I've already started posting, but I can still introduce myself. Last Friday I took delivery of a 2007 Galaxy Gray (not my top choice, but I did tell the dealer any color was fine) Honda Civic Hybrid. So far I love this thing.

My 20 mile commute is in the New Jersey side of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, so the congestion can be infuriating. But now that I'm watching those gauges and employing some hypermiling techniques, I'm too busy managing my fuel economy to care about the traffic much. The best part is, driving less aggressively isn't affecting the commute time much at all. You guys all knew that already, but it took getting a hybrid for me to learn this lesson.

56.6 mpg on my first commute to work. Only got 50 mpg this morning thanks to a pit stop at Starbucks and another errand (both readings were done using the trip odometer, so hopefully that thing is semi-accurate). Still pretty much double what I was getting in my 1998 Camry.

Thanks for the great forum. I've learned a lot while lurking, and now I hope to contribute too.

 

Congratulations on the purchase. I'm sure you'll enjoy it much.

It is typical for HCH-II owners to see the instrumentation under-reporting the fuel economy figures. You should perform the manual calculations at the time of a refill just to be sure. I would not be surprised if you see the hand calculations besting the displayed mileage by 1-3 MPG.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

very nice! Congrats on your purchase!

 

Welcome to the CLUB!

A Honda Civic Hybrid is an excellent choice and I know you're going to have fun. By all means, record your mileage but I'd skip the 'dealer tank.' Having just finished a Harry Potter book, I suspect today's dealers jinx it in the hopes you'll come back and buy one of their high-margin, long-inventory, gas-hogs. <grins>

Bob Wilson

 

Actually my first tank was 51.5 mpg, assuming the dealer actually topped it off all the way (gas gauge did read full, but I know there's plenty of leeway).

Computer has 55 mpg for 200 miles on the second tank. I can't wait until I'm done with that one to see what the manual computation comes out to!

I love this car. I do wonder what I could've pushed out of a Prius had I chosen that route, but for overall driving fun I prefer my Civic.

 

You might post it as a question in the "Fuel Economy" forum with a URL to a Google map showing the route and end points. There might be a Prius pilot in your area interested in a 'practice' run. Heck, you' all could meet some place for the run; run the test in convoy style; and then break for breakfast.

Just a suggestion, you might add your city/state to your profile. That'll help folks get an idea of the climate and road conditions you're likely to run into.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

Welcome and good luck with the new car! I'm so glad that the things you picked up while lurking here were able to help you get the most of the new HCH, and that you went out and bought a hybrid. Sounds like you're doing everything right.

One thing to be aware of for someone who buys a new HCH in the late summer/fall. The initial exhilaration is great, and you still have time to really see what the car can do while it's nice outside. But! Winter is just around the corner. Your numbers are going to inevitably drop during that NJ winter- but it's not your fault and don't blame the hybrid. I've seen people get so discouraged- I don't think it's just my imagination that posting here falls off or gets crankier in the winter. Don't let that happen to you!! Remember how much worse it would be in a gas-only car, and maintain calm.

In the meantime, good luck keeping up and improving on your already-fantastic numbers. Congrats on the results! We're proud of you vicariously, because our advice supposedly helped. Fun, isn't it? And good for the environment, your pocketbook, the safety of the roads... the list goes on.

 

Thanks! I'm ready for a winter decrease. I think I'm pretty well committed to driving this way, not just for fuel economy but also for safety. I didn't mention this earlier, but the reason I have a new car is because I totaled my old one in an accident. It was a multi-car pileup, but when all is said and done, I still rear-ended someone, and I could have avoided it if I weren't driving like the typical angry New Jerseyan.

So those days are over and I feel so much better too.

I got this bumper sticker, put it on a magnet, and slapped in on my car last night. Think I'll get flipped off a lot more?

 

My vanity plate:

C-52MPG

I laugh at any complainers . . . all the way to the pump.

Bob Wilson