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Are these numbers the same as yours?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Bryan5, Jul 13, 2008.

  1. Bryan5

    Bryan5 New Member

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    Well after reading thread after thread of people getting 50+ MPG on the highway, I'm curious why I don't get the same results. My car has 5300 miles on it, and I didn't get a "break-in boost" (at least I don't think I did). I live in an area that has virtually no hills--completely flat and boring. I took an 80 mile trip today; temperature was 90 degrees, 60% humidity (kind of low for the summer), no wind. This is the MPG I got at different speeds on the trip:
    45 MPH -- ~58 MPG
    55 MPH -- ~49 MPG
    65 MPH -- ~43 MPG
    70 MPH -- ~40 MPG
    Now I'm not disappointed by these numbers at all. I'm just curious why some people get 55+ MPG at 55 MPH, when I struggle to get 50. My tire pressure is 42/40, and there's no ethanol in the gas. I do purchase the discount gas at Kroger. Maybe that's the problem? I've never put any other kind in it. Thanks for reading!
     
    #1 Bryan5, Jul 13, 2008
  2. narf

    narf Active Member

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    Those number seem a bit low to me. My typical highway drive is at 65 MPH, and I usually get about 50 MPG for the trip. Crosswinds can drop the mileage significantly, but when there is no wind I can count on 50MPG.
    That's on a new 2008 Touring with less about 2000 miles on it and tire pressures at 40/38.

    Driving style makes a pretty big difference. I tend to use a pretty light touch on the throttle, and when I get no the highway I try to keep the meter from going below 25 mpg while I'm getting up to speed. It's those seconds of full throttle that can kill the mileage.
     
    #2 narf, Jul 13, 2008
  3. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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    Brtyan5,

    I guess that I'm one of the lucky ones, I recently got 59.4 @ 55-62 MPH
    on a 750 mi trip up and down the I-95 corridor.

    There are many possible reasons why you aren't achieving higher MPGs. I'll
    speak to an easily remedied possibility.

    My suspicion is that your efforts are being thwarted by not having a
    ScanGauge. To get up into the really remarkable MPGs, the SG is
    indispensable.

    How so? Well, cruising at a steady speed is not the way to get the highest
    possible MPGs. At 41MPG and up, the current hot practices are Pulse & Glide,
    and Super Highway Mode (SHM). (Use the search tool with these terms as
    the search terms. There are many threads that discuss them, and many lead
    off-forum to other hypermiling forums... very interesting.) To do either of
    these well, you have to have near-instantaneous readouts of ICE data that
    the MFD doesn't display. Things like RPMs, IGNition advance, throttle
    opening, and a bunch of other esoteric stuff as you chase higher and higher
    MPGs. (Do some searches on ScanGauge, they'll add more to the info pile.)

    So, in my experience/opinion, if you really want to get the big MPG
    numbers, you need to consider getting a SG.... at the PriusChat Store, of
    course.

    ( I have a SG, and if I take in out of the car, on unfamiliar routes my MPGs
    plummet.)

    One last thing, posters here have reported that an alignment problem, either
    front and/or rear, will really play havoc with MPGs. You might have it looked
    at if you've noticed any tendencies of the car to pull to either side on
    acceleration or braking/regen, or real squirrelyness in cross winds. You are
    supposed to get one free alignment by Toyota during the first year of ownership.
     
    #3 Rokeby, Jul 13, 2008
  4. NYPrius1

    NYPrius1 Active Member

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    At 65 MPH I get between 50 - 54 MPG. I have my tires set to 42/40. That helps a lot.
     
    #4 NYPrius1, Jul 13, 2008
  5. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Those numbers seem a bit low for steady speed driving. Are you entirely sure that there is no incline in that direction?

    1. Did you try driving the same stretch of road but in the opposite direction?
    2. What tires are on the car?
    3. What is your oil level?
    4. Was the car loaded with gear in the back?
    5. A/C on or Off? Is on what was the temp set for?
    6. Have you had your alignment checked?
    I understand these are basic questions but they have to be asked.
     
    #5 F8L, Jul 13, 2008
  6. Sheepdog

    Sheepdog C'Mere Sheepie!

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    after F8L's questions think of this: I was getting low mpg (for me) of 45-49 no matter what I did or tried to do. I just couldnt feel what to change. I then got a scan gauge. Everything is changed. I can see when my rpm is going or dropping. I can see exactly the effect of that slight push on the go peddle and how to maintain speed while letting off the peddle.

    The SGII helped me get to 53-55 mpg! Consider getting one if you can.
     
    #6 Sheepdog, Jul 13, 2008
  7. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    How certain are you about the wind? A headwind or crosswind as light as 5 MPH can cause a noticeable fuel economy hit. And were your windows down? That also can reduce FE at highway speeds. Better is to run the AC on the highway.
     
    #7 JimboK, Jul 13, 2008
  8. Bryan5

    Bryan5 New Member

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    Thanks everyone for replying. I'm going to respond to this post because it has numbered points that are easy for me to keep track of :D.

    1. The trip was actually 40 miles to a nearby city, then 40 miles back. The difference in elevation between the two cities is 10 feet (assuming wikipedia is right :rolleyes:). I got nearly the same MPG in either direction. Also, this is a trip I make a couple of times a month, so I'm very familiar with it.

    2. I am using the stock Integrity tires

    3. I have no idea. I got an oil change just before 5000 miles at the Toyota/GM/Ford dealership where I got the car. I never bothered to check the oil level afterward, but I will tomorrow as soon as I read the manual and figure out how.

    4. Nope. Just me and two other people.

    5. Climate control was set at 75 both ways. I didn't check the fan speed, but I'm assuming it was on low after the first few minutes.

    6. No. I suppose I can't take a ruler or something and check, can I? haha The nearest Toyota dealership is a forty minute drive away, so it's not very convenient to go to.

    About the alignment -- I didn't think I had an alignment issue because the car was brand new...however, I've noticed that the car does tend to drift around on the road, even today when there was virtually no wind. This is especially noticeable when it is a windy day, plus the MPG hit. I'm still not sure if it's abnormal though because I've seen products for sale on this website that claim to fix the "driftyness", so I didn't think this was anything special. And this may just be my imagination, but it seems like, in order to keep the car going straight, the steering wheel has to be kept rotated ever-so-slightly to the left; and when I try to "right" it, I end up steering to the right. Maybe it's an alignment problem, or maybe I just tilt my head a weird way while driving? :D

    I don't plan on buying a scan guage any time soon, so I guess I won't get the "big" MPG. I read somewhere on here that accelerating at a pace so that your MPG is more than half the speed of the car is a good way to keep the engine RPMs in check. It's hard for me to concentrate on MPG during acceleration however because I'm afraid I might veer off the road haha.

    I'll check my oil level tomorrow, but I don't know if I have an alignment problem big enough to warrant a trip to the painfully slow service department. Thanks again everyone!

    edit: Nah the windows weren't down. I guess I can't be certain about the wind--my scientific method is to look at the trees on the side of the road and see how much they're swaying. Also, I get this kind of fuel economy every time I make the trip.
     
    #8 Bryan5, Jul 13, 2008
  9. Sheepdog

    Sheepdog C'Mere Sheepie!

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    betcha a donut your alignment is off. Mine was on a brand new car both front and rear. Toyota warranties free the first alignment fix so whatcha got to lose? Get it checked!
     
    #9 Sheepdog, Jul 13, 2008
  10. Bryan5

    Bryan5 New Member

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    Do I have to make any special arrangements with the dealership, or is it just understood that I get my first alignment free? I got a little coupon book thing with my car full of things like discounts on some service items...I'll check for an alignment one. Thanks!
     
    #10 Bryan5, Jul 13, 2008
  11. Sheepdog

    Sheepdog C'Mere Sheepie!

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    it's a toyota wide thing. it's in the warranty. dont need any coupon. Just call the service advisor and say "My new Prius has bad alignment I think and I would like you to check and adjust it on warranty please".

    They will say "when can you bring it in. it *is* a warranty item!"
     
    #11 Sheepdog, Jul 13, 2008
  12. Huntceet

    Huntceet Junior Member

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    Yeah, my 08 Prius with 4800 miles had the alignment out. I reset it myself so I know it's right.

    Rod
     
    #12 Huntceet, Jul 13, 2008
  13. Bryan5

    Bryan5 New Member

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    I checked the oil today. The oil came up a little past the full mark. Is that too much? I hope not because I wouldn't know how to get the excess out haha.
     
    #13 Bryan5, Jul 14, 2008
  14. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    If you measured it correctly then yes. The consensus here is that oil past the full mark is too much and will drop your mpg. Some believe that under the full mark is best but I cannot remember what the exact recomendation is. :confused:
     
    #14 F8L, Jul 14, 2008
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