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Hybrid Driving Improving MPG of Non-Hybrid Vehicle

Discussion in 'Other Cars' started by Southern Dad, Jan 13, 2012.

  1. Southern Dad

    Southern Dad Active Member

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    Has anyone else notice that your driving a hybrid has changed your driving habits enough to change the mpg of your non-hybrid vehicles? If you had told me that my 2003 Lincoln Navigator would get 15.7 mpg on a 212 mile trip, I would have fell over laughing. I rarely get more than 13 or 14 with it. I figured the only way it would see 15+ is going downhill with a tailwind.

    Since I've been driving my Honda Insight and my Toyota Prius most of the time and only using the Navigator occasionally, I was shocked to see the mpg after a brief trip.
     

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    #1 Southern Dad, Jan 13, 2012
  2. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    212 mile trip higway?
     
    #2 Flying White Dutchman, Jan 13, 2012
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    My non-hybrid MPG jumped sharply in 2008, a year before buying the hybrid. The decade-old Subaru had always been a disappointment at the fuel pump, and skyrocketing prices were making refills painful. Then the mere mention of 'aftermarket MPG display' on a news report led me immediately to ScanGauge, and then CleanMPG. The mpg results jumped nearly overnight.
     
    #3 fuzzy1, Jan 13, 2012
  4. Sabby

    Sabby Active Member

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    Last weekend my wife and I had to make a trip from near Syracuse NY to Washington DC. I had hoped to take the Prius but looking at the weather we decided that we should take our V8 4wd Jeep Grand Cherokee. I was disappointed that we would use so much gas. I was able to eke out 21.5 mpg which I was pretty happy with considering the vehicle.

    My wife has been kidding me about driving like an old man. The Prius experience has had an impact!
     
    #4 Sabby, Jan 13, 2012
  5. Southern Dad

    Southern Dad Active Member

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    Mostly 4 lane state highway with a 55 mph speed limit, not interstate.
     
    #5 Southern Dad, Jan 13, 2012
  6. rpatterman

    rpatterman Thinking Progressive

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    The mileage on my Ford pickup improved considerably after I bought my Prius in 2004. Both because I became a better drive (MPGwise) and I quit using it for short trips and city driving.

    I think any vehicles MPG would improve by adding realtime MPG readout, especially if the readout was in $$$.
     
    #6 rpatterman, Jan 13, 2012
  7. Southern Dad

    Southern Dad Active Member

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    If my vehicles had mpg meters that showed the reading in dollars I don't think that I'd even be turning the key on the Lincoln Navigator.
     
    #7 Southern Dad, Jan 14, 2012
  8. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

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    Now THAT'S an idea you should patent! :cool:

    If you do, could you let me know and give me a cut?
     
    #8 GrumpyCabbie, Jan 14, 2012
  9. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Too late. It is already programmed into ScanGauges, and probably most of the other available engine monitors as well.
     
    #9 fuzzy1, Jan 14, 2012
  10. spinkao

    spinkao New Member

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    Man, that should be made mandatory.
     
    #10 spinkao, Jan 14, 2012
  11. andyprius

    andyprius Senior Member

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    That is a great idea. The hybrid makes us all ultra-conservative. It's the only car that gives you useful feedback and you are in control. :juggle:
     
    #11 andyprius, Jan 14, 2012
  12. movingforward

    movingforward Member

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    Coming from a subaru, I was hurt at the pump already with the full time AWD and that extra 300lbs, but I always take it easy when I drive to conserve and extend my fuel economy. So when I got the Prii i continue to drive that way except with the hybrid I've learned to use the electric motor more often then ICE. As a result my winter MPG has been pretty good: 50mpg. Can't wait to see what I can get in summer.
     
    #12 movingforward, Jan 23, 2012
  13. J5A

    J5A Active Member

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    I'm surprised a Lincoln SUV even has a MPG meter. :(
    If I had the stomach to drive one, I'd have to cover it up. lol
     
    #13 J5A, Jan 23, 2012
  14. kornkob

    kornkob New Member

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    We have one in our VW Passat wagon. It never changed my driving habits.
     
    #14 kornkob, Jan 23, 2012
  15. Dicaearchus

    Dicaearchus New Member

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    Since changing my driving habits with the Prius, the mileage on my 8L Dodge Ram has gone from 10 to 11 mpg. That may not seem like much, but at 10k miles/year, that's over $300 in annual savings.
     
    #15 Dicaearchus, Jan 23, 2012
  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    It doesn't seem like much because of our misleading (to most people) MPG scale. If expressed like most of the rest of the world, liters/100km or the Imperial equivalent of gal/100miles, that improvement saves as much as boosting a Prius from 50 to 92mpg. Or from 45 to 76 mpg.

    Many folks complaining about poor Prius mpg here are quibbling about far smaller amounts of fuel than your changed Ram driving habits are saving.
     
    #16 fuzzy1, Jan 23, 2012
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