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Finally got over 50 MPG!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Jeannie, Jun 15, 2006.

  1. Jeannie

    Jeannie Proud Prius Granny

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    I filled up my Prius for the third time Wednesday night, 1 day short of 8 weeks of ownership. My driving is mostly the 5 miles each way between home and work, and my cumulative MPG is around 48.

    But today I had to work at a different office 25 miles from home, and my Prius loved those back country winding roads. With the longer drives I could minimize the effect of the low MPGs during 'warm up' with the better gas mileage the rest of the trip. So my MFD says I've gotten 54.7 MPG since I filled up the night before - WOW! It FEELS like a 'personal victory' to me <g>. The only other time my MFD has shown better than 50 MPG was about a mile in to my second tank, just before I hit stop-n-go Saturday traffic on the two lane 'highway' going toward the shopping mall.

    And I did it without adjusting my tire pressure, adding a brace, etc. <smug look>

    And I forgot to mention - my cumulative gasoline bill over these last 8 weeks is slightly less than $80 for the 1300 miles I've driven.
     
    #1 Jeannie, Jun 15, 2006
  2. ghostofjk

    ghostofjk New Member

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    Way to go!

    I had some time to kill today, so filled up and drove at a cruise-controlled 52 MPH on the freeway, then around town a little. My freeway driving (level, 90 degrees) was producing 65 MPG, and the city dragged it down to 61. First time over 60 for any distance.
     
    #2 ghostofjk, Jun 16, 2006
  3. Rancid13

    Rancid13 Cool Chick with a Black Prius

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    That's awesome!

    I've only managed to get 50+mpg on 2 tanks in the 4 months that I've had the car. I'm hoping my current mpg holds up for this tank~I'm 104 miles into the tank and showing 52.2mpg. :D
     
    #3 Rancid13, Jun 16, 2006
  4. JackDodge

    JackDodge Gold Member

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    It depends on how good you were at getting good mileage to begin with. If this is the first time that you've actually paid attention to your mileage then you have a lot more things to learn or unlearn (depending on your point of view) than someone who was good at the mileage game before getting a Prius. The good news is that you improve with each successive tank. I find it fairly easy to get 56-57 mpg in the summer with my Prius now. My first tank, I got only 51 and that was last summer around this time.
     
    #4 JackDodge, Jun 16, 2006
  5. ServoScanMan

    ServoScanMan Member

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    :) Congrats! :) I averaged 55mph until I had to start using my AC. I live 10 miles from work and there is a mile-and-a-half stretch in both directions I can drive using the battery alone. It's addictive trying to keep the mileage above 50mpg.
     
    #5 ServoScanMan, Jun 16, 2006
  6. Jeannie

    Jeannie Proud Prius Granny

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Jun 16 2006, 02:51 PM) [snapback]272333[/snapback]</div>
    My first tank (calculated mileage) was 43, second tank 48, third tank 49. Most of my driving is short trips - 5 mile commute. The first 5 minutes is ALWAYS low because of the time needed to warm up the car (usually 25-35 MPG, depending on the outdoor temp when I start up and the traffic in that 5 minutes and whether or not I hit the first two stoplights at 'just the right time'. and the next '5 minute segments' usually show above 50.

    Going from 43 to 48 is PROBABLY due to me learning more about how to drive the Prius. The MFD display of 'spot' MPG on the Consumption screen is a good feedback tool! But a lot of postings say that short trips lead to lower MPGs because of the 'bad' mileage during the car warmup. I got my 'over 50 MPG' when I had a 25 mile trip each way to/from work yesterday, compared to my usual 5 mile drive. Those 25 mile trips were probably the longest trips I took in the 6 months of having the car! My 'longer than the 5 mile commute' trips were typicall 10-12 miles, spread out pretty evenly over the two months I've had the car.

    Given my 'typical driving', I don't expect to see MPGs of mid-50s to mid-60s unless I go on a longer trip and/or do things like increase my tire pressure to the 42/40 that people say gives much better mileage than the 'factory' tire pressure.

    I also happen to think I was a fairly 'conservative' driver even with my prior cars - slowing down when I see the light up ahead is red, rather than stomping on the gas and then having to stomp on the brake, etc. Part of this 'habit' was 'learned' in the last 8 years when I had a Cavalier convertible with anti-lock brakes and it felt like it took longer to get to a stop than any other car I had ever owned; I leave a lot of room between my car and the car ahead of me (doesn't work well on a road wider than 2 lanes, tho!)
     
    #6 Jeannie, Jun 16, 2006
  7. DMontster

    DMontster New Member

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    I hit 52 mpg last week. I bought my Prius in May, so in 6 weeks I got to the 50+ mark. I drive 90% highway miles so it is living up to it word of 51. I love it more with every mile. This was my 4th fillup.
     
    #7 DMontster, Jun 16, 2006
  8. Jeannie

    Jeannie Proud Prius Granny

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DMontster @ Jun 16 2006, 09:41 PM) [snapback]272517[/snapback]</div>
    Doesn't that feel GREAT?????

    I'm looking forward to being able to say "well, I usually get about <50,49,48,...> mpg because I mostly drive short trips, but I DO get above that 50 MPG mark when I mix in a few longer trips in the 2-3 weeks it takes me to need another fill up" <smug, condescending look> :D
     
    #8 Jeannie, Jun 19, 2006
  9. pruis-liberal

    pruis-liberal New Member

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    Though i dont own a pruis, my 87 bronco II got 22 mpg highway..... pretty sweet when you take into consideration that i only payed what 800$ for it??? And for the past year hasnt given me a bit of trouble.....maybe consider a hybrid a long while from now.
     
    #9 pruis-liberal, Jun 19, 2006
  10. NoVaSnow

    NoVaSnow Member

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    I filled up for the 5th time today. For the first time, I had a calculated tank of over 50 (50.7). The MFD showed 51.8.

    I drove 2 miles to the gas station, taking care of the warmup. Then I filled up (9.1 gallons after 461 miles) and got on the highway for the 24-mile drive to work. When I parked in the garage, the MFD was showing 60.2.

    Lifetime mileage through 2,191 miles is 48.338 calculated, 49.660 MFD.
     
    #10 NoVaSnow, Jun 21, 2006
  11. Jim1eye

    Jim1eye Shaklee Ind Distributor

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pruis-liberal @ Jun 19 2006, 07:34 PM) [snapback]273673[/snapback]</div>
    WOW! What was the tax credit on that baby?
     
    #11 Jim1eye, Jun 21, 2006
  12. barbaram

    barbaram Active Member

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    Congrats Jeannie!
    I'm averaging about 48 or so driving all over NJ... have broken 50 mpg on 4 tanks since January. Know I've taken a bit of a hit with the hydoedge tires, but I like the handling and quiet.
     
    #12 barbaram, Jun 22, 2006
  13. santoro1

    santoro1 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jeannie @ Jun 15 2006, 11:58 PM) [snapback]272022[/snapback]</div>
    Still on my first tank of gas. MFD tells me my first 282 miles is at 50.2. Still have a few bars left in my tank. But of course, have no idea how much the dealer actually gave me..But still, most of the miles have been on trips 2-10 miles in length with AC on one notch above low at around 75 degrees. Getting car tinted really helped the heat inside the car as well. Will keep track as do most of us...Noticed I got better gas mileage without using cruise control the few times I have been on highway..
     
    #13 santoro1, Aug 13, 2006
  14. MarkR

    MarkR New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(barbaram @ Jun 21 2006, 11:43 PM) [snapback]275090[/snapback]</div>

    Just had to post this :D :D

    http://www.rits.com.au/shitstuff/mpg.jpg

    That equates to 60.3 US MPG

    Mainly city driving though.

    On Thursday we are going south on the open roads so I'm expcting this figure to drop.

    Mark
     
    #14 MarkR, Aug 13, 2006
  15. omega II

    omega II New Member

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    #15 omega II, Aug 18, 2006
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