Few Newbie Prius Questions

I've been averaging 45-50 mpg. I fill up after 400-450 miles. Simply because I'm conservative and it is recommended NOT to allow the car to run out of gas. This is somewhat complicated by the non-linear characteristic of the fuel gage. Do a "fuel gage" search on this site for more on that issue.
Nonetheless, the Prius is a great car, and with the Federal tax credit (phasing out beginning 10/1/06), its a great deal too.
I love this car!
Go for it!

 

Hi and welcome to PriusChat. Some people regularly go over 500 miles per tank and beat EPA estimates, most do not. I'd guess the average is about 450 miles per tank before most people fill up. You don't want to run out of gas in a Prius. Likewise, I'd guess most people get 45-55 MPG for fuel economy.

You should go to Toyota.com and build your own Prius. That way you'll see the base price, colors, and option packages available in your area. You can also find dealers. One thing many people have done and recommend is renting a Prius, usually from a dealer, for at least a weekend so you can drive the car and see if it fits you and you like it. A car is a fairly big expense to take on without some assurance it will work for you.

 

If you plan long trips to Texas don't expect 600 miles on a tank. You may get 500. It all depends on temperatures and your speed more than anything else. Here in New England I get many 500 mile tanks but few much more, and even less likely on trips. The problem with trips is not being sure where the nearest station is at all times so I don't go as far as I can locally. Your range will also vary with how hard you work at really filling the tank full, so read the threads on that issue.

MPG and therefore your range are very dependent on speed, and I expect speed limits would be much higher for you than here where I am, where 65 mph limits apply. Find some of the data posted here on speed vs temperature and mpg. You may get even less range by up to 100 miles in cold winter weather.

More range is possible locally driving slowly but you aren't likely to do that for a 1200 mile trip.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hopeful Future Prius Owner @ Aug 20 2006, 09:39 PM) [snapback]306502[/snapback]</div>

I test drove and then purchased my Prius from Dan Davis Toyota in Arlington, Texas. Arlington is about halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth. I don't know what part of Texas you come through but if you are in the DFW area try Don Davis Toyota at 817-588-5200, www.dondavistoyota.com and ask for Tom Rowe, he is the FLeet Manager. He sold my Prius to me and he can tell you what he has in stock and what he has coming when.

Good luck
(if that phone number is messe up try the link)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jmccord @ Aug 20 2006, 07:49 PM) [snapback]306506[/snapback]</div>

Same here! Also consider that when comes time to fill up the Prius, (I'm not sure how big the Olds' tank is) you'll be filling up to the tune of 9-10 gallons MAX. So with gas prices being somewhere around $3/gallon, you're looking at $30 or less per fill up (as prices currently stand) and likely getting 450-500 miles per tank.

 

I was just in West Michigan last weekend and was disappointed not to see a single Prius on the road once out of Chicago. On the bright side, there were some people admiring it in the parking lot so I got to give a little information. Prii are seemingly becoming a dime a dozen in Madison...

My advice to the original poster: it's probably worth a test drive first. Even with all the construction it's only about a 3 hour drive from Holland to a large concentration of dealers in the Chicago area. So if you can't find anything in your area, just make it a day trip along with some shopping or a night out at any number of fine dining establishments. Elmhurst Toyota, where I had a good experience, wouldn't be a bad drive from that area, and wouldn't be far out of the way to any number of entertaining ways to spend a day.

With now about 3,500 miles on our Prius, we drove from Madison, WI to Grand Rapids, MI averaging 56 MPG at around 70 MPH outside Chicago and 60-65 MPH through Chicago, while running the AC. We filled up on our way back out of Grand Rapids with more than 1/4 tank left (4 pips), with 450 miles on the tank. This would have been well into the 500-600 mile range, and we were really happy with this, especially considering the car isn't fully broken in.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Taco Mel @ Aug 21 2006, 01:48 PM) [snapback]306848[/snapback]</div>

Funny... i was just in Madison last weekend for the DCI championships... and there were a LOT of prius in the area (i think we counted 8 during our 4 block walk to the stadium). i wish i could find that many around here in St. Paul. as it is, i think there are 5-6 here where i work, and i see another two on a regular basis, but thats pretty much it :-(

 

Good, Hopeful! A test drive should push you over the edge, so to speak. I had the opportunity to test drive one and right afterward I put my money down. It took about 5 months to get mine, but I got exactly what I wanted.

 

I test drove a 2004 at my local dealer. No reason to drive a long ways just to take a test drive.

The differences between the 2005-2006 as I understand it are things like a higher resolution screen, MP3 built in, etc. For test drive purposes, the differences between the 2005 and 2006 could be considered "bells and whistles." Or in other words, test driving a 2005 should give you a very good picture of whether you'd want the 2006 or not.

Assuming you are hooked, I'd venture a guess that if you are willing to brave the Chicagoland traffic for one day, you'll be able to drive back with your new Prius a lot quicker than in 3-4 months. You might even get it before September 30.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hopeful Future Prius Owner @ Aug 20 2006, 10:39 PM) [snapback]306502[/snapback]</div>

I too have an '84 Chevrolet Cavalier and am thinking of getting a Prius though my car has done well and it in excellent condition and gets wonderful.mileage. I am just like you though and would like to get a Prius. My Toyota dealer had one last month, but the test drive was just a short forward ride, and I would like to see if you can see well enough out the back window , and what it's like to park and how to use the Reverse, Neutral and Drive and where is "Park" and where is "Brake". How do you find out stuff like that? Can any of you draw a sketch of what Reverse Neutral and Drive and Park and Brake are and how to use them?
Mary

 

we drive up to wisconsin from nc about twice a year (~1200 mi). typically we fill up at home, then usually at the wv/ky border, then somewhere near lexington, then before indy, then before gary, then before milwaukee. we avoid fueling in big cities because it costs more there, and we try to fill before or soon after we reach half a tank just to be safe.

 

After reading this thread about the lack of Prii to test drive and the long waits after ordering, I'm feeling quite lucky to be picking up my '06 Black Prius (pkg 8) tomorrow after ordering it less than 3 weeks ago. I was able to test drive an '06 at the dealership (there were two) and after that, I was totally hooked. Naturally since I ordered the car, I've been keeping a sharp eye out for other Prii around southeast Houston. I really have not seen more than about one a week. It seems my fellow Texans still prefer pick-ups and SUVs. I suppose they prefer hanging out at gas stations too! I'll keep reading these posts. I really appreciate the accumulated wisdom of everyone's experience since I am a total newbie too.

 

Hopeful and Mary - check with your local Toyota dealers to see if they have one to rent in their rental program (TRAC). I had the same questions that you had when I started looking in May. I tested and I wanted more. I rented and my wife and I were sold after 3 days.

If you are not in an area that sells a a lot of Prius's, you may have to travel a little. I started serious shopping (mostly by phone, at dealers in the San Francisco/Sacramento, CA area) on June 22. Had the car I wanted June 28th. Within days of purchasing, and before I could contact all the places I had left feelers, I had several offers from sales reps. Now, granted I live in an area that sells a lot of Prii, I also had 6 sales people looking for me.