New forumite... with a question

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Jun 4 2007, 02:11 PM) [snapback]455037[/snapback]</div>

I understand that the Prius engine runs about 70% of the time on average, but is there any evidence that engines that run at higher RPMs are breaking down earlier than others? Even from other cars.

It seems to be a normal tear and wear issue but these days how many ordinary use cars lose their engines because they were revved too much?

 

Well, I can't address the '07, but I've been driving my '04 over two long, steep, windy mountains - one 2300 ft and the other 3000 ft twice a day for 3 years. It is a round trip of 136 miles. I've got 95K miles on it with no major hassles. As far as power goes, I only have a little problem going one way. going from home to work, I never have any problems climbing both hills - in fact, I have been known to punch it in the rare passing lanes to pass people going up the hill. Coming back from work, I have plenty of power over the first, and half way up the second. Generally, about half-way up the second mountain, the battery is pretty much at rock bottom, and I've got to climb the rest of the hill on the ICE only while charging. At this point, my hill climbing speed (and gas mileage) are pretty crappy. Fortunately, there are large, paved areas by the side of the road (intended for chain installation - in California, below 3k feet?) for me to slide over and let the crazed jacked up pickup trucks blow past me at 6mpg.

Overall, I find that I have plenty of power, but remember that that is plenty of power in a car that easily gets 45mpg. Don't compare it to a Mustang - but it will blow your Geo, Focus, etc off of the road.

 

Your perception of power will depend on what you are used to. Coming from a Honda Civic, my Prius felt like a real powerhouse. But if your last car was a Mustang, the Prius might feel weak.

However it will handle hills and mountains just fine

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ Jun 4 2007, 12:05 PM) [snapback]455075[/snapback]</div>

The difference is that conventional cars can be revved too high, or lugged to low. The Prius, by its totally new and different design, is always under the control of the computer. Further, engine speed is almost totally decoupled from vehicle speed, due to the unique drivetrain. As a result, the gas engine in the Prius has a much easier time of it than any other car. It never lugs, because it can run at its design rpms even when the car is standing still or just barely moving. And it never over-revs, because the computer will not let it.

You have nothing to worry about. This is, in all respects, one of the most reliable cars on the road.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Xabhice @ Jun 4 2007, 11:06 AM) [snapback]455033[/snapback]</div>

You got good answers on the power question, I think.

Mileage will suffer with the hills. With my driving habits, I would probably average about 40 - 45 MPG in mixed driving with a lot of hills close together. Most of the hills I go on here are long, 1 - 2 mile grades on highways. With those types of hills, the Prius ICE shuts off when you are coasting downhill for "99 MPG" on the display screen, but going uphill, the MPG drops to under 25 MPG. I would think that you would "coast" down the hill, but to get up the next one you may average under 20 MPG.

If you're buying solely on the issue of mileage, you could be disappointed. If you like the Prius a lot, then the extra mileage you get may be worth the price differential (if there is one between the Prius and the other cars you are considering). $5 or $6,000 buys a lot of gas, even at $5 a gallon.

I have a co-worker who just payed $18,000 for a Honda CRx, and she is happy with the lower price, more so than the gas mileage. Even my 52 MPG doesn't impress her, as she couldn't get the Prius she was thinking of for less than about $24,000. For me, I like the Prius performance and comfort far more than any of the other small cars I drove, so the extra mileage is a plus and makes the Prius suitable for me.

 

Take a test drive before buying. There are times when it'll sound like the clutch is slipping, but it's not, 'because there isn't one. Do not be alarmed: that sound is completely normal for Prius when maximum power is required.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fshagan @ Jun 4 2007, 10:14 PM) [snapback]455502[/snapback]</div>

This is extremely good advice. The Prius is NOT the cheapest transportation you can get, as there are cars whose price is so low that the gas price will never make up the difference. This is even more the case if you consider a reliable used car.

But the Prius is much more car, with many more features, and much more comfort, than any of those more economical ones. You get very good value for your money, but you are buying more than cheap transportation.

I got mine because I liked the technology, and because I wanted a clean car. The Prius, first and foremost, is the cleanest gas-burning car you can buy new today. (Yevette the EV E-'Vette is cleaner, but that's another story...)

 

I just got back from a 600 km secondary highway trip, with nice steep hills (glacial melt valleys). I had it on cruise most of the way, set at 105 km/hr - or about 67 MPH. Going up the steepest hill the car did not slow. I saw 4700 RPM peak going up that hill. On average "level" ground the engine runs around 2200 RPM at that speed. It varies quite a bit as well.

Now, I traded in a 2001 Pathfinder (the anti-Prius) - 240 HP, 265 lb-ft of torque - last week, when I got Pearl, my Prius. So I was used to lots of power. I'll tell you right now, on the above mentioned hill, the anti-Prius slowed. Same conditions (on cruise, weather the same). Pearl just powered up the hill.

Ditto when I passed a few trucks on this trip. I was amazed!

Oh yeah, and Pearl burned about 1/3 as much fuel on this trip as the anti-Prius did previously.