One Year and 17K Miles Later . . . 52.7 MPG & More!!

I drove home my 2007 SPM Prius on August 13, 2007, and I have enjoyed every moment of the ride since then. I’ve had some worries, but thanks to the great folks who share info and help on PC, I’ve learned a tremendous amount and have had my fears allayed. Thank you, all, for helping me to enjoy this car more than any I've had before!!

Here are the basic stats to share from my first year:

Mileage:

Miles: 17,493
“Lifetime†MPG (MFD): 52.7
Current Trend (past 2,000 miles): 58.6
“Lifetime†fuel cost: $1,157.53 or $0.067/mile
Low Tank: 36.5 MPG from Jan 31 to Feb 17, 2008
High Tank: 61.1 MPG from Jul 27 to Aug 5, 2008

Issues/Mods:

Repair work: None.
Maintenance: Oil/Filter at 5K, 10K & 15K and Cabin Air Filter at 15K
Mods: None permanent, but I used grill blocking through the winter and early spring.
Tire Pressure: Varied tremendously from recommended levels up to max pressure (44/42) and sometimes beyond (see Tony Schaefer for more info on doing this). For the past few months I’ve continued to experiment, though I see what I believe to be a noticeable increase in mileage by moving up from 42/40, and I have not felt the ride to be uncomfortable.

Problems: One tire appears to have a fault, but this has not yet been worked out with the dealer.

Plans: Install Engine Block Heater before winter begins!!!

PriusChat Stats:

646 Posts
15 Threads Started (Grill Blocking Summary Article was the best, so far!)
1 Friend (Thanks Rae Vynn!!)
0 TOTM Nominations

Please share your comments, observations & recommendations.

a priori

 

Thank you, Jim!

You've been one of the many people whose regular contributions to PC have made a big difference for me. I'm no hypermiler (except, of course, for the fact the Prius just makes it happen, to a certain degree), but I have learned more about my car so that I can increase my mileage. Still, learning to increase mileage has been one of the lesser benefits of joining the PriusChat community. I've learned so much more about the Prius, and I now feel I can be a better "ambassador" who can express with more confidence the many amazing and beneficial aspects of this great car.

I also would like to add this: I have found that sharing even some of the more "mundane" observations about our driving experiences is likely to provide help to someone else. I hope to be able to contribute more helpful things as I mature in my Prius experience, but I really look forward to learning more from our growing community.

I'd like to name those who have been such great help to me, but I am certain I'll forget to name all -- it would be a great disservice, and it would not advance the cause as well. I would like to emphasize the fact that anyone can offer really valuable help simply be recording observations and asking pertinent questions. You don't have to have contributed 4,000 posts or established a lifetime MPG of 60 in order to make a difference at PC!

 

For the benefit of those who may want the answer to your question:

No, I have not left the MFD screen untouched. I reset at each fill and record the information. I keep it on a spreadsheet, along with the information about the gas purchase.

You can see each tank as I've recorded it at GreenHybrid.com. See the info in my footer below: