Test Drive Challenges

Yeah, test driving a Prius around Austin is tough. Is the Enterprise that is behind the Charles Maund Toyota dealership no longer renting Prii? I know someone who rented one there to test drive it (this was maybe a year ago). I was only able to test drive one when I was at my folk's house in the Philadelphia area. I had an order with Maund but I ended up buying out of state.

Where are you located? I might let you drive my Prius (if I get to keep driving it that is--my boyfriend took posession of it this morning because he just started working at Dell, and we figured his 20 mile drive justified the Prius more than my 7 mile commute). Though, this might be some elaborate kidnapping scheme ... (j/k... but when I was selling my car on my own, my friend were worried about something happening to me when I met guys to let them test drivew).

 

I test drove a used 2004 Prius at Universal Toyota in San Antonio. San Marcos Toyota usually has a few on the lot, but they wanted over MSRP the last I checked.

 

Blulou...any luck..try Houston dealers., + my local dealer get them...he had 2 for about 2 wks???~!!! Now I think I just saw the last one go yesterday. If you need help getting or test ride..contact me..I'll see what I can do around here., heck if you come here sometimes, give me a shout, I'll let you look at mine.

[email protected]

 

Great., Let us know when you get it, and if you need any help or have any questions about the car

 

I had no trouble getting a test drive of a Prius at Cavendar in San Antonio last April, and I've already got the car.

David

 

Boy us Texas boys sure don't talk much in this forum...HEY TEXAS., how are the PRI'S doing in the summer HEAT....

 

Fine, I've got about 2000 miles on it so far and I'm averaging between 47 and 52 mpg in mixed city and highway (with the AC on full blast much of the time).

 

Oznoyng

You're doing great, and better then me..I am kind of stuck with a lot a short trips, so I get only 43-49 MPG. Learning and it is getting better. How's the car doing and any problems...or caveats..I am pretty knowledgeable but can sure stand to learn more..

Maybe you guys in Austin ought to have a get together rally, and send it out and a bunch of us will get there...Get the Media in on it and it'll really get things going. In S.E. Texas the car is still a novelty, or considered one of them tree hugger cars..Heck our dealer has em on the lot and they don't sell locally..I can only shake my head. My co workers thought I was crazy when I dumped my guzzler..The only thing that works is when I am at a gas station..I fill up after 450 miles or so, and put in about 9.8 gal and pay about $21.00, while they put in 18-25 gallons after about 250 miles and pay close to $50 sometimes..NOW that really gets their attention!! I want Toyota to keep making this car and people to consider the car, it will help this country, environment and save money too..so I hope we all can help out, no matter what political views we all have.

 

I just follow the suggestions on the site and pay attention to the car. I could probably do significantly better on the mileage, but I like to use a lead foot a bit too much and AC is a mpg killer during the summer. I do not find my best mileage occurs in stop and go traffic. Picking a different route to work made a big difference because I can tool along on a gentle downward slope for 6 or 8 miles and climb a steep hill for half a mile, instead of constantly going up and down hills and starting and stopping.

When it is on, AC sucks battery and reduces how much you can use the electric motor to run the car. I have a little stretch on my commute from a major road into my neighborhood. If the AC is on, I can't even maintain speed with the electric motor. If the AC is off, I can go the whole way in, accelerating slowly to a good speed, on the electric motor. I expect that when things get a bit cooler around here, we'll be getting higher mileage since the AC will be off most of the time. Of course, then the temp gets below 50, it'll get worse again.

The 60/51 is achieveable in my opinion, but in temperature extremes, on short drives, on unfavorable terrain, and with a lead foot, the reality seems like it is more like 40. The Prius is no different from any other car in the respect that each of those contribute to bad mpg, the problem is that a 5 percent reduction in mpg for a 60 mpg Prius is far more noticeable than for a 25 mpg sedan. With a 25 mpg sedan, you hardly notice the 1 mpg difference. With the Prius, the same 5 percent is 3 mpg. For AC, which can take 20 percent of your mpg, it is a whopping 12 mpg lost on a prius versus 5 on a sedan.

Probably the biggest thing a Prius does for you is illustrate the effects of the choices you make on your gas mileage. What you learn on a Prius extends to other cars. Constant feedback from the display on your mpg makes you conscious of your driving habits and their effect upon mpg. You train yourself to be a different driver (assuming you care about mpg and make a game of maximizing it). The lessons learned carry over when you are driving other cars.

 

Another quick note about the AC. I keep my Prius outside tyhe house at the moment. (Anyone want to buy a 240 gallonfish tank taking up space in my garage?) If I managed to park it under shade all the time, I suspect that alone would increse my mileage by a few mpg. By the time I get in the car sometimes, it is sweltering inside and takes full AC for quite a while to cool down.

 

Good post Oznoyng., Yea it is hot., and the AC is a killer right now. I try and not use it in the evenings and early mornings., or when I can stand it, if I don't have the wife with me. Parking inside probably would help too, I have to have it outside. Galaxee had good driving points, with the tricks about feathering and acceleration. Her husband is a Toyota Tech., and both are a wealth of information. Having feedback during driving is good, and note the 50/61 is an EPA mileage test that usually uses LAB and Perfect conditions, it is not real life, now that is not to say that you cannot sometimes exceed or closely match it..but in such cases a good deal of constant effort has to be made to obtain the results. All in all it is sure better than the 15-16 MPG my 2002 Explorer was giving me.