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My best tank (so far)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by brad34695, Jul 25, 2007.

  1. brad34695

    brad34695 New Member

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    Ok...I know many of you "veterans" beat this on a weekly basis, but after owning my '07 since March, I was very proud of myself for hitting 56 MPG for a tank. I never ran the A/C higher than medium, tires at 42/40 and drove 5-10% under the speed limit on all roads including the interstate. I had to share this.......

    Brad
    Tampa Bay Florida
     

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    #1 brad34695, Jul 25, 2007
  2. MaxLegroom

    MaxLegroom Junior Member

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    That's a pretty good showing. I just bought mine, and I'm working to keep it in the 50s. Last tank was about 53 mpg.
     
    #2 MaxLegroom, Jul 25, 2007
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    congrats!
     
    #3 Tideland Prius, Jul 26, 2007
  4. Green Hokie

    Green Hokie Member

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    Well done, Brad! Keep up the good work. I'm sure it won't be long until you get that 60+ mpg tank.
     
    #4 Green Hokie, Jul 26, 2007
  5. daveleeprius

    daveleeprius Heh heh heh you think so?

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Green Hokie @ Jul 26 2007, 06:55 PM) [snapback]485799[/snapback]</div>
    Wish I lived in a warm flat place instead of cool hilly Washington State...I'd get that kind of milage all the time. My best so far is 48.5mpg.
     
    #5 daveleeprius, Jul 26, 2007
  6. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Green Hokie @ Jul 26 2007, 07:55 PM) [snapback]485799[/snapback]</div>
    congrats, above 55 mpg is great. Keep up the great work, word of warning though once you hit 60, you start to get pissed when it falls a tad and nothing is more frustrating then a tank that you had in the 60's the entire time and lost it to a 58.6 or 59.x at the end of the tank. Grrrrr.
     
    #6 morpheusx, Jul 28, 2007
  7. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brad34695 @ Jul 25 2007, 11:26 PM) [snapback]485238[/snapback]</div>
    Congrats, Brad. Yeah, some might get better results, but in my case it took considerably longer than it did you. You're obviously a quicker study than me! :)
     
    #7 JimboK, Jul 29, 2007
  8. diamondlarry

    diamondlarry EPA MPG #'s killer

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brad34695 @ Jul 25 2007, 11:26 PM) [snapback]485238[/snapback]</div>
    Nice driving Brad! I predict a 60+ in the near future. Oh, morpheusx has a good point there. :D
     
    #8 diamondlarry, Jul 29, 2007
  9. brad34695

    brad34695 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(diamondlarry @ Jul 29 2007, 12:09 PM) [snapback]487101[/snapback]</div>

    Thanks for the word of encouragement guys. One quick question. Is there ANYTHING I can do to help get better gas milage on short trips? My son's schools is 5 mintues away. The grocery store, post office, places to eat out, a large shopping mall are all within a short few miles from where I live. Sometimes combining trips just isn't practical. On these short trips I am lucky to get 35 MPG, which hurts my overall tank MPG.

    I work as a real estate appraiser, so my job distance varies from 30 to 125 miles a day. I love going out and doing my field inspections becuase I am in the car for as long as 3 hours and I feel I have the car performing well at that time. If I am going in a house (and in a "safe neighborhood"), I do not shut the car off, I just shut the A/C and radio off to try and keep things "going". I live in Florida where it is usually warm and flat which I know helps. I have thought about purchasing the "Engine Block Heater" to help me on these short runs. Any sugguestions for the short trip advice would be great. Thanks in advance!!!

    Brad

    PS. I just pumped up all four tires today to 50 lbs psi, to help out.
     
    #9 brad34695, Jul 29, 2007
  10. christob

    christob Member

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    Well, I'm pretty sure this was my best tank so far, but alas, my goal of a 500 mile tank still eludes me... so close, this time!!
    493 today, at fillup, on a blinking pip; it took 9.3 gallons for a calc'd MPG of 52.8. (MFD showed 53.4 when I pulled into the station.)
    (Well, the pump shut off at 9.2, and I squeezed, force of habit, for a little more... 9.2 would have yielded 53.6 calc'd.)
     
    #10 christob, Jul 31, 2007
  11. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brad34695 @ Jul 29 2007, 07:31 PM) [snapback]487210[/snapback]</div>
    I used to not shut off my prius if i was going to be back in it in less than 10 minutes and did the same things that you say you do, then once i came back to my car after only 5 minutes and somehow lost 4 bars on the SOC (went from 6 to 2) and the engine was running when i came back, that is the last time i ever did it other then for stops under 2 minutes. I noticed an instant mpg increase ever since. I also read somewhere that if you park to where you dont have to reverse at engine startup (this is for all cars) somehow you can gain a few mpg, I do it but not quite convinced it really helps. Also a nice long quarter mile to half mile glide to a stop sign or red light on a short trip does wonders to the second graph. i usually manage about 35 first 5 min 75+ second 5 minutes
     
    #11 morpheusx, Jul 31, 2007
  12. pkittie

    pkittie Junior Member

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    After getting my 5000 mile tune up and started having my display screen on "map", instead of the info screen, I've started to get about 54 mpg (it's been constant for 3 tanks of gas). Since December, my best was around 48. And I live in L.A. With a lot of short trips.

    I don't know what I'm doing differently, or if the car has "warmed up" finally. But I like it!
     
    #12 pkittie, Aug 1, 2007
  13. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brad34695 @ Jul 29 2007, 07:31 PM) [snapback]487210[/snapback]</div>
    The block heater is among the best solutions to the short-drive, low-mpg scenario. If you're getting 35 MPG now on those runs, you could probably expect 50+ with the EBH.

    I also let the car stay on with short stops, 10-15 minutes max. I do this routinely without a significant drop in SOC, 1-2% typically as shown by Can-View. (Morpheusx, did you have the climate control on?) And if I have any security concerns about the neighborhood I turn off the MFD and lock the car. To lock it while running, exit the car with the driver's window open, then reach through the window to push the door luck button and close the window. You can unlock it with the manual key.
     
    #13 JimboK, Aug 1, 2007
  14. morpheusx

    morpheusx Professor Chaos

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Aug 1 2007, 07:31 AM) [snapback]488558[/snapback]</div>
    I probably did forget to turn the climate control off, If i remember correctly it was hot outside and i probably left it with the a/c engaged. My lesson now is to remember to touch off when leaving it.
     
    #14 morpheusx, Aug 2, 2007
  15. brad34695

    brad34695 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(diamondlarry @ Jul 29 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]487101[/snapback]</div>

    I'm HOPING your right. I have 4 "pips" left at 59.8 MPG. Will I also break a 600 mile tank? I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!

    Brad
     

    Attached Files:

    #15 brad34695, Aug 5, 2007
  16. diamondlarry

    diamondlarry EPA MPG #'s killer

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brad34695 @ Aug 5 2007, 06:11 PM) [snapback]490987[/snapback]</div>
    From the looks of that picture I'd say that 600 miles and 60 mpg are quite possible. Nice driving!
     
    #16 diamondlarry, Aug 5, 2007
  17. brad34695

    brad34695 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(diamondlarry @ Aug 5 2007, 06:18 PM) [snapback]490990[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks Larry.. You know, it's not easy going 50 MPH on a 65 MPH speed limit interstate in the right lane for about 15 miles. I did that today with cars passing me like I was standing still. Then I vaguely remembered a thread that someone posted (I don't remember who) who said that when groups of cars pass you, it creates some sort of "bow" wave to your car which helps increase MPG. At the looks of my 5 min screen, I would estimate I averaged about 50 to 55 MPG for that 15 mile strech. I'll take it!!!!

    Brad
     
    #17 brad34695, Aug 5, 2007
  18. diamondlarry

    diamondlarry EPA MPG #'s killer

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brad34695 @ Aug 5 2007, 06:49 PM) [snapback]490995[/snapback]</div>
    I'm not sure where I saw it either but yeah, it kind of ends up like you're surfing.
     
    #18 diamondlarry, Aug 5, 2007
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