[Jerry Liebler]

For the last couple of years I've been happily driving a 2012 plug in Prius whose body came from a flood, huricanne Sandy, victim and interior + all electrical components came from a rollover. I had installed a block heater, blocked the grill, inflated the tires to 50 PSI and was averaging 58 MPG, one one long trip I got 65 MPG and average speed was 65 MPH. I was quite happy! Then I was "T boned" while going all of 20 MPH. My wife was banged up pretty well between the locked seat belt and the inward crushed door but we survived while the car didn't. Car was declared a total loss despite my pleas that it was one of a kind and must be repaired. I had NO CHOICE & had to accept the other driver's insurance company check! I only had 38,000 miles on it and it was running like a dream! I shopped the internet and found a surprising number of good choices within 500 miles of my southern Ky home. I narrowed the choices to those with fewer miles, no damage history, and blue or white and picked one. Drove the insurance provided rental car & bought a 2013 PIP with 36,000 miles, a lease return with a clean carfax. It had snow tires on it but looked clean and had minimal "hanger rash". I turned in the rental car, a Corolla which was a serious downgrade from the Prius, and drove the, new to me, PIP home. On the trip home I ran Torque on my Galaxy tablet through the bluetooth OBD adapter I'd bought with me 7 was surprised to see 45 MPG at my usual 72-75 mph interstate speeds ( I'd typically see 60-65 mpg in the now history car). I said it must be the snow tires and absence of the grill block. I ordered and installed Bridgestone EP422s ( sidewall rated @ 51PSI) & installed a grill block $2 worth of pipe insulation. Made a trip to visit my great drandaughter with the grill block and new properly inflated (51PSI) tires and DAM only got 50 MPG. What the HELL is wrong, I'm the same driver practicing "mild" hypermiling etc. I posted this delema on the Prius chat board & got a suggestion jack up a rear wheel and give it spin, I did but it sure wouldn't spin, I could turn it but the drag sure wouldn't let it "spin". A little bit more inspection and I found all 4 brake rotors worn beyond wear limits and all the pads more than half gone, but this Prius only has 36,000 miles. My now totalled car had undetectable brake wear at 38,000 miles ( I use regen and strive to DWOB).
Well fortunately the insurance settlement was "generous enough" that I can afford to replace the pads & rotors in addition to the tires. It was a good bit of work but it's now done so we'll see. The rear wheel now spins normally ( there is normally some drag & it's within the normal range now). Hopefully my dismal mileage is history. I'm still planning to add "piza pan" wheel covers, I have the aluminum pans and replacement center plugs. My new plan is to use TWO screws into the center plug rather than a single centered screw. Hopefully I can avoid drilling and tapping the alloy wheels and make stock condition fully & economically restorable.