I may only ever author 1 post but I have done a good bit of reading and learning this past month on PriusChat. I just want to thank the senior members of this site for their knowledge and for sharing it with the rest of us. I got a 2008 package #2 from Broadway Toyota in Portland, OR after being on "the list" for the past seven weeks. They charged exactly MSRP and the port added a few accessories but the experience was generally good. I would certainly do business there again. I think Portland has a very high number of Prius drivers and Broadway Toyota claims to get the biggest allotment from each ship that comes in. I have gotten 40 mpg for the first 150 miles and other than turning off the R beep I am very happy with the car exactly how it is. I know there have been threads already about the B brake and I have read them but it's the only part of the car I really don't understand. Can I leave the car in B if I am not going fast or if I am in a hilly area? Or should I only use it occassionally when going down a big hill? So thanks again for the site.
B mode is useful only for long hills. You need about 800 feet of drop before it becomes an issue, depending on your battery's SOC and temperature. Mostly I tell people to never use B mode, but given your location, you might be on some hills where it makes sense. If your battery charges all the way to the top on a downhill, then B mode would have made sense. Let experience be your guide. Otherwise B mode just wastes gas. Tom
hello and :welcome:! In response to "B", well just use it whenever you would use "2" or "L" in an automatic car. It's a similar concept.
:welcome: Welcome to PriusChat, hevisto! You'll only need B coming down from Mt. Hood or going over the Coast Range. Check out the local HSD meetup group.