Prius MPG Review 26-Apr-2012

I'm getting really fed up of the weather. I'm sure it is well within the statistical mean temperatrure range, but the temperature has struggled to make double digits, nosing 11 °C at its absolute maximum over the past week.  Feels even colder than this though and we've certainly been getting drenched with those April showers.  Good weather for windscreen wipers though!


Right, enough of the joviality.  Here's a wee dose of Prius statistics to sort you out:

So I've been able to keep the 50.3mpg figure this week.  Would be happier to increase it.  I know, you're probably saying 'take the roof bars off then'.  And you'd be right, of course.  However, being on the cusp of putting our house on the market, I anticipate more runs to the storage centre.  I could take them off (easy enough to do with the Thule roof bars) but I'd have to put them somewhere and since the objective du jour is to keep the house as clutter free as possible this won't happen.  My wife's wrath on one end of the see-saw, an increase in mpg on the other.  You decide.  I know I have.

Okay, that's enough for now.

A bientot,

Sean

Of Old Bridges and Old Doors

Dodging the April showers that are soaking this bit of Fife at the moment I successfully picked up my old pine door from the paint strippers yesterday.  The paint stripping shop is in the small village of Guardbridge.  First impressions of Guardbridge are a bit of a let-down, dominated as it is by the unattractive industrial facade of the old papermill.  However, the site of the paint stripers shop is more pleasant, situated right on the bank of the River Eden's little estuary where swans and ducks paddle aimlessly. I parked the Prius right at the end of the old bridge that crosses the Eden at this point - the old pilgrim's route from the heart of Scotland to St Andrews cathedral and the relics of St Andrew.  I didn't realise quite how old the old bridge (or 'brig' in Scots) actually is. Apparently it dates from 1419 and was instigated by Bishop Henry Wardlaw for the pilgrim route, commandeering the necessary labour free of charge - the payment being recognition of one's efforts in afterlife!

Back to the present time and things more technological - like bungee cords and nylon rope - I strapped the door on to the Thule roof bars.  (I have a photo below of the door on the Prius roof before I set off just to let you see what the Prius can carry on its roo.)  The Prius coped as if there was nothing there, even though the weather was squally and heavy rain showers were encountered.

So as I finish off this post I must away and to the toolbox - and put back on my lovely old door.  Thanks Prius! Again.

Prius MPG Review 18-Apr-2012

Still hitting 50.3mpg - hurray!  My wife has been driving the Prius most of the time over the last week, whilst the task of repairing the rear brakes on our Volvo S40 (having squealed their last squeal) was allocated to me. I did manage to sneak a shot of the Prius on Monday to transport an old pine door to the local paint-stripping shop, but that was all the blissful Prius time I had this week.

Right the stats are back, albeit with a slightly different format.  Table first ... 

	DAY	18
	MONTH	Apr
	Year	2012
	MPG	50.3
	Temp Range (°C)	6 – 12
	Tyre Pressure (psi)	41 psi
	Roof Bars Fitted	Yes
	Roof Box Fitted	No
	Driving Conditions	Mostly extra urban

The chart is in slightly different style, hopefully highlighting the differences in MPG better.

I'll hopefully get the Prius back on Friday since I need to pick up my old pine door.  Perhaps I'll put a post up and show you what the Prius is capable of carrying on its roof.  Until then, TTFN.

Prius MPG Review 11-Apr-2012

I have a smile on my face again - last mpg check on the Prius shows 50.3mpg.  Yes!  We really did encounter some foul weather when down in Galloway on our short easter break recently but the open road and country lanes eem to have agreed with the fully loaded Prius.  I've swapped laptops in the past week so still haven't prepared mpg stats in table or chart format - sorry.  Will definitely get this sorted for next week.  Honest.

You know, the one thing that stuck with me that I found so handy in our trip away was the sun glasses / spectacle holder.  In our Volvo S40, sun glasses and specs are always getting forced into holders and any nook or cranny.  The result is that you forget where you put them or you damage and scratch them.  The Prius sun glasses holder is so easy to use - see the photo below.

You always know where top put your glasses - and where to find them.  And they never get scratched in it.  Excellent.  A little thing, perhaps, but those little things just make life that little bit easier.  Like excellent mpg figures!

Bye 'til next week.

Prius MPG Review 04-Apr-2012

We've gone back over the 50mpg mark!  Hurray! 

Just a quick post today since I am on holiday down on the Galloway coast.  We've done about a third urban and two-thirds extra-urban driving over the past week.    Four people plus holiday luggage in very windy driving conditions were safely and comfortably transported in the Prius from Fife to Galloway - about 180 miles in all.  The mpg has crept back up to 50.2mpg. Bonus.  All other stats remain as before (I'll do charts when I get home for next week's post).

The temperatures have plummeted down from the summer-like numbers of last week down  a minimum of 2°C this week.  We even had snow yesterday!  What is happening to the Scottish climate?  Barking mad.  Anyway, that's all for now.  Speak soon.