We Bought it! Where do we begin? : )

Just drive it and enjoy it.
Try to watch the road more than you MPG display. I know that will be impossible, but try.
Get use to driving it and learning all about it.
Read the manual. Spend all day at work on your computer reading prius chat forums.
Hmmmm.
Oh... that's what I did.
Anyway...just enjoy it for now.

 

Welcome aboard! You're at the right place to read, comment & search for answers to your questions. There's alot of nice people here.

My comment - Enjoy the drive daily. Then on the weekend you and your wife need to take it out for a nice one hour drive to lunch. Or better yet, a 3 or 4 hour overnight trip!

Then hand wash wash and wax it. Then look at it!

 

Congrats and :welcome: to priuschat!

Safety first! If we went into an accident then all the extra efforts going into improving the fuel efficiency would be in vain.

Here is a place to start:
http://priuschat.com/forums/knowled...ussion/37214-why-don-t-i-get-epa-mileage.html

And this for inspiration:
CleanMPG Forums

 

I read a wonderful 'alternative owners manual' when I was learning my Prius, I found it delightful.

John's Stuff - Toyota Prius User-Guide

His entire site is good. John visits here as well. A great many wise folks visit here. Like the rest of the internet, you have to read all the opinions and choose the one's you believe.

 

Welcome! The car is such a great conversation starter. Theres so much to say about it.

Drive on the right hand lane always. You'll get cut off less.

 

:welcome: and enjoy the ride.

 

One obvious thing with that mileage - make sure that it has had its 10,000 mile service! If not, get it done with Toyota dealer/specialist. Any car should be serviced to manufacturer recommendations - especially Toyota's.

As for fuel consumption, read the manual, as this gives some tips as to what speed you should open the window or use the air conditioning if you get hot.

Drive the car normally not like a boy racer, and you should acheive 50 mpg plus with ease - thats imperial gallons! However short trips in slow moving traffic can result in a lower return than that. A longer run soon evens things out though.

As others have said keeping your eyes on the road rather than the display monitor will also help contribute to keeping both the car and driver in the best working condition.

 

Congratulations! You are going to have a lot
of fun in the next few weeks!

My first tip is: check the air pressure in your
tires and in the spare. Most people recommend
42/40 (front/rear) for the best mileage. That's
what I have and I noticed improved mileage
without any negative impact on comfort. By
the way, when I picked up my 2009 a couple of
months ago, the tires were at 31 psi and the
spare was at 42 (should be 60), so don't
assume that the previous owner kept the tires
properly inflated.

My second tip is: check out all the goodies you
can get to "pimp your ride" in the PriusChat store.
One of the best things to get is a Heat Shield
windshield visor. With all that glass, the Prius
gets HOT out in the sun!

My third tip is: clean out the cabin filter. You'd
be surprised at the crap that gets in there.

 

I am retired also, but 65.

Depending where you are in NY, you may want to come to the Green Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, the first weekend in May.