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Car Forum / Toyota / Prius / January 2007Jeepers! $257 gas bill driving my Prius.
I about fell over when I opened the Chevron bill. $257 for one month of Prius driving?!! Seems steep, but I guess a car that got less would be worse. Unfortunately, it involved a lot of I-5 travels where the mpg drops into the 30's due to the "flow-of-traffic" speed on that highway and the sweltering heat above 100 degrees which requires the A/C to run constantly. Wow! I need a drink. B~ >I about fell over when I opened the Chevron bill. $257 for one month of >Prius driving?!! [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > B~ A friend of mine drives a 3/4 ton pickup servicing dairy equipment. Naturally that takes him from farm-to-farm, some at considerable distance from his home. His wife commutes 30 miles RT to work. Their combined fuel bill is now averaging $400.00/week, so he tells me. >I about fell over when I opened the Chevron bill. $257 for one month of >Prius driving?!! [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > B~ Shall we put that on your tab as well? mark_ For best MPG results, stay off the interstate if possible and don't use the A/C. I'm getting 62.5 MPG this summer because I've changed my driving habits. Besides, the secondary roads are more scenic and relaxing. > For best MPG results, stay off the interstate if possible and don't use > the A/C. I invite you to spend the summer in Florida. ;-) But seriously, I know I could get significantly better mileage without the A/C, but then it's 92 degrees with high humidity...  SignatureMike Rosenberg <http://macconsult.com/cafepress/> Net Junkie and Mac-themed shirts etc. <http://bogart-tribute.net> Tribute to Humphrey Bogart <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gifts > I invite you to spend the summer in Florida. ;-) But seriously, I > know I could get significantly better mileage without the A/C, but > then it's 92 degrees with high humidity... No A/C is not an option here either. At 7 AM, it's 85° here. It will be 90 by 9 AM, and top out about 115 ± 3°. SignatureStop Mad Cowboy Disease: Impeach the son of a Bush. > No A/C is not an option here either. At 7 AM, it's 85° here. It will > be 90 by 9 AM, and top out about 115 ± 3°. Ah, but it's _DRY_ heat! ;-) (And you must get sick of hearing people from other parts of the world say that.) SignatureMike Rosenberg <http://macconsult.com/cafepress/> Net Junkie and Mac-themed shirts etc. <http://bogart-tribute.net> Tribute to Humphrey Bogart <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gifts > > No A/C is not an option here either. At 7 AM, it's 85° here. It > > will be 90 by 9 AM, and top out about 115 ± 3°. > > Ah, but it's _DRY_ heat! ;-) (And you must get sick of hearing > people from other parts of the world say that.) Actually, that's what I tell people from other parts of the world. There really is a reason we call it Aridzona. SignatureStop Mad Cowboy Disease: Impeach the son of a Bush. > Actually, that's what I tell people from other parts of the world. > > There really is a reason we call it Aridzona. Isn't that pretty much what Arizona literally translates to? BTW, I'm somewhat surprised that you haven't joined in the Erniemac fun over in the csm groups. SignatureMike Rosenberg <http://macconsult.com/cafepress/> Net Junkie and Mac-themed shirts etc. <http://bogart-tribute.net> Tribute to Humphrey Bogart <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gifts > > Actually, that's what I tell people from other parts of the world. > > > > There really is a reason we call it Aridzona. > > Isn't that pretty much what Arizona literally translates to? Historians disagree about the origin of the name "Arizona" and its attachment to the region. Three possible derivations are: € O'odham words "ali son" ("small spring"), actually the name of a town which is called "Arizonac" in English. Arizonac is a small town about eight miles (12 km) south of the United StatesMexican border. Historically, it may have been "ali son" or even "ali sona". The O'odham "l" is a voiced alveolar lateral fricative, which might sound to a Spanish or English speaker like an "r" sound. Later in the mid 18th century Spanish missionaries changed Father Eusebio Francisco Kino's maps of the area; they renamed the town Arizonac as Arizona. As the maps were republished and circulated in Europe, the name Arizona became attached to the whole northern part of New Spain. € Spanish words "árida zona" ("arid zone"). € A Nahuatl or Aztec word "arizuma" meaning "silver-bearing". > BTW, I'm somewhat surprised that you haven't joined in the Erniemac > fun over in the csm groups. I did; I suggested that he, John, and Mark form their own newsgroup. But the Erniemac stuff seems to have died down in the systems and comm groups, which are the only two I read. SignatureStop Mad Cowboy Disease: Impeach the son of a Bush. > > BTW, I'm somewhat surprised that you haven't joined in the Erniemac > > fun over in the csm groups. > > I did; I suggested that he, John, and Mark form their own newsgroup. Ah, yes! I forgot that I remembered that. > But the Erniemac stuff seems to have died down in the systems and comm > groups, which are the only two I read. Oh yeah, it's largely confined to the apps group, where it's still burning like a wildfire. SignatureMike Rosenberg <http://macconsult.com/cafepress/> Net Junkie and Mac-themed shirts etc. <http://bogart-tribute.net> Tribute to Humphrey Bogart <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gifts >> I invite you to spend the summer in Florida. ;-) But seriously, I >> know I could get significantly better mileage without the A/C, but >> then it's 92 degrees with high humidity... > > No A/C is not an option here either. At 7 AM, it's 85° here. It will > be 90 by 9 AM, and top out about 115 ± 3°. But then, you have a balmy afternoon every summer morning in the Valley... at least for half an hour around dawn. Break out the watermelon and have water balloon fights instead of showering! Mike > For best MPG results, stay off the interstate if possible and don't use > the A/C. I'm getting 62.5 MPG this summer because I've changed my > driving habits. Besides, the secondary roads are more scenic and > relaxing. As the guy stated it was 100 degrees. When I owned a convertible the top was down and I rarely used the A/C. But on days that it was over 100, even I broke down and used the A/C. > For best MPG results, stay off the interstate if possible and don't use > the A/C. I'm getting 62.5 MPG this summer because I've changed my > driving habits. Besides, the secondary roads are more scenic and > relaxing. I'm thinking you must have a long commute at an average speed of about 35 mph. My best tank so far has been 54.8 mpg. Trips consist of a few 60 mile trips at 55 mph mixed with a bunch of those uneconomical 3 mile commutes at 55 mph. Very little city driving. > For best MPG results, stay off the interstate if possible and don't use > the A/C. I'm getting 62.5 MPG this summer because I've changed my > driving habits. Besides, the secondary roads are more scenic and > relaxing. That's astonishingly wonderful! SignatureJean B. > For best MPG results, stay off the interstate if possible and don't use > the A/C. I'm getting 62.5 MPG this summer because I've changed my > driving habits. Besides, the secondary roads are more scenic and > relaxing. For sure. But sometimes it's a one lane with a diesel pickup ahead. Happened to me yesterday and I had to fall back quite a bit or suffer watery eyes. Then instead of enjoying the scenery I get consumed with wondering when I'll have the chance to pass. > For sure. But sometimes it's a one lane with a diesel pickup ahead. Happened > to me yesterday and I had to fall back quite a bit or suffer watery eyes. > Then instead of enjoying the scenery I get consumed with wondering when I'll > have the chance to pass. Hint: set the A/C on recirculate. In article <kwapg.283853$Fs1.205419@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>, > I about fell over when I opened the Chevron bill. $257 for one month of > Prius driving?!! And that represents, what, 4000 miles? > Seems steep, but I guess a car that got less would be worse. Unfortunately, > it involved a lot of I-5 travels where the mpg drops into the 30's due to > the "flow-of-traffic" speed on that highway and the sweltering heat above > 100 degrees which requires the A/C to run constantly. I wonder what's wrong. If you're driving in "B", stop it. When I go 75 MPH in 100 degree heat with the A/C at full blast mine stays above 45 MPG. > And that represents, what, 4000 miles? No. Under 3000 miles. Seems gas was then high, maybe $3.49 or so where I live. Couple with the fact that while on I-5 I often see the mpg gage reading 35-40 mpg. It's average is 38 mpg on the screen tonight. I've seen as high as 43 on occasion, but it is more likely under 40 for me overall. Part due to the oppressive heat, constant A/C hum, and most importantly maybe Interstate 5 where traffic flows up to 85-90 mph as a rule (like anyone goes 75!) in the long Central Valley stretch. It doesn't like high speedometer numbers for economy, but it could be worse if it were a Dodge Ram Hemi I guess! Those 600 mile one-day outings really do suck up the gas - and I got two more to do this coming week <argh!>. Thank God for comfy thick sheepskin seatcovers and earplugs to drown out the road noise. B~ > I about fell over when I opened the Chevron bill. $257 for one month of > Prius driving?!! [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > the "flow-of-traffic" speed on that highway and the sweltering heat above > 100 degrees which requires the A/C to run constantly. Is the oil level above or equal to the F mark? Are the tires a 42/40? How long since the tires were aligned? Are there trucks you can follow, not draft, but get down to 65 mph? Total miles on vehicle? Miles since last transaxle oil change? Model? The AC is OK but works much better if you can avoid accellerating with it on. If you can hold off until cruise speed, you'll do much better. GOOD LUCK! Bob Wilson I have a 2005 Prius and used it for long trips and I drive on hot days, being in Texas. I have lived in CA and driven I-5, if you drive a Prius like the most of traffic, you will not see the high MPGs. However I can give you some tips: 1) Set your A/C temp to within 20 degrees of the outside temp, this lets the system step down its speed and load until it cools the car down. ( The A/C compressor is run by a motor using battery power). 2) Drive in the right lane on the freeway and set the speed control at 70. On long trips when my wife would drive, she would keep up with traffic, drive 75, change lanes to pass trucks and the MPG would drop to 39 to 43 MPG. We would switch seats and I would drive and stay in the right lane and drive at 70, when we pulled in to fuel up the MPG Avg would 49 to 51 MPG. I have seen 59 MPG after 90 miles on a two lane road after driving from Kitty Hawk, NC down the coast. 3) Never and I mean never change the size or profile of the tires. A tire store near me told me of an Prius owner who needed new tires and had 205 profile tires installed (195 is profile from Toyota), he came back after two weeks and had them install 195 profile, it seemed his MPG was cut in half. 4) Double check your tire pressure, my Prius calls for 35 psi front and 33psi rear, 7 to 10 lbs low can play heck with your MPG. I keep mine at 35 psi front and rear and I had many a time when a oil change tech would lower it to 32 psi on a hot tire because that's what all the other cars are set at and when it cooled and the pressure would 21 or 22 psi. >I about fell over when I opened the Chevron bill. $257 for one month of >Prius driving?!! [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > B~ |
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