Mileage in hilly, frequent stop, straightaway-less yet warm San Francisco

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaylark @ Aug 17 2007, 11:16 AM) [snapback]497869[/snapback]</div>

Hey Jaylark, we're on the other side of twin peaks from you, near Grand View Peak, Golden Gate Heights or Inner Sunset/UCSF depending how you look at it, LOL.

Yep you're pretty consistent with my experience and the few neighbors I talked with. Folks out in the Marina and Outer Sunset are posting MPG's in the high 40's but they tend to have 10-20 minute commutes, and have many more opportunities to Pulse and Glide, keep accelaration cushions between themselves and other cars, etc. Our driving is like 100% San Francisco, since purchase, other then vacations, which tends to be mostly moutains (e.g., Santa Cruz, Redwood Highway), and our lifetime average MPG is 39.41 over 46,000 miles.

And yes, like you, our last trip to Tulare (valley) we averaged 52 MPG over two fill-ups. Current tank is at 31 MPG and climbing, LOL, we made the mistake of filling-up and then takng the car in for service, I don't know what they did but sheesh! This tank has been only Safeway I need to go to a movie in Emeryville, across the bay, just to get back to normal.

EDIT: Oh Yeah, welcome to PriusChat.com!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaylark @ Aug 17 2007, 12:16 PM) [snapback]497869[/snapback]</div>

Hi Jaylark,

You're doing well given the circumstances: very hilly (SF) and very short commutes (less than 10 minutes). It takes about 5 minutes for the ICE to warm up during which time most people report getting ~25 MPG. You can do the math but if you get 50 MPG for the next 5 minutes your average for that trip is only going to be 37.5 MPG. The longer you drive and ICE warms up the better your MPG. A lot of people installed EBH to improve the first 5 minutes of MPG (you said that you have it on order).

This is only one of many factors impacting your MPG. Most people report that around 5000 miles they see improved MPG. Some people report further improvement at around 20K.

If you read some of the suggestions on this site many have suggested that inflating your tires above the factory setting of 35/33 helps their MPG. Suggested numbers are 40/38 ... 42/40 ...


With time you learn different ways of improving your MPG - best of luck and most of all enjoy your new car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaylark @ Aug 17 2007, 10:58 AM) [snapback]497898[/snapback]</div>

Number one cause....overfilling the oil.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaylark @ Aug 17 2007, 11:58 AM) [snapback]497898[/snapback]</div>

You are welcome. I just love talking with SF folks, I like to think we're the early adopters that infected the nation!

Your great question! in my case, however, it was simply the fact that I took it in with like 11.7 miles on the tank, they let it idle while moving back in forth so that those folks that came before me could be put on the rack, you know they triple park on these SF lots, and then finally put mine on the rack, after moving the eight that were finished to get to mine, then moved it back and forth all day as folks came in randomly from the original order to pick up their car. :blink: ... net result, burning 1 gallon of gas in the same parkin lot, of course I've oversimplified, but it has happened before and corrected within another 25 miles or so.


BTW, you seemed pretty savvy on driving Prii, with your knowledge of the EBV and such so I didn't refer you to this thread, but by all means consider this too New Owner Want MPG Help? Read This First!

 

It just occured to me that many times when we're talking about the difference driving in dense cities like SF, we tend to focus on the short commutes and the ICE needing more than 5 minutes to warm up etc.

However, the other thing radicaly different from many urban areas is combine the above with no freeways and a gazallion stop signs and or lights none of them timed, well maybe 19th Ave/Presidio Drive and Ocean Beach, LOL ... well a few more , and a city of 800,000 in what was it 52 square miles.

For instance, I gassed up today with 3 pips to go. I made the gas station the last stop on a 3 errand run, I did the longest errand first a whopping 3 miles on the other side of the city, hahaha, took the route with the most flats and distance between signs and stoplights. Are you ready for this my seven mile round trip, which is longer than our work commute so we normally walk and take the muni although we used to drive, had 61 intersections controlled by signs and/or lights, that's 1 per 600 ft., which coincidently is about the long dimension of our typical blocks. Even If I predicted well I doubt I missed more then two thirds!

Any who when it is all said and done I much prefer driving our Prius then our old Jeep GCL, except snow trips then Hertz and I partner up.

 

I live at the top of Twin Peaks - dont' get any higher in the city that here I believe. My average city mpg is mid 30's, and I do mostly 5-10 minute commutes. Highway is around 50 mpg, so I"m averaging 41 lifetime mpg. All I can say is that if you're going up and down hills, especially if you live at the top of a hill, your mileage is going to be lower. An EV switch might help if you go downhill a lot after starting and won't trigger the ICE, but otherwise is just something you'll have to live with. MPG would be worse with a regular anyway, as EPA guidelines don't assume you're living in SF at a top of a hill.

Welcome to the club and enjoy your new car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Glen101 @ Aug 18 2007, 05:11 PM) [snapback]498446[/snapback]</div>

Actually the highest homes in the city are in Sherwood Forest, just around the corner from Miraloma Park shown in this picture. They are about at 850 feet above sea level. Mount Davidson is the neighborhood mountain across from you :lol:

... right on about the guidelines.
[attachmentid=10756]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Prius 07 @ Aug 17 2007, 12:57 PM) [snapback]497897[/snapback]</div>

It sounds like you folks are perfect candidates for pure EV's.

- Such a shame to be using an internal combustion engine when you don't use it long enough to even get it warmed up!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(danatt @ Aug 19 2007, 09:31 PM) [snapback]498926[/snapback]</div>

Yeah you're probably right, the other shame is that we're talking most of the bay area, my observations is that the early prius adopters are hill people.

Here's a question for you let's say that the EV normally get's a user 5 miles, since we're not normal users would the EV gain us 2 miles? I'll check back with the OP in a month or so, Jaylark, to see if he/she installed the switch but I'm just curious what others have found.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaylark @ Aug 17 2007, 11:16 AM) [snapback]497869[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaylark @ Aug 17 2007, 11:16 AM) [snapback]497869[/snapback]</div>

wow am i glad to see your post. i live in pacifica at the top of manor drive, big hill... and i work in san fran and drive in every day. i was disappointed in my mileage as well, altho i was only getting 18-20 on my jetta turbo wagon before, so i shouldn't be too bummed... so i am avaraging about 40-42 on a tank and got over 50 driving to seattle and back. it's the hills that really suck the gas, like going up highway one to 280. yikes. still, i am at 4500 miles and have had the car a bit over a month(big road trip). it is getting better mileage with each tank, and with tires at 42/40 mileage improved. i am pulse/gliding, doing everything i can including changing my usual fast/heavy foot style and it's not where i want it to be, but soooo much better than jetta and better than when brand new. this site is really helpful and i am reading hypermiling and thinking, these people live in kansas, with nary a hill in sight! Love love the mag grey, prius exprience and have no regrets at all.
best- harperlee

 

40 mpg in SF sounds like hypermiling to me

 

Another Noe Valley Prius owner here. We use ours mostly for commuting to the South Bay and manage to get about 52 mpg (after 2300 miles) on 280. City driving does bring it down a bit, but we've been pretty successful staying above 35mpg in the city. Our other car is a 1972 VW Bus, so we have become experts at avoiding the hills and the stop signs whenever possible.