Questions from a new Prius Owner.

1) Don't bet on it. Once that light starts blinking, GET GAS ASAP. You do NOT want to run out of gas (If you do, do NOT keep driving, it can cause serious problems to the battery)

2) n/a

3) depends on if there are cars behind me. I rarely drive in stealth mode. I always glide. Using electricity is less efficient then you think. Remember that the electricity is generated from gas. Converting chemical (gas) -> mechanical (gas engine) - > electrical - > chemical (battery chemistry)-> electrical - > mechanical (electric motor) has ALOT of conversion losses.

Best avoid use of the battery for best mileage, always good to stick more charge in the battery when you can't avoid hitting the brakes.

Gliding = uses nothing except momentum/gravity.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bowenj405 @ Oct 4 2007, 03:56 PM) [snapback]521357[/snapback]</div>

Unless you have no access to an outlet, get an EBH - engine block heater.

1) It may be accurate; however, there the prius will not let you use the last half gallon (or 1 gal). It reserves it for charging the battery. As a rule of thumb, I would give myself 50mi from when the it starts blinking. I get anywhere from 500mi to 600mi per tank. To my surprise, I've only pump at most 10 gal at both ends.


2) I've replaced my antenna w/ a cheap $15 antenna. The reception is bad. I've seen others post that the shark antenna is not as good as the original.

3) I've learned that i usually get better overall mileage if I P&G. Get up to speed w/ the ICE and then glide.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bowenj405 @ Oct 4 2007, 03:56 PM) [snapback]521357[/snapback]</div>

LOL! That's about all I can say. And if I must elaborate, blinking means you got about 25 miles till empty, so that's about half a gallon. On my first tank, I drove it till it died (I had a spare gallon in a tube in the trunk). It started blinking and about 25 miles later Zzzz, nada! So I drove a few feet on electric motor only till it was safe to pull over and added an extra gallon. So if you're in the city, you can start looking for gas as soon as the last one starts blinking, but on the highway, out of town, make sure you start looking as soon as you're left with just two bars to be on the safe side.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ACORNBLUES @ Oct 4 2007, 08:42 PM) [snapback]521451[/snapback]</div>

Ummm, that's what I used to think too. From driving a 2004, 2005, and 2006, I can tell you the 2006, and probably 2007s and 2008s, are a little different. The pip started blinking and I went 24 miles and ran out of gas. It turned out to be really bad because the battery was at about half when it happened. I tried to get to the station about a mile away, but just went a few blocks when it automatically slipped into N and I coasted to the side of the road. I then had to call my father-in-law to come with some gas. Talk about embarrassing. Also, I then had to press the Power button three times before it would start.

With the earlier 2004 and 2005 I have gone much further on the blinking pip. Also, with them I have a more accurate estimate about the mpg it is getting on that tank, on the 2006 it is the cumulative mpg, so I also didn't know what the mpg was for that tank.

 

I have the shark fin antenna.
It does cut the low-powered stations a bit.
Not much noticeable change in reception of the larger, commercial, high-powered radio stations... you know, the ones I DON'T want to listen to.