Will I save money?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(offroad4x4yota @ Jun 19 2007, 11:38 AM) [snapback]464677[/snapback]</div>

There are graphs around that predict efficiency for these speeds. Most mpg-conscious Prius drivers will not drive it faster than 65mph as the engine efficiency drops off. If you must maintain these speeds I would wonder how much of an advantage an 1.5lt Atkinson cycle engine would help. I would not expect higher than 40mpg at 85mph (though you should check what other posters state at these speeds if you find any) then again one can easily get 50mpg at around 65mph.

My Package #2 car payment for 60 months is $428...

 

You could expect 40-45 MPG in a Prius at that speed. Oil changes at 5000 mi intervals. No real further maintenance expenses for a few years. Brakes will last about three times as long as other vehicles.

You'll have to do the math yourself, but those would be the expected expenses. Your mileage is high enough the Prius should save you money in the long run. Slow down a bit and it'll happen sooner.

 

I do 130 miles round trip a day closer to 65 to 75mph..

I think if you try to drive a prius at 80 to 90mph constantly, you'll feel like you're trying to run it to death. You might want to get a prius out for a testdrive and see if you like how it runs at 85.

My lifetime is just under 51mpg over 54,000 miles of this.

It's saved me about $5800 over having driven my F250 (18mpg) that I had before the prius.

My numbers are all here:

http://www.daronspicher.com/php/prius/priusgasgrid.php

 

You'll certainly get better fuel economy, but at 80-90mph, it seems likely it won't be anything like as exceptional as the EPA figures would suggest. Those who do drive at that speed may have real world figures to give you, but I'd expect you to get little more than 40-45mpg perhaps. If you back off the speed a little, the figure would increase of course, but then the same would be true to an extent with the Scion you already own.

At $3.00 per gallon, for 1100 miles, your TC would cost you $122 in gas and the Prius, at 40mpg, would cost you $82.50, saving $40. That equates to $173 a month cheaper to run a Prius than your Scion. Again, based on only a 13mpg gain - clearly if you drive more conservatively (or get better fuel efficiency than my estimate) savings will increase.

 

With all of that highway driving, I'd consider a small diesel. The Prius will save you money, and it's a great car, but you can't beat little diesels for highway mileage.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(offroad4x4yota @ Jun 19 2007, 10:38 AM) [snapback]464677[/snapback]</div>

Will you be able to sell the Scion for close to what it's worth? My husband drives back and forth from San Diego to Phoenix every weekend, apx 700 miles a weekend plus whatever he drives around town. He was driving my minivan b/c it already had high mileage but it only gets about 20-22 mpg. We purchased the Prius and are payment is now $100 more ($420) but we're saving around $300 in gas. When calulating the savings we used 40 mpg but he's gotten an average of just over 47 w/ mostly highway mileage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Jun 19 2007, 11:56 AM) [snapback]464698[/snapback]</div>

Assuming the OP is willing to compromise on the size, which small diesel car are you suggesting that get better highway MPG than Prius at 80-90mph speed?

 

You are not getting 27 mpg at 85 mph in a tC. I've owned a '06 tC until just about a month ago. I've taken the tC on many long trips. The gearing in the tC is for street, not highway. If your going 85 in the tC your runnin at least 4k+ rpms. You might be getting around 20 mpg or so.
Why are you even driving so fast? If your so worried about MPG, then slow the hell down. Above 70 mph, every 5 mph more is a 7% loss in MPG. So, at 85, your losing at least 21% of what you could be getting at like 75 mph. At only 100 miles, your arriving around 10 minutes earler at those speeds also. So, is 10 minutes worth around $10 in gas a day?
The car's mpg isnt your problem, you are your problem. The Prius would help greatly though . It would probably double your MPG.

 

The Prius is not a race car. If it's important to you to drive 90 mph, I think you'd be better off with a car designed for handling at those speeds. The Prius can certainly do it, but driving a lot of miles at those speeds I think you want a Jaguar. It will burn a lot more gas, but your overall driving experience will be more enjoyable.

If the cost of gas is really a burden, you can save a lot of money with the Prius, but only if you are willing to drive it in the speed range where its hybrid system produces optimum fuel efficiency.

On the other hand, if you slow down from 90 to 65 you'll live longer, and that will cost a lot more money in the long run. Personally, I find that trade-off to be a favorable one. But the choice is yours.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(usbseawolf2000 @ Jun 19 2007, 12:31 PM) [snapback]464731[/snapback]</div>

Volkswagen's Polo Blue Motion came to mind right away, at 62 mpg (less at 80-90 mph). VW makes several good small diesel cars, and I recall some pleasant driving in a Toyota turbo diesel, but most of these are not available in the U.S. The best bet for now is one of the new VWs. For my money, I still prefer the Prius, as it is roomier and all around a better car, and the highway mileage is almost as good as what you can get with a much smaller, highway tuned diesel with a manual transmission. As a plus, the Prius is better for the environment.

Tom

 

As a long distance commuter who does not spend excessive attention on their MPG, I can say that I have averaged 45mpg in the Prius. Obviously, MPG falls off quickly above 65mph. Just taking your word for your current MPG, it is roughly comparible to my wife's Highlander. I generally put about 35000 miles per year on my vehicles. At an optomistic $3.00 per gallon, that's about $195.00 a month. If I'm forced to drive the Highlander, that's about $350.00 per month.

Assuming that your driving is similar, your savings should be similar. So, if the difference in car payment is less than $ 155.00, then it would make sense in a purely economic way. Personally, I think that reduced emissions and driving in the carpool lane are big positives, but that's my personal opi-onion.

 

Using the Prius MPG Simulator, fuel mileage at 85 MPH is calculated to be 40.69 MPG. This assumes the following (for daytime summertime driving in GA):

• 90F ambient temp
• No wind
• Barometric pressure 30.00
• 40% humidity
• 200' elevation
• AC in use with cabin temp set to 78
• 250# load, occupants + cargo
• E10 fuel
• Goodyear Integritys inflated to 44 front, 42 rear
• Smooth, dry pavement

If any of these variables are likely to be significantly different, let me know and I can run some more numbers.

If you drop to 75 MPH or 65 MPH, it goes up to 47.05 MPG or 53.94 MPG, respectively.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 19 2007, 12:24 PM) [snapback]464761[/snapback]</div>

This is a good point. If you keep driving 90mph, your overall lifetime carbon footprint could be a lot less than if you slow down to something reasonable.... And, since you're not in my area, maybe we can discuss the impact of you driving even faster... Kick it up to 125 for a couple weeks.

:lol:

 

I do 90 miles a day on the LA freeways, at whatever speed the traffic allows, often 80+. I am right at 50 mpgs, where my Subaru gets 25 or so. The Prius has never caused me any concern at high speeds, mpg or otherwise. At the risk of tempting fate, I got my last ticket in 1979. Prius is a suberb commuter, at whatever speed you can manage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Jun 19 2007, 03:15 PM) [snapback]464823[/snapback]</div>

Wow, 50mpg at 80+ how do you manage and what do you get at 65mph?

 

110 mpg

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ Jun 19 2007, 11:43 AM) [snapback]464685[/snapback]</div>

I don't think you mean the engine efficiency drops off due to speed. It is the increase in rolling and wind resistence that caused it.