Many Prius owners on hypermiling websites have been known to get wayyyyyyyyy above 34mpg on their machines. Try at least 50-60mpg. There are techniques that are applicable for ordinary people to use which makes driving the Prius return much more economical mpgs than EPA figures. I remember reading how a lady in Japan driving a Prius on her commute to work everyday achieved 100+ mpg... it was a record!
why 2008 prius only 34 mpg?
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With what appears to be a sustainable 40mpg summer//winter fuel mileage average (greenhybrid.com), a Camry hybrid initial purchase price excess over a comparable gas-only, let's say, of $2,000, could be recouped over ~3 years driving 15k miles//year, if the gas-only model delivers 25mpg fuel mileage average (U$ 3.00//gallon assumed). Only the most careful of drivers would likely exceed the 25mpg in a gas-only Camry, given the hectic, high speed nature of the typical highway commute.
Since the basepoint for fuel $avings starts with the comparative vehicle, a typical eight-cylinder pickup truck might make for a more favorable comparison.
Since the basepoint for fuel $avings starts with the comparative vehicle, a typical eight-cylinder pickup truck might make for a more favorable comparison.
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Originally Posted By: Jett Rink
If the primary goal here is the lowest possible cost per miles driven, you might consider a used car. Say, a Corolla or Civic....
I took this one step further to the point few seem to think of -- I bought a USED HYBRID. Late in the summer of 06, I bought an 04 Prius with 15k miles, very loaded model. I got it hugely depreciated (very roughly, a car that cost over 28k new, a "Package #9 version, for under 20k, AND I got it Toyota Certified, so I got a seven year, 100k mile wty. Best of both worlds if you ask me.
Well, yes, a used Prius would obviously mean a lower cost per mile, too. I just named used Corollas and Civics because they are quite plentiful in these parts. Prius owners seem to hold on to them tight. Anyway, I just haven't seen any on local usedcar lots.
There is a weird Luddite-Technophobe streak on BITOG. Personally, I welcome the Prius and the other advances in automotive technology. Anyone moving away from the status quo always faces resistance from the herd; that is true in just about everything under the sun. The Prius gets more than its fair share of haters, but just wait. Wait till the other automakers start selling hydrogen vehicles, or Chevy sells the Volt. Then the Prius haters will have to divide their ire towards more vehicles. Just my prediction, take it for what it is worth.
Originally Posted By: Jett Rink
If the primary goal here is the lowest possible cost per miles driven, you might consider a used car. Say, a Corolla or Civic....
I took this one step further to the point few seem to think of -- I bought a USED HYBRID. Late in the summer of 06, I bought an 04 Prius with 15k miles, very loaded model. I got it hugely depreciated (very roughly, a car that cost over 28k new, a "Package #9 version, for under 20k, AND I got it Toyota Certified, so I got a seven year, 100k mile wty. Best of both worlds if you ask me.
Well, yes, a used Prius would obviously mean a lower cost per mile, too. I just named used Corollas and Civics because they are quite plentiful in these parts. Prius owners seem to hold on to them tight. Anyway, I just haven't seen any on local usedcar lots.
There is a weird Luddite-Technophobe streak on BITOG. Personally, I welcome the Prius and the other advances in automotive technology. Anyone moving away from the status quo always faces resistance from the herd; that is true in just about everything under the sun. The Prius gets more than its fair share of haters, but just wait. Wait till the other automakers start selling hydrogen vehicles, or Chevy sells the Volt. Then the Prius haters will have to divide their ire towards more vehicles. Just my prediction, take it for what it is worth.
I rented a car once, and the tires were at 18 psi. I checked since it was using way more gas than I had expected.
Honda claims that their HYBRID car does get better mileage on the highway than the Toyota version. If your matrix includes a higher percentage of highway use you may want to investigate this avenue. I used crude inputs to try to arrive at the pay-back for the HYBRID and ran them out 20 years and could not come up with the "free years"? I must say that this hasn't deterred the many who've purchased them though. I do not consider myself a LUDDITE but I wonder how much the purchasers are truely saving? If you are looking at these, the 4 cyl LE Camry at 32 MPG highway can be had for around $19,850 on a rainy Saturday at 4:45 PM at your local Totota dealer if your checkbook is sticking out of your pocket. Try to get them near "quarter ending" as their entire bonus could depend on your sale!
I don't own one but have thought about it. If I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic every day to get to and from work I would own a Prius.
Originally Posted By: ALS
If I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic every day to get to and from work I would own a Prius.
That would be my tipping point.
Like others I've done the cost analysis issues along with tax credits and can't justify buying a hybrid as I tend to trade &/or upscale every 3-4 years.
If I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic every day to get to and from work I would own a Prius.
That would be my tipping point.
Like others I've done the cost analysis issues along with tax credits and can't justify buying a hybrid as I tend to trade &/or upscale every 3-4 years.
Originally Posted By: ALS
I don't own one but have thought about it. If I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic every day to get to and from work I would own a Prius.
I don't do a whole lot of gridlock traffic, especially now that I'm not in New Orleans during the week, but the Prius is very cool, in more ways than one, in such traffic. Even in hot weather, the ICE shuts down, and the AC still chuggs right on, as it's compressor and fans are driven off the HV traction battery. The compressor is also variable speed, so it's very efficient. You can be sitting there at a dead stop, on a southern summer afternoon, and if you want, you can very quickly get meat locker cold temps. As for driving, it will stay in "stealth" (electric only) mode for a long time so long as you're not too aggressive with the throttle, until the battery drops near the lowest acceptable charge.
I don't own one but have thought about it. If I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic every day to get to and from work I would own a Prius.
I don't do a whole lot of gridlock traffic, especially now that I'm not in New Orleans during the week, but the Prius is very cool, in more ways than one, in such traffic. Even in hot weather, the ICE shuts down, and the AC still chuggs right on, as it's compressor and fans are driven off the HV traction battery. The compressor is also variable speed, so it's very efficient. You can be sitting there at a dead stop, on a southern summer afternoon, and if you want, you can very quickly get meat locker cold temps. As for driving, it will stay in "stealth" (electric only) mode for a long time so long as you're not too aggressive with the throttle, until the battery drops near the lowest acceptable charge.
Ok so I drove 700 highway miles at 70 mph or so and this is what I found in terms of mileage:
Against the wind 33-35 mpg
With the wind 44-46 mpg
Tested this with several 20-50 miles intervals using Prius's mpg gauge as well as odometer/fillups. Even drove the same 12 mile stretch in succession going both ways to verify wind effect.
The car went from 300 miles on the odometer to over 1000 so it is not yet broken in, I would say. So wind was the largest factor and poorer mileage due to break in is an unknown factor for this run (i.e. didn't test all the way through break in period so no good data, although no noticable increase in mpg from 300-1000 miles).
Impressions off the top of my head of the car not relating to mileage: I like small cars and it feels like a small car. Good interior room, love the backup camera and mpg "vidoegame" screen. Was much more comfortable than I thought it would be for a 700 mile drive. Stereo got amazingly poor reception.
Against the wind 33-35 mpg
With the wind 44-46 mpg
Tested this with several 20-50 miles intervals using Prius's mpg gauge as well as odometer/fillups. Even drove the same 12 mile stretch in succession going both ways to verify wind effect.
The car went from 300 miles on the odometer to over 1000 so it is not yet broken in, I would say. So wind was the largest factor and poorer mileage due to break in is an unknown factor for this run (i.e. didn't test all the way through break in period so no good data, although no noticable increase in mpg from 300-1000 miles).
Impressions off the top of my head of the car not relating to mileage: I like small cars and it feels like a small car. Good interior room, love the backup camera and mpg "vidoegame" screen. Was much more comfortable than I thought it would be for a 700 mile drive. Stereo got amazingly poor reception.
Did you get a chance to check the tire pressures?
I drove my '07 with 6,000 miles round trip to Yankee Stadium (600 miles) last June with 3 adult passengers at 60 mph+, with AC, and got 52 mpg. In the winter, I get 44.5.
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