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What kind of gas mileage have you been seeing? Also, have you considered doing the plug-in mod?
A Prius seems to exhibit a much wider range of mileage performance than a conventional car, depending, essentially, upon your driving style and how hard you try. Last week, I drove New Orleans to Charlotte NC and back. Since I was willing to trade gas for time, I cruised at ~80-85 mph. I averaged 46 mpg on the way up and 43 on the way back. If I’ve got time and I’m willing to cut back to 65-70 mph, I’ll get over 50 mpg. On my in-city New Orleans commute (10 miles each way, if no side trips), I’ve gotten as low as ~42 mpg and as high as 51, again depending upon driving conditions. Grille blocking will gain 3-5 mpg over non-blocked, if conditions are appropriate (i.e. colder conditions). If traffic is sparse and I can execute a true “pulse and glide” pattern, add 5 mpg to how I’d do otherwise.
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With all that technology does this prius have an OLM?
Oddly enough, it has a “maintenance reminder” light only. Despite the other clever things the car does (even without CAN View), this is an idiot light – all it does is come on 5k miles after it is reset.
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Maybe Norm can rig you one that allows you to input your oil specs like full synth, semi syth or dino and it will customize your OCI.
Theoretically, given what I know about GM’s OLM, and the data CV can access, this is entirely possible. I suppose the issue would become how much it would cost a customer to have it built in. Keep in mind that it would also involve a calibration process, which would include multiple UOA (which I already do anyway). Sadly, I doubt it’s within practical reach.
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I love these gizmos. You can never have too much info!
So true.
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Any idea if this guy messes with BMW i-drives?
Well, I don’t know. His company is called Hybrid Interfaces, would tend to suggest he doesn’t. On the other hand, I can’t see why it wouldn’t be “do-able”. I’m e-mailing later today with some follow up questions, and I’ll ask if he can or knows of anyone who does.
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Looks like a slot machine, a novelty, nothing more.
You'll be sorry one day when he turns the key, gets three cherries and wins the jackpot!
Neat stuff. But, man... my Metro is the anti-Prius. Speed, fuel, coolant temp, that's it. Not even a tachometer or oil pressure gauge.
Vilan:
Actually, every time I pull into a gas station with 2 gal in my tank, add 10 more to full up (for approx $25) and realize this will take me almost 500 miles, I consider that a jackpot. Especially so since my previous car (a G35) consumed more than double the fuel I’m now using. Since I log almost 40k miles per year, this is big for me.
A thought on the Metro-Prius comparison: other than fuel economy, these are really cars of a different class. The Metro, as you know, is a subcompact. The current Prius (second generation, the hatchback, not the earlier sedan) is actually closer to the Camry in interior volume than it is even the Corolla. In short, the Prius is a larger car that happens to deliver the fuel economy of a very small car. Now, I’m not “dissing” the Metro or Aveo in any way (they accomplish their assigned mission very well), it’s just a different car. I'm not selling Toyotas, but I like to point that out, since some people dismiss the Prius as too small, without ever actually checking out its interior.