For the first time in my life I have become SMART!! I finally got rid of my gas guzzling show boat car and got a prius. Just to think 1 year ago I was lookin at a Hummer Now I am in love with my new prius . Now I just have to figure out how to get over 48 mpg.
Congrats on your new Prius. The first thing I did when I found my MPGs in the mid 40s was pump up the tire pressure. 42 in the front and 40 in the back - the dealer had them all at 33.5 and I saw a huge jump in MPGs..to 51. Now I see my mileage between 48 and 51 depending on the fuel - using E10 gets me 48. My driving is mostly highway at 70 mph..about 1K a week.
Congratulations!! I hope your new car is exciting and fun filled for as long as you own it. I noticed that someone put E10 fuel in the tank, that is okay according to Toyota. What you SHOULD NOT put in the tank, according to Toyota, is E85 fuel. Otherwise, simple 87 octane or greater is what the owner's manual calls for. ZC1
Do a search on hypermiling.. You don't have to obsess about it, but following some basic strategies will regularly get you over 50mpg. My mileage increased 30% IMMEDIATELY when I started using some of these techniques. And a Hummer?? Seriously?? Well.. we won't go there... welcome!
Do the tire pump, drive moderately, be patient and wait for your new baby to get broken in, do NOT use the engine brake (wastes energy) and you'll be doing 50+. I hope yours is Super White. They get better gas mileage.
:welcome: Welcome to PriusChat, shelbi34! Before my Prius, a car was just a car, I didn't really care. I love my Prius too! Your mpg will improve as you learn how to drive it and the car breaks in. Many people, including me, noticed a boost at around 6000 miles.
The most effective ways of improving MPGs are to drive right and keep the tires inflated: Don't speed. MPGs fall off fast above 65 MPH or so. - Accelerate briskly (this makes most efficient use of the engine) - Gliding (no arrows on the "Energy" display) is better than coasting - Coasting is better than braking - Braking is better than stopping Check tire pressures at least monthly. Many people inflate the original tires to 42/40 PSI front/rear because it noticeably improves MPGs. Don't use "B". It's only for long down hills to avoid riding the brake. (For example, there's no place in Dallas or Houston that needs "B".)
Shelbi, I'm curious because to most folks on this forum the very idea of having a Hummer is anathema......and was in most cases long before any of us owned a Prius. Not being critical nor confrontational here, just curious as to what your thinking might have been one year ago?
