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My new 2019 PPP

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by AshPrime, Aug 5, 2019.

  1. AshPrime

    AshPrime Junior Member

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    Hello Group --

    Thanks for allowing me to join. My apologies in advance if long rants are not acceptable.

    After years of admiring the Prius but having the obligations for a larger vehicle I finally found myself squarely in the empty nest position and at a time necessary to replace an aging SUV. Toyota has been my brand for several years and this is my 4th Toyota vehicle. I bought new in 1998 a 4Runner which I still own today. I have cleanly modded this for off-road use and with only 150k on the OD she's primarily a garage queen when not on a trail somewhere in the Sierra's. I had a Toyota Highlander that I had purchased and only recently sold, and somewhere in there I had also leased a RAV4 for 3 years while my Highlander had been on loan to an away college daughter at the time.

    I've always been drawn to a white Prius so my mission was to find an ever more elusive Blizzard Pearl in a 2019 model so that I could take advantage of the Toyota rebate as well as whatever dealer incentives I would be able to secure. I won't get into the incredible challenges I went through over a several week process but suffice it to say, I found exactly what I was looking for at a price I was happy with. I was determined to get the Plus model as, for me personally, I was not a fan of the larger screen that comes with the Premium and Advanced models. For me and how I use things, I far preferred the smaller 7" screen with it's glass like finish, as well as the physical buttons of the climate control system. I also was not a big fan of the Softex Vinyl interior of the two upper models.

    I had done all my negotiation online and over the phone in advance at the time I showed up to purchase with this dealership the original agreement was that they were dealer trading a Blizzard Pearl Plus model from elsewhere with an MSRP of $28,800. While that was in the works upon my arrival, this dealership also had sitting on their lot a Plus model in Blizzard Pearl at the same MSRP but with an aftermarket leather upgraded interior for an additional $2,400. . We agreed I'd take their leather upgrade model for a test drive to get that out of the way because the vehicle they were bringing over was coming from an hour and a half away. I know what you are probably thinking here but the dealer trade was legitimate. So yes, by the time I finished my test drive I asked what they'd be willing to do with this particular car and with the cost of the upgraded interior. It really felt plush and more refined even though the standard factory fabric interior was also just fine for me. Bottom line, I had already advance negotiated the cost of the agreed dealer trade car down to $22,819. and in the end I was able to secure this car at that price plus $1,100. for the interior upgrade to a total of $23,919. Plus T&L of course.

    I've been driving it for over 1 week now, and while I really enjoy the way the car drives and goes down the road, upon my first fill-up I will admit I was not overly impressed with its mpg result. In fact a bit disappointed TBH. My average on paper was 49mpg. Mind you I did not charge it at all in the first week before my first fill-up so there is no fulltime EV use in there. On this second tank I have now charged the car twice so I am expecting some higher return on MPG's. But again, I will say that I was fully expecting something better than 49mpg in HV mode and I am not a lead footed person.

    In any event I have spent quite a bit of time on this site reading through several threads and I look forward to sharing my views and experiences 'down the road' as it were.

    Thanks again.
    Ash
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    congrats and welcome!

    first tank is a tough one, because you don't know if you're filling to the same level as where it was at the dealership.
    plugging in, you won't get a true hv reading.

    you have two choices: do a whole tank without plugging in, or just reset a trip meter, and do a bunch of miles without plugging in. subtract about 3-5% from the displayed mpg and that's a decent guesstimate of the true on paper calculation.
    pump up those tires, and all the best!(y)
     
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  3. Rob43

    Rob43 Senior Member

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    Welcome to PriusChat !

    Like bisco said, make sure your tires have at least the correct PSI in them, I personally run a little more at 37F & 40R* cold.

    If you have a conveniently located 240v receptacle, you can charge up in 2 1/2 hours using your OE Toyota EVSE for less than $50 dollars.


    Rob43

    * More neutral handling, less understeer.
     
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  4. AshPrime

    AshPrime Junior Member

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    Thanks for the warm welcome. (y)

    I understand what you mean although I was assuming that the dealership topped me up because I had all yellow fuel bars. Regarding charging it this week, I realize I won't be able to get the actual HV mpg but I was excited to charge it and see how far I can extend overall miles between fill-ups. My total round trip to/from work miles is 37 and as I pulled into my parking space at work today it noted I had 10.8 miles left on the charge after the commute in. Meaning I'm tracking for 27.6 miles electric use today while the car is rated for 25 miles. No AC this morning, however, with temps pushing north of 90 today I expect I'll be hitting that AC eco mode on my way home. I'll most likely go for the HV mpg read the next time I fill up at close to empty and as you indicate, won't wall charge it at all during that tank as I would definitely like to see if I can better that 49.

    Thanks for the tire pressure suggestion that is something I will consider. I am not sure that I'll have 240 wired up for now as frankly the 5 hour charge time works just fine for me. And I do already have a 110v outlet near the car already. That said I do have a curious question with regard to the use of an extension cord.

    My car is parked outside in my driveway and the outlet I use is GFI outdoor plug type. I originally was thinking I'd run a heavier gauge extension cord from the outlet and would then be able to provide a closed container of some kind next to my car where I could store protected the Prius charge cord and plug. So it isn't beaten up by the elements and to just keep it as nice as possible. But I read in the owners manual that the use of an extension cord is strictly prohibited. I can't imagine everyone that owns the Prius has read that necessarily and some may in fact use an extension cord. Anyone have any thoughts on that or do you use an extension cord and have there been any issues...?
     
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  5. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    First fill on any car will be wrong - either very high, or low. I've noticed it with all my new cars. My suspicion is that 1) it's done some very short runs moving maybe a metre or 100, all cold starts. Then, the dealer "fills" the car - well I suspect they know how little it needs to "look full" on the gauge - which could be 5-10 litres short of full.

    Eg - you hop into your new car and see the gauge is a whisker below "F" you think "great, a FULL tank". Little do you know till next time you fill that it should have looked like this:
    upload_2019-8-6_8-49-4.png
     
  6. noonm

    noonm Senior Member

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    Don't know your commute/driving situation, but I feel the Prius Prime shines best when in EV mode. Charge it every night and get 20-30 miles of EV range every day!

    Also, if you want to improve your mpg, I'd suggest driving in eco mode and (at least this time of the year) go easy on the A/C.
     
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  7. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    From what I've read - the heater takes more than A/C at least on PRIUS - or is PRIME different?
     
  8. noonm

    noonm Senior Member

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    Oh it definitely does, but the A/C is still a drain on your EV range. Its usually not as noticeable as long as your don't try to turn your interior into a meatlocker.

    Also, if you keep your car plugged in overnight, you can pre-condition with the heat or A/C and let it top off the battery before your drive.
     
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  9. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Here in the sub-tropics, the A/C would be off on a rare day. It's mid-winter today, but outside will still get to 23°C - but if I get in the car after it's been in the sun, it'll need A/C on for a while. I had the heater on briefly earlier, but I wait till the ICE fires before turning it on.
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    depends on the temps of course. but prime does have the heat pump vs engine only heat
     
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  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    That is so weird...
     
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  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Congratulations!! And welcome. It looks like most of your questions have already been addressed. I'll just add a few thoughts.

    I use an extension cord every time I plug in at work or church. In fact, I'm charging right now with an extension cord. Keep the cord short and heavy. I have a 10 footer that I keep semi-permantly in place at work that's concealed, shaded, and out of the rain. I carry a 25 footer for other opportunities. They are both #12 wire, which is probably the same size as what's feeding your receptacle at home. Also, it's safest to use weather-proof connections. If you're concerned about possible theft, it's not hard to use a padlock and cable to secure it to a wheel spoke. Another thing to watch for is that you don't let it become a tripping hazard.

    You're right that 49 mpg seems a little low. Then again, the tank might not have been clear full even though the gauge read full. Most of us tend to get around 55-65 mpg in HV, but that will vary with driving style and weather. One thing I usually tell new Prius drivers about is the extreme penalty for late braking. I don't know if this is an issue for you, but just in case ... Almost every driver I see out there seems to stay on the gas till they have to use the brakes. That's like chucking your wallet out the window. Let it coast for free for a while as you approach a read light. It's not like waiting longer at the light gets you where you're going quicker. ;) You'll burn less gas getting to the light and less gas getting going again since you'll get help from the electricity you regenerated.

    Enjoy the techno-marvel!!
     
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  13. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Congrats on your new PRIME. Like other poster pointed out, the first tank is always off. Don't worry too much about that number, over time it will improve. That said the displayed mpg is always higher than actual. Over two years 32K miles on my PRIME, average HV only mileage is 53.3 mpg and EV efficiency is 4.7 miles/kWh. This number is very close to what EPA number for this car.
     
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  14. AshPrime

    AshPrime Junior Member

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    Jerry thank you very much for confirming you too use an extension cord and have not had any issues thus far. Indeed I was planning to use a construction and weather grade cord and keep it at 10g if possible or 12g.

    Regarding your braking comment. When you say that late braking is like throwing money away, do you mean (as I'm constantly telling my wife and daughter who do tend to late brake in their vehicles) regarding brake pad use...? Or is there a technical reason I am not aware of about the regen capability feature? Does hard braking detract from regeneration? One thing I noticed in the first week of using the car; As I have been an avid user of the smart cruise feature, aggressive commute drivers do cut me off and it has been causing the car to brake harder than I myself usually would be. Perhaps I should not be using smart cruise for this reason I wonder.
     
  15. Rob43

    Rob43 Senior Member

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    Extension Cords:

    1) The shortest length that gets the job done properly is best.

    2) IMO, the minimum extension cord thickness is 12 AWG, I personally recommend 10 AWG. The downside to 10 AWG besides being a little more expensive is that it's a little bulkier to move around, but it's not really a big deal.


    Rob43
     
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  16. noonm

    noonm Senior Member

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    From my experience while watching Hybrid Assistant while braking:
    • Light braking = Uses regen (i.e. charges the battery)
    • Hard braking = Uses brakepad (i.e. no or much less charging of the battery)
    If you want to maximize your regen charging, brake early and lightly.
     
    #16 noonm, Aug 6, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2019
  17. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I don't have a PlugIn. But I've had a few appliances which specifically said not to use extension cords. I think they're being wary of a poor extension cord or one which isn't used according to instructions. I saw one like this once:
    upload_2019-8-7_9-36-11.png

    The one I saw had plenty of capacity, but most of the long cord was left coiled up - I think it was running a WaterBlaster(?) and after an hour or so stopped working - because it threw the RCD.
     
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  18. Rob43

    Rob43 Senior Member

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    .....thus why everyone should use the proper size AWG for the job OR better.

    A quality 12 AWG or 10 AWG extension cord is not that expensive.


    Rob43
     
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  19. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    Or just release the throttle pedal. You will find the car has pretty strong regeneration programmed in, even without the brakes applied.
     
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  20. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Ouch! That's a great example of what can happen if you run a heavy current through a coiled wire.
     
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