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PRIUS GAS MILEAGE SUCKS

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by westex39, Aug 19, 2007.

  1. westex39

    westex39 New Member

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    Just filled up today. Gas mileage was 38.7 mpg. No where near the 60 mpg Toyota said I was suppose to get. I live in West Texas where it is flat. I drive like you would expect a 68 year old would drive. I don't poke around and I keep up with traffic. If I had known that the gas mileage was going to be this bad I would have kept my pick up.
    My Prius has 1716 miles on it. Does anybody think the mileage will get any better with time and mileage?
    I notice the new gas mileage figures for 2008 are 48 city and 45 highway. This is still more than I'm getting.
    If I had it to do over I wouldn't buy a Prius.
    What are some of the forum members getting for city gas mileage?
     
  2. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    I am confident that if you drove your pick up truck in the same manner that you drive your Prius your mileage figures were in single digits.

    :rolleyes:
     
  3. westex39

    westex39 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Aug 19 2007, 05:45 PM) [snapback]498830[/snapback]</div>
    The gas mileage for the 2007 Chevrolet 1/2 ton were about 16 miles per gallon. This was with a 4.8L engine with 3.23. gears in a 2 wheel drive.
     
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    It's your driving habit most likely.....

    My car averages 46-47mpg under my normal driving style yet my buddy can borrow my car and drop the milage to 38-40mpg in no time at all. He also drives his truck and race cars very erratically so if he is driving my car like he does his cars then I can see why. So IMO you may need to rexamine your driving style and entertain the idea of changing it up a little bit. I've driven race cars on the street for 13yrs and I've been able to adapt and I feel much better for it. ;)

    You might want to do the math on the gas milage difference between your truck and the Prius and then calculate the actual money spent on gas. You will quickly find that higher mpg numbers can take a big hit but the actual money spent on gas doesn't flucuate nearly as much as it does with vehicles that attain poor mpg numbers like most trucks tend to do when driven the same way.

    IE a 1mpg difference (15-16mpg) on a 2007 Dodge Ram truck is similar to a 7mpg difference (46-53mpg) on a 2007 Prius. Make sense? The numbers are not exact but I've done the calcs a bunch of times and the idea is sound.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 03:48 PM) [snapback]498832[/snapback]</div>
    That is about what my 2002 Chevy 1/2ton 2wd std.cab got if I wasn't doing burnouts and drifting corners. So that statement is accurate IMO.
     
  5. seasalsa

    seasalsa Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    It depends on the length of the trips, temperature, tire pressure and load. With a 35 mile commute, temps in the 70's, Tires at 42 front 40 rear and not hauling a lot of junk, I average 48-52 with no problem.
     
  6. Malarkey

    Malarkey New Member

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    I do mostly highway driving but occasionally I'll do 20ish miles straight of nearly all city and I keep an eye on it when doing this, to see how it does.

    In all cases I'm able to get greater than 50MPG without doing anything special and while at least keeping up (or leading) traffic.

    The one thing I don't do is frequent short tips. Those really kill your MPG - if you're doing less than 5 minute trips on a regular basis that might be the problem.

    I have about 1300 miles on mine and my first tank was around 55MPG, second was about 51, this tank is about 52 so far - again, that's probably 80% highway.
     
  7. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    Start here http://priuschat.com/New-owner-Want-MPG-he...rst-t15311.html and http://priuschat.com/index.php?autocom=art...rticle&id=3.

    Toyota never said you were supposed to get 60 mpg city. They can only legally report the EPA mileage ratings. See http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml and http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml for details on the tests. For the 08 model year and beyond, they added additional tests, hence the new ratings for all vehicles.

    As for "The gas mileage for the 2007 Chevrolet 1/2 ton were about 16 miles per gallon. This was with a 4.8L engine with 3.23. gears in a 2 wheel drive." are you stating EPA numbers or what you actually got under similar driving condtions and habits?

    BTW, have you looked at http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/bu...s-206/index.htm? One more thing, I have no idea what truck you're talking about, but as a point of comparison, when Consumer Reports reviewed an 07 Silverado 1500 LT 4WD w/5.3L V8, and 4 speed auto, they got 10 city/20 highway, 14 overall (EPA ratings were 16/20) vs. 35 city/50 highway and 44 overall for the Prius.

    FWIW, my lifetime mileage so far is ~45.8 mpg.
     
  8. NYPrius1

    NYPrius1 Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    I have my car since last month....... I got 50 MPG From The Dealer to my house on the first day. :p
    The trip was about 35 miles, 25 HWY 10 City.

    Since than I have been in the mid 50's.... B)
    My best tank so far a bit over 56 MPG. :lol:
    I don't know how you are driving to get in the mid 30's. :unsure:
    I still have not even tried the ideas here to get better MPG???? :unsure:
     
  9. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Ok, so your truck:

    15,000 miles annually / 16mpg x $3.00 per gallon = $2812.50 annual gas bill


    Your Prius:

    15,000 miles annually /38mpg x $3.00 per gallon = $1184.21 annual gas bill


    This is not even taking into consideration how much you save on maintanence for brakes, oil etc. The emissions should be important to you as well but not everyone cares beyond their own personal bubble so I cannot expect anyone to see that as a benefit to the Prius.

    If you could somehow pull off the low EPA rating of 46mpg then you would spend $978.26 on your annual fuel bill.
     
  10. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    I'm thinking driving habits too.

    My guess is the AC is being used liberally as well.

    Try gliding to stops, easing on the starts and raising your tire pressure a bit. Take all of the extra stuff out of the car you're carrying around "just in case". It's all dead weight. Practice up on the pulse and glide and you could raise it even more.
     
  11. IndyDoug

    IndyDoug New Member

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    Turn off your AC and then come back and tell us how your MPG is doing.
     
  12. brick

    brick Active Member

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    Didn't they raise your interstate speed limits to 80mph last year? Do you spend much time at that kind of speed?
     
  13. pewd

    pewd Clarinet Dude

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    for the OP -

    what tire pressure are your front tires set to?
    how about the back tires?
    how long is your average trip?
    when you come upon a stop sign or light,
    do you run right up to it then hit the brakes firmly?
    or take your foot off the gas several hundred meters prior to the stop and coast?
    what temp is your a/c set to?
    how much stuff are you hauling around in the back?
    is the air inlet vent in the back seat for the battery clear or blocked?
    do you accelerate from a stop firmly, or very gently like grandma does, or do you floor it?

    on my daily commute, mostly highway, 22 miles one way, i'm presently running about 50 mpg

    in the city, very short trips to the store, e.g., less than 2-3 miles before shutting down, i run about 40 mpg, sometimes less. going across the street to get groceries, its much less - more like 20mpg for the 1/2 mile round trip to the store.

    city traffic, longer trips, 5-10 miles, its more like 44.

    so it varies widely, depending on your habits.

    its still triple what i got in my jeep

    and no one gets the epa rating mileage - my jeep was rated 20, i never got much better than 16-7, and usually closer to 15 ; about 20% lower than the epa rating. drop that 60 rating on the prius 20% and you're looking at 48, which is much more realistic for most of us. e.g., epa ratings are as valid as a politician 'promising' they'll do something for us...
     
  14. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    Toyota doesn't say you will get 60, that's the EPA's figure, which all manufactures are required to use. The new figures reflect the EPA's new method of calculating mileage.

    Did you calculate this mileage based on miles driven and gas put into the Prius? If so, that won't work. The fuel bladder in the U.S. model introduces variability into the tank volume. You either have to use the figure calculated by the Prius, or do manual calculations over a large number of tanks to reduce the error to an acceptable level.

    As other posters have noted, mileage varies a lot based on driving technique and the type of driving. Short trips are hard on mileage. If I do nothing but drive around our little village, my mileage will drop into the 40s. Driving to Traverse City will get summer mileage into the mid 50s. If the engine is warmed up before I stop for gas, I can get 60 mpg on the trip back from Traverse City.

    Another poster stated this, but I'm going to say it again in a slightly simplified manner. The mileage on all cars and trucks varies. You don't see as much variation on a big truck since they get crappy mileage all of the time. Also, the difference is larger on a Prius because of the good mileage. A 20% swing at 10 mpg is 2 mpg. A 20% swing at 50 mpg is 10 mpg.

    Tom
     
  15. PriusOwner004

    PriusOwner004 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 05:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>

    Interesting. I just met a Prius owner in his upper 60s also and he said he's getting 39 to 41 in his 2006.
    Anyway, I live in a hot climate (Livermore, Cali, gets to over 100 summer time), I use the A/C at low fan 78F temp. Fairly flat with some hills here and there and I am getting 50 to 55. My lowest was 48.

    It's disappointing to hear the EPA lowered its estimate for the Prius. 45 highway? This is ridiculous! I've never got less than 50 highway. 48 city it's not such a stretch, since at times I do get that low, though rarely.


    What could kill your MPG is short trips. When my wife goes to the grocery store, she comes back with HORRIBLE MPG, 39 to 41. She drives normally. I can go on short trips and still get 48 to 50 using certain techniques.
     
  16. likesmpg

    likesmpg Junior Member

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    I mostly use the car to get to work; 30 miles round-trip, no AC, tires 42/40, generally flat ground, about 25% of the distance on the freeway going ~60mph. I get about 55-60mpg highway and 70-80mpg city for tank averages in the 60-65mpg. The Prius gas mileage is excellent.
     
  17. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    1)First and foremost you need to check your tire pressures. Often at delivery they are far too low. Most of us recommend something in the range of 42psi in front and 40psi in rear. If you find that too harsh of a ride then back down to 38/36.

    2)If, after 1000 or so miles of changing your tire pressure and reading the articles referenced above you still are not in the mid-40s at least then you should see your dealer and ask them to check the alignment. Although this usually doesn't cause a huge impact on FE it can be measurable and often, from the ship ride, they arrive with significant toe-in.

    3)Don't be offended when we say it has to do with your driving style. We have almost all modified our driving style, at least marginally, with the Prius to take full advantage of its features and maximize our fuel economy. Major things to think about are anticipating stops and slow downs early. If you know you have to stop get off the gas as early as possible and let the car glide to the stop sign/light. If it's a light and you can slow down early and time it such that you don't have to come to a complete stop before it changes back to green then all the better. Increase your following distance behind other cars so that if they slow to turn you don't have to slow as much or as abruptly.

    4) Drive the speed limit. You'll be suprised that you will keep up with the majority of traffic even staying at the speed limit b/c instead of racing to stop lights and waiting the whole time you'll just be rolling up to the light as it changes. They'll speed ahead and you'll catch them at the next light. You'll make fewer adjustments to your speed as you won't get behind someone, slow down, then speed up again to pass them...maintaining a steady speed will significantly help your FE. While it may feel slow at first you'll get used to it and, I believe, ultimately feel like a more relaxed and happy driver...and as a side benefit you'll be safer as well.

    5)Give it time. You've got what, 4 tanks of gas? I drive what you have on your car in a month. New tires take about 2000 miles to fully break in. The car will take about 6000 miles to fully break in the mechanical parts. And you will take time to get a feel for the subtleties. I have about 64k miles on my '04. I averaged just under 50mpg my first year. Over the past year I'm averaging about 62mpg...and I get better all the time as I learn more and more how to squeeze every bit out of this amazing car.

    Finally, if you can't make most of the adjustments above then you have to be willing to accept the consequence of your choices...the consequences in this case being less than ideal FE. The EPA numbers are estimates and averages...some people will exceed them, some will be under them...they are not guarantees for you no matter how you choose to drive. You can choose to drive in a way to exceed them or in a way that will leave you short of them. That's the American way, you get to choose.
     
  18. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Aug 19 2007, 04:45 PM) [snapback]498858[/snapback]</div>
    Livermore gets a lot hotter than San Jose so that probably helps your mileage. FWIW, my worst "tank" was my 1st one at ~38 mpg (45.1 mpg on the MFD). My trips aren't short (28-32 mins typically to work, ~20 mins of it highway) and I can only manage tanks above 50 mpg if I try really hard to keep it below 70 mph on the highway.

    On my commute which is mostly on highway 85, you'll get passed constantly if you go 70 mph, even though the limit is 65.

    From what I've observed on here, it seems that 04 (and maybe 05) owners are able to achieve better mileage than those w/06+ Priuses.
     
  19. hschuck

    hschuck Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 03:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    Sounds to me like he op is basing his mpg on a single tank manual calculation. I wonder what the mfd reported for that tank mpg. I believe it is normally accepted that the mpg readout is on the order of 1.5 to 2 percent high whereas fillup to fillup can easily have a variance of several gallons which can be on the order of 20% or more.
     
  20. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>
    I get between 65 and 85 MPG in the city.