Just came home with a new '07 HCH w/ Navi. I bought it simply because I like it and want better gas mileage. The last few hours I've been looking on the internet for tips and info from other owners but, instead of finding answers, I actually am more confused than ever! My car is sitting in the garage with literally only 5 miles on it, and I'm afraid to drive it! I want to do the right thing for my new car, but feel unsure about what to do. Any help for a new hybrid owner?

1. What's with all the "you don't drive a hybrid like a regular car" talk?

Is this simply in terms of maximizing gas mileage, or is there potential to damage the car or make it less efficient? If it is merely learning a style to maximize gas mileage, I can do that over time. I just don't want to drive in a way that is going to do damage to my car or cause it to wear out quickly.

2. When should I change the oil?

I have heard both of the following: (1) Do not change the oil until after 5000 miles or risk damage to your car; and (2) Change the oil as early as 1000 miles, do not wait until 5000 miles or you could damage your car. I understand the basics behind each theory, but am not enough of a car expert to really have my own opinion on which is better. For the record, the dealer recommended that I not change the oil until 5000 miles, but then change it every 3000 miles after that.

3. Any recommended security systems?

I am thinking of getting a car alarm and a GPS locator. Any security system recommendations or issues specific to the HCH that I should consider? As for the GPS locator, Lojack is obviously the more well known, but I have heard good things about the BlackJack system as well.

Thanks for any help. Also, I'm in southern California, so city driving and nice weather are my conditions.

 

I'll take #2 as it's the easiest to answer in the time I have.

As far as oil goes. Let the maintenance minder tell you when to change your oil <PERIOD>. The only exception to that rule is if your car goes past 10,000 miles and your maint minder still hasn't told you to change your oil. Thats what your owners manual recommends and thats what my dealer recommends. I wouldn't listen to your dealer on that one as it's documented by Honda themselves.

So in a nutshell, change the oil when your maint minder tells you or 10,000 miles, whichever comes first.

I have 15k miles on my little 06 HCH and it's only had 1 oil change at 8600 miles. Its at the 40% for its life in the maint window. The latest I'll have my next one done is 18600.

I figure that Honda can't void my warranty for following their own maintenance schedule.

Jayson

 

1. What's with all the "you don't drive a hybrid like a regular car" talk?

Is this simply in terms of maximizing gas mileage, or is there potential to damage the car or make it less efficient? If it is merely learning a style to maximize gas mileage, I can do that over time. I just don't want to drive in a way that is going to do damage to my car or cause it to wear out quickly.

Just advice on how to think about driving a hybrid to maximize mileage.
Yes.
Hybrids give you more control over your mileage performance thanks to the computerized feedback you're getting in real time. Of course, people have opinions about how to best incorporate this into your driving. That's all you're reading.

 

#1 ... Drive it like any car you've ever owned and you'll be perfectly pleased with its performance and gas mileage. Don't expect to see 50+ MPG driving around So. Calif. - most of the "hypermilers" do not drive in our freeway/road conditions and hills. Nothing to worry about.

"You don't drive a hybrid like a regular car" is about optimizing acceleration and deceleration to make the MPG needle, er, lights hover closer to 100 MPG. Nothing more. It might help you get closer to 50 MPG than you otherwise would. It is generally accepted that it will take your car 1,500 miles to break in before the ultra-MPG starts kicking in, but you don't need to drive your car any differenly during this period ... it just is what it is. On some stretches of the 405 I can "maximize" my fuel efficiency and can actually achieve 60-65 MPG for several miles (track this on your B odometer) - kind of fun. But as you can see from my lifetime fuel mileage, I'm getting about 44 MPG and I drive about as efficiently as anyone I know. Too many hills, too many stop-and-go's, too many short trips, too much L.A.

#2 ... Follow the trip computer maintenance minder, which correlates exactly with the service manual. Forget what Jiffy Lube tells you to do.

#3 ... I know there are lots of great stories about cars being recovered, etc., but all the GPS locator alarm systems just seem like excessive spending to me. My two cents.

 

Drive it like any other car you have owned! Spend a fair amount of time reading your manual. There is alot more to this car than most? This forum and others will keep you informed! Great choice , by the way. H

 

There is a school of thought that the first oil change removes some trash left from casting and machining so it should be done early, very early. I sort of subscribe to this theory. There is also a myth that Honda fills the car with some super break-in oil which should be left in the full interval or the car will be forever damaged. Actually Honda does what ever any red-blooded car manufacturer does, uses the cheapest oil that meets their specs. The bobistheoilguy site has pretty well proven by owner oil analysis that it probably doesn't matter which you do from a wear point of view. Mine now has 200 miles on the odometer and I haven't changed the oil yet. I won't make it until the indicator says it's time for an oil change, but will probably wait about six months. That will probably be maybe 1,500 miles and I'm sure it will not hurt the engine either way. With reasonable care, most modern engines will run a minimum of 200k miles.

 

Here's what I've learned:

First, you won't get good mpg for a few thousand miles. Both motors have to go through a break-in period. Most people know this about gas engines. But I've heard (and believe) that the electric motor gains output after a few discharge/recharge cycles. Also, I'm guessing that the computer that controls the two motors &quot;learns&quot; more efficiency as it breaks in.

I started out getting only 42 mpg. Now, after 2,000 miles I'm averaging more than 47 mpg, and driving more aggressively, too.

Second, don't over-inflate your tires. Many people will tell you that 45-50 psi is great. It's not. The ride's too rough, and a blowout is much more likely. The manufacturer recommends 32 psi all around. I run 37 front, 35 rear. The ride's pleasant, I'm getting 47 mpg, and that number continues to climb with each tank of gas.

On accelaration, go ahead and punch it. Look at the ASSIST bar graph, and you'll find that it maxes out on solid acceleration, but only helps a little on gentle acceleration. You want the most electric assist you can get every time you go.

Use your cruise control, even in town. It makes a huge difference in mpg, because it allows the gas engine to relax on flat and downhill stretches, and kicks in the electric assist on upslopes.

When you see a stop ahead, cut the cruise and simply coast to it. The HCH will coast a long way with only a minor loss of speed, but a major gain in mpg.

As another post said, just watch the mpg bar graph next to the speedometer. It tells the tale.
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Good luck!

 

I'm in LA LB area too and 90% of my miles are on the 405 freeway.
My lifetime average is 63.4 MPG and this tank so far is 67.2.

I just keep to the right lane and go slow, near 50 MPH.
Traffic is usually NOT going 70 MPH anyway so it is not as much of a problem and you'd think.

There are a zillion tips for improving your MPG but i think this one is the best:
Drive as if your brakes had failed and leave a TON of room in front of you.

Hybrids can only recover 30% of the kinetic energy when they brake (better than regular cars which waste 100% as heat in their brake pads.)
If it recovers only 30% then it wastes 70% of its kinetic energy.
I'd rather waste 0%, so I avoid braking.

Also get a personalized license plate like:

GO SLOW
RELAXIN
PASS ME

When I got mine 95% of the tailgating, headlight flashing and flipping off stopped.
They read my plate and realize I'm not on the phone, or spaced out; I'm going that slowly on purpose.
They just pass me up immediately now.

Why settle for MPG in the 50s?
Go for the 60s!

 

If you are looking for good fuel economy, this isn't the way to do it. In fact, it is just the opposite. Ask anybody that knows how to achieve good fuel economy in the HCH II and I'm sure they'll say the same.

 

Heh, IMO anyone who can get close enough to you to read your plate and hasn't already gotten over to pass isn't driving properly anyway. I don't know how many times I've sat there and watched someone behind me and just shook my head thinking, "You saw me like 1000 feet back there moron."

I like the sentiment though.