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BREAK-IN is complete when...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by john1701a, Apr 23, 2004.

  1. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    ...you drive a 130 mile highway trip at 65 MPH while using the A/C (the outside temperature was as high as 84 F degrees) with 4 adults packed inside climbing a few very steep hills while fighting a 40 MPH headwind the way there and a +40 MPH crosswind (with a little from behind) on the way back and still manage to achieve a calculated tank average in the end of 50.5 MPG.

    I couldn't believe that was possible... but it actually happened.

    40 MPG was the result of that highway trip. So unless a miracle would happen, that tank average would have been awful. But sure enough, just like on the Hybrid Road Rally with my 2001 Prius, the pressure from the stressful drive loosened up the moving parts.

    Efficiency suddenly shot up to 60 MPG afterward! It was amazing!!!

    But then the temperatures dropped all the way down to 39 F... which obviously pulled down the performance. But that was only to 55 MPG. The overall result was 50.5 MPG.

    I can't wait to find out what a normal week of driving in warmer weather will provide. Routine mid-50's sound good to me!
     
    #1 john1701a, Apr 23, 2004
  2. eak354

    eak354 Member

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    congrats! i envy you... it's always warm here in hawaii but i've yet to get 50+mpg. i'm averaging 42mpg, with 1700miles. :? please tell me it gets better...!
     
    #2 eak354, Apr 23, 2004
  3. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    Well, if headwinds and crosswinds is what it takes to "loosen things up" then I should be there: Fargo to Iowa City and back, with fierce headwinds and crosswinds all the way, both directions, except from Albert Lea to Sioux Falls, when I had a tail wind. Nice temps, too, for a good part of the drive. And 85 degrees the day I was in Iowa. Now it's cool again, and I'm back to 40 mpg for my very short city commutes.

    As soon as it warms up properly, I'm going to wait for a calm day and take a 60 mph country drive and see what the mileage is.
     
    #3 daniel, Apr 23, 2004
  4. jasond

    jasond New Member

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    John, how many total miles do you have now?

    Something similar happened pretty suddenly to me.. I was getting 48 mpg per tank, give or take, then got two tanks at 50-51, and now my current tank is at 59 (would've been over 60, but someone else just drove my car for 6 miles and knocked me down two units :( ). The temp increase certainly helped, and my 40/38 tire pressure helped a little too, but I'm wondering if something "loosened up" at the same time.

    I'm approaching 7500 miles and 6 months.
     
    #4 jasond, Apr 23, 2004
  5. Medved

    Medved New Member

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    Seems like everyone is trying to "baby" it, and get great mileage right off the bat.

    Has anyone driven it hard for the first few months? To free up everything? Just wondering.
     
    #5 Medved, Apr 23, 2004
  6. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    I have 11,500 miles now.

    And back when I had 33,000 miles on the 2001 Prius, the same thing happened while on the Hybrid Road Rally. We drove 1,200 in 3 days really hard.
     
    #6 john1701a, Apr 23, 2004
  7. Medved

    Medved New Member

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    My brother, says that I am pretty hard on my cars anyway.

    Not that I abuse them, but I don't baby them either. Rail road tracks . . . slow down . . . why?? That is what the suspension is for! I don't go airborn, but I don't crawl over them either.

    Regardless, there are moving parts all around. Just like excersing your body, I think it might not be a bad idea to excerse the Prius. From John's comments, it seems like it improves MPG in the long run.
     
    #7 Medved, Apr 23, 2004
  8. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    In other words, don't stress out when you have to take a stressful trip.

    In the end, the MPG gain afterward is well worth the MPG loss from that demanding event.
     
    #8 john1701a, Apr 23, 2004
  9. Wolfman

    Wolfman New Member

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    Well Medved, I do slow down for RR tracks. We have several around where I live, that if you don't you stand to damage the vehicle. If I come across an unfamiliar one, I assume that the pavement is uneven, as I don't particularly want to be replaceing expensive suspension components. However, if you're familiar with the crossing, and it's smooth (we have a few of these as well), then no, it's just keep going.
     
    #9 Wolfman, Apr 24, 2004
  10. rflagg

    rflagg Member

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    That's especially true out in the country. Where I used to live in Michigan, if you were doing over 30 on some RR tracks, you were airborne. Also, every year there'd be at least two or three deaths from some dumbass who was drunk or asleep or just not paying attention who didn't slow for tracks where there was ONLY a sign, no lights, and boom - byebye vehicle, byebye person. As country dwellers know, trains out there will easily run 40-50+mph.

    -m.
     
    #10 rflagg, Apr 24, 2004
  11. Medved

    Medved New Member

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    As I said, I avoid going airborn. If the tracks or the road is uneven, I do slow down and take precautions. It also depends in what vehicle I am in. For example, I ususally drive my 4Runner, so clearance isn't a problem on most bumps. And aways strive to maintiain FULL control of my vehicle.

    I had my 83 Supra out today. Different car, different way to drive. I drive it in the power band. 3000 - 5000 RPM band prior to shifting. Not the most efficient way, but its a different vehicle for a different purpose.

    I would imagine that when I get the Prius, it will be a combination for driving styles. Diffenet needs, at different times.
     
    #11 Medved, Apr 24, 2004
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