new Prius owner

[MPGranger]

Howdy, it's been a while guys! Just bought a 2010 Prius two today. I've been toying around with it for about 100 miles today trying to figure out how to hypermile with it properly. I figured out the whole lightly tap the gas to P&G thing. So I was wondering if some of the more experienced Prius guys could help me out a bit. My second child is due to be born any day now, so my brief skimming hasn't yielded enough results.

1. How do you guys hypermile with a Prius?

2. I'm thinking of using my Ultraguage from my wife's car, what guages are you guys running?

3. Has anyone turned a normal gen3 into a plug-in?

4. Does anyone want a 2010 Ford Ranger?

[elhigh]

Congrats, man.

I just got an '03 HCH and am still learning it. Beating the EPA but I know I can do better - but I'm going to pad my disappointment and say the last 200 miles has been in Ark-worthy rainfall.

If it were up to me I'd say ditch the Altima and keep the Ranger. You're getting better mileage in the Ranger and it's probably paid off, or nearly. It's also probably a lot cheaper to insure. If it's just you and the wife, two seats is plenty; if you have a kid getting old enough to drive, sell it to him. The modest engine and manny tranny keep insurers happy and the low seat count keeps the death toll down in a fiery crash.

Sorry, that last was macabre but every time I send my kids out on an errand, the phrase "fiery crash" goes through my head.

I don't have a Prius but occasionally drive a PII for work and have found the existing gauges sufficient for hypermiling duties, if poorly placed. An Ultra or SGII would at least allow you to put it right in front of you so you don't have to keep taking your eyes so far away from the road.

[vskid3]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XxB6ma7qu8

This video is a good place to start. PriusChat is a good site with a wealth of Prius info.
I just got my 2005 Prius a few weeks ago. My only mod is 51psi (sidewall max) in the tires and a partial lower grille block that I removed last week after rain ruined the cardboard. I got 57MPG on my first tank. My driving technique involves mainly accelerating briskly. I try to keep out of the battery assist while accelerating, zero battery charge/discharge or battery charging are what I shoot for. Then I pulse and glide as much as I can based on lights and traffic. Being able to anticipate the lights in your area can be a big help. For braking, I try to avoid if possible, if not, I try to maximize the regen and minimize the friction braking. Which leads me to the gauges.

I'm currently using a bluetooth scanner and my old Android phone running the Torque app in my Prius. I like to watch my coolant temps (especially when blocking the grille), battery amps, friction brake torque, and ICE RPM because there isn't an obvious sign that it is off in the Gen 2. See this thread on PriusChat for more on that. The Ultragauge won't show a whole lot more than the stock instrumentation. I would use it to watch coolant temps to see if its fully warmed up and able to do EV mode, but I think the Gen 3s are more flexible.

PriusChat has info about turning them into PHEVs. In my opinion, it probably won't save you any money unless you can drive it a lot while in EV mode.

[UltArc]

I would like a 2010 Ranger- but I can't afford to buy it, or, you would either A, laugh, or B, be insulted, by my offer.

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by UltArc

I would like a 2010 Ranger- but I can't afford to buy it, or, you would either A, laugh, or B, be insulted, by my offer.

Put a hitch on your 'Stang. You're getting way better mileage out of your ride and you don't need a truck's capabilities most of the time. It's rated to pull 1,000 lbs from the factory, a little featherweight trailer will let you build your woodpile about 750 pounds at a time, or drag home all the plywood you can use in a weekend.

[UltArc]

I would eco mod the heck out of a Ranger. I don't need hauling capabilities, if I do, I use my trunk. I'd only want it to build it up, have some fun, and then convince a family member that a Ranger will do the same job as their F series-and blow away fuel economy.

So I can actually contribute to this thread, on my SCii, I use:
MPH---------Temp
Ins.MPG-Avg.MPG

the UG, I have rpm, hp, torque, MPH, temp and others I have up that I don't actually look at.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by UltArc

I would eco mod the heck out of a Ranger. I don't need hauling capabilities, if I do, I use my trunk. I'd only want it to build it up, have some fun, and then convince a family member that a Ranger will do the same job as their F series-and blow away fuel economy.

I keep wishing that my dad had bought a Ranger instead of an F-150. Then again, I have been wishing for longer that I still had my Focus instead of Bacon, even if I have used her to move twice.

[MPGranger]

So I get the happy area, but couldn't I just plug in the ultragauge and nail 70% engine loading? But I don't think that the eco mode just the power delivery, I think that it also affect max power. I might switch out to "normal" or power, but I like the efficient A/C from eco.

I've been playing with putting it in cruise at -5 mph PSL. And then when going down hill putting it in "neutral" by lightly tapping the accelerator. Pretty awesome except that the uphill goes into the power bar. But I was until last night trying to keep it in the hybrid power mode, guess that shows me...

Does anyone know why the EV mode cuts out for excessive speed when starting up warm at 11MPH? After it's warm she'll do the 25MPH, and most times when she's cold, like when she's spent a night sitting, she won't go into EV mode at all until warm.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by Xist

I keep wishing that my dad had bought a Ranger instead of an F-150. Then again, I have been wishing for longer that I still had my Focus instead of Bacon, even if I have used her to move twice.

Mine got his because its the absolute base model, and the rebates at the time were so ridiculous. I believe because Ford likes having the best selling truck for 36~ years-which is why my father got to choose between no extra rebates, and 0% APR for six years, or 7k back, and some ridiculously high interest rate (over 10%). Of course, he took the 7k, and after the 90 day minimum of the loan, paid the $150 ETF, and financed it though a credit union for 2-3~%.

Originally Posted by MPGranger

So I get the happy area, but couldn't I just plug in the ultragauge and nail 70% engine loading? But I don't think that the eco mode just the power delivery, I think that it also affect max power. I might switch out to "normal" or power, but I like the efficient A/C from eco.

I've been playing with putting it in cruise at -5 mph PSL. And then when going down hill putting it in "neutral" by lightly tapping the accelerator. Pretty awesome except that the uphill goes into the power bar. But I was until last night trying to keep it in the hybrid power mode, guess that shows me...

Does anyone know why the EV mode cuts out for excessive speed when starting up warm at 11MPH? After it's warm she'll do the 25MPH, and most times when she's cold, like when she's spent a night sitting, she won't go into EV mode at all until warm.

How easy is it to switch modes? Say for when one comes to a hill, switch from eco to normal or power. Also, I like the suggestion here to go for 80%, although I often find my best acceleration is 75ish (lets me get 30mpg, and still accelerate).

[Daox]

As soon as you are off idle you are at optimum engine load (thanks to the eCVT). That is why your BSFC map looks like the pic below. Optimum acceleration is between what looks like ~1200-3000 rpm. The CVT handles engine load, so you don't even have to.