Low Mileage on My 07 Prius

my dad has a 2007 and is getting similiar mileage. but he is older, has vision issues so does not anticipate traffic well and lives in an area where he infrequently takes trips much longer than 10-15 miles in length. he lives within 15 miles of mexico so he has AC on pretty all the time.

i live in pacific northwest and i find that AC can be over come, but it takes a much longer trip to do so. without AC i can get good mileage in a triip as short as 7 miles on a nice day

 

my dad has a 2007 and is getting similiar mileage. but he is older, has vision issues so does not anticipate traffic well and lives in an area where he infrequently takes trips much longer than 10-15 miles in length. he lives within 15 miles of mexico so he has AC on pretty all the time.

i live in pacific northwest and i find that AC can be over come, but it takes a much longer trip to do so. without AC i can get good mileage in a triip as short as 7 miles on a nice day

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(xibis @ Sep 13 2007, 10:53 AM) [snapback]511975[/snapback]</div>

Read this article: "Why don't I get the EPA Mileage?" by efusco

and this thread: New owner? Want MPG help? Read this first.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(xibis @ Sep 13 2007, 10:53 AM) [snapback]511975[/snapback]</div>

Read this article: "Why don't I get the EPA Mileage?" by efusco

and this thread: New owner? Want MPG help? Read this first.

 

Xibis - I was like that too in the begining. When people told me it was "me" and not the car, at first I was rather (ok, almost, jut a tiny bit) insulted, since I've been driving for over 20 years, below 40 yrs old, not a single accident.

Then I started thinking differently, reading up on the coasting thing, etc.
My mileage improved "when I caught on", however, I was stuck with another problem.

I drive too short a distance one way to fully take advantage of the pure electric. Since I start in the morning with a "cold" car and get to my destination for the entire day, within ten minutes, the ICE is nearly always on.

So I was getting mileage like yours. Coasting and coaxing the pure EV mode with the gas pedal improved, now I get the equivalent of 42 Mpg, and of course on the highway (rare) I can improve my Mpg.

Just combining a few small trips together make a huge difference, since the "thermos" around the ICE doesn't cool off, so I try to do the shopping on week nights. Last time I left work, did three different stops, a total of around 20 miles, my Mpg was in the fifties for that "run".

I knew ahead of time I would not get excellent mileage, I do less than 10,000 miles per year total including "trips", but I still got the Prius anyways. I'll upgrade, after the 4 yr warranty, to PHEV with an EV-10 battery pack, and except for winter, should be totally gas free for months on end.
I can get back & forth to work on side streets & boulevards at less than 35Mph w/o annoying people behind me, because I'm following traffic.

Hope this helps. Make sure the tire pressure front & back are correct, they go down every 30 days or so. Unchecked six months you'll have 30lbs pressure instead of 40-42. Happened to me over the winter.

 

Xibis - I was like that too in the begining. When people told me it was "me" and not the car, at first I was rather (ok, almost, jut a tiny bit) insulted, since I've been driving for over 20 years, below 40 yrs old, not a single accident.

Then I started thinking differently, reading up on the coasting thing, etc.
My mileage improved "when I caught on", however, I was stuck with another problem.

I drive too short a distance one way to fully take advantage of the pure electric. Since I start in the morning with a "cold" car and get to my destination for the entire day, within ten minutes, the ICE is nearly always on.

So I was getting mileage like yours. Coasting and coaxing the pure EV mode with the gas pedal improved, now I get the equivalent of 42 Mpg, and of course on the highway (rare) I can improve my Mpg.

Just combining a few small trips together make a huge difference, since the "thermos" around the ICE doesn't cool off, so I try to do the shopping on week nights. Last time I left work, did three different stops, a total of around 20 miles, my Mpg was in the fifties for that "run".

I knew ahead of time I would not get excellent mileage, I do less than 10,000 miles per year total including "trips", but I still got the Prius anyways. I'll upgrade, after the 4 yr warranty, to PHEV with an EV-10 battery pack, and except for winter, should be totally gas free for months on end.
I can get back & forth to work on side streets & boulevards at less than 35Mph w/o annoying people behind me, because I'm following traffic.

Hope this helps. Make sure the tire pressure front & back are correct, they go down every 30 days or so. Unchecked six months you'll have 30lbs pressure instead of 40-42. Happened to me over the winter.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 13 2007, 01:47 PM) [snapback]512019[/snapback]</div>

Good points, but I'd like to add one thing - you could really benefit from the engine block heater. Plug that in for a few hours before you leave (use a cheap timer perhaps) and you'd have heat right away, and a warm engine. Coming back home would still be a problem. Of course, I'm assuming you have access to a plug when you park at home. Much, much cheaper solution than a PHEV modification, and available now without voiding your hybrid warranty.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(xibis @ Sep 13 2007, 01:55 PM) [snapback]512025[/snapback]</div>

30 minutes to go 5 miles? Why not ride a bike??? :blink: Even if a safer route is 6 miles, and you go a nice easy 10mph so you don't work up a sweat (or if you do, bring two small towels and change in the bathroom - get one towel wet and sponge off, then dry off with the second towel), that would come out to about 35 minutes, plus you get your exercise while commuting, and you don't use any gas.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 13 2007, 01:47 PM) [snapback]512019[/snapback]</div>

Good points, but I'd like to add one thing - you could really benefit from the engine block heater. Plug that in for a few hours before you leave (use a cheap timer perhaps) and you'd have heat right away, and a warm engine. Coming back home would still be a problem. Of course, I'm assuming you have access to a plug when you park at home. Much, much cheaper solution than a PHEV modification, and available now without voiding your hybrid warranty.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(xibis @ Sep 13 2007, 01:55 PM) [snapback]512025[/snapback]</div>

30 minutes to go 5 miles? Why not ride a bike??? :blink: Even if a safer route is 6 miles, and you go a nice easy 10mph so you don't work up a sweat (or if you do, bring two small towels and change in the bathroom - get one towel wet and sponge off, then dry off with the second towel), that would come out to about 35 minutes, plus you get your exercise while commuting, and you don't use any gas.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Sep 13 2007, 02:57 PM) [snapback]512029[/snapback]</div>

Thanks, I will try that. I also bought some dark gray foamy tubing to block the grill, the cold is coming soon.

When I go EV, it will either be a Toyota endorsed solution, or, the company that removes Toyota's HV and replaces it with a higher density one of EV-10. I don't need/want the more expensive EV-30 or higher that requires the "hidden" trunk space and condems the spare wheel to the shed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Sep 13 2007, 02:57 PM) [snapback]512029[/snapback]</div>

Thanks, I will try that. I also bought some dark gray foamy tubing to block the grill, the cold is coming soon.

When I go EV, it will either be a Toyota endorsed solution, or, the company that removes Toyota's HV and replaces it with a higher density one of EV-10. I don't need/want the more expensive EV-30 or higher that requires the "hidden" trunk space and condems the spare wheel to the shed.

 

Even in my case, I could ride a bike, but it's not always that practical. Winter, rainy days.
Probably only 1/3 of the year would qualify.

My vote would be for public transit. Up here in Quebec a transit pass for a month is 75$. However, :lol:, it only costs me 1 tank of gas - 35$ - for the whole month ! W/o the freezing & waiting part. I still have to pay the insurance.

I'm sure factoring wear & tear would offset that extra 40$ per month, though.

The best scenario would be to sublet your car to someone else, and use public transit. A new partner of mine in January, we might just do that. I'll swap the Prius for his Audi A4, because it's costing him a fortune in gas to do 25 miles in traffic every day.

Mondays evening we swap, Friday evening we swap back.
I do not know, will be hard to let go of My Precious...:mellow:

 

Even in my case, I could ride a bike, but it's not always that practical. Winter, rainy days.
Probably only 1/3 of the year would qualify.

My vote would be for public transit. Up here in Quebec a transit pass for a month is 75$. However, :lol:, it only costs me 1 tank of gas - 35$ - for the whole month ! W/o the freezing & waiting part. I still have to pay the insurance.

I'm sure factoring wear & tear would offset that extra 40$ per month, though.

The best scenario would be to sublet your car to someone else, and use public transit. A new partner of mine in January, we might just do that. I'll swap the Prius for his Audi A4, because it's costing him a fortune in gas to do 25 miles in traffic every day.

Mondays evening we swap, Friday evening we swap back.
I do not know, will be hard to let go of My Precious...:mellow:

 

another comparison to consider

my dad is getting about 38 mpg in his Prius. before that he had a 2005 Camry that he was getting 22-23 mpg also way below EPA ratings.

 

another comparison to consider

my dad is getting about 38 mpg in his Prius. before that he had a 2005 Camry that he was getting 22-23 mpg also way below EPA ratings.