4,100 miles on my week-and-a-half old Prius

Hello everyone!

After a seemingly endless five month wait, our summer vacation to pick up the new Prius in California came to pass over the last two weeks.

The car was purchased at Florin Road Toyota in Sacramento. Ray Ujimori is the outstanding Internet sales manager who happily accepted my weekly telephone calls and delivered the car on time, at MSRP, in perfect condition. Ray even picked me up at the hotel across from the AMTRAK station to take delivery. I cannot speak more highly of Ray and recommended him without reservation. I get NO KICKBACK but please say "ALOHA" from Paul, if you talk to him.

We drove back to Michigan following "historic" Route 66 all the way to Chicago. I was a bit worried about some of the high mountain driving but the car performed fine. Just be prepared for the high RPM noise on long uphill climbs. We saw a lot of "ALL GREEN" battery bars and a few "ONE PINK" too.

The navigation system on this LONG trip was totally awesome. Like others, I DO wish it could be "programmed" while the car was in motion. But the voice recognition worked just fine so the POI were always easilly added even while in motion. Common phrases spoken included, "I'm hungry, hotels, museums, and tourist attractions."

Lowest elevation was 0 (sea-level) at Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego and the highest elevation was 7300 at the continental divide on I-40. Since I found no altimeter, I used my old Garmin GPS III. Dual GPS! Am I a total geek or what?

Highest mileage over a fair distance was 74 MPG on a 100 mile downhill stretch to see Sedona, AZ from Flagstaff. had a 20 minute stretch at 100 MPG! Average MPG for the entire trip was just under 50 MPG doing 70+ MPH with full air conditioning! 108 just outside Las Vegas was the highest outside temp.

Saw a LOT of Prii in California (Ray got 20 in July's allocation). We even had a tideland pearl staying at our hotel in Sacramento. We saw several silvers, parked next to a green "classic" in San Fransisco, waved at a super white on I-40 in New Mexico, and waved to another tideland on I-94 Sunday back in Michigan. The kids thought the Prius wave was cool.

This car is a total blast, but you owners know that. Mine is a Salsa Red BC (#9) and I can only hope you love whatever color/package you bought as much as I like my red #9.

Here's a few pictures for you all... let me know what you think!

http://steel.w8kc.com/CaliforniaTrip2004%20239.jpg
http://steel.w8kc.com/CaliforniaTrip2004%20279.jpg
http://steel.w8kc.com/CaliforniaTrip2004%20319.jpg
http://steel.w8kc.com/CaliforniaTrip2004%20437.jpg
http://steel.w8kc.com/CaliforniaTrip2004%20517.jpg
http://steel.w8kc.com/CaliforniaTrip2004%20623.jpg
http://steel.w8kc.com/CaliforniaTrip2004%201467.jpg

 

That picture #20517 of my car next to the green "classic" was taken one street over from the "curviest street in the world" Lombard Street in San Francisco. It's like a 25 degree incline!

I had to say that to explain why the kids are leaning over so much!

 

My daughters were NOT leaning on either car, they were trying to not fall down the street!

Although I don't mind being an idiot tourist most of the time, I did NOT drive my Pri down Lombard Street We just stayed and watched the show! The Prius would have been fun, but there were MANY other opportunities to charge the battery that day! I had to enter intersections on many streets on an angle to avoid hitting the lower air dam on the ground!

 

Well, the Prius isn't in any of the other Rt. 66 pictures, but I have plenty. Here you go Mike... 73!

 

:mrgreen: Actually Mike, that post of yours sure brought back memories! My daughter was driving the Prius for the very first time when we past the leaning water tower! All those other sites too... I only took 1600 photographs but you are right, I was too busy looking at a lot of them and didn't take pictures! Maybe next time.

Oh, I highly recommend the, "Buy a Prius in California, and drive it back east" summer vacation!!! Ahhhhh... we DIDN'T stay here though...