We've all discussed this, and we've seen newbs post threads - regaling us with tales of their 22 MPG on a CC DRW with 4.10s... because their overhead says so. I made a recent purchase of a 2007 Prius (or Priss, or Pu55) and I've learned the "overhead" is no more accurate than the one in my Superduty. I am beginning to wonder if the biggest claims of fuel economy on Hybrids are based on the overhead, as opposed to our preached practice of (A) ensuring the odometer is accurate and (B) hand-calculating. Don't get me wrong, I get crazy-good economy with my small-car lead foot (I take great pleasure in punking pokies with a Prius, but I am much more conservative with Stinky) - but hand calculating still puts me 10% shy of the exaggerated economy of the electronic exposition on the dash. 10% less from a 20 MPG reading is sans shock at Shell, but 10% of a 46 MPG reading has a bit more bite at BP.

Seven years of spread between the vehicles, and they made zero progress in the MPG estimation accuracy - so take solace when shaking your skull at the overhead reading.

For those who are curious - the hybrid actually does much better in city traffic than it does on the open highway, but I knew this before I bought it.

 

Remember when Top Gear Uk did a MPG test on the prius. They ran it around the track as fast as It could go while a V10 BMW M3 kept up with it.
The Prius (at WOT) averaged 17 mpg while the V10 BMW averaged 19...

Obviously just for a laugh, but one can see their point. It's not all about what your driving, it's how you drive it.

My buddy Al had an early prius (until someone t-boned him & they wrote it off), but he claimed that he only averaged about 35mpg with it.
Not sure how he got his figures, but that sounds low to me. he replaced the prius with a sporty Hyundai something or other and he claims he's getting the same mpg's as the prius out of it.

 

Doesn't the second gen prius have a bladder fuel tank which can make consistent fillups and accurate hand calculation difficult?

 

On the exact same drive every day, with the same driving style - my Toyota Corolla averaged about 37 MPG - but hyper-miling gave me 42 MPG. My Prius will average 41-42 MPG if I stay in it this hard at the speeds I drive, but a freeway speed of about 75 MPH would certainly drag the economy down to the level you described. It's a matter of overworking the engine that kills the economy on a small car.

 

I dunno. Wouldn't that kick the pump handle when filling? I have not logged into their forum yet - I don't plan on getting that deep into it. The last time I said something similar, I rejected the notion of chipping my diesel... and look at the mess I made of that.

 

I've heard it does and the purpose of the bladder is to reduce the evaporative emissions of the g@soline fuel that the prius uses. So the handle click might not occur at the same "full" level each fillup. Slowly filling, rocking the prius, listening for sighing are among the techniques I've heard. Supposedly there are some suspension mods for the prius which are worthwhile...

 

And if that doesn't get Rich's mod glands drooling, imagine the Prius equivalent to rolling coal: Tesla coils!

 

Like suspending it from an electromagnet before dropping it in a crusher?

This is a 7.3 Powerstroke forum Rich...
Can we please knock off the import junk talk?

There is a general automotive discussion farther down the list.

 

Well I can't wait until you do start logging into the Prius forum. Come on now you know you will.... I think you are just fighting the urge. You know you need to know the what and why's about the Prius. But personally I can't wait until you tell the Prius guys that you also drive a SuperDuty diesel, them treehuggers are going to go off on you. They are going to blame you and your friends for killing the planet.
But I do have faith you will set them straight, so go get them!!!

Now as far as the overhead "lie-O-meters" mine in my E99 is off by at least 15% around town but highway it more like 10% OFF. But I have actually gotten 20mpg out of it (hand calculated) straight highway at 62mph @ 2000rpm's "lie-O-meter" said I was getting 22.6mpg. But I have only be been able to go that slow once and I don't have the self control to that again! Now my hoopdee (Saturn SC1) doesn't have a lie-O-meter, no power windows and no cruise control. Stripped down to say the least. Honestly I have only wanted to hand calculate a few times over the last 5 yrs. Because the little car is so kind to me I don't care. But by hand calculating I get 36.4mpg and best 38mpg. But it is such a dog I am scared I am going to die trying to get on the highway on ramp.

 

Rich is hard in search of the updated Flux Capacitor.....I hear Riff Raff is developing one.

 

Its common to see a hybrid on the side of the freeway because before they got on the freeway it said RANGE: 50 miles, then they got on the freeway and it went to RANGE 15 miles.

 

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you will have to perfect the acts at around the 20 second mark

 

Should of bought a Diesel TDI.