I basically given up with the entire MPG on my car

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 11:51 AM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

did you read this?
http://priuschat.com/New-owner-Want-MPG-he...rst-t15311.html

what is the tire pressure in your front and rear tires?

where do you live? where do you work? how far apart? what does your typical "driving day" look like - city streets, interstate, rural dirt roads, miles on each, no use of car once parked at work until going home time or you make thirty deliveries per day to customers whe live three miles apart, what temperature is the a/c set at, etc, etc. tell us more......

do you practice taking your foot TOTALLY off the accelerator pedal and coasting? ie, don't drive like you did in your previous car.

use the info screen, don't worry about the energy screen until you get into the third or fourth level of prius karma.

hope this helps

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

Why?

The EPA estimates are nothing but ideal condition measurements used for the basis of comparison, not an expection of real-world performance. For that, you need to look at real-world data... which is lower, since it is definitely not ideal.

An annual average is required for proper measurement too. Data over just the last couple months will not give you an accurate gauge of what lifetime will actually be.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

For short trips in a Prius, that is still pretty darn good... especially considering that a non-hybrid car would get significantly lower MPG under the very same conditions.

I still wonder how many new owners unknowingly cause lower MPG by misinterpreting the data. Fighting the system by accelerating really slow is one way to do that. It's ok to see the immediate consumption indicator drop to almost nothing during acceleration. That is actually a better use of fuel, though quite counter-intuitive. The engine runs more efficiently at a faster RPM. That's usually more power being created than what's needing. So I suspect those that don't understand "full" hybrids ease up, not realizing the extra power can be put to good use by generating electricity. It appears to be a loss, but that is really only temporary. That resulting electricity can be put to good use later. So overall, there is a saving... as reflected in a MPG gain. In other words, you can easily be misled by the data on the screen if you forget to look at the big picture.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

Sorry, but that is just plain wrong. Prius is sized between a Corolla and a Camry. For it to be "so light weight" it shouldn't weigh exactly between the two with direct corrospondence to size, yet it does. That makes it normal, not an exception as you claim.

 

You don't say what the topographical lay of the land is for the area you drive. Things such as hills, rough roads, etc. can have a measurable impact on your overall mpgs as this car seems to be more sensitive to atmospheric and road conditions than most.

You also don't mention the average length of the trips you make. Short trips (i.e. anything less than 10-15 miles) really hammer at your mpgs, as well. The on-board computers force the engine to run until the system is warmed to optimal operating temperatures. Avoid short trips with the Prius, if possible.

Your top highway speed of 65-68 should be in line with achieving 50+ mpgs. The pressure build-up on the front of the vehicle at those speeds will still allow you to get your expected fuel mileage, if the vehicle is in good operating condition.

One of the most important factors to bagging the high mileage is to anticipate what's coming as you drive down the road. Look two or three cars in front of you to get an idea of what your driving response is going to be. If brake lights start illuminating on vehicles ahead of you then the most fuel efficient response by the driver might be to immediately back off the accelerator pedal and go into the power recovering regenerative mode, thereby saving some of the kinetic energy present in the vehicle for use when traffic starts up again.

I had to re-train myself how to drive when I bought the Prius back in August of last year (one week before Katrina hit), and my amended habits are really paying off at the fuel pump. I averaged 54 to 55 last summer and 48 this past winter. My highest tank was 57.1 mpg and 675 miles.

High mileage can be obtained in this vehicle and the really cool thing is that Toyota has given me the instantaneous feedback (multi-function display), and the powertrain system (Hybrid Synergy Drive), to make the needed fuel conserving operator adjustments (regeneration, pulse and glide, etc.) as I roll down the road.

Don't be discouraged. Look for things you can do to improve on the mile-per-gallon outcome that you and the car are capable of attaining together.

Good luck!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

I've been getting around 55 mpg with mostly freeway driving and using the AC (it's supposed to go up to 112 today so driving without AC is not an option). I've had my car for just over a month; I was getting over 50 mpg right from the start; with a little research and practice I now average over 55 mpg; I drive almost 100 miles round trip for my commute; I was doing alright in my Honda Civic; however, my Honda never came close to the fuel economy that I get from my Prius. I can't wait until the winter; no AC needed and it is still warm enough that I won't take as big of a mileage hit as most people in other regions do, due to the cold.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kevmac @ Jun 4 2006, 09:23 AM) [snapback]265603[/snapback]</div>

I'm in SoCal, so your "winter" mileage will probably be very good. I consider mine good. I drive like a maniac and get 47.5 MPG consistently. I probably could get it to 50 MPG pretty easily if I did all the "pulse and glide" stuff.

My daily commute is 80 miles round trip, with about half freeway and half city streets. There are some hills, as I drive through the coastal foothills to get to work. If you're mainly "flat" on your commute, you will do better. I'm just now getting into weather where I need the AC on all the time, but I have to be honest; I haven't noticed much difference between using the AC and not in terms of mileage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 12:51 PM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

Welcome to the real world of Prius. I have 13,000 on my 2005. My lifetime MPG av is 45. For twelve years before that I drove three Lexux sedans that never got averaged 20 MPG. 44 MPG and no pollution is extremely good in the real world. In the fantasy world of 100+ MPG plug ins and 60 MPG hill coasters 44 may look pale but ask your friends and relatives what they get today at the pump. I've heard that the highest rating you acn get when landing a jet on an aircraft carrier is OK. Well OK ain't bad at all and neither is 44 MPG at $3 a gallon.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Jun 4 2006, 11:16 AM) [snapback]265600[/snapback]</div>

Preach it!

b

 

I have a 8-9 mile commute. In what we call summer here in the PNW I am now getting over 60. I am pushing it to the max, thank goodness there is not a lot of traffic on my commute. I hate the freeway I can't get 60 on the freeway. I think that it matters how much you are vested in the project. The marathon guys got 110. Is 70 too much to ask. We all need goals. My only trouble is those emergency runs to the hospital where I have to do the Mario Andrettie thing. That kills the MPG! Babies are nice too! Ballance.

 

I've had my 2004 for almost 35,000 miles and have averaged 51 mpg (accurately brecorded) so that type of mileage is possible. It seems the biggest mileage differentiator is length of your average trip. If you commute less than about 15 miles one-way, or make a lot of short trips, your mileage will definitely suffer.

But consider this. Calculate, based on your average annual miles driven, the cost of gas if you were to get 40 vs. 50 mpg. Once you get up to about 40 mpg, you have reached a point of diminishing returns, meaning that there isn 't really that much benefit to higher mileage. For example, if you drive 15,000 miles per year and gas cost $3 per gallon, your annual fuel costs are:

20 mpg $2250
30 mpg $1500
40 mpg $1125
50 mpg $ 900 (only $225 per year less than 40 mpg. But 40 mpg is $1125 less than 20 mpg).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kingofgix @ Jun 4 2006, 07:27 PM) [snapback]265783[/snapback]</div>

To build on this, with gas at $3 per gallon (I know), and 15K annual miles driven:

MPG Gallons/Yr $/Yr $/Month
40 375.00 1125.00 93.75
41 365.85 1097.56 91.46
42 357.14 1071.43 89.29
43 348.84 1046.51 87.21
44 340.91 1022.73 85.23
45 333.33 1000.00 83.33
46 326.09 978.26 81.52
47 319.15 957.45 79.79
48 312.50 937.50 78.13
49 306.12 918.37 76.53
50 300.00 900.00 75.00
51 294.12 882.35 73.53
52 288.46 865.38 72.12
53 283.02 849.06 70.75
54 277.78 833.33 69.44
55 272.73 818.18 68.18
56 267.86 803.57 66.96
57 263.16 789.47 65.79
58 258.62 775.86 64.66
59 254.24 762.71 63.56
60 250.00 750.00 62.50

I do not think it's worth quibbling about MPG between 45MPG and 50MPG. That's $100 difference, and my time is worth more than that.

 

At the rate he/she's driving, they will only put on 7680 miles this year, by my calculations. The difference between 44 and 50 mpg is only 20 gallons, <$60 worth of gas, 5 bucks a month, hardly worth obsessing about. (Hah! Me saying that, a guy who obsesses with mileage every day! :lol: )
Anyway, as others said, you are still in the breakin period of your car. It will just keep getting better. Here in South Florida, with the A/C at 75 all the time, I am still able to maintain 50 mpg, but it is tough at times, especially if I do too many short trips.

 

I have an '06 with just over 3,000. I just recorded an mpg of over 60 this weekend (for the first time). Today, I'm back down to 57.7. I drive mostly short trip, highway miles to work.

When I drive the car, I accelerate promptly, get to my speed take my foot off the gas and reapply it gently. I haven't mastered the pulse and glide but when I retap the gas it seems to "reset" the energy consumption and invariably, I get better mpg ratings. I make sure that I go no more than 5 miles over the posted speed limit and never go faster than 60 m/p/h. I also coast to lights, as long as it's feasible.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jun 5 2006, 01:55 PM) [snapback]266060[/snapback]</div>

Never more than 60 mph?????? You obviously are not driving on the NJ Turnpike!!!!!!!!!!!! Tonight they had posted spedd of 45 for construction- had to do at least 60 to keep from getting run down , and this was after midnight!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 08:51 AM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

With 6.6K miles on my, my lifetime calculated avg. is so far 45.8 mpg but I'm not too disappointed. I didn't expect to get much better than 42 overall but I'm always looking to improve it.

What's the deal w/it being so light going 65-68 mph at the most? The speed limits here on many highways is 65 (70 on I-5 between SF Bay Area and LA). I've got no issue w/doing 75+ mph. I bet this car http://www.lotuscars.com/Lotus_Spec_Sheet.pdf wouldn't be for you then. It's 996 lbs lighter than the Prius.

FWIW, Consumer Reports in the May 04 issue achieved 35/50 in their tests for an overall of 44 mpg.

 

hahaha funny you shold mention the NJ turnpike. I had a business trip there and had to get on it at 1730 in the evening. OMG, I thought I was playing a racing car game. I think I lost 10 years of my life trying to get to my hotel. I think it is actually dangerous driving 60 mph there even though that was the speed limit in certain areas. <I still have nightmares about that trip.>

I also do not usually drive faster than 60 mph since that is the speed limit here in El Paso.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drmoocow @ Jun 4 2006, 08:51 AM) [snapback]265589[/snapback]</div>

You do not have to give up. I have two numb feet secondary to disk and back surgery. I really can't feel them very well at all, so for the first year with my car I thought that I should use the cruse control for everything. My daily commute is on back roads. I got up to 51 mpg. Not bad, not good. Then I saw the results of the Marathon Run in Pittsburg last summer and I decided to try to go for it. You need to understand that I really like a challenge. I like learning and doing, I am a surgeon at heart. Now I used "aids" and I am not ashamed of that. My business is a combination of intelligence, knowledge, technical skill, experience, and the ability to innovate on the spot. I designed a blocker for winter, though I think I like Frank's better because it is simpler for everyone. I added a radiator block heater and a timer for winter, and I am extending it to our "summer" here in the PNW, all be it with shorter on time in the am. I have been able to progressively increase my life time average. I would like to be above 55 by winter and keep it there. We each have our own weather constraints, trip constraints, terrain constraints. I find fun in doing the best I can with the plate that is set before me. I like where I live and am not going to move to get my Prius miles up, but I get a great deal of pleasure out of playing where I am. Driving can be fun on many levels, each to his or her own. To those that find a need to pass me because I am not doing more than a mile or two over the speed limit God bless and may the ER Docs be skilled.

 

I was getting terrible MPG on my 2006 after some work at a dealer, several trips to a dealer resulted in absolutely nothing. They would plugin the scantool, find no fault codes and report that there was nothing wrong with the car. So I had basically given up on the car, until it occured to me to clear/reboot the computer by disconnecting the 12V battery. This fixed it, I was getting 45/47MPG, now I'm back up to 50/53 MPG. You might give this a try...