Locate an Auto Repair Shop in valparaiso, Indiana

I have to tell you that people often exagerate mileage for ego inflation. Sorry, but I've noticed alot of highly inflated gas milages. I have a tid-bit of a comparison......How many miles to one tank? I got 546 miles on a tank and that is extreemly good on a trip. The tank is only 11.8 gallons so take that into consideration. Good weather ...a tail wind and smooth roads can help get you high mileage. I took a trip from Indiana to western Iowa into a headwind getting a paltry 35 mpg's....BUT.... on my return I got 49 mpg's which just goes to show how the elements effect mileage.

First I'll explain what I think I've come to understand about 2 issues that pertain to the Prius......#1 (milage)..In the winter milage drops due to the design of requiring the "ICE" engine to run until temps will heat the interior. This is a must, otherwise it would take too long to have heat from the heating sys. inside the car. Also note that gas blends in the winter months are such that milage is effected by 3-5 mpg's less. #2 (Batteries)...What was once the scariest issue..(longevity of the batteries) seems to be a non-issue since there have been relatively few problems with them. My car is close to 9 yrs old still running strong (summers 45-48 mpg & 40-44 in winters. The secondary battery (small one) is still working fine unlike conventional car batteries that last usually 4-5 yrs. By the way, you can only buy that battery thru Toyota as of today. Try not to set your hopes on over 47 mpg's since that requires extreem frugal tactics. Normal driving usually gets you my general mpg's. If you've got bad habits expect less. Plain truths as I see it. Lastly, with nearly 146K miles the Prius has not only proven itself as a leader that set the bar where others can only hope to achieve but the Prius, over the past 8 yrs has saved me over $14,000.00 in gas savings. That ain't hay folks.

Back in March of '07 I presented this particular subject to disect the Prius Hybrid and see what's good and what's bad about this unique car. I'm back presenting the same subject matter but with 146 K miles on my '04 Prius. Here's the low down on my experience as of today. 4th set of tires.......5 set of wipers......3 hdlt bulbs......1 waterpump (139K). As to my appreciation of the '04 Prius, I'm even more impressed than I ever thought one car could make me. Yes, the car has a bit of wear & tear but still looks good and almost 8 yrs old and no rust, original exhaust, smooth tranny, and most of all....original brakes untouched at 146,000 miles. I influenced 8 other folks to take the plunge and buy a Prius and not one has been anything but a happy owner. Nuff said. I'm looking into the Prius V for my next new car and why not?

I never kept a car beyond 3 yrs (owned over 50 cars) until I purchased an '04 Prius brand new in '03. The Prius made me a believer in a big way. I have 143K on my baby blue buggy and so much pride in Toyota's "little engine that could." I think the wheels can't fall off though no matter how hard I continue to pile the miles on her. This amazing car has come to quietly prove that 48 mpg's is the standard daily pattern. I still see amazing performances that other cars can't compare in any way, shape or form. Here at almost 9 yrs I think the Prius is just getting its second wind. Still original are the brakes, exhaust, suspension sys, and both batteries. I got an amazing 478 miles out of a tank of gas. The only thing falling off my car is bird doo-doo when I hose it off. Body is rust-free and that's not easy in NW Indiana winters. The phrase that just doesn't seem to be attainable...."go green till the wheels fall off."

Never before, in all my automotive dealings , has a car given so much quietly, dependably, and ...most of all, thriftily than my '04 Prius. With these most difficult times, I found a little paridise in the Prius. Toyota has not built the perfect car but....it's pretty darn close from my perspective. Closing in on 9 years and nearly 150 K miles I'm convinced that this is a car that deserves the highest accolades of praise for acheiving a near "Bullseye." How much money have I saved in gas thrift? Conservatively about $12,000.00 over these 8 plus yrs. That ain't chicken feed folks. That's the definition of thrift. Low maintainence is true to form. Original brakes at the near 150K miles is unheard of in any other vehicle. I don't know exactly why but I love it. Brake jobs these days run $600.00 to $800.00 and that is money saved. By this time frame I would have had to replace exhaust, starter, 12 volt battery (twice) and most likely a rebuilt tranny. Do the math. That's about $2,500.00- $3,500.00 conservatively speaking. Lastly, I get a kick out of the styling that ran the nearly same look for 8 yrs and even close to the 3rd Generation look also. This supports a better resale value to the owner and as long as gas prices continue to flirt with $4 bucks there will be folks lined up to buy a used one. ;)