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by tonymcewing from Los Angeles

Last Post 80 days, 8 hours Ago


What a relief!
Aug 15, 2007 | 9:10 AM
Category: News
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Well, I did it. I said I would and I did. I have owned my Toyota Prius for about a month and a half now and it has been GREAT! I now know why customer satisfaction for the Pruis is well over 90%, the highest of any car. But I'm still waiting to see the kind of mileage promised. More on that in a moment. First, you have to understand that my enthusiasm has a lot to do with the amount of savings I'm seeing at the pump. My last car was a V12 which got maybe 12 miles to the gallon on a good day. That behemoth was costing me about $870 a month to drive when you totaled up gasoline costs, maintenance and insurance. I drove it for almost two years before I realized how much I was spending just to drive it. Now, instead of paying $450 a month for gas, I'm paying about $50. What a difference! And it's much better for the environment. So of course I'm excited.

However, I'm still waiting to achieve anywhere near the kind of mileage the EPA claims the Prius gets. And from what I hear, it'll never happen. The most popular hybrid on the market is supposed to get 60 miles to the gallon in the city and 50+ on the highway. I have about 2500 miles on my car so far and am averaging 41.3 miles per gallon at this point. I've been told I'll see a HUGE increase at 5,000 and 10,000 miles once the car has been broken in. I certainly hope so but I've been told I'll be sorely disappointed if I'm expecting the kind of mileage the EPA claims. Now of course, the car performs better in warmer weather than colder temperatures, which means Southern Californians should be getting about the best mileage anyone could expect from the car. Most Prius owners have said, I can expect to average between 45 and 48 miles per gallon at best. That would be somewhat disappointing, but so much better than anything I've ever experienced before that I'd be just fine with that mileage.

If any other long-time Prius owners read this, I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say. But so far so good.


9 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 9
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DeltaVenusKat read my blog view my photos
Aug 15, 2007 | 9:14 AM

Indeed, you probably won't ever see 60mpg.

Still beats a Hummer.
ddain read my blog view my photos
Aug 15, 2007 | 9:26 AM

Tony...those MPG postings on the stickers normally are not accurate, not just for your car, but for all of them.

But you're still ahead of the game, and if you keep your car for a while, you'll notice the extra change from the better mileage, regardless of what it is.
blcoffman read my blog
Aug 15, 2007 | 10:10 AM

Would love to win the lottery LOL Have fun Tony!
frankherbert read my blog view my photos
Aug 15, 2007 | 9:42 PM

With most modern cars the on-board computer tracks your driving habits and will adjust settings like air-flow mixture after a few months, or as you said, 5,000-10,000 miles. You should see a signifigant improvement but those EPA estimates are usually out of reach.
Abe_Oltulever read my blog
Aug 16, 2007 | 8:54 AM

what incentive is given to ch 11 employees to acquire a Prius? twelve cylinders? what was total engine displacement? i would trust your judgment was sound at the time you bought that car! what kind of car was it?
nosy4 read my blog
Aug 18, 2007 | 5:32 AM

Hi,TONY wait and see what your car does,fooling around on these blogs you will trade it in for a scooter.TONY have you read the STL. blogs? look at slow life is there compared to here.How can they post other states, can you see and have it done,thank you.
nosy4 read my blog
Aug 18, 2007 | 5:37 AM

sorry I see you do read the STL blogs aint they nice for a change?
godzgirl read my blog view my photos
Aug 20, 2007 | 10:27 AM

This shows you how SOS (Stuck on stupid) I am. I have not heard of the Prius (not yet anyway). I may have seen it but do not remember, and I am pretty good with my cars. Mostly antiques. I had a behemoth like your 2005 except mine is older which makes it worse (SMILE). Food for thought, off subject, a gentleman was inches from hitting me at a gas station last week in a 2007 Benz. My comment was “it’s okay I could use your car,” he smiled and said that I could have it because it was a V12 and got 1 mile to the gallon (jokingly), and said that he was going to trade it in for a truck (Toyota) and that the payments were $1600 a month plus insurance, maintenance and gas. I replied ouch just pay my medical bills and you can keep the car, it was already bad enough I was driving a Cadillac. I am glad that you are excited about your new vehicle and I hope that you continue to enjoy it. Now Momma always said believe half of what you see and none of what you hear, the fact of the matter is that if your car is averaging 41.3 miles to the gallons so far, it is a lot better than the car that you had before. I love my big cars, but reality check is that I also love my Nissan Sentra and the Kia Spectra (SMILE); you cannot go too wrong with the gas (SMILE). I am being truthful but sarcastic (SMILE)…

I also agree with Ddain, this is not just for your car but all cars. It was great when you could drive in a Mercury Monterey, or the real Lincoln Continental and gas was $0.50 a gallon. (SMILE)...
gregschneiderhan read my blog view my photos
Oct 25, 2007 | 8:50 AM

i have a honda scooter gets good gas milage as well. i enter that contest springsting and hannamontana. im going to take the money 1 i can use it. 2 i dont listen to eather singer. back to the scooter subject i bought it for 300 new tires and its one i allways wanted
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tonymcewing

Tony McEwing is an Emmy Award winning anchor of the Fox 11 Morning News and Good Day LA.

Member Since: 3/2/2007


 

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