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Old 10-12-2008, 12:51 AM   #127 (permalink)
orange4boy
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The Wet Coast, Kanuckistan.
Posts: 1,275

The Golden Egg - '93 Toyota Previa DX
90 day: 31.91 mpg (US)

Chewie - '03 Toyota Prius
90 day: 57 mpg (US)

The Spaceship - '00 Honda Insight
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Similar experience until I found this site

Aero mods won't help very much in city driving. You might benefit from some instrumentation to help you change your driving style and see how best to drive your particular vehicle.

One thing you could try is the alternator delete or disconnect and charge your battery at home. If you had a scangauge or mpguino you would see the effect right away. Then you have a hybrid without buying a new car.

My Previa minivan was getting horrid mileage like 15 - 20 max now I get 27 - 37. My biggest change in FE was the addition of deep cycle batteries and removing my alternator. (about 17% better) Part of my problem was short trips were leaving my battery not totally charged so my alternator was sucking horsepower trying to keep up with electrical demands and trying to charge at the same time.

I have three deep cycle batteries. One yellow top in the stock position which is for short trips up to 1 hour driving and as a backup for longer trips. For those long trips I have a pair of series 27 deep cycle batteries with quick connects which go in the back of the van. I can go 150 plus miles easily with the two deep cycles.

I've also heard that a block heater helps a lot with short trips. I just installed one myself.

Good luck!
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