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Comments
I like the idea of using a portable GPS because it will give you real time results to compare with what your speedo is reporting.
I do, however, believe my speedo is off, just based on my little, unscientific experiment. I am reasonably confident that the radar speed indicator that was one basis of comparison is accurate - its always agreed with the speedo on my wife's Subaru and my old Infiniti.
It also says that a speedometer within 5% is acceptable (so 60 MPH could be off by 3 MPH).
I remember in the 60s and 70s, speedometers were generally between 5% and 8% "optimistic" (displayed a speed that was higher than reality). Manufacturers wanted owners to appreciate how quiet their cars were at xx mph !?
Speedometers are more accurate now. By the way, my TCH displays approximately 3% less than reality, based on clocking 6 1-km roadside signs at 30 seconds interval and 120 km/h. That was with new Michelin Energy tires, inflated to 38 psi.
I will try using an Autotap OBD-II reader, which sould be able to graphically record throttle position (to time when it is depressed) and vehicle speed (to time when it reaches 70).
I will also try 80-120 km/h, our local benchmark in Quebec.
While I'm at it, any other figures you need ? (please keep it reasonable)
I check my speedo when I change tires because highway patrollers also have their tolerances.
Anyway, one thing I noticed I found curious is that CR's test Camry Hybrid had Michelin Energy tires identical fo the 4 cyl. My car has the Bridgestone Terranza tires identical to the Camry XLE V6.
Which is the standard tire? What do you guys have? My understanding is that the Bridgestone is a bit more performance oriented.
I'm pretty sure which tire you get is the luck of the draw.
For the record, with about a week's worth of driving in, I like the Bridgestone's. Handling is better than I expected---same is true for the car. My Intrigue had Continental ContiExtreme Contact's, which handled great but produced quite a bit of road noise.
Has anyone looked yet to see if the Bridgestones are on the "loaded" TCH's and the Michelin's on the base model?
I got the base TCH and mine came with Bridgestones.
Maybe its just random across the board--every XLE I've seen has the Bridgestone's, but maybe that isn't neccessarily true...
Doesn't low rolling resistance make an appreciable difference to FE as Michelin would suggest? Or are these two seen as equivalent in that area (not what I've read)?
I'm guessing these are going for sticker (not above or below)
Thanks
That's what I got. Don't bother me at all, odometer seems very close and I know I am going 2 MPH slower than indicated.
However, he couldn't say for sure when it would be delivered. From your experiences, how long might I have to wait to have it delivered after July 19?
Interesting, I didn't think any TCH's were being built in KY until late this fall????
Another thing I have to worry about when I get my TCH!?
It sickens me that someone would actually take a screwdriver to someone's brand new car to steal a "Hybrid" badge.
What is this world coming to?
Not the end of the world, but would be happier with an accurate speedometer.
TCH with NAV are harder to come buy.
Jasmin Pearl is the hardest color to get. Silver, Magnetic Gray and White are easier to get.
Goodluck.
I thought they were to begin production there in November, but that's what he said.
:mad:
After replacing the VTec badge on my Integra twice, I gave up. Looks like the Hybrid badge is attractive too, for some reason.
Wonder if the badge can be hooked up to the 240V hybrid battery
Ohhhh - wouldn't that be cool! Make it a high voltage, low current so you don't kill them - kind of like a tazer.
Easier to ID the culprit.
I don't know, If they are laying by the car shaking out of control from the zap with a screw driver in their hand it would be hard to deny they are guilty. It would provide some degree of satisfaction
Hard to imagine what they'd want it for.
I'm betting that the "green" gangsta's want these instead of the Mercedes emblems to wear around their necks.
Oppos, hope I didn't give them any ideas
good one
I've been away for a few weeks and am wondering what the latest buzz is? Any new consensus on whether the TCH is more than we thought it would be? Less? Is it a poor man's GS450H? Should I wait for the diesels of 08?
Chances are "Big Business" already knows if they can pass the new US tier limits with their sister cars that are already proven in UK and Europe. (I believe limits are becoming more strict also)
Try some of the "whats around the corner" sites...eg: greencarcongress.com
...just a look whats in store for our future.
Gampa
Far better than my previous car, a BMW 330xi, which at 100 km/hour on the speedo was actually going 95 km/hour according to the GPS, a 5% error.
But we need to remember the relationship between tire pressure and indicated speed, and the tire wear factor.
First of all, speedos calculate speed based on the rotational speed of a tire; actually, usually from the rotational speed of a drive-shaft and known gear ratios. They assume a tire diameter, and hence a tire circumference; i.e, they assume one wheel rotation covers a certain amount of distance travelled.
All speedos are calibrated for a particular tire pressure, and some average tire wear. As soon as you increase the tire pressure, you increase the rolling diameter of the tire, and hence decrease the indicated speed relative to the actual speed. Also, as tires wear, the rolling diameter is reduced, increasing the indicated speed relative to the actual speed.
Given the many parameters involved, errors from actual of perhaps 3% to 5% are probably acceptable. If you really worry about absolute accuracy, a GPS is your best bet, but even these are only accurate for steady speeds over some seconds. (Typically, most GPSs have a 1 second sampling interval, ie, they really measure distance travelled over 1 second, and work out speed from that. The error possibilities are obvious, given that under good conditions, GPS location accuracy is of the order of 10 feet.) Under acceleration, GPS speeds are, at best, suspect.
Unless your cops are particularly nasty, I wouldn't worry about being bang on the limit. If they are, go to court, and argue about radar calibration versus GPS!
I'm a bit perplexed by this and can't find a clear answer from Toyota sites if there is a separate emission control system that gets it to the AT-PZEV level. Does the ICE system alone bring emissions down to that level? If the MPG improvement is in the 50% range, how do the emissions drop 90%?
-c :confuse:
First the Toyota hybrids are only AT-PZEV in CA and the wannabe states. The TCH has an "8" rating for the other 45 states. I am not sure why the Toyota hybrids were unable to maintain the PZEV rating for all 50 states. There are many gas only cars that are PZEV rated across the entire USA. When you have the PZEV rating it is a requirement by the CARB in CA that it is guaranteed to maintain that rating for 15 years or 150k miles.
Vehicles receiving the PZEV credit have near-zero evaporative emissions and their emission control equipment has a 15-year / 150,000 mile warranty. Vehicles receiving the AT-PZEV credit also make use of "ZEV-enabling" clean technologies such as alternative fuel, electric drives or other advanced technology systems.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/ccvl/2005sulevpzevlist.htm
* Engine uses a modification called Atkinson cycle (lots of info on various forums about this) that burns gasoline more completely. Less engine torque but no worries with electric motor at the ready.
* Catalytic converter temp is monitored by computer to ensure it is always at best operating temp.
* Vehicle has evaporative emission control (ie limits gasoline vapors from venting into the air). This is one part you'll actually notice. When you go to fuel the car, you press a button on the dash. The computer will check vapor pressure in the gas tank and "do something" to make sure no vapors will escape when you remove the filler cap. Only then will the computer release the fuel door (can take up to 10 seconds). The computer will reseal the tank when the fuel door is closed or after 30 minutes, so if you stand around chatting for 30 minutes with your fuel door open before filling up, the gas will end up on your feet :P