Posted by Bob & Holly Wilson on March 14, 2008, 11:38 pm
> Hello I'm considering purchasing a used prius (2004+) and was
> wondering how often do heavy commuters (40+ mile) fill it up. . . .
It depends upon how you approach commuting. I commute 10 miles with the
earlier NHW11 and have gotten 52.3 MPG over 50,000 miles. This also
includes my highway driving. But the range of mileage varies so it is
hard to say how you will do.
So let's take the GreenHybrid.com database median or a 2004+ Prius: 47
MPG
11 gallons * 47 MPG -> 517 miles per tank (11 gallons is feasable)
517 miles / (2*40) -> 6.46 days, roughly a week of commuting
@$.50/gal -> $8.50 per week
Now you can get better than 47 MPG and many folks do:
http://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/toyota-priushsd.html
It really has to do with whether you are willing to learn what works
with the Prius and then drive efficiently.
Now there is one other alternative and I hesitate to recommend it:
http://www.cleanmpg.com/
But you need to know all of your options. I understand that since the
summer of 2007 they finally decided that tailgating trucks is not an
approved technique. Because of that one change, I don't feel so bad
about pointing you to them. The rest of their techniques are something
you'll have to evaluate on your own.
BTW, given that your commute is 40 miles, I'd like to suggest you also
look at the Camry hybrid. It doesn't get quite as good mileage but it is
a comfortable ride. There is merit in having a little more room and
comfort in a commute.
GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson
Posted by Earle Jones on March 18, 2008, 4:15 am
In article
> Hello I'm considering purchasing a used prius (2004+) and was
> wondering how often do heavy commuters (40+ mile) fill it up. I have
> to fill my current car every 5 to 6 days and was wondering if I could
> achieve something like filling a Prius every two weeks or every week
> and a half something like that.
*
Here is the data on my '05:
58,058.2 total miles on 1,168.748 total gallons of gas.
That's 49.68 MPG. (I'm a spreadsheet freak!)
No problems -- I change the oil and rotate tires, etc. every 5,000
miles. I have made a dozen or so trips from San Francisco to Los
Angeles -- one long trip from San Francisco to Breckenridge CO
(including the high passes -- Monarch at 11,000 feet) five or six trips
over Donner Summit -- 7,000 feet and Tioga Pass -- 10,000 feet in the
Sierra.
I installed new tires (Michelin Harmony) at about 35,000 miles.
No problems.
Good luck!
earle
*
Posted by Tomes on March 19, 2008, 8:32 pm
"Earle Jones" ...
> Garp2100 :
>> Hello I'm considering purchasing a used prius (2004+) and was
>> wondering how often do heavy commuters (40+ mile) fill it up. I have
>> to fill my current car every 5 to 6 days and was wondering if I could
>> achieve something like filling a Prius every two weeks or every week
>> and a half something like that.
>
> Here is the data on my '05:
>
> 58,058.2 total miles on 1,168.748 total gallons of gas.
>
> That's 49.68 MPG. (I'm a spreadsheet freak!)
>
> No problems -- I change the oil and rotate tires, etc. every 5,000
> miles. I have made a dozen or so trips from San Francisco to Los
> Angeles -- one long trip from San Francisco to Breckenridge CO
> (including the high passes -- Monarch at 11,000 feet) five or six trips
> over Donner Summit -- 7,000 feet and Tioga Pass -- 10,000 feet in the
> Sierra.
>
> I installed new tires (Michelin Harmony) at about 35,000 miles.
>
> No problems.
>
So what do you think about the Harmony tires on a Prius?
Tomes
> wondering how often do heavy commuters (40+ mile) fill it up. . . .