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1st big trip in the Prime

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by jerrymildred, May 2, 2019.

  1. thefranchise713

    thefranchise713 Junior Member

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    I drove through three consecutive hours of horrible torrential downpours and still managed 57 MPG on my way to downstate New York on Friday, which shocked me, especially given all the long grades I had as well. None of this trip has really catered to hybrids, and yet I've witnessed some amazing stuff with this car.

    Tonight came with a bonus however--the hotel has a charging station!!
     
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  2. Sarge

    Sarge Senior Member

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    Sounds like an awesome trip, Jerry! I know you have already departed, I am a bit late to the thread. I made a 2800-mile round trip from Toronto down to your area in Florida last summer to visit the parks with the kids (family of four) in my PiP and it went great (including carrying a compact spare), I can only image how much more fun that would be in a Prime, and nearly double the journey. :cool: (I did the Florida trip again in March in a rental (lesser equipped) Sienna with 2 extra passengers, and while it was not as “fun” as my well equipped Prius, a long test drive of CarPlay was nice, and would definitely like in my next car. (y) But I digress...)

    Enjoy and drive safe!
     
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  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I set them at 40/38. Seems pretty comfortable and quiet there. Nothing really to be gained by going up to the 40/42 I used for the PiP.

    Yesterday turned out to be all that they forecast. There was one stretch where it poured for over an hour. I had my foot in it so hard that the HSI was in the power region and I was getting 30-40 mpg just to go 60 mph on level ground. I'd guess a solid 1-2" of water on the Interstate. Also a very long backup for a semi that was so jack knifed that the cab was crushed a third of the way into the side of the trailer. The DRCC was very nice there except that we were following another semi and the car kept losing sight of the trailer. Probably because I had the distance set to one bar and was close enough that it was looking under the rig.

    Trip miles yesterday were 474 with 51.8 mpg showing on the display. It rained almost all the way, which hurt, plus the speeds, plus the two people and completely filled car. After supper, I ran an errand that raised the total miles yesterday to 518 and the mpg to 52.6. Speeds were mostly 60-65 with just me and a little of the luggage still in the back. I got 64 mpg going out and 62 coming back. So, the weight and the 5-10 mph make a huge difference! Today is family day and tomorrow we head west again.

    Edit to add:
    Some observations I forgot to include:
    • Seats -- much more comfortable than the PiP or the Gen 2. Nice to end an all day drive with my tailbone not on fire.
    • Noise -- most of the pavement was coarse asphalt over the 1st 2 days. Wife said it was loud, but it seemed a lot less loud than similar pavement in the PiP when I drove it to North Carolina.
    • DRCC -- way nicer to use out on the open road than in town. But you have to pay attention as you approach a slower vehicle because it will match speed and before you know it, you're going 5 under rather than passing. But I did find one semi who was going almost exactly the speed I wanted to go. I tucked in behind him with it set at 2 bars and drove along at 69 mph getting about 60+ mph oops mpg for a half hour. I need more of that stuff!! But pay attention. I did have to dodge some flying tire chunks that he ran over one time. :eek:
     
    #23 jerrymildred, May 5, 2019
    Last edited: May 5, 2019
  4. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    Great report. I like the DRCC as well but there are times I like the normal CC better depending on the type of traffic. Just in case you don't know, you can use the normal CC instead of the DRCC by doing the following. Went you turn on the CC, instead of a quick press, press the button in and hold it for about 3 seconds until you get the how to diagram on the MID screen. That enables normal CC.

    Have a blast.
     
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  5. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    Also DRCC minimum is 28 mph (edit: set speed) and CC is 25 mph.
     
    #25 Prius from Dad, May 5, 2019
    Last edited: May 5, 2019
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  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I've been doing that almost since day one, but thanks anyway. There are probably many who haven't discovered this yet.

    That's the set speed, not the "stay on" speed. I don't set DRCC till I'm at highway speed anyway, but it will stay on right down to zero and then a message will pop us that says "Waiting," or something like that. If the stop is brief enough (under a second) it will resume on its own. Otherwise, hit "Resume," and away you go again. I did that several times in yesterday's big traffic jam. The car drove along following that truck at 4-7 mph for a long long time. Almost relaxing!
     
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  7. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I think you can set is when under 28 (stopped?) and it goes into waiting mode too.
     
  8. Prius from Dad

    Prius from Dad Senior Member

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    There is no way to set it under 28 but you can resume from under 28.
     
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  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I mean you can set it when you are driving under 28 or stopped. I remember stumbling across that in my Gen 4 (I think..).
     
  10. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Tomorrow's drive is from Montgomery, TX to Van Horn TX and then on to AZ the next day. Tomorrow will be our longest day so far. 600 miles according to Google Maps.

    IMG_0417 copy.jpg
    The view from my wife's sister's drive.

    IMG_0418 copy.jpg
    Prime getting ready for tomorrow's adventures.

    Screen Shot 2019-05-05 at 5.43.54 PM.png
    And our anticipated route.
     
  11. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Advertising Tampa Hybrids all the way out there? ;) :rolleyes:
     
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  12. thefranchise713

    thefranchise713 Junior Member

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    Good stuff, Jerry.

    I have a love hate relationship with DRCC for the reasons you've mentioned... just as you want to pass, it slows you down. On the NYS Thurway today I was pushing the car hard with my other fellow speed demon drivers--found myself more interested in managing a static cruise control speed rather than using DRCC. Made the whole drive much smoother, inclusive of passing maneuvers.
     
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  13. benagi

    benagi Active Member

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    Don’t know if you have ever been to San Antonio. The Riverwalk and the Alamo are close to each other and a great visit. We went from Salt Lake to Florida and back in March (5800 miles later).. Stopped in San Antonio for the night and had an excellent Mexican dinner on the River Walk. We did the trip in our MH, not the Prime.
     
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  14. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    We've been to the Alamo and the River Walk. They were both great and I'd love to do it again. But no time for that this time. It'll be a long enough day as it is. We're planning to see some stuff this trip that we've not seen before. Tombstone some other places in southeast AZ and then maybe Mesa Verde. And if the weather is good, I want my wife to see Grand Mesa in CO. I experienced that road on my motorcycle many years ago and it was breathtaking. I'd love to see it again and especially for my wife to get to see it.

    Well, breakfast is in my belly, most of the stuff is in the car, and departure is in 15 minutes. Gotta finish getting ready.
     
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  15. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Well, here we are in Van Horn! No storms but we did have the obligatory wreck induced traffic jam today. Three for three so far on travel days. When will these yay hoos learn to drive?! Just a brief shower to get some of the bugs off the windshield, so that was nice. I estimate that we killed around 4.7 billion bugs and exactly one bird. Had to get the feathers out of the grill, the hood latch and that area, but otherwise the Prime was unfazed.

    We came close to reaching 4,500 feet in elevation. Net elevation gain was about 3,800 feet and the car says we got 52.2 mpg wile traveling 597.5 miles. Pretty close to Google's predicted distance. Speed limits were 75-80, but I think that's crazy. Most of the time, I had the cruise set to 70. And I wasn't alone, although one nut passed us in a mini van going at least 100 mph. Generally, though, drivers here seem a lot more laid back than in FL.

    I gotta say, there ain't much to see or do here in Van Horn (population about 2,000). Most businesses in town look folded up. All the activity is along the frontage road by I-10. Not a big surprise, I guess. And once again, no place to plug in. So, the Prime will just sit and look pretty in spite of the coating of bugs. :D

    IMG_0430 copy.jpg
    Improving the scenery in this 4,000 foot high desert. Actually, I love the desert.

    IMG_0419.jpg
    B-1-R-D, aka, Bird. No damage to the car. The bird? I'm guessing it's totaled. Not sure what it was. Maybe a small hawk.

    IMG_0420.jpg
    It probably no longer has the guts to get in front of my car again. ;)
     
  16. pghyndman

    pghyndman Active Member

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    Oh for shame, you didn't stop for BBQ in Austin?!? Jerry, Jerry, Jerry... life is a journey, not a destination!
     
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  17. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    The feather markings look like roadrunner feathers.

    I-10 speeds are nuts. Especially with the packs of wild Javelina/Peccary pigs wandering across the highway/roads. One member here (a year or so ago) totaled his new Prime when he hit a pack near Stockton. He was very upset the car did not detect and brake for them.
     
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  18. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Must not have heard them :D

    [​IMG]
     
  19. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Yesterday was a short day. Just 401.7 miles with about a 1,200 foot net elevation gain and ferocious head winds and cross winds. In fact, when we stopped for a rest break just before leaving NM, I nearly couldn't hold the car door open to get out. :eek: Will the wind ever be going our way? (Rhetorical question; of course it won't!!) Still somehow managed to squeeze out 51.5 mpg indicated for the day without getting to plug in. Because of the angle of the wind, it seemed like we got worse mileage when drafting semis than just bulling our way through at 68-70 mph.

    We'll be staying here in Pierce, AZ through Friday with family and seeing the local sights. We started out by getting adopted by my sister's two dogs, Shooter and Target while we hung out in front of their store yesterday afternoon. Once you know that the store is a gun store the dogs' names will come into context. LOL!! Just a fun afternoon getting to meet some more of their friends.
    IMG_0463 copy.jpg


    IMG_0459.jpg
     
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  20. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    I bookmarked this page years ago when I bought my 3rd Gen. Because the Prius has a very low drag (CD) going forward, crosswinds are usually worse on mpg than a direct headwind. Check this out when you have time. It confirms what you suspected about the crosswinds.

    Those winds you were in were directly feeding the storm system that raced out of Texas last night and hammered TX, OK, and Kansas over night. 3" of rain at my house. I hate twisters at 2 am. It's too dark to see them when you go out on your front porch. :p

    Have a blast. When you turn north (tail wind), are you going up through Durango to Ouray and the million dollar highway? Ouray is our favorite place on earth. Highway 550 is amazingly gorgeous between Durango and Ridgway.