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Gas mileage and how you drive

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by kirbinster, Jul 9, 2005.

  1. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    It is amazing the change in gas mileage you can acheive if you pay attention. My daughter has the Prius today and my wife asked me to take her Old's Bravada to get gas. The thing is a gas hog and at $2.25 for regular it cost me exactly $40 to fill the beast. I looked at the display and saw that for the past tank she had averaged 14.4 mpg. I reset the computer and set it to read instantaneous mpg (just a numeric display -- not like the Prius but better than nothing). I did a bunch of errands around town and put a total of about 12 miles on the truck. I was careful how I accelerated and tried to let up on the gas whenever I could while maintaining the speed limit. When I pulled in the driveway I check the gas mileage and was very surprised that I was able to acheive 20.2 mpg. Not Prius mileage, but almost 50% better than what we had been doing.
     
    #1 kirbinster, Jul 9, 2005
  2. silentak1

    silentak1 Since 2005

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    Indeed, slow city accelerations make a HUGE difference in MPG.

    I've noticed that A/C cuts my MPG 15-25%!
     
    #2 silentak1, Jul 9, 2005
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    mmhmm. People won't realise until they have a trip computer staring them in the face. We don't need the silly instantaneous needle (cause it fluctuates wildly. Our number display is better in my opinion). We need the average. What's odd is that my Camry's average doesn't reset until we reset. Yet, (I haven't reset since 15,000kms and we're at 79,000km). it still moves if we drive efficiently (e.g. highway).
     
    #3 Tideland Prius, Jul 9, 2005
  4. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    Actually I would say the instantaneus is more important that the average. The average is what WAS while the instantaneus is what you are doing NOW and can control.
     
    #4 kirbinster, Jul 9, 2005
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    True. Maybe we do need the 5 min interval average hehe.
     
    #5 Tideland Prius, Jul 9, 2005
  6. vande23

    vande23 New Member

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    I never thought I would become a guy who drives in the right lane and watch people fly by, but it has happened. I think it might wear off eventually, but I think I want to know what the high end of gas MPG can be for me. I changed my tire inflation to be 40/38 from the factory 35/33 and it made at least a 2 MPG difference. I was averaging 49 on the last tank, now I am up to 52.4 or some crazy number. Pretty cool to see the immediate impact. Mostly freeway driving as well - so I guess I am RIGHT at EPA!! Scary!
     
    #6 vande23, Jul 29, 2005
  7. Brian

    Brian Member

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    Its totally how you drive the car. I live in a very hilly area so I am constantly using gas to go over these hills at 50mph. But if I drive good I can still average 50mpg on a tank. My usual, "teen driving" gets me about 42mpg average for most of my tanks. But like I said, if I can get 50mpg in the hilly area I live in, anyone can get great gas mileage, they just need to learn how to drive it right.
     
    #7 Brian, Jul 29, 2005
  8. cry4dawn

    cry4dawn New Member

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    i have been averaging ~50 mpg for my tanks. and this week had to make an emergency drive 200 miles at 75 mphwith cruise control. this morning when i got in to drive to work i checke the tank average and it was down to 37 mpg. not that i would have paid attention on the trip (trying to get to emergency room to see my mom) but its amazing what a little difference in driveing style makes.
     
    #8 cry4dawn, Jul 30, 2005
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