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Route choice affected by car choice

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by Smaug1, Aug 13, 2018.

  1. Smaug1

    Smaug1 Member

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    My morning commute some days means driving up to one town 21 miles away, then driving back.

    In the morning, there is a clear time savings in one direction realized by taking the tollway. It's about a 22 minute drive. It costs about $2.00 in tolls.

    Driving back, it's less clear. When I had my Accord, I used to take the tollway too, as it saved 8 minutes. (a 20% time savings) (32 vs. 40 minutes)

    Now, with the Prius, I'm noticing that on the tollway, I get 56 mpg, and when I take a US highway route back, I get 74 mpg. I've been taking the US highway route and saving gas and tolls. It saves about 1/3 gallon of gas ($1) and $2 worth of tolls per day. = $18 / month or $216 per year.

    The question is whether it is worth the TIME to save that money. The effect is that I have to stay at work a bit longer each day, also, the US highway route is more risky because there are intersections and a statistically higher chance of an accident.

    On one hand, I'm tempted to go for the money savings, but on the other, I drive enough that the odds will eventually catch up with me and I'll be in an accident.

    What would (do) you do?
     
    #1 Smaug1, Aug 13, 2018
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    a personal decision, i would probably make a choice each trip based on time constraints and quality of life.

    i didn't drop 30k on a prius to save money, could have done better with a camry.
     
    #2 bisco, Aug 13, 2018
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  3. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    You could drive slower on the tollway and improve your MPG.

    JeffD
     
    #3 jdenenberg, Aug 13, 2018
  4. Smaug1

    Smaug1 Member

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    How so? Prii cost about the same as standard Camrys, but get much better fuel economy. Camry hybrids are more expensive than Prii.
     
    #4 Smaug1, Aug 13, 2018
  5. Smaug1

    Smaug1 Member

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    I might get it up to 60 mpg or so, but then I'd be making a nuisance of myself and it's still not 74 mpg.
     
    #5 Smaug1, Aug 13, 2018
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you can get much better deals on camry's, they practically give them away.
     
    #6 bisco, Aug 13, 2018
  7. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Great news. Get me one please, I'll pay you when I'm come over again. :cool:
     
    #7 RCO, Aug 19, 2018
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  8. Smaug1

    Smaug1 Member

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    ('because they're gas-guzzlers)
     
    #8 Smaug1, Aug 21, 2018
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    in comparison yes. but saving money at 60mpg over 30 is questionable, depending on how much you drive, how long you keep the car, what you paid for it and gas prices.
     
    #9 bisco, Aug 21, 2018
  10. Smaug1

    Smaug1 Member

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    I looked into it.

    If you're replacing a 30 mpg car that's paid-for with a Prius that's not, it takes about 35 years for it to pay for itself in gas savings. Or at least that was the case replacing my 2012 Accord with a 2018 Prius, driving 15k per year.

    Here are a couple calculators:
    Gas Mileage Savings Calculator: Car Cost vs. Fuel Savings

    This one is especially relevant, as when you pick the Prius Two, it automatically picks a conventional Camry for comparison: (although I would argue that a Corolla hatchback is probably a more fair comparison, by interior volume and trunk space)
    Can a Hybrid Save Me Money?

    The Prius will pay for itself in 2-3 years.

    This one lets you set ALL the variables yourself:
    Hybrid Car Calculator
     
    #10 Smaug1, Aug 22, 2018
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    best comparison is camry vs hybrid camry, although, you cannot get the same package in each, so there is still some finagling.

    shop around, get your best deal on each, try to figure the package difference costs, put in your miles and gas costs.
    of course, no one knows what gas prices will do, and even yearly mileage can change.
     
    #11 bisco, Aug 22, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2018
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  12. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    You'll die if you worry, you'll die if you don't...

    .. so why worry at all? (n)
     
    #12 RCO, Aug 23, 2018
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