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Non-low-rolling-resistance tires and/or low-profile tires detrimental to the fuel economy

Discussion in 'Prime Fuel Economy & EV Range' started by Gokhan, Dec 25, 2020.

  1. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Those effects all apply on top of whatever pressure you've chosen to inflate the tire to.

    When I bought my first Prius, a Gen 1, it was 7 years and 126,000 miles old, and sounded like a new car, no interior squeaks, rattles, or buzzes. I drove it home and initially reset the tires at something like 42 front 40 rear, based on some enthusiast postings found here. Within a matter of weeks the dashboard had rattles and squeaks like an old jalopy and I was happy I still had all my fillings. I revised the tire pressure down to 38 / 36, still a few PSI above factory but not quite so high, and the ride was much more pleasant, but I was never able to get the dash rattles and squeaks quiet again as long as I owned that car.
     
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  2. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    Thankfully?
     
  3. jaqueh

    jaqueh Active Member

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    Rather smallest wheel size offered by a manufacturer. Same thing.
     
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  4. jaqueh

    jaqueh Active Member

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    The model 3 is an incredible beast of a car in comparison to the PP. Still quite efficient.
     
  5. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    The car was probably abused by the previous owners when you bought it and I bet it had little to do if any with the higher tire pressure you used in the first couple of weeks. You are probably looking at seven years of abuse vs. two weeks of slightly higher tire pressure. Besides, who knows what tire pressure the previous owners used.
     
  6. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    How do you manage with the awful interior, which lacks all controls but only has a laptop screen, the lack of a blind-spot warning monitor, etc.?
     
  7. jaqueh

    jaqueh Active Member

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    I didn't have a blind spot monitor with my prius prime. I also know how to adjust my mirrors so the blind spot monitor is irrelevant: How To Adjust Your Mirrors to Avoid Blind Spots. However, the model 3 does have a blind spot monitor, which I tried, if you try to move into a lane with a car, the model 3 will sound all alarms, take over, and move you back into your lane.

    The interior is far better than the gloss plastic of the PP too. The UI is incredible as well compared to Entune.
     
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  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Your suggestion would be persuasive if it had not been silent inside like a new car when I bought it, and the whole drive home from where I bought it a few hours away, and until I increased the tire pressure, and for the first few weeks after that.
     
  9. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    There are LRR tires that have a good grip even in wet/snow. The example is the Nokian WRg4 all weather tire.

    JeffD
     
  10. Media_Tech

    Media_Tech Junior Member

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    I also know how to adjust my mirrors so the blind spot monitor is irrelevant [/QUOTE]

    The linked SAE paper is rather expensive. The Car Talk guys published useful instructions complete with illustrations on their website. (You'll need to search for it with something like 'car talk blind spot.')

    I've read comments by one UK auto safety advocate that disagrees with these recommendations, saying that adjusting your mirrors this way creates a serious blind spot risk to motorcycles.
     
  11. MikeDee

    MikeDee Senior Member

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    In my experience, inflating tires over Toyota's recommended inflation pressure didn't result in an increase in gas mileage, which is the only reason to do it.
     
  12. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    My experience is the opposite, but small MPG changes are hard to measure without a carefully defined experiment.

    JeffD
     
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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I think there is a small improvement, but it’s hard on suspension, wheel bearings, and on and on.