Hi Everyone! I just bought a 2007 Black Prius with Package 5 for 25,450, traded in my lexus rx330 trade in value 22,400(16 mpg to 42mpg). Anyway wanted to know what your thoughts were on the deal? Also I'm barely getting 42 mpg any tips, I know the car isn't broken in yet....any tips on what's best practice? Also anyone know a good place to tint the windows in Chicago. Thanks joey
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hammy @ Jan 30 2007, 05:59 PM) [snapback]383037[/snapback]</div> Welcome to the site and I hope you enjoy the car for a long time. There are MANY useful tips here. Chances are that the car doesn't have to be broken in, you do. You may find that through the car's feedback you developed a number of bad habits that once adjusted will reward you with higher mpg. Now for 2 quick pieces of practical advice. First, the tires as delivered are "soft". Inflate to 42 front/40 rear. Second, find the thread "First day with a blocked grill", buy a few dollars of pipe insulation and improve your winter mpg. Third, mpg is as much a function of where you drive as how you drive. There's more than a few threads about this. There's a lot to learn. No need to be in a hurry.
Welcome to the Chicagoland Prius club! My best advice for getting better milage is wait for spring! 42 is right around where my tank is at currently. But I average around 50mpg year round and even had one 60mpg tank last summer.
The advice that JimN and Drifter gave is good. Pump up your tires, block the front grill and just drive it till spring and don't worry about the milage. Winter is not kind to any vehicle for MPG, it just seems worse in the Prius because you start with a much higher expectation. As Drifter said your milage will go up come warm weather, right now I'm at 54MPG and last summer I was doing mid/upper 60's. But if your really impatient come to the next Chicago Prius meet-up, which our own Tony will tell us about shortly. If you don't mind the travel, the Milwaukee Hybrid group has great meetings which include MPG driving lessons at the conclusion of the meeting, they are meeting February 17 at 10:00AM. Wayne