Sorry newbie questions

the first 20ish miles of a new tank of gas is usually all over the place. not uncommon for me to arrive home from the gas station with 2 miles and 90 mpg on the display, but my tanks always end up in the 50+/-4 mpg range.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(momfortheenvironment @ Jul 11 2006, 04:01 PM) [snapback]284661[/snapback]</div>

Tips? Well there are a ton...just do a quick search and you will find some great threads about this.

A few things - passengers will kill your MPG, also check your tire pressures cold (should be 42 front / 40 rear), and look for the best route with the most flat or downhill driving.

EV mode - also a lot of threads on this...but the basics - All Prius have the capability of running in forced all-electric mode. The models here do not have the factory switch installed in the dash to activate this mode, but it does exist in the car's computer.

There are a few ways to activate this mode:
1. Coastal Tech's module - you can buy from them at www.coastaletch.com (uses cruise control lever to activate EV mode, without effecting any cruise control functions)
2. Headlight mod - you can use the flash of the high beams to activate the mode (requires a little bit of wiring, there are threads about this too)
3. Adding a switch - either a factory switch or you can get one somewhere like Radio shack

EV mode is fun, but hasn't really been proven to yield and significant MPG increases (in fact if you are not careful you can quickly lose MPG!)

That is just the basics...there is a lot more on the forum already.

Hope you are having fun with your new baby!

Mike

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mssmith95 @ Jul 11 2006, 08:33 PM) [snapback]284695[/snapback]</div>

Never be sorry about a newbie question. I have had a Prius since 2001 and still have questions. You will go nuts if you watch the "current" mileage too much. It's what happens in two or three hundred miles that really counts. If you do watch the current mileage it will help you see that when you let up on the accel. pedal you can get better mileage on flat and downhill sections of the road. Many people do use the bar graph or the Energy screen to help change their driving techniques but as they say on TV - "You're results may vary!" :mellow:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marjam @ Jul 11 2006, 06:25 PM) [snapback]284715[/snapback]</div>

Don't be sorry at all everone is a newbie, then, now and forever. I have seen a pattern in my driving over 2 years. I fill up on the way home so the car is heated up and ready to go. I start out with huge gas milage, then a few more trips, still below 1-200 miles on the tank and it goes up and down. After 250-300 miles it steadaly goes up through the rest of the tank. The car computer averages.