comments on "drive" vs "brake" please...

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Jeff - 16 Jul 2006 03:48 GMT

my wife owns a 2005 prius, & really is enjoying; we live in central
arizona, & have a few "hills" around here.
it seems to me ( & i don't drive it often) that it used to be that we
would descend a "big" hill, and, if transmission left in "d" we would
accelerate w/ gravity - also, when letting off the "gas" pedal, we
would free-wheel, or pretty much "coast"
now, after she took it to prescott for her 5k checkup, it seems that
letting off the "gas" there is no longer any "coasting" at all!
on "big hills" we still pickup speed, so, coasting is pretty obvious,
and the "b" will hold us pretty nicely...
am i wrong? did i just imagine that letting off the pedal there was
free wheel, even on flat ground?
for those of you in az, the "hills" i'm talking about are copper
canyon & flagstaff down to lake montezuma (both on i-17)
thanks for any insight into the matter!
jeff

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Michael Pardee - 16 Jul 2006 16:59 GMT

> my wife owns a 2005 prius, & really is enjoying; we live in central
> arizona, & have a few "hills" around here.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> thanks for any insight into the matter!
> jeff

Greetings from Flagstaff!

I think your memory is playing tricks - our 2002 has always had more
lift-throttle drag than either of the automatic trannies in our garage but
less than manual gears.

I just use the brakes lightly for the grades each side of the Verde Valley.
The battery is just about "full" by the time we reach the bottom and the
charge gets used quickly when going up the other side. I'm pretty sure the
friction brakes are never used in that stretch. Same thing from Sunset Point
down to Phoenix - although it looks like Sunset Point may become part of
Phoenix in 10 years or so :-(

It takes some willpower to use the brakes for those long descents. Old
habits die hard, and I'd never drive a conventional vehicle that way -
downshifting is so much better. In hybrids, "riding the brake" is better for
all but really long grades. We had to use "B" on some of the mountains in
Colorado.

Mike

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Jeff - 16 Jul 2006 18:15 GMT

<snip>

>Greetings from Flagstaff!
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
>Mike

Hi Mike, & Thanks for the reply!
I grew up in Colorado (Montrose) & those mountains down south of there
were my backyard growing up; it was gears or nothing! Also, drove for
the national park service in Estes Park a few summers, learned from
the "old timer" truck drivers; "the same or one gear lower" to get
down the same hill you climbed....

glad to hear (& not surprised) that my memory may be playing tricks!
it just "seemed" like you could let off the pedal, & get total
free-wheel coast-even on flat ground.... there is at least a good
deal more of the "hold back" when we use the "b" "gear"..... as w/
driving the old-style trucks, my mentors taught me to use "just enuff"
brake to hold the downhill speed to within about 5mph of your desired
speed; no hard braking, just gently, & occasional enuff to maintain an
even speed. sound about the same for prius? i think we "have been"
so far using the "b" pretty regularly, will try to stop that..

so far, she's keeping 45-48mpg, mostly driving around cottonwood....

we've got a lot to learn about the car, & so far, it's all been good
going for us! i like it when she "lets me drive!"
thanks again for reply!!
jeff

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richard schumacher - 18 Jul 2006 02:29 GMT

It won't "free-wheel" all by itself; the driver has to apply just the
right amount of gas pedal. Turn on the "energy" display and watch for
the no-arrows condition.

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