am sticking with it. :D
     
  18. Tom183

    Tom183 New Member

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    Cross-linking info from the other thread:
    Indyking got an average of 44.7mpg at highway speeds (about 70mph) in average temps of 36 degrees. In warmer temps, he had a couple of trips above the EPA 48mpg highway estimate. He had a single trip below 40mpg actual, in temps of 10F.

    How that could cause enough angst to result in 1200+ posts is a mystery to me - but at the same time, I'm not crazy enough to put 40,000 miles per year on my car either. That's 571 hours at 70mph - 11hrs per week - so I can see how comfort might be a consideration equal to* mpg. But I can also see how a light aircraft might be a better tool for that job...


    *note: I said "equal to", not superior to...
     
  19. Erikon

    Erikon Active Member

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    Wow, IK, so you are now the proud owner of a mundane family sedan. Congratulations. At least a TDI would have given you a small bit of credibility in this forum! A forum for enthusiasts of hyper FE vehicles, by the way, so now you are nothing but a rude troll. Go away.
     
  20. priusmiselus

    priusmiselus New Member

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    Well, he did, though have a couple of trips going at average speeds in the low 60s or even 50s with MPGs considerably bellow EPA... As a potential buyer (well, I'm not anymore), I would expect at least EPA at such speeds despite of the cold weather. Anyway, that’s just my thoughts about his data, not intending to bring a state of chaos here :D. I thought it was actually nice of him to share all his data.

    Also, I do not blame IK for changing his Prius for a more comfortable car. I drive a very small fraction of what he drives and was still concerned about the Prius seat, but I did not tested drive the one with lumbar support. My thing was not the support itself, the seat was just too low, not sure how to explain it, but it seems your low end digs into the seat. :rolleyes:
     
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