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New Prius Owners - Give Us Your Report

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Comments

  • snowboarder4snowboarder4 Member Posts: 42
    Check these or other newspapers for a discussion of the Prius wave:

    Rocky Mountain News
    http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/21/coloradan-extols-virtues-hybri- ds/

    National Public Radio
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89800264

    The Seattle Times
    Seattle, WA
    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004362575_aphybridsgro- wth.html?syndication=rss

    Modesto Bee
    Modesto, CA
    http://www.modbee.com/2020/story/275256.html

    The News Tribune
    Tacoma, WA
    http://www.thenewstribune.com/904/story/340410.html
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "When I read that Oldsarg needs to ride an SUV for his comfort, I felt that I was reading the sentiments of more than half of all citizens of the United States. "

    I'm getting over 30 MPG on my AWD FEH SUV, and I love it!
  • hihostevohihostevo Member Posts: 59
    Sorry.........

    What is an FEH?????
  • amatistaamatista Member Posts: 15
    Ford Escape Hybrid
  • rolinrolin Member Posts: 13
    Not really.... But I need the expertise of those, here, who post. Please help me to understand this.

    Friday I picked up my new Prius 2008. It was well appointed with Navigation, Blue-tooth, etc. I love the car at this point. The dealership "filled" the tank. I have been learning to read and interpret the "Consumption" screen, though not fully. I seem to average 37 MPG, but the other bar graph shows more than that as I go. My dilemma. I have put only 36 Miles on this car at this point. The fuel lines on the dash, now have 2 less than when I took the car home. I am not good at figuring these things out, though I want to learn. Am I getting poor mileage at this point? Do I have cause to be concerned? Should my MPG improve as my driving becomes consistant? I traded in my beloved Pathfinder which gave me the worst mpg, (14) and I am willing to forget the "past" BUT, does it seem that 1) Am I doing something wrong" or is typical of what a "break-in" period truly is?
    Any advice you can offer wil be so appreciated. I truly hipe that I did not make a mistake in purchasing this car. I don't believe I did, though I am just a bit concerned seeing 2 gas gauge bars gone after only less than 40 miles. Help please... :confuse:
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Not to be blaze' about it or to appear to be blowing you off but check back in 6 months to a year.

    First the vehicle needs to breakin which happens at about 5000 mi and 10000 mi. For the next 200,000 miles after that you should have good solid readings.

    Seriously though, don't worry. The computer in the vehicle is brilliant. If you drive more than 20 min at a time and don't try to set land speed records your results after 10000 miles and 50000 miles and 100000 miles and 200000 miles will be right around 48 mpg lifetime. Trust me on this. Just drive normally and let the brilliant HSD do the rest.

    BUT... if you only take short trips then you have to do some adjusting. Short trips are death on fuel economy on every vehicle on the road. A 30 mpg Camry might only get 20 mpg over a series of 4 min trips. A 18 mpg Tundra might only get 13 mpg over the same series. A 50 mpg Prius might only get 40 mpg over these same 4 min trips. To compensate try to combine short trips. After 15-20 min the vehicle is at optimum operating conditions.

    Other 'tricks'
    ...stay off the Highways
    ...follow the speed limits
    ...avoid stop signs and stop lights if possible
    ...if you can't avoid them try to 'time' the lights so that you don't have to stop and try taking trips using as many right hand turns as possible.
    ... keep your tires inflated fully
    ... keep a light touch on the pedal
    ... don't worry,
    ... Use the constantly fluctuating bar graph as a biofeedback device to show you how to drive more optimally. Everytime that you let off the pedal and that bar graph goes to 100 mpg you've stopped burning fuel and your overall economy goes up. Try to keep that bar graph above 50.
    ... Let off the gas pedal as often as you can without creating a hazard and annoying the rest of the population.
  • timo6timo6 Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I got a new Prius in November 2007. We love it very much. We have owned SUVs, sedans and even a couple of Lexuss and are used to room and convenience. The Prius totally surprised us with its room, creature comforts and quiet ride. I am thinking of selling my Azera (another good car) and getting another Prius, probably a next gen model. I have a couple of questions though that will help me make the best of the Prius.

    1. Is the Hybrid tax credit still available. I hear conflicting descriptions of what is available now.
    2. We are only averaging about 41 miles per gallon as indicated by the car's computer. This is great and much more than I am used to, but I continually hear of folks getting 50+ mpg. What am I doing wrong? I drive calmly and coast as much as possible. Driving is 60/40 city/Hwy.
  • trofrnktrofrnk Member Posts: 4
    I am not sure either how people claim to get 50 mpg with this car. My wife and I have bought ours new in march 07 and it averages 42 mpg when the weather is warm. In the cold of winter its average is 32 to 34, probably partially because I don't like freezing and want the heat blowing warm air. With this in mind I think these high mile per gallon readings are coming from somewhere warm like CA or AZ. I live in Minnesota, where we see -30 in the winter, and are sold fuel which is 10% ethanol (or more?). I drive normally, not too quickly and in the right lane most of the time. I do take some short trips, but to work one way is 23 miles, not a short trip. People in minneapolis won't put up with slow drivers, so I go with the flow. I don't think anything is wrong with my car, its got 18,000 miles and has been maintained, and I keep the tires at 35 psi. Anyway, mine is still in the body shop from my wifes accident 20 days ago, and its still a week until I get it back. hope this helps to clarify.
  • rolinrolin Member Posts: 13
    Thank you again for your reply. I am printing it out so that I can refer to it when needed. I am concerned, but will patiently wait and drive to achieve the best MPG possible. When I mentioned that "bars" , I was referring to the gas level by the odometer. I have put on to date, 100 miles. I have exactly one half and 1 bar left of gas. If this first tank of gas depletes as it has for the first 100 miles, then I expect to be on empty at approximately 225 miles. When I purchased the car this past Friday, the car came with a full tank. I called the dealer this afternoon, and he told me to wait until this tank is done, fill it up again, and see how I do. He intimated that the gas they put in when they sell the car, is not necessarially the "best". A line of BS, I am thinking.

    The consumption gauge shows approx. 44.0 miles per gallon, and of course, somewhat less. My concern is simply being on slightly above 1/2 of a tank at 100 miles.

    As always, I appreciate your help. Thank again!
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    It's easy to get 50+ mpg and even as much as 65 -70 mpg in a Prius. I've done it several times. One owner even got 86 mpg last May using 11.9 gal going 1026 miles.

    How?

    Never, ever drive on the Highway. From the original EPA values the Highway value was 51 mpg - at best. As soon as you get on the highway your best expected value is about 51 mpg. I get this value all the time in warm weather.

    Don't speed. The Prius is not excluded from being affected by the laws of physics. The faster you go the worse will be your fuel economy.

    OK so now you never drive on the Highway. To get 50+ mpg you have to have a fully warmed up vehicle. In fact the Prius is basically an ICE vehicle like the Matrix but it has an electro-mechanical assist. Just like any ICE vehicle the fluids and catalytic converter have to be brought up to operating temperatures. In addition in cold weather the cabin has to be warmed up. But it's Spring now. To get any vehicle up to optimal operating temperatures it has to run for at least 10-15 min. Thus any trip under 20 min will be done in less than optimal conditions. SHORT TRIPS ARE DEATH ON FUEL ECONOMY for every vehicle on the road.

    OK so now you're not on the highway and you're making trips of 20 min or longer in warm weather. No vehicle can obviate Newton's law of inertia. An object at rest wants to remain at rest. Try to avoid dead stops as much as possible in 'city' driving.

    So the way to get50 and 55 and 60 and 65 mpg is to drive at a moderate speed, say 35 mph, in good, warm, dry weather with few if any stops for 30-60 min. This btw is a near replication of the former EPA driving cycles that gave a 60 mpg rating.

    But as soon as you get on the highway you'll drop under 50 mpg....which is still 10-20 mpg better than just about any other vehicle on the road.
  • rick294rick294 Member Posts: 77
    The Federal Prius tax credit expired in October, 2006, but (I'm in Oregon) your state may have its own tax credit for hybrids. Mine does. I got a $1500 tax credit on my 2007 return because we bought our 2008 Prius December 26, 2007. I don't know which state you live in, but check with your dealer first as to a state tax credit. Once a manufacturer sells 60,000 hybrids, the Federal credit is gone. I went to the Oregon Dept. of Energy and downloaded a hybrid tax credit form and mailed it in. See what your state offers, Tim.
  • oldsargoldsarg Member Posts: 21
    What about the Prius makes you dead tired?

    The vibration from a Prius is much more than from my Lexus RX330.

    I drive my '04 all day every day and it fits like a glove. I have 194.000 miles on it and have had no problems.

    Are you young and immune to comfort? :)

    Still have the original brakes. If you babying it for mileage, don't. Drive it like a car. You will still get great mileage and have less stress. Some people on these forums try and try to stretch their mileage by using all sorts or strategies to increase mileage. That just adds to stress.

    I have lived and driven in many countries of the world. I have driven several hundred types of motorized vehicles from extreem luxury to extreem cheap. A Prius is not, by far, a comfortable vehicle.

    My car is my office. If it isn't moving, I am not making money. No time for babying. I still average around 48+ MPG. I agree with you about using corn for fuel. All it does is drive food prices up.

    The solution is to grow more corn. I was a farmer once. The liberals have put the small farmer out of business and have paid them to not farm.

    I disagree with you about drilling in pristine areas.

    I have lived in one of those so-called "pristine widerness areas". What a joke. The death rate among children was much higher then. Only the very strong survived. God told us to subdue the land and not let the land rule us. Oil is a natural renewable resource. I still remember the liberal argument 50 years ago that the world would run out of oil in 20 years. What a bunch of hogwash. There is enormous untapped oil just discovered in the Dakotas. Even Ohio has enough "discovered" oil in Ohio to take care of its population that is not allowed to be used.

    Solar is the answer and all we have to do is find an efficient way to harness it. If we had no oil or gas the solution would suddenly be discovered.

    If what you say is true, (I use your logic) then all liberals would quit using motorized vehicles, reject professional sports (jocks produce most of those "greenhouse gases"), and shut down welfare offices (that forces peoples not to used their own sweat) thus reducing the need for oil by about 90%. If taxing the public is the liberal's only objective, then, by definition, those solutions are totally bogus. Forward thinking people originally rejected tea taxes that started a great nation of people free to discover and prosper.

    You have convinced me that I need to sell my Prius and buy a large SUV, just for my comfort.
  • oldsargoldsarg Member Posts: 21
    The Soviet Union used your same arguments to promote and build the Yugo automobile--a horseless carriage for the masses. It was a big loser for many years and they had to pump millions of taxpayer monies into the plant to keep it afloat. Et tu?
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Your opinion is just one perspective. To compare the Prius to to a Lexus is ludicrous, of course they will ride differently. One is built for fuel economy the other is built for power and comfort.

    Your comparo is as ridiculous as those comparing the Prius to a base model Corolla. If comfort is the prime importance get the Lexus. If minimizing the total cost of transportation is of prime importance get the Corolla ( or even better a bicycle ). If meeting a happy medium is important then the Prius fits better than most.

    I had four Camry's before my Prius and each one gave me a pain in the butt and down the leg over long drives. The Camrys were much much quieter but not nearly as comfortable as the Prius is to sit in for long distances....and I'm probably older than you are.
  • tothemaxx2tothemaxx2 Member Posts: 22
    Interesting discussions. Nothing wrong with substituting ethanol for a portion of the fuel. Regardless of the energy balance, it still displaces oil. The main problem is that there are a number of crops that give better energy payback than corn. Still, we MUST replace non-renewable based fuels with renewable ones. Continuing to burn ethanol to make more ethanol is much better than burning oil to MINE more oil that will run out.
  • prusaprusa Member Posts: 43
    I have been driving my Prius "Touring" PKG 6 for about 2 months and still learning about all the gadgets that this beauty came with. I have a question for you:

    When you coast, do you use the "B" brakes or do you use the normal brakes? I haven't use the "B" brakes because the dealer told me that you only use it down the hill. Well, we don't have to worry about any hill here in Savannah, Ga.
    Thanks in advance for your help.
    PRUSA
  • sergelbergeronsergelbergeron Member Posts: 138
    My new 2008 that I got last October gets between 42 and 46 MPG after 13000 miles now. I haven't seen 50+ MPG yet and I drive very carefully and slowly - maybe this summer will be better.
  • sergelbergeronsergelbergeron Member Posts: 138
    I've never used the B to brake until a short time ago and I am now using it if there is not too much traffic and I can slow down slowly and avoid using the brakes. I heard that the brakes will last longer and that the B slowdown will actually charge the battery so I personally like using it. It is quite easy to go to the B at any time - I haven't tried doing this a high speed - so maybe 45 MPH yes - but I would not do it say at 70MPH - I don't know why - just the feeling that at high speeds- I should use the real brakes.
  • GutsyGutsy Member Posts: 13
    I purchased a new super white 2008 Prius Package 6 just 1 month ago and absolutely LOVE this car. I first achieved 49 MPG on my 1st tank of gas, and I'm now getting 55 MPG on my 2nd tank of gas.

    I joined www.priuschat.com and learned new driving techniques at their forum. That's how I was able to get from 49 to 55 MPG now. I highly recommend this site for anyone who owns a Prius. There's a wealth of information there from Prius enthusiasts that would be valuable to any Prius owner. Once my Prius has about 5,000 miles or more on her, I'm sure I'll do much better MPG wise.

    Also .. you never use the "B" shifter unless you are going downhill to slow down. Shifting to B will actualy waste energy ... it's like shifting to a smaller gear while traveling fast. I read this in the www.priuschat.com forum (link below). All you need to do is pace yourself as you approach traffic in the distance and let your foot off gas to re-charge the battery. The job of "B" mode is to help stop the car, not to save or recover energy.

    Here's the forum that discusses shifting to "B":
    http://priuschat.com/forums/newbie-forum/43446-using-engine-b-rake-slowing-metho- d.html

    Hope this helps!
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Yes your dealer was correct. It's in your Owners Manual as well. Use the "B" only when going down a long steep road to avoid riding your brakes all the way down. It's like low gear on another vehicle for engine braking.
  • tothemaxx2tothemaxx2 Member Posts: 22
    1. We have 1,400 miles on our 2008 and are getting 51 mpg.

    2. I have owned 30+ cars in the last 34 years. Seven have been Volvos, which have about the most comfortable seats in the world) The Prius, while not the most comfortable, is definitely in the top 30%. No complaints (though the lumbar support is pretty good, it would be nice to have an adjustable one).

    3. Oldsarg, go home. You obviously are a malcontent, or a Bush supporter.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "3. Oldsarg, go home. You obviously are a malcontent, or a Bush supporter."

    I, for one, support Oldsarg in his opinion, which by definition is neither right or wrong.

    My experience is that those who do not have a good argument tend to switch to attack rather than discussion.
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,497
    3. Oldsarg, go home. You obviously are a malcontent, or a Bush supporter.


    I think you should leave political statements off these discussions. It's enough that we are being barraged with politics in the media.
  • tothemaxx2tothemaxx2 Member Posts: 22
    "My experience is that those who do not have a good argument tend to switch to attack rather than discussion."

    Exactly, e.g. Oldsarg's political tirade Email to which I was replying. Sorry, I was quite offended by his Email, and I DO NOT agree with him. But I will not get political again.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Exactly, e.g. Oldsarg's political tirade Email to which I was replying. Sorry, I was quite offended by his Email, and I DO NOT agree with him. But I will not get political again."

    I re-read Oldsarg's post, and he was presenting what he considers to be the facts, though he did couch them in a certain viewpoint. The problem I had with your post was that it appeared you were trying to censor Oldsarg, rather than counter his logic.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Let's get back to discussing what new Prius owners think about their cars and off of this personal track please.
  • kayenkayen Member Posts: 5
    I am the proud new owner of a spectra blue mica package 6 prius and couldn't be happier. I have it two weeks now and love the mpg, leather, xm radio, nav, etc. I traded in a 2007 Lexus ES350 and have no regrets. The dealer, Faulkner Toyota, in Pa. was the best and made the purchase trouble free. I highly recommend them. Anyone buying a new vehicle now should strongly consider this vehicle. I can't understand how anyone can buy a low mpg vehicle at this time. Gas is too expensive and I don't see the price coming down anytime soon. It is also the right choice to help the environment and to make our limited gas supply go further. I also feel so young in this car, compared to what I had previously. Thank you Toyota.
  • oldsargoldsarg Member Posts: 21
    12,000 mile report. I bought package 6 with leather seats and the upgraded sound system.

    Pros: Great gas mileage. Reasonable acceleration. A nice sound system. Braking in the snow is okay.

    Cons: The manually adjusted seats are not comfortable even with the leather. I have several family members who have to bend their head over while driving that causes a lot of discomfort. The small side view mirrows severely limit the ability to see other cars. The rear spoiler is a severe design flaw especially limiting the view after dark. While driving through Cleveland during a moderate wind storm the car was pushed around quite a bit. It did not hold to the road very well and I almost hit several cars. My wife has complained about several unusual noises, most of which are caused by the wind on the light body. I had to be careful where I put the car seat for the grand-daughter, she covered up the battery air flow grill with her blanket. My wife also was worried about the Prius sitting for several weeks while on vacation, it would be very annoying to come back from vacation with a dead battery. I took four co-workers to lunch the other day, even though they all fit in the car, they stated that other than on a short trip, there would be a severe shortage of comfort. The displays on the dashborad have a lot to be desired. There is a bright reflection on the front windshield from the dashboard lights, both night and day. While driving southwest on a bright sunny day, my pants became hot and very uncomfortable with the reflections from the hot sun beating down. The clunk-clunk of the engine cutting off and on is distracting, especially in the snow. The navigation system display is awkward. My wife still hasn't been able to input a destination on the Prius, tonight she had to get my son to program an alternate route due to a fatal accident on her normal route home, as she could not figure out how to do it. She was thrilled with the ease of use of the navigation system on our Lexus, as she became lost several times and easily was guided home after inputing the address. The overall look of the Prius has a lot to be desired for styling. Even the styling of the Lexus is so-so. Real style is my brother's 1956 Buck Century hardtop. A real classic, not like the German 9.9 HP Gogg-mobile--and the Prius.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Regarding the Cons you simply needed someone conversant with the vehicle to give you a good delivery when you picked it up. Most of the issues you mentioned would have been explained away.

    Blame the deliverer who knew nothing. I can make that vehicle purr and you'd think you had two different vehicles.

    Styling is completely subjective.

    Why you gave up a Lexus and now complain of stepping down is beyond me. Helllooooo it's not a Lexus. That was YOUR choice. Whining about stepping down is childish don't you think? IT'S NOT A LEXUS!!!
  • joeoxjoeox Member Posts: 2
    After using the "brake" function, why do you have to shift it back to drive, instead of the system automaticaly doing it.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    The 'B' function is like low gear on a regular vehicle. It's used simply for engine braking doing down a long decline in the mountains. I has no other use. It's in the Owner's Manual.

    Just like any other car it has to be engaged and disengaged.
  • priusdarpriusdar Member Posts: 6
    :confuse: I simply LOVED my Prius until it hit 5000 miles and we took it on a little 2300 mile trip. I bought it new in January. In April and May I noticed some strange fill ups. My car averages 47mpg. One tank was down to one bar at only 300 miles ... really bad mileage that tank. One fill up showed 55mpg ... boy was I excited! The next "top off" before the road trip was not correct for this car. I could only get 1.7 gallons in the tank and had driven 132 miles ... hummmm. Off we headed onto the road trip. First stop, we filled up ... gauge showed full ... drove 83 miles and had only four bars left on the fuel gauge. Had fill up issues the entire road trip ... no matter what time of day, the temperature or how SLOWLY gas was put into the tank. On the way home the mileage on the tank was 442 with four bars left ... something was definately amiss. Contacted Toyota technicians and Corporate about the tank/bladder issue. Long story short ... this is the first car I have owned since 1976 that I cannot fill up the tank easily ... do not know if the tank took 6 gallons or 10 gallons ... strangest thing of all is that Toyota Corporate notes that this is normal ... the bladder system only allows an average of 6-7 gallons a fill up ... even if you are on fumes! Long story short ... I not pleased with this issue ... plus I spoke with three other Prius owners in my area and their cars will NOT drive in the snow ... boy am I looking to see if my car also has that design flaw ... I have read that many other owners have experienced these issues ... after I bought the car of course ... maybe I am the only person that has a Prius :lemon:
  • scottc3scottc3 Member Posts: 137
    Hey Spyder...

    I'm in the same boat.. just this last fill-up was totally full.. overflowed a bit out the spicket. I have driven 450 miles still have 2 bars left - never driven this far before, normal for me is 420 miles then need a fill up.. but I suspect I'm only putting in 10 gal.. certainly not 12 gallons (except for the last fill). I did not see the 'shut off' problem until recently, last 2 tanks. I am disappointed also in this issue also.

    sc
  • oldsargoldsarg Member Posts: 21
    I have the gas guage problem also. I drove for 300 miles with the guage on two bars through some back roads. I was late for a meeting and the only gas station on the way did not take a credit card. It was quite worrysome to think that I could run out of gas--and no bars on my cell phone either. When I did fill up, it only took 6 gallons. Just another poorly designed feature on a sub-standard sub-compact.

    Oh, for my old Honda Civic. It was tight quarters to drive but I constantly got 4l per 100k (60+ mpg) with a top speed of 105 mph, which was what I normally drove on the German autobahn. I had over 250,000k on it when I left Germany, a great little car--almost as good as the old Studebaker Champion.
  • snowboarder4snowboarder4 Member Posts: 42
    As I read through the posts, I feel as though I live on another planet. I bought my 2007 Prius with 7,000 miles on the odometer, now three thousand miles ago. I experience no problem with fuel economy, bladder control, spaciousness, comfort, or any other issue with my beloved Prius. The men at work all think that I should be a Toyota dealer because of my praise. Several have purchased high-efficiency vehicles in recent months, more Toyotas than any other brand. My vehicle has never slipped or failed to obtain excellent traction in deep snow, despite having the original factory radials. The overall fuel economy rose from 48 MPG in winter to an average of 54 MPG in summer. :) [For more information, type into a search engine, "Kim Fenske drives a bus in Colorado" which brings up an AP story on the Prius.] The future is so bright, I gotta wear shades. :shades:
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    ..but there's WAY too much concern about the fuel bladder issue.

    My guess is that they will do away with it on the Next Gen simply because of the annoyance it causes. Also the TCH and the HH don't have a bladder.

    Now that being said, ignore the damn thing. It's a minor annoyance at worst. Common sense should prevail. If you drive 100,000 miles or 200,000 miles and you keep accurate records of the fuel you purchased and the miles you've driven you will come to this unstartling conclusion....your fuel economy will be about 47.5 mpg over the life of your ownership.

    Obsessing over one tankful vs another is an an extraordinary waste of emotion. In looking at the Greenhybrid.com database and the EPA databases of owners reporting their fuel economy the middle 50% of the population is right at 47.5 mpg, Some are significantly higher and some as much as 15% lower, but that's a normal distribution curve of any population.

    Specificially regarding the fuel bladder issue if one tank seems to be far 'too short' then common sense should come into play. If a driver has driven 450 miles and used 9-10 gal of fuel and the auto shutoff clicks off at 2 gallons then obviously the tank is nowhere near full. It may take some 'babying' of the nozzle to get it to take another 6 or 7 gallons but it will do it. Common sense. You've used 9 gallons, you need to put about 9 gallons back into it no matter what the nozzle says.

    What annoys some drivers obsessing over their tank-by-tank results is that underfilling seems to inflate the fuel economy of the prior tank; 450 miles driven but 'only' 7 gal pumped gives the extra ordinary result of 64+ mpg...'Hot D***!!! Am I good or what!!' However after driving only about 350 miles on the current 7 gallon fillup and then filling to a normal 10+ gallons seems to drop the fuel economy into the low 30 range. 'Stupid defective car!'
    However combining the two tanks..............800 miles / 17 gallons = 47+ mpg. What a coincidence.

    In the long term one or two tanks just don't matter.
  • gfr1gfr1 Member Posts: 55
    That's your take. It doesn't apply to others. It isn't a mileage satisfaction issue, it's a dependable long range reliability issue. The tank is so small already -- the gages are pessimistic and if you are traveling long distances, as through west Texas, you have to be looking for fuel stations at nearly every berg, if you are not familiar with the area. I'd like one, but won't be getting one until the fuel tank system will exceed 500 miles of cruise range, with comfortable reserves. What the book says is the capacity is what is required and the gaging system should reflect that value. In town, it's no big deal to stop at one of many stations, but on the road, it's not acceptable to me, or many others, not to have a reliable fuel quantity. -- gr
  • priusdarpriusdar Member Posts: 6
    :sick: kdyspyder ... gfr1 has it TOTALLY correct!!!

    This tank discussion has NOTHING to do with fuel economy. This is a SAFETY issue and HAZARD to the driver, passengers in the Prius and other drivers if the car runs out of fuel! So those of you that do not understand this serious safety issue, please quit telling the owners that ARE concerned to be happy that they get great fuel ecomony ... again fuel ecomony is NOT the issue here!!!

    A driver HAS to know that when a fuel gauge registers FULL that means FULL, not 1/2 a tank of gas, not 3/4 tank of gas ... but a FULL tank of gas.

    Not everyone drives in urban areas. This is a great little around town and short trips car. This is not a dependable or reliable long road trip car ... in rural areas where gas is not avaible 24/7! (Which is exactly I bought this Prius for ... I thought ... hey 10 gallons @ 45/mpg - boy - I can drive 450 miles/tank with gas to spare ... NOTTTT going to try that!)

    The faulty tank design along with the faulty gauge ... makes this car a safety hazard. (I have had my fuel gauge "fixed" three times ... it still does not work!)

    Anyway ... SAFETY is paramount ... Consumer Reports was VERY interested in this gas "tank" design flaw, expecially with Toyota Corporate OPENLY admiting the flawed bladder design, that 6-7 gallons is a "normal" fill up, not the 11.9 noted or 10 or 9 ... and that there is NO fix for this fuel tank safety hazard ... :lemon:
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    For both responders.... Where's your common sense?

    You're vehicle will get about 45-50 mpg on every tankful. Those are the stats.

    OK you drive 475 miles and the last flashing bar comes on saying fill up. This means that you've used about 10 gallons of gas. That's common sense.

    So you go to the pump and it shuts off early at 6 gallons....so you add 3 or 4 more gallons. Helloooo, you've just used 10 gallons going 475 miles. You need to put 10 gallons back in it. This is common sense.

    C'mon people common sense overrides everything else. At 79000 miles I've had a few 'early shutoffs' even after adding 1-2 gallons. Did I think that somehow magically those 2 gallons filled the tank??? No I just added 8-9 more gallons. Common sense.

    Or...you can continue to complain and whine about something that's so minor it's laughable. You use 9 gallons you have to put 9 gallons back in. What's so hard to figure out about that?
  • snowboarder4snowboarder4 Member Posts: 42
    Comment: This is a SAFETY issue and HAZARD to the driver, passengers in the Prius and other drivers if the car runs out of fuel!

    Reply: In response to concerns about fuel capacity and safety, I operate my vehicle in very remote areas under severe environmental conditions. As a career driver, I take precautions to ensure my safety with any vehicle.

    Whether driving in the flatlands of Texas or the summits of Colorado, I recommend that an operator take rest breaks more frequently than a full tank of fuel. With a rest break every 4 hours at a safe 60 MPH, an operator travels 240 miles. At a more frequently fatal crash speed of 70 MPH, that means 280 miles. Even at 300 miles, that is associated with 6 gallons of fuel. Fill the tank slowly, patiently, and there is no problem with being unable to add 6 gallons of fuel and getting out of the vehicle to circulate oxygen to the brain to ensure safe operation of the vehicle.

    Furthermore, if you are concerned about safety, then you certainly always travel with emergency food, clothing, a sleeping bag, water filter, water bottle, cell phone, first aid kit, extra battery jump kit and 12 volt power source, air pump, magnesium fire starter, knife, multi-functional tool, maps, GPS, LED trail light, yellow strobes or fusies, and other gear to be prepared for your personal safety in the event of any mechanical failure or environmental condition. I do. I have never needed my emergency gear on the road, except to help others less prepared than me. I use my gear regularly on wilderness trails. I always have it in my vehicle. I know people who have died without it. If you need a list of survival gear that should be in your pack, refer to: Greatest Hikes in Central Colorado, pages 44-46.
  • sthogesthoge Member Posts: 28
    Having owned ours now for less than 2 months, I have to say that so far it's great. The worst mileage was on the first fill and that hand calculated was around 48mpg. Since then each time I fill up, it calculates out to 50+. So far the Average MPG reading in the car is fairly close to what I hand calculate.

    I have noticed what people are calling an issue with filling the tank and so far my observations have been that it varies dramatically from one station to the next. One station that I was at had the pump pressure up so high and the trip mechanism in the handle was so sensitive that It took about 10 minutes to get it full. So far I've had one station that I could set the handle to the first click and let it run, the rest I've had to work the handle by hand to get it full. I have not had any that I couldn't get it full on, however at the one I already mentioned, I was almost ready to give up and go somewhere else. I guess it does go along with what has been said that sometimes you just have to be patient.

    Anyway, I love this car and enjoy driving it. It's very roomy and comfortable to drive.

    Steve.
  • scottc3scottc3 Member Posts: 137
    The writer above is correct, we will all get about 50mpg.. +/- a bit. You drive 500 miles, you have used about 10 gallons of gas, so you should put 10 gallons in if you fill up. For me, I like to know how much gas I have in my tank when I get down to 1 bar left, or 1 increment on other cars I own. I just like to know this. For the first 3-4 months I thought I had 3 gallons left in the tank, based on a 9 gallon fill-up when I reached the last bar.. and the tank being 12 gallons. I thought I could drive another 150 miles when my car hit the last mark on the fuel gauge. My ASSUMPTION was that I had 12 gallons in the tank.. this is clearly NOT the case for must cars. If you have read my recent posts.. my last 'fill-up' was a true fill-up, with gas overflowing out the fuel inlet... not much, but it came out. I have now driven 600 miles on this tank of gas and my last light has not started blinking yet (indicating I need to get gas). So, I put in a bit more then 12 gallons in the tank on this last fill. I will know soon how many gallons, or less, I have in the tank when I'm no the last mark. For me, this will be useful information.

    I really like my car.. I just want to know the above info for my own sake.

    sc
  • chazzzmanchazzzman Member Posts: 1
    I'm sorry to admit this one is a no-brainer. :P

    When you fill up, park your car so the fuel door is on the highest corner of the car, not the lowest (you may have to circle around and stop in the opposite direction) to let air escape instead of getting trapped in a high corner of the tank. I find that there's often a little dropoff on the concrete that lets me lower the front of the car slightly -- even a little bit can make a big difference. Eyeball the ground to see which way it slopes, and put the driver on the high side.

    Next, set the pump handle on the slowest 'locked' setting. When it shuts off, pull the nozzle out to let any compressed air escape. (The rubber seal between the filler hole and the pump nozzle seems pretty airtight.) Resume pumping slowly. I can always put a few more dollars in -- gradually. I stop the pump at $xx.52, since I was born in 1952. When I look at my VISA bill, I can pick out fuel purchases in an instant (since they all end in .52). :)

    Expect the bladder to be stiffer during cold winter weather, so it will be far less forgiving. You're more likely to get a pint of gas splashed on your hand if you pull the nozzle out quickly, so, barely pull it out and let the air escape gradually. Unfortunately, this means I spend more time outside pumping fuel in cold weather. I put my hands in my pockets while I wait.
    The bladder is part of the system that practically eliminates fuel escaping to the atmosphere, so I don't have a problem with that. ;)

    Be gentle, use your head, take your time.

    My mileage runs from 50-52 in warm weather and around 40-45 in the winter (I drive conservatively, watch ahead for red lights and slow for them). Part of that loss is winter-blend fuel, some is slipping on the snow, running the engine to pump heat into the cabin, and the emissions system trying to keep the engine warm.

    As far as the fuel gauge showing 'full' longer than it should, that's a 'feature' found on all cars. The gauge can either be 'most accurate' when the tank is full, or when it's nearly empty. It's more important to know how much fuel you have when the tank is nearly empty than when it's full. Again, use your head and determine if you have driven too many miles to make it to the next station by using the 'trip meter' on the center display (if you reset it, you're on your own). If you've traveled 300 miles, and it's 300 to the next town, maybe you should fill up here . . . If you don't know how far it is to the next town, next time get the Navigation System and it will tell you. :shades:
  • michigan4obamamichigan4obama Member Posts: 2
    I could not agree more snowboarder. I'm reading these post and agree, I have none of the problems they describe having. I have owned my 08 for a few weeks and have averaged 55-60 mpg. The fuel tank works great and I find the seat to be comfortable. Yes, it's not the SUV like 'Mr. NeoCone Lexus" wanted in the earlier posts. LOL when I read his reasoning on Hybrid vs. SUV.

    I completely love the Prius. Toyota way to go! I order the package 5 and can't get enough of the blue tooth, stereo, and nav/fuel info screen. Driving has never been so fun and affordable. I gotta wear shades. I remember that video when I was a kid. Peace to Prius owners. I waited two months here in Michigan to get mine, payed a about 1500.00 too much for it but I don't care.....I'll make that up in the first year with these gas prices.
  • michigan4obamamichigan4obama Member Posts: 2
    But wait grr1, that is my take as well. Perhaps his take DOES apply to others.
  • stevegoldstevegold Member Posts: 185
    I have a 2004 with about 50,000 miles. I loved it even before gas prices went up. One of the most fun cars I've ever owned. I had the Bluetooth working for four years and just changed to a BlackBerry which also works great. I had the gas tank problem for the first time this past winter. I kept careful track of my mileage until it warmed up and the problem disappeared. My wish list would be topped by 4WD, an electric turbo and the auto parallel parking software. Great car. 45-50 mpg.
  • oldsargoldsarg Member Posts: 21
    Car Talk with Ben and Jerry in last Sunday's paper had a response to a woman who had her computer-controlled steering fail in her Prius. She stated that if she had been driving at a high speed it could have had serious consequencies. There had been a recall but it was on different models. Since her car was out of warranty the cost was $2000, ouch. The Toyota representative basically said "tough luck". I have not seen anything in the blogs about this problem :confuse: . Prius owners should keep this in the back of their minds when driving.
  • jenniferljenniferl Member Posts: 2
    My daughter was in a collision this week. She was behind an Escalade moving through an intersection when the driver slammed on her brakes. My daughter was unable to stop in time and slammed into the back of the Escalade. Her hood was smashed back on itself, the winshield cracked, drivers door wouldn't open, and the engine was damaged. No airbags deployed at all, none!!! According to Toyota Corp. the bumper must be hit full on in order for the airbags to deploy. Since the bumper was lower than the SUV bumper it was not impacted. Everyone had their safety belts on, and yet she still hit the steeering wheel and sustained a chest and neck injury, The safety belt did not lock! Just want all of you out there to know about this issue.
  • south4south4 Member Posts: 32
    I missed this issue.Can you elaborate on what happened and any warning signals we should look for? What years had the recall???? Thanks.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Yep that is correct. I've seen exactly the same situation in our body shop lot with Corollas, Camrys, Civics, Fusions, Aveos, Mazdas and others. If the accident doesn't hit the sensors then the airbags may or may not deploy.

    Good point to bring up.
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