Three Year Anniversary Report

On August 24, 2004, I drove Priapus off the lot of Libertyville Toyota. Three years and 36,000 miles later, I have a report to file.

The facts:
Total miles: 36,025
Total gallons of gas: 691.80
Lifetime Average MPG: 52.1
12-month rolling average: 57.7
Average time between fill-ups: 15 days
Average amount of gasoline pumped: 9.35
Highest Tank MPG: 66.7
Lowest Tank MPG: 40.3

Comparison:
Previous Car: 1997 Buick Regal
Average MPG: 22.51*
Gas required to travel 36,000 miles: 1,599.29
Gallons of gas saved: 907.49
*I tracked the Buick MPG for seven months while waiting for delivery of Priapus.

I've always found it difficult to calculate cost savings because of the great fluctuation of gas prices and the uncertainty of when I would have refilled the Regal. But I also don't care because money was not what I was thinking about saving when I got Priapus.

Click the >>Current Mileage<< link in my signature for all details and a chart.

I started breaking out the 12-month average because I felt the lifetime average was starting to flatten out and not represent the improvements I was getting year over year.

The only Mod I have is the EV button.
I stuff my grill when temperatures are consistently below 60ºF.
My tires are overinflated at 55f/53b. I went from 35/33 to 40/38 in July of 2006; check the results on the chart.


That's all I can think of. I will address questions as posed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 30 2007, 09:22 PM) [snapback]504667[/snapback]</div>

Rated at 44? I can't remember anymore. Whatever the Prius tire is rated at, yes, I'm running 55f/53b.

And for those just about to click the [Reply] button, I will not allow this to turn into a "you're out of your mind and that is dangerous and you ought to be taken out and shot" thread. One of those already exists: use the search function.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(oly_57mpg @ Aug 31 2007, 01:30 AM) [snapback]504757[/snapback]</div>

Sure, I'll go with that
So then I suppose I went from 44/42 to 50/48 in 2006. This was at the prodding of Wayne Gerdes and was a compromise from the 60/58 he wanted. At Hybridfest '07, I pumped them up to the current 55/53.

 

This is just 1" pipe insulation from the local hardware store. It comes with a slit down one side to allow you to wrap it around a pipe. If you look at the piece on the hood, you can see that I've cut it in half creating a half piece. Then look on the right side of my grill and you'll se that I've simply folded that half piece and shoved it into the grill.

Wayne Mitchell - FireEngineer - showed me this method. Others use different materials but achieve the same affect.

[attachmentid=11039]

Sorry for the darkness of the picture, but a Tideland with black pipe insulation doesn't seem to photograph well in a dark garage.

 

Pat and AOV,
The tires on an automobile have always factored into the car's suspension system and the smoothness of the ride. With that said, knowingly inflating the tires higher than the sidewall markings will stiffen the ride noticeably. To me, this is no different than replacing the stock shocks with stiffer shocks and then pointing out that the ride seems rougher. I notice the stiffer ride, make no mistake, but since I brought it on myself, you won't hear me complaining.

Daniel,
Like all things, it has its highs and lows. I am not sure I would have remained as enthusiastic about hybrid technology had I not been a Mod here. Then again, perhaps it is the enthusiasm that keeps me a Mod. (Chicken : Egg) Besides, I know as a fact that had it not been for PriusChat I would never have met all the great and open and friendly and down-right odd people that I have had the pleasure to interact with - electronically and personally - over the last three and a half years.