836.0 miles. indicated 61.3 MPG, and pretty **** happy, since I had some high speed highway driving in this stint as well (couldn't be late to the U2 concert)

Based on the long thread I just read about the debate over the capacity of the HCH ULEV, I'm going to push for 1,000 this summer. I've got a spare 1 gallon can in my trunk (exactly measured of course ) in case I run out of fuel

 

Oh yeah it took 13.7 gallons at the pump... and yes it was topped off. Once topped off, never back, as the expression goes.

 

Excellent. I am going to be in Pennsylvania this weekend, where they don't have distribution techs, and determine the max I can get into this tank for my very own self. I guess the line for a 800 mile tank, without top off, is about 61 mpg. Though on my last tank I saw 60+ for a while, I have never seen that number after the 200 mile mark into a tank.

When I hit 200, I have a good idea what the tank is going to look like. Unless a snow storm hits.

 

Hey- don't jinx us! with the spring we're having here in the north east! arghhhh.

on another note, how are you going to get 60mpg driving through pa? mountains!

 

I will just go over the river into New Hope. I stay away from the mountains, unless I am traveling to Pittsburgh, with I do once or twice a year.

I did not, however, make it to PA. I got to 702 miles on the tank and had to fill up before going to work. The gauge went from three bars to zero, and I didn't want to risk it.

Two 700 mile tanks in a row. Maybe, I finally have the hang of it.

 

I've got no choice but to hit the "mountains" as I live at an elevation of about 1000 feet and my job is pretty near sea level. I always love seeing my mileage on the way TO work. Only once have I ever gotten above 62 MPG on my way home FROM work. When I did, I was pretty happy though!

Amazingly I got 75 MPG from Titusville NJ to Philly mostly on Rt 95 going about 55-60 MPH. I'm upset that I can't always get this mileage!

 

I have driven about a half dozen new 04-05 HCHs on 100-175 miles trips and havent met one yet that I calculate would get 800 miles on a tank. Most with exception of one straight drive do well to make it 500 miles including the CVT one I own. I get right at 40 mpg and that is about what all I have driven look like they will get. I have not driven one with over 1300 miles on it. Maybe they get more mpg with more miles? I will eventually know with my car. I am not a lead foot driver, but am realistic and I see what I see. I am happy with 40 mpg...twice what my old vehicles would do.

 

Hi Dtdriver:

___Please, not only are you selling yours as well as many others HCH’s short but you are condoning minimal FE. This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to me. Why would you consider a hybrid purchase with such low expectations? Considering your previous automobile FE experiences, it was too bad that your past vehicles only received 20 when they too were worth so much more. Do yourself a favor and read, learn, and practice. I cannot fathom receiving just 40 in an HCH no matter the conditions or where one drives.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

I hate to say it but can see 40mpg in the right (READ: WRONG) conditions. I'll just use summer as an example. DTDRIVER doesn't list where they're from so we could assume it's a big city with lots of stop signs/lights and slow moving traffic. It might be so hot he/she may have to run the A/C all the time at 60 degrees just to make it bearable.

I've driven my HCH all around the country and found when I was "up north" I was able to acheive much higher MPG's then when I was back home in Florida. Not sure if it was road conditions, lack of old people clogging up the roadways stopping for stop signs that weren't there (that was a joke), or just cooler so the A/C doesn't have to be blasting all the time.

The location might normally get well below EPA #'s for all vehicles. Example: An Element that normally gets 20mpg in the city for everyone else may get 15 under his locations particular conditions. I know, I'm in a place that's similar. Things I changed I to get my mileage up from the 42 MPG I started with.

Increase tire pressure (duh!, we've said it a million times)
Swap to synthetic oil
Put miles on the car. Once it's broke in, there's a huge MPG increase.
Attempt not to have A/C on 60 degrees all the time (this was rough)
Change my commute times (can't change route, 1 way there & back)
Change driving methods (loose the Type A driving mentality)

Those are the all the things I did to go from 40-42MPG I started with up to the 45-47 MPG range I am in now. I said it once and I'll say it again, some peoples locations just won't allow them to achieve stellar MPG #'s no matter how efficient they drive. That being said, they shouldn't stop trying. Come to my area and see how good MPG's you can get. "Everyone else" with HCH's I've talked to in my area that have generally the same commute as me can only achieve 42-43 MPG's.

AL

 

Hi Rigger:

Can’t wait. Other options?

___Take note of the Buick LeSabre? 100% MAX A/C, loaded with luggage and people and climbing into and out of Yosemite, into and out of downtown San Francisco, into Sausalito and back at Rush across the GG bridge, hours long traffic jams at Tejon pass (I think that is what it was called?) and into Hoover Dam, hour + drive down the Vegas Strip over ~ 3 + miles, and one of those wonderful LA county jams on the way out. Notice what that hulk in those conditions achieved? The HCH is worth far more then a mediocre 40 mpg in just about any condition I can imagine. All but maybe 5 – 10 minute drives in 0 degree temps and I even achieved EPA highway results in the Insight doing 1 and 2 mile loops from cold around my subdivision throughout the winter!

___Simply giving up or accepting mediocrity is as close to Blasphemy as one could imagine given a hybrid’s actual capabilities

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net