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Is This Good?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by bandgeek, May 29, 2005.

  1. bandgeek

    bandgeek New Member

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    O.K. I just got my first tank of gas and this is where the numbers fell. I drove exactly 500 miles (yes I had to drive once around the Costco parking lot to get it to turn over) and pumped 10.3 gallons. I added exactly .5 gallons after it clicked off the first time. Mileage works out to 48.4 MPG and the computer said 52.5. I figure that the dealer probably quit at the first click when they filled it up on delivery. If I subtract that half gallon from the total, it comes out to about 51 MPG or so. Most of this tank was a mix of highway and suburban roads. On the highway we averaged around 65 and I let the cruise control do most of the work as my foot isn't as sensitive as it is. The terain here is what I would call rolling hills. We are in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains so I wouldn't call it the Rockies but it isn't Florida either. The temperatures here have been running between 65 and 85 recently. Is this good for a first tank? I wanted to see if 1) I could gett 500 miles on the first tank and 2) get over 50 MPG on the first tank. I got the first and I think came very close on the second.

    The other thing I was wondering was how much further I could have safely gone. I went down to one bar on the fuel gauge at 456 miles and it started blinking at 496, then I got chicken and filled it up. The last thing I want to do is run out of gas in this thing. I am not that brave. What do you guys think you have left at one bar and when it starts to blink?

    Thanks for your input.

    I now feel very confident that this car can get EPA estimates.

    Dan
     
    #1 bandgeek, May 29, 2005
  2. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    your statement about the dealer quitting at the first click is why I've always said when you buy a Prius and your going to track your mileage the first stop is a gas station to completely fill the car. Just an accurate baseline to reference all further calculations on. I personally think you did very well for a first tank with the car not broken in yet. I'd say very good. Congrats on a good selection for a new car.
     
    #2 Frank Hudon, May 29, 2005
  3. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    as far as how far you can go on that blinking bar... that is actually a tough question to ask. answers on this forum will range from 150 miles to as little as 15.

    but for the first tank, you did a great job... much better than average for a first tank. as your car gets broken in, your mileage will also increase. i now have 13,000 miles on my car and am getting about 1-2 mpg more than i was at 1000 miles.

    my driving may have improved a little, but like you, i rely on cruise control a lot (mostly out of laziness) so my improvement in technique wouldnt play as large a roll in my extra miles.
     
    #3 DaveinOlyWA, May 29, 2005
  4. Moby Whaley

    Moby Whaley Junior Member

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    Bandgeek,

    I have 40,000 miles on my Prius 04. Sounds like you got excellent milage to me. Oh by the way, good choice of a new car!

    have fun passing the pumps.

    Moby Whaley




     
    #4 Moby Whaley, May 30, 2005
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    That is a really good figure for a first tank! Keep it up!
     
    #5 Tideland Prius, May 30, 2005
  6. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    Plus lots of highway driving. I can't get much better than upper 40's to low 50's avg MPG if I am on anything one would consider a highway. However, I can get upper 50's and sometimes 60's if I go on main roads, averaging 45-50 MPH.

    Now that I have become reaquainted with a friend on the other side of the bay, I'll have to get used to low 50's for tank averages.
     
    #6 DanMan32, Jun 1, 2005
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