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My Recent Trip: Expressways…ugh, bad mileage

Discussion in 'Prius c Fuel Economy' started by Fahfoofnik, Nov 13, 2013.

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  1. Fahfoofnik

    Fahfoofnik Member

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    No, no oil change at 5,000. I was dead set FOR a change, but after reading up some I wavered & then decided not to go out-of-pocket for it. Since the majority of my driving is city driving, I average probably around 20%-25% on EV for the route I take (slow speed limits, traffic, stoplights, etc.).

    I had the Prius C at the dealer so they checked all fluids & gave it a once-over for my 5,000 check up. As far as driving into the wind, it really wasn't that windy on the way down from CHI-->CIN; on the way back (CIN-->CHI), there was wind, about an hour or so of sleet/snowy mix also. But I don't recall it being heavily windy either direction.
     
    #21 Fahfoofnik, Nov 14, 2013
  2. Fahfoofnik

    Fahfoofnik Member

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    Thanks for this. I did try to do most of these; save the secondary, lower speed highways. Due to scheduling we had to leave in the late afternoon, it was already dark outside, and I really wanted to get there as quickly as possible. My son is 8, so trying to minimize time spent in the car and the need to stop for restroom breaks was paramount.

    But I will keep this stuff in mind for future trips; next time we travel on the expressways, we'll likely opt for my wife's '13 Corolla LE. I know full well what to expect MPG-wise, and we won't be nearly as cramped for cargo space as we were with my Prius C.
     
    #22 Fahfoofnik, Nov 14, 2013
  3. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    I don't have a C but I would call that crappy mpg. It's not crappy enough to say there is a serious problem but something just isn't right. I have a PiP but removing electricity, I get around 58 mpg on my regular hypermiling commute below speed limit with semi trucks in the slow lanes. When I went on 2 separate 1000 mile roundtrip travels to San Diego, I averaged about 47 mpg. It's the same 8% drop on mileage. But my car was loaded with 5 people and more luggage. I was also speeding 80+ with the other southern Californians so I was shocked at the mere 8% drop in fuel economy. I was also blasting the AC which I normally don't do on my commute.


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    #23 mmmodem, Nov 14, 2013
  4. walter Lee

    walter Lee Hypermiling Padawan

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    It is easier to drive slightly lower than the posted speed limit on a interstate superhighway when there are less or no vehicles on the road (e.g. driving between 10 pm to 5am)
     
    #24 walter Lee, Nov 30, 2013
  5. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    Hasn't been that long since I drove a bunch around Cinci and I too got low 40's mpg. MPG depends a lot on how you drive and around Cinci there was much stop and go, lots of lane stagger, and lots of traffic manuvering, all of which are a lot worse conditions than the standard EPA mpg trials, which are merely for comparison. And its also possible you filled up with winter gas which generally has less combustion energy than summer gas, often because of ethanol, so low 40's is pretty normal especiaslly for the load carried. Next time try increasing tire pressure to 40 psig; that will help some.
     
    #25 mahout, Dec 16, 2013
  6. Fahfoofnik

    Fahfoofnik Member

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    Not sure about the winter gas, if it was around in early November; in any event, the bulk of my poor mileage was on the expressways. I only drove around a little in Cinci, where my sibling lives it is a little hilly…but the damage was already done on the expressways of Illinois & Indiana.
     
    #26 Fahfoofnik, Dec 23, 2013
  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    If they 'adjusted' it when the tires were still warm from your trip to the shop, then there is a good chance the pressure was set too low. The owner's manual / door placard pressure is intended to be a cold pressure.

    The last time a generic shop monkey 'adjusted' my tire pressure over my objections, he didn't make enough allowance for the highway-warm tires and the elevation change (descent) on the next leg of the trip. If I hadn't fixed it myself, it would have been underinflated for the thousand miles home.
     
    #27 fuzzy1, Dec 23, 2013
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  8. Fahfoofnik

    Fahfoofnik Member

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    Good points; thank you for posting this. I'm planning on checking the pressures here at home, as the car's been sitting unused for the last 2 days. I'd like to over-fill just a little, to see if I can over-compensate for the poorer mileage I'm getting now that it's winter here.


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    #28 Fahfoofnik, Dec 26, 2013
  9. Mo G

    Mo G Member

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    First one was on the way to Dallas from Houston. The temp was 40-45. Highway driving all the way, average speed for time traveled was 66.

    The way back temps were the same but closer to 40, average speed back was 77.

    Driving 85+ for 2 hours or so can take a toll on tires. So keep an eye on your tires pressure.

    Speed and cold temperatures take a huge toll on MPG. My tired are inflated at 37PSI. The ride quality is better at this PSI for me when traveling city to city snce the roads in Texas aren't always the best. I usually keep the tires at 42PSI in town and average around 47MPG.
     

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    #29 Mo G, Jan 4, 2014
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  10. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Car and Driver: Mileage? No, it's Your Gallonage that Really Counts | PriusChat - please do some "gallonage" calculations for yourself to confirm the quote there.

    Why mileage gets worse in winter | PriusChat
     
    #30 cwerdna, Jan 4, 2014
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  11. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    50-58 psi here
    doing that for al my life now never any problems with a blowup.
    well 2 times on a other car where they where underinvlated haha
     
    #31 Flying White Dutchman, Jan 4, 2014
  12. mdbrich

    mdbrich New Member

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    Went from Houston to Austin. Averaged about 41mpg. Car loaded with self+wife+kid. No real bags but the 180 miles is a slight uphill. That and it was winter time. Now that I am back in the city, I have been averaging around 50mpg
     
    #32 mdbrich, Jan 16, 2014
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