1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

The novelty of hypermiling warn off?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Dolce_Vita, Aug 10, 2011.

  1. Dolce_Vita

    Dolce_Vita Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    228
    25
    0
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Recently i had the opportunity to drive a manual transmission turbocharged car for a week, it's a 110hp 1.4T 2008 Fiat Bravo that's been chipped to around 180hp. Now this gave me a lead foot.

    When i started driving my Prius again i lost all my desire to hypermile and have started to drive my harder than before. Has this happened to anyone? Has the novelty of hypermiling warn off of for anyone else?

    Despite this my economy is still sitting at about 53mpg (roughly), so i'm not totally disregarding hypermiling techniques, i'm just not afraid of using full throttle.

    PS: Driving a CVT Auto is so much less dramatic than a manual! i never felt it before, but a Prius is a ridiculously easy car to drive! (a good thing)
     
  2. johnmaci

    johnmaci Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2011
    30
    7
    0
    Location:
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Something similar happend to me on a vacation in 2009 where I leased a (manual of course) Seat Leon Turbo Diesel. What a blast! Great mileage and performance.
    Upon return to the US, I traded in my V8 Jeep GC, and drove home in a Jetta TDI. Not as light and nimble as the Seat, but still quite enjoyable until the problems began arising and finally died at 24k miles. It was under factory warranty, and I had to fight VW of America over a month to fix it. Once they did, I traded it in for my 2011 Model III and never looked back.
    I am saying this because I believe the Gen III models have a larger engine and require less throttle to get them moving. I never run in Eco (nor power) mode, and it seems to keep up with most.
     
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Between a vacation out of state, and a car wreck I was involved in I have been driving a great many vehicles lately.

    For me, the $2500 a year not sent to the gas companies and the Middle East has not worn off, the gadgets have not worn off, the feeling of being the cleanest gas powered car has not worn off.

    Your mileage may vary. (downward, I bet)
     
    Chuck. and EffinRed like this.
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,080
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    For the reasons and more that Jimbo listed the "hypermiling" joy will never wear off.

    Because I lowered my car and put different wheels on it I can easily play around in the twisties if I need a little more excitement. Unless you just need shear HP/TQ to have fun I think the Prius can fit the bill for both economy and driving fun.
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. skruse

    skruse Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2004
    1,454
    97
    0
    Location:
    Coloma CA - Sierra Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Double efficiency and you cut cost by one-half. Who does not want to cut cost?! I enjoy hyperklicking (kilometers) and keep track of fuel use and every tank.
     
  6. Chuck.

    Chuck. Former Honda Enzyte Driver

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2006
    2,766
    1,510
    0
    Location:
    Lewisville, TX (Dallas area)
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Actually, you would be suprised by the people that pass up savings.

    Probably the most common reason people don't hypermile is they start too late. After that it goes to the senseless ones upmanship.

    Not that infrequently I catch up or get in the rear view mirror of a racer...many people in a hurry don't know how to save time.
     
  7. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2004
    14,816
    2,496
    66
    Location:
    Far-North Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    the novelty of Hypermiling hasn't worn off. However, the novelty of hyper-Hypermiling has worn off for me.

    I will drive in such a way as to achieve mid-to-high 60s mpg but not really go out of my way to achieve 70+ mpg per tank. I've proven to myself and others that it can be done and that I can do it but these days I just drive.
     
  8. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2004
    14,487
    2,994
    0
    Location:
    Fort Lee, NJ
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I am not a MPG extremist but I do try to get the highest MPG. After 5.5 years, I am still in it.
     
  9. kenoarto

    kenoarto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    1,409
    395
    0
    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I still can't do it. Anyone in Chicagoland have the time to teach me on city streets with stoplights and stop signs?
     
  10. markderail

    markderail I do 45 mins @ 3200 PSI

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2006
    2,260
    162
    18
    Location:
    Pierrefonds (Montreal) Quebec Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    40 (winter) and 45 (summer) is good enough for me.

    TCO, my personal time not wasted doing oil changes and tune-ups, are more important.

    The thing I liked most in the G3 was the increased horse power. I miss my big screen though, navigating MP3 cd's was much easier in the G2.
     
  11. Ryanpl

    Ryanpl Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2010
    780
    158
    0
    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I live in Brooklyn and totally agree with Ken. I read about the MPGs people get and am totally shocked. Between the reg lights and stop signs on just about every corner I'm excited to get 35 mpg.
     
  12. Dolce_Vita

    Dolce_Vita Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    228
    25
    0
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I felt a but guilty for ditching hypermiling, so last weekend i went super hardcore and went for a drive with 30kg (66lbs) removed from my car, i doubt it made a difference but it made me feel all fuzzy & eco :p

    I drove in light traffic in a relatively hill area, where to road goes up, down, up, down etc on the rolling hills, half the journey was at around 43mph and the other half 37. I also did a S1 start (the car hadn't been driven for 3 days) so it over all wasn't ideal conditions, but here's the result...

    Below is the first leg of the journey over 4.4miles, here i averaged 45.3mpg.
    [​IMG]
    Here's the final result of the journey over 29 miles, 63.6mpg!
    [​IMG]
    Below is what my trunk looked like
    [​IMG]
    And here's all the crap i removed from the car
    [​IMG]

    I also drove a few random cars lately...

    A MK5 Golf R32 DSG, AMAZING! it sounds ridiculously good! the gearbox is amazing in manual mode, jerky in drive mode at low speed, but over all a very good car!

    Also drove a Subaru Outback rental with a 2.5l N/A engine & a CVT, very boring car, i didnt really like is apart from the manual mode on the CVT

    & finally i drove a Holden Commodore SV6 auto, after driving the auto in the Golf, the torque converter auto in the SV6 feels so much less dramatic and lazier, although it's way too reluctant to kickdown and allows less manual control over the gears in tiptronic mode.
     
  13. uart

    uart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2009
    4,215
    1,200
    0
    Location:
    Australia
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    You removed your spare tire just to hypermile light. LOL that's hard core. :D
     
  14. dabize

    dabize New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2010
    98
    12
    0
    Location:
    Sudbury, MA
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I spent a week driving around France with an Astra manual which had the most persnickety 1st gear I've ever seen - it was way worse than my son's Scion (so it wasn't all me) and the manuals I drove 20 years ago. Wasn't so much fun driving a high speeds as I expected either....the Scion is much better.

    Came back to my Prius (and 65-70 mpg summer, 55 winter - in MA) with nothing but relief.

    We'll see what a new set of Michelin MXV4 tires (which should drop my MPG by several, according to posters here) does to my desire to get high MPG.
     
  15. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,080
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    When swapping to 17s I find it hard to get excited about hypermiling or even trying really hard. When you go from 53mpg-55mpg with trying too hard down to 46mpg it makes all the effort you put in feel like a waste. On the less gloomy side, if I didn't try for good mpg then I would drops even further to low 40mpg. Eek!
     
  16. Four Magic Acres

    Four Magic Acres New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2012
    4
    4
    0
    Location:
    southeastern PA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I have really enjoyed reading these posts!

    I purchased my 1991 Honda CRX HF new. It is a 5sp manual, 1.4L, but can't get out of its own way on its best day. However, on its best day, it did get 61mpg going to Pittsburgh (that is, from one end of the PA turnpike to the other!) and it hugs the little windy twisty road I live on at 60+mph. It has always been a joy to drive. At 280K miles, it's time for my little kick @ss CRX to be converted to all electric, even though it still gets in the 40mpg local runnin' and in the 50mpg's highway.

    Our 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid is also a 5sp manual (1.3L). We drive it for optimal MPG's as well and when I take it from SE PA to north NJ, I get 55mpg at 54mph (2000rpm) - that is its "happy place". It also gets in the 40mpg's locally.

    While we're waiting delivery on our Nissan Leaf (late!), we're driving our newly purchased 2004 Salsa Red Prius w/47K miles. For two people who far prefer manuals, we are adapting to the Prius' CVT and I suppose it is readying us for our Leaf.

    It's been over 20 years since I bought my first gas-miser and, at this point, I doubt I will ever tire of actively driving for optimal miles per gallon!
     
  17. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,080
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That's a nice little stable you have there. :)

    Short of a manual transmission, the eCVT is the next best thing for efficiency although many people complain about the lack of shifting feel or the "slipping clutch" feeling. Having driven race cars with very high stall (3000-4400rpm) converters for almost 20yrs I am not bothered by that feeling. :)

    This thread reminded me of my experiences and love/hate relationship with my two sets of wheels. I regularly switch back and forth between them for different reasons and I can never truly be happy with either. Sometimes I like to go for max mpg and I generally feel good as long as I am above 50mpg average. At other times I long for the looks and handling of the 17s. I really wish the mpg hit wasn't so large with the larger/wider tires so I could have the best of everything. Someday I suppose....

    Oh back to my point for posting. If you get the Leaf I would highly suggest you research your tire options when it comes time to replace them. So much energy is wasted with non-LRR tires and this becomes critical when you are relying on a battery to get you where you are going.

    I can't wait until a full electric car/truck becomes and option for me and my lifestyle. I would love to hypermile to conserve electricity. With all of the informational gauges on the Leaf I imagine it would be a total blast to drive!
     
  18. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,191
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Missed this old thread. I still enjoy hypermiling, at least on my usual commute and daily driving. I have found, however, that it's just not worth the energy/effort it takes to hypermile on the highway and interstates. On long interstate drives I usually set the cruise control at 5-7mph over the posted limit and just let her go. I'm sure it's costing me 3-5mpg over what I could get with SHM/hypermiling and going the speed limit, but on those long drives it saves me time, I arrive more relaxed and less tired.

    Those trips are infrequent enough that I can redeem myself with 60+MPG driving once I get home!
     
  19. jsmithy

    jsmithy Hypermiler and Freedom Lover

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2007
    75
    15
    0
    Location:
    MO
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Sometimes, I grow tired of hypermiling...getting tailgated by a$$clowns and what not. I always return to the thought of our men and women (and a few buddies) overseas securing our oil interests and then get right back to it
     
    3 people like this.
  20. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,596
    3,770
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    I had the original '84 HF (my first new car!) and although I never got as good as your results I could drive the p*ss out of it around town and still get mid-40's. My personal best was 54mpg hwy. IIRC, 3rd-5th gears were ALL overdrive! I drove it for a period of about 2 years without working instrument panel lights (it was the dimmer control) and used the overhead dome light to periodically check my speedometer on the highway. It was almost always at 62mph; car loved that speed. :p