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FNG here at Prius Chat from Minnesota...

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Tuck, Jun 13, 2008.

  1. Tuck

    Tuck New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2008
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    Location:
    Pine City, Mn.
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius


    I'm an industrial Designer from Pine City, Minnesota...

    Started doing research a year ago on hybrids and found one for my retired mom...

    loved the design so much I bought one too...

    I've been lurking here for a year... just decided to be polite and intro-

    Thanks,
    Tuck
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 Tuck, Jun 13, 2008
  2. orracle

    orracle Whaddaya mean "senior" member?

    Joined:
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    Gurnee, IL
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
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    Two
    Welcome. Pull up a chair and sit awhile. Count your blessings for having a Pri while so many others go without:mod:
     
    #2 orracle, Jun 13, 2008
  3. hypnogirl

    hypnogirl New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    wisconsin
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    How do you like your Prius in the Minnesota winters?
     
    #3 hypnogirl, Jun 13, 2008
  4. Ray Monroe

    Ray Monroe New Member

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    Rockford, IL
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    2008 Prius
    Hiya Tuck,

    Nice to have you aboard. Good folk and good info here. Hope to be hearing from you again!

    Ray
     
    #4 Ray Monroe, Jun 13, 2008
  5. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2004
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    Location:
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Nice to have another Midwest introduction.
    Keep up the good work.
     
    #5 ericbecky, Jun 13, 2008
  6. Tuck

    Tuck New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2008
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    Location:
    Pine City, Mn.
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    I love it...
    I was amazed at how much snow it would go though... and how well the traction control worked.

    The car starts -30 below ferinhite... sitting out side with no block heater.

    Overall I'm pretty impressed...
    a lot of friends gave me heat for buying a prius...
    now almost every one of them want one too...

    I do not know...
    I guess the fact is there is no other mid sized car out there that gets this kind of mileage...

    Tuck
     
    #6 Tuck, Jun 14, 2008
  7. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
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    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2018 Chevy Volt
    Model:
    Premium
    Whether in so cal OR MT ... the block heater is KILLER. You GOTS to get the block heater. It makes a ton of difference.

    Edit:
    If you're from Minnesota, why'd you join the Florida National Guard? :rolleyes:
    Actually I came back because of a real question. The Motor Home drivers where I work (including 4X4'ers, Toy Box haulers, Sand cars, etc) all despise hybrids. 100% of them ... and there are over a dozen. Their take is that, "I don't care HOW much I have to pay for gas ... I'm not changing my lifestyle". How is it that you managed to break away from that mold?
     
    #7 hill, Jun 14, 2008
  8. Tuck

    Tuck New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2008
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    Location:
    Pine City, Mn.
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Florida National Guard... haha... nice.

    You know.... I joined for the one weekend a month, it gets cold up here. :)

    I have a buddy that works at a stone plant-
    100 percent of them despise hybrids too- but were talking about high mileage cars the other day... point blank my buddy asked why not a prius. Crazy... but they all scoffed...

    Its interesting for sure...

    So I'm guessing the block heater makes a difference in mileage huh?
     
    #8 Tuck, Jun 16, 2008
  9. FireEngineer

    FireEngineer Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    SW-Side of Chicago, IL
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Only about 10-20 more MPG for the first 5 minutes and some of that carried over to the next 5 minutes depending on your driving style. And nice heat in the winter too.

    Wayne
     
    #9 FireEngineer, Jun 17, 2008
  10. Mnmike

    Mnmike New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2007
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    Location:
    Long Lake Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Here's a question about lower MPG and Minnesota winters.
    I have a 2007 #4 purchased in Aug 07. I've averaged 48 for the 13 months I've owned it - 52-54 in the summer and 42 in the winter. I'm not a technical person - what are the options to improve winter MPG?
     
    #10 Mnmike, Sep 28, 2008
  11. priusuk2008

    priusuk2008 New Member

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    CAMBRIDGESHIRE
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    2008 Prius
    Talk to the Fire Engineer (earlier poster) and he'll put a block heater in for you, at a modest charge of course. It could possibly make your winter mpg a lot closer to your summer mpg (others on here will know better than me), just for that warm up period 1st thing on a cold morning. We're lucky it doesn't get that cold here, but I still have to go through a full winter so I'll know more on mpg deterioration next Spring.
     
    #11 priusuk2008, Sep 29, 2008
  12. max9952001

    max9952001 Plugging In

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2008
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    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    The block heater will help. I used to see about 25mpg for the first 5 minutes, now get 50mpg even in 70 degree weather.

    Also, speed makes a HUGE difference. I used to drive 70 mph all the time on I35, but would average 35mpg in winter, 45mpg in summer. Cut that to 60 mph and now I see over 55mpg all summer - not sure on the winter numbers yet, but I'm sure the slower speed and EBH will help.

    BTW, the EBH install is a piece of cake. Just read the posts on this forum which are excellent and buy the $50 part.
     
    #12 max9952001, Sep 29, 2008
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