Proud new owner!!

Here's hoping you enjoy your new car as much as most members of this forum enjoy their car!

Nice that you got the Gray/Burgundy interior. I wish that were available with many of the other exterior color options.

Not much of a need for tinting a car in PA, IMHO, though I can imagine it might be a necessity in southern CA.

Enjoy

 

I like your tinting a whole lot. I ordered mine with the tint, but don't think it'll look as dark as yours. Yours really stands out....

 

Congrads., I just got a silver one like yours, no tint yet., I live in Nederland Tx hot and sunny too so I may go ahead and do it. Got the grey interior, and similar options, no SKS., but all in all I am happy. My first mileage was about 40.4, still working on the second tankfull., got 358 miles so far and still have three marks on the gas gauge (about 1/4 full). My car's AC now is a necessity, run it every time and it's mid 90's to 100 out there, so the mileage is on the low side. Very happy with the car overall, and looking forward to better gas mileage and cost in the long run, came down from a 2002 Ford Explorer, never got better then 15-19 MPG! Not looking back now, the gas savings will pay for the car note.

Again congrads keep in touch, my son in the Marines is stationed your way.

Regard I. Altmann ([email protected])

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ReneGS\";p=\"101661)</div>

The AC is electric, but it does take MPG to recharge batteries., it is more economical then a belt driven one off the engine. In town the MPG is effected SLIGHTLY, because the engine will run more to recharge batteries. On the highway the AC will have no great effect, because the aero dynamic fact that open windows would give such air resistance you would LOSE MPG if you drove with windows open. My son is in Pendelton and headed to Iraq soon ( ., but this must be done, I served and understand, and it was totally his choice.

Best Regards, enjoy your new car, like Toyota says just drive it. Don't rush into all these MODS., the Toyota engineers did a good job, and the little car will just dazzle your wallet from the start.

 

Welcome ReneGS. I'm also in San Diego and have white package #1. I don't have a tint, but I may get one. For me, though, getting better tires is a slightly higher priority.

I run my air conditioning almost constantly and am still getting a pretty consistent 52 mpg, so it can't affect mileage too badly.

Enjoy.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ReneGS\";p=\"101939)</div>

No it was a Charcoal grey color. Ive seen Tideland, Seaside, Salsa Red, and the other four colors listed available for 05 models and the car I saw was none of those.

It was also a brand new car. (No plate) Ive never seen one that color and from what I know it wasnt a color available in 05. . I drove back for a second look and it was definetly not Tideland.[/b][/quote]

Hmmm... I have seen Priuses in "Pearl" colors change radically when going from direct, high reflected sunlight to shade. Just saw what I thought was a beautiful dark silver grey Prius near our house yesterday -- did a double-take. Then it turned the corner, went into shade, and turned into the same Tideland Pearl color my Prius is.

However, it sounds as if you got a chance to walk around this Prius, and look at it from multiple angles; so I don't know what to make of it.

 

Tideland 'in the flesh' looks charcoal grey - not at all like any brouchure or online color bar I have seen.

Near sunset I have noticed the greenish tint more on mine.

 

Regarding AC:

It all depends how hot it is. If the AC is running full blast, it does take a decent hit on the MPG. Since both the cabin fan and the AC compressor are continuously variable speed, they will run at the correct speed to maintain cabin temp once equilibrium has been achieved.

Anytime you see the battery go below 6 bars, you are taking a hit on MPG to return it to 6 bars.