Prius Touring 2008 Newbie fro LI, New York

Short trips are hard on mileage for any car, but it really shows in a Prius, where a small percentage is a large number, and the MFD sticks it right in your face. Your mileage will improve some as the car breaks in, and even more when warmer weather comes back.

Tom

 

Hi Sandy,

Welcome. I work in LI and live in Queens. I also hang out with LIPOG once in awhile.

What car did you drive before getting your Prius?

Dennis

 

Hi Sportygal, just became a new owner last night. So far, so good, but I hope my gas mileage gets better, too. Can't tell much from just over 100 miles, though. I live in Suffolk and commute to Garden City. Can't wait until I get my registration from DMV so that I can get a clean pass sticker and use the HOV lane.

 

Sandy, welcome. There are 2 quick & cheap ways to improve mpg. First, check the tire pressure. Even money bet they are "soft". If you don't mind the ride, increase to at least 42/40. Second, block the grill with pipe insulation. There are a few good threads with pics. Third, if conditions allow, keep the climate control off for at least the 1st 5 minutes. This gives the engine a chance to warm. Then set it for 73, auto "off", fan on one of the low settings. At least with the grill blocked you'll feel warm air from the left duct and the engine will still shut down at a stop.

Short trips when it is cold, wet, & miserable really kill the average but still better than any other conventional car.

 

hey sporty, welcome to PC. I'm surprised no one's mentioned it yet . . . for cold NY areas (we keep one of our hybrids in Montana, so I swear by this) get a block heater. They'e easy on the pocketbook and easy/cheep to install. Even on short trips, it'll make the world of difference. Hopefully the MPG won't take you into the realm of OCD, but it IS possible to even get these wonders into the realm of of 700+ miles (summer time) per tank ... speaking from experience!

 

Sportygal, Thanks for the welcome and the tips! Today is 3 weeks, and I am currently averaging 41.8 mpg. I has been going up each week, and I can see that my driving habits are changing. I no longer strive to be first off the line at lights, and I do have the consumtion screen on a lot to monitor the mileage. I don't keep the heat on too much, especially if I have a heavy coat on. I'm going to look into blocking the grill. I also will try to get on this website a little more frequently (have to remember it's here!)

 

Welcome sportygal, glad to hear that your mpg is improving the more your drive the Prius. I am closing 4K and my mileage has been bouncing between 43 to 48 mpg (depending on the outside temps). As far as short trips are concerned, I try to connect my rides so that I can avoid short trips altogether.