I just bought my first Hybrid this weekend. I bought an 2007 HCH with 60k, nav, all the bells and whistles in immaculate condition with a clean title for $9k. I think I did good. I really like the car. Especially since I commute 50 miles each way in So. Cal traffic.

My question.....Is there anything I should look out for or be careful with ?

It has new tires.

ext. warranty till 100k.

My MPG say I'm averaging 39mpg, is that normal or should I expect more.

I drive about 75 mph on the way to work and stop and go on the way home.

Sorry for all the questions.

Thank you in advance,
George

 

Also, there is a loud growling or deep humming sound coming from the rear at freeway speeds that sounds like wheel bearings. Is this typical ?

 

Hi Joe,

Driving 75mph is going to have an impact on your fuel economy. If you want to hit the high mileage numbers, keep it at 60mph. Then again, at 75mph, you're still going to be getting better mileage than you would in any other car so you will probably be happy with the ~40mpg you get at that speed. Try to maintain an even speed though--if you're always slowing down for traffic and then accellerating back up to 75mph, it will take a toll on the economy.

Use your A/C in the auto mode and keep it a little warmer than you normally would for the lowest impact on your economy. Also, reset either your trip A or trip B every time you get in the car so you can see your average economy for that drive instead of an average of the last few drives--this will help you fine tune technique. There are lots of good articles here and on cleanmpg.com to help you learn how to maximize your car.

Some people consider the HCH to be a loud car on the highway so maybe you're just used to a more quiet car? If not, definitely have the wheel bearing checked--a growling sound doesn't sound right.

Welcome to the HCH!

 

There is also the negative camber issue with 2006 and some 2007 models. If your car fits into this category you may have supped rear tires? This will cause the noise you are talking about. If your car has negative camber it will require new upper control arms, and probably new rear tires. H

 

I just bought my first Hybrid this weekend. I bought an 2007 HCH with 60k, nav, all the bells and whistles in immaculate condition with a clean title for $9k. I think I did good. I really like the car. Especially since I commute 50 miles each way in So. Cal traffic.

Good to hear you got a good price on your car.
I have a 2007 HCH, that I will be selling in the next month and if they are selling for that I will be taking a huge loss.

Check to make sure you have C marked on the rear control arms otherwise the inside of the rear tires will wear very quickly. That is the biggest issue with the 2006-07 cars. Make sure whoever is doing the alignment uses the new specs. From the honda service bulletin...

"4. Do a four-wheel alignment using the new rear
camber specification listed below:

Rear camber specification range:
- 1.5° to 0° (- 1° 30’ to 0°)
Front toe: 0 mm (+2mm/-2mm)

Rear toe: 2 mm (+2mm/-1mm)"

Take time to listen to the 1st part of the podcast #42. They go over driving, software updates, etc. http://gohypermiling.com/

 

Thank you very much for the input guys. As for the mileage, I'm very happy considering I came from a lifted Jeep Wrangler with 35" tires and 13mpg. Yes, the rear tires are a little cupped.

And Starman, they are not going this cheap, I just happen to find a guy who just wanted his loan paid off. The avewrage price around Orange County is anywhere from $10,500-12,500. I just got lucky after a lot of looking and had to drive 2 hrs each way to pick it up.

 

Not necessarily. Our '06 does not have the "C" upper control arms. So far the OEM Bridgestone Insignia's have gone around 72000 km (snows on for maybe 9000 km). They are at 5/32" remaining, and wear looks very uniform.

To the OP: what are the new tires? Brand/model can be a big factor in mpg.

 

It has insignas on it. I checked the tire pressure today and all 4 are at 28psi. Definately need to pump those babies up. I am in no way complaining of my gas mileage. I've been averaging 75-80 mph on the way to work every morning and am still averaging 39-41mpg. I still need to pump up my tires too.

 

Around 40psi works for us, without being too harsh. You just need to take it real slow over speedbumps and the like.

 

Well, Norm Reeves Honda in Huntington Beach can kiss my ***. They told me since I'm over the 36,000 mile warranty, they will not replace my control arms unless I pay for them and the alignment even though I have the extended Honda warranty. I ended up taking it to a buddy's alignment shop here in Orange County, Ca that was able to align it and bring it back within specs with some eccentrics and adjustment.