New Owner Observations

Cool! I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your new car!
We have 2100 miles on ours now (been road-trippin')
The fuel economy will keep increasing, as long as you let the car teach you how to drive it
We are up to about 52 mpg now, average (based on about 5 tankfulls.. unfortunately, I didn't track from the very first tank)
It's a lovely car. Enjoy

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Family Hybrid @ Jun 3 2007, 08:43 PM) [snapback]454651[/snapback]</div>

Hey and welcome to the future!

 

Greetings Family,
Have you tried backing up a steep driveway, road or incline?
Mine will not back up, especially starting from a stop. I am trying to contact a Toyota engineer/designer because the service department says the car checks out just fine.
It seems to me that a car should be able to back up any slope that it can handle in forward.
Thanks for any feedback you have. If you live in flat country, you will have a hard time getting an answer to my question.
Thanks,
Stu
[email protected]


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Family Hybrid @ Jun 3 2007, 07:43 PM) [snapback]454651[/snapback]</div>

 

I find that if I want the front windows all the way down I need to lower the rear window(s) 2-4 inches to avoid the vibrations. The vibrations also do not start until around 50 mph.

Congrats on your new car. This has been the first vehicle that I have not had any buyer regrets what so ever. I loved my F250 but it was big and not very fuel efficient.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Jun 4 2007, 07:48 AM) [snapback]454874[/snapback]</div>

yeah that works for me too, my son in the back likes the rear window open, and the vibrations are horrible, but if I lower the front one on the same side about 2 inches it takes care of it.

If you are like me and most Prius owners you absolutely love your new car. Congratualtions.

I imagine the short trip errands are killing your gas mileage, mine had 5 miles on it when I pulled off the lot. On my 10 - 15 mile highway trip home first time driving it I averaged 52 MPG. After I learned how the car uses and stores energy it steadily increased slightly. You may also want to look at your tire pressure, the door panel says 35 front, 33 rear, but you will notice significant gains by going at least 40 fr, 38 rear. It is not dangerous and you wont lose much handling if any at all.
I am now up to 61 MPG on my current tank (I don't do any of the pulse and glide stuff you will often read about). But I do know how to glide down a slope, drive with battery only on the highway for short periods, and time a stop light.

Good Luck and welcome to Prius Chat.

 

This sounds great! I'm expecting mine and it's always great to read new observations. This is also my first car in general which i've realy been saving up for, so this is great homework for me.

I think #1 surprized me the most. My two friends with priuses say they drive alot and fill up every two weeks, roughly, so now 'm curious how i'll do.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(whitespider @ Jun 4 2007, 09:34 AM) [snapback]454895[/snapback]</div>

There is a learning curve, but even my wife 24 y/o lead foot wife can manage 50 mpg with it on the highway. I really don't understand how people get low numbers, I think they all must accelerate like they are driving in the Daytona 500 and the pace car went off.
If I drive it like a normal car I easily have gotten 54 with about a 70/30 percent highway/city split. (about 5 over the speed limit avg.)

 

We're 17 days into our Prius. My wife drives like she did her old car and she's easily getting 48mpg. We've filled up twice and we're at 760 miles oh ODO. Lately she's been turning off the MFD when I drive because I pay too much attention to it. Frankly the Prius is alot of fun to drive playing the MPG video game!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Family Hybrid @ Jun 3 2007, 08:43 PM) [snapback]454651[/snapback]</div>

I'm living in Virginia too.

Concerning the time delay with the door handle. I'm sure you'll most likely forget this be the time the weather turns cold again: If you have gloves on, it will take longer before the door will unlock. (It's somewhere in the manual.) And it's especially true if you're wearing heavy snow gloves. :mellow:

The Owner's manual and Navigation manual: If they're anything like theToyota Camry Hybrid (TCH) manuals, good luck. Excellent cure for insomnia! B) They'll put you right out.


Does you wife "need" to know the stuff you're reading about? I've had my TCH since last August, and I'm STILL learning things about it, even though I read the manuals cover to boring cover!


A suggestion for you: Since you have at least two (2) drivers, you should see about getting a spare SKS FOB. If I'm reading the messages in PC correctly, if you lose BOTH FOB's, you are in BIG trouble. Real Prius owners can elaborate. (I'm "only" a TCH owner/driver. )

 

You cant open just the back window in any 4 door car. It will always have wind wobbles. Just the front windows are ok just cruisin thru town though.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morpheusx @ Jun 4 2007, 11:11 AM) [snapback]454974[/snapback]</div>

Some have short trips where the ICE doesn't get a chance to heat up and unfriendly terrain doesn't help. At one time or another we are all probably guilty of presuming everyone everywhere can get our numbers. How would you feel if someone replaced the 50 with 60 and directed the comment to you? The game isn't trying to beat the other guy's mpg. It's trying to better your own. May you enjoy the car for a long, long time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Family Hybrid @ Jun 3 2007, 05:43 PM) [snapback]454651[/snapback]</div>

There is a longer time delay for the rear hatch as compared to the front doors. I have found that you have to be deliberate about pressing the lock button; if you press too lightly or not long enough it may not lock the door. But you should hear a confirmation beep and parking light flash when it locks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ Jun 4 2007, 08:42 PM) [snapback]455346[/snapback]</div>

I meant that as positive optimism, there are so many posts of people saying they didnt get the numbers they thought they would and I meant it that the numbers are truly there when you become more aware of how the energy screen works. It takes some practice and a little time. I really didn't mean to come off offending anyone.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Slair @ Jun 4 2007, 08:28 PM) [snapback]455339[/snapback]</div>

Never vibrated in my Oldsmobile, or my Saab 9000, or her Taurus , or her Explorer for that matter. And I mean vibrations that sound like a helicopter is landing on your roof.

 

I just returned from picking up my Prius in San Jose, CA. We live in Post Falls, ID.
I averaged 54.8 MPG. All highway.
I have had the car since last Thursday & love it so far.
Just wish it had power seats and heated seats. But, I can add those.

BTW -- How do you turn the microphone up? My wife says it is hard to hear me on the Bluetooth... Thanks!

 

Hi FamilyHybrid... and welcome to the best online Prius help & information site.

Here are a couple of helpful sites. As for the Owner's Manual, have a look at John's "User Guide H" found on his web site:

http://john1701a.com/

Navigate to :"Prius Info - User Guide H"

As for the NAVigation system, take a look at the Lexus online DVD... it's the same system except for the location of the deashboarde buttons. This runs best on a DSL or other high-speed Internet connection:

http://www.lexus.com/lexus-share/demos/LS/.../Lexus_nav.html

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(emtownsend @ Jun 5 2007, 03:13 PM) [snapback]456029[/snapback]</div>

Now, that's quite a trip to pick up a car.

Welcome. I see we now have another PCer in the Inland Northwest.

As for the phone, I just have to speak louder sometimes. I'm assuming now that the mike is the same as for the voice recognition. If that's so, the mike itself is near the dome light. I'm doing a search on that. If I'm wrong I'll correct this later.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stu1 @ Jun 3 2007, 07:45 PM) [snapback]454734[/snapback]</div>

Ours will back up a steep slope, but very slooowly.

Dave