First car - '05 HCH
 

Hi, I'm 24 from Western Pennsylvania. I graduated college a little under a year ago, finally scored a job and my car died. I debated for awhile of what to do. I've always told myself that if I bought a car it would have to be a hybrid. So I'm in debt (my car payments are chump change compared to student loans) and I don't feel guilty about it. I live in a really rural area, but I travel more than 300 miles a week (that is if i'm conservative) for my job. In this sort of area, you have to drive everywhere. The only shopping centers (essentially just long hallways) are 20 miles in either direction as are the movie theaters (not that I can afford to go out anymore). But it just illustrates the sort of driving environment that I believe needs a hybrid. Anyway, that was a long and useless intro. This site was helpful in my decision to buy a car and I hope it will be helpful in me maintaining the car.

Congrats on the new HCH, hope you love it like I love mine
 

Welcome to the world of Hybrid drivers !! I hope you enjoy your Hybrid.

Have you yet noticed that you are tending to modify your driving style a little bit to achieve higher MPG, or is that still in the future for you? Or do you plan on not changing at all?

Keep us posted on your likes and dislikes and MPG achievements !!

Thanks. I'm already picking apart my driving. It is a fun time. I find it exciting to keep track of mph. Actually my boss just asked if anyone wanted to take an assignment that was about 50 miles away (i'm a reporter). I got so excited for another chance to drive my car in the day. I feel like a little kid with a new toy. I think what I love most about this car is the technology and being able to see it work. I feel like I'm in the future. I never thought that I would be driving a hybrid car.

Welcome benb,
Tracking mileage can be fun...almost obsessive if you are not careful. Seeing instant feedback is helpful in making changes to driving habits. Good luck on the reporting job, too. It sounds like your car will come in handy for those far away assignments. You get reimbursed for mileage, right?

HCH as a first car? You are lucky. I've had many cars and the my HCH is my favorite. It makes me feel good to drive it. I hope you like yours as much as I like mine.

Welcome, Ben! Glad to have you here. I hope to get to know you a bit in the coming months. Real busy with the site ;)

Welcome benb!

What climate do you live in? Obviously I'm here near Atlanta.

Acually I live about 50 miles North of Atlanta, way out among the cows, chidkens and deer. Stevo, another memeber lives somewhere near my area. It sounds like you and I put on about the same miles.
32,000 miles last year. HCH's MPG was also a selling point for my long commute.

My commute is about 22 miles hill country road, 22 freeway and a couple of heavy Atlanta city traffic.
I've had my HCH for 12 months now and I still get excited almost every time I drive.

Especially today because I just broke my single trip commute MPG record, set last October. My last record was 68.3MPG, and today I parked with 69.8MPG over 46 miles. The trip included a fuel stop, and later a Blimpie sandwitch stop. Just couldn't push it over the 70 hump.

Please let me say that it was one of the most exiting driving experience I've had yet, and I'm no less exited as the day it rolled off the lot.

Welcome again and please don't be a stranger !

that's incredible
 

What is your secret? I followed most of the tips on this site and it has helped me get 50, but I'm guessing there is another level...

My current tank is showing 67plus on the display with over a hundred miles driven. It is about to go in the toilet as there is a winter storm heading our way but I'm expecting entire tanks in the 70ies come summer.

A lot of things must come together to get that kind of mileage out of a car rated at 51 highway (MT). Some you have no control over so you just kinda got to get lucky.

Here is a list of things that help get good mileage:

Warm weather
Dry weather
Long average trip lenght with no or few stops
Slow non stop driving
Not going so slow you gotta come out of top gear
High tire pressure
Low oil viscosity
Engine off coasting (be careful!) This is a big one!
Drafting or surfing (be careful)
Low traffic
Light wind or traveling with the wind
Timeing stops so you don't gotta stop
Using brakes as little as possible
Conserving energy on hills by ramping up to speed before a hill and cresting the hill at a low speed

Thanks blueskies.
Your 50 is still wonderful, and I think we are in 2 different situations.
Please keep in mind my commutes are usually 58-60MPG, about 10 under what I saw today.
My commute is 95% open road. (But I have several stops too).
Lots of time soaking up the 80MPG instant range, or higher.
My schedule has me leaving the house at 3:00PM heading into Atlanta. I have my fair share of interuptions but 99% of traffic is heading out of the city.
I drive around the posted speed limits. Most of the time a little slower, sometimes alot faster.

I leave again at 1:00AM and the streets are pretty much all mine.
I'll help the stone-cold engine by avoiding to use the cabin heat for the 1st 15 miles. I take the same route home. Because of the non-existant traffic I accelerate as slowly as possible. 0-45 in about 60 seconds, only enough to activate the Assist to gain some speed.

Other than the special situation I have (Not working 9-5 and the warmer climate) some brief tips are:

a. Tires hard as rock @ 51PSI, the sidewall cold pressure rating. My Honda dealer even sets them up for me like that. I'm completely used to the ride.
Drop it to the 30/32 and it's like sloshing through a wet, sandy beach, and wishy-washy.
b. I stay off of cruise control. I think it might be good on flat roads but I live in the foothills of the foothills of the Blueridge mountains.
I use a technique taught by the Insight hypermilers called driving with load.
It minimizes the consumption of a 2,000lb object climbing a hill, but uses it as an advantage going back down. Lakedude touched on this.
c. Keep your current instant over your average MPG and it will rise.
d. Summertime try not to use the A/C. If I don't have my bucket of ice along I'll manually cycle the compressor on/off as needed.
Similarly, I'll do the same for the defrost in the winter. Keep the air flow on the glass and cabin temp to hot. Cycle the fan from "off" as needed.

I guess those are the main things. You'll find lots of other great tips here at GreenHybrid.

Basically, I took the advice of the Insight pilots here that are getting 80,90, even 100MPG in their autos and applied it to mine.
I'm thankful for everone's willingness to help.