I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

Hi everyone,

I just traded in my Camry CE 2007 for a TCH 2008. So I am wondering:

1. I paid $23500 for my brand new TCH with sunroof, wheels and all the features but without the NAV and the leather. Was that a good price?
2. How many miles should I expect from the batteries?
3. It's cold right now (30-40 deg F) and from what I read here the cold decreases the milage. I am getting 35-37 mpg and I am trying to keep it up there with hypermiling tricks that I found here. The question is if I get that kind of milage in cold weather what should I expect in the summer in nice 80-90F degs?
4. Do the hypermiling tricks affect the longevility of the batteries?
5. What octane gas (toptier) do you recommend?

Please help me out here, this is my first post and you guys seem like a very helpful community

Thanks in advance!

Juan

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

Congratulations on your purchase! Just out of curiosity, what color did you get?

1. That seems like a very good price to me. (I'm guessing your MSRP was around $28000, so $4500ish under sticker is very good.)
2. I believe the batteries are supposed to last for the life of the car, but they should last at least 100,000 miles without any problems whatsoever. There is a Prius that is a Taxi with 200,000+ miles on it with the original batteries. For me, I usually keep my cars 5-7 years, so the batteries will be covered under warranty for my entire time with my car.
3. If you get that mileage in the winter, you should easily get around 38-42mpg in the summer. (Right now, I get about 33-35 with the cold Wisconsin weather.)
4. Unsure, but probably depends on the "tricks" you speak of.
5. Use what the manufacterer reccomends- 87 octane. There is no reason to put higher than that- you'll just be throwing your money away.

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

As a starting point to better understanding your car, please see the FAQ link in my signature

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

Thanks for the reply. I did check the FAQ previous to writing my post. I figure it would be ok to ask ?'s not really answer by you FAQ.

I am wondering though (another question I guess) I have never seen the battery get full. Is it possible to get it to a full level?

Juan

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

Some have said that they've achieved 100% while engine braking, I've never seen it, however.

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

Assuming just a few possible levels on the indicator (I'm never sure if there's a tiny gap at the top but if there are only 5-6 levels displayed on the MFD then I guess it must be full), about the only times I've seen it fill up are after it's mostly full from a good chunk of highway driving, then followed by a long coast. I never use B for engine braking, just basic regenerative braking using the brake pedal.

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

The battery display has only 9 different "levels" — that is, it goes in eighths from 0/8 through 8/8. Each level is represented by two rows of pixels. You should never see a '0' though! When the battery is "full," only the "terminals" at the top aren't shaded in. 3/4 "full" goes through the centers of the '+' and '-' signs. The only times I've seen mine "full" is after a long downhill coast using regenerative braking.

Stan

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

It's possible but only if you come down a long hill (which is the easiest way to see a full battery).

I get it every time I go finish work. The engine's usually spinning by the time I reach the bottom to "dump" the excess charge.

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

During the summer you run your AC to cool the car off. Then set it to low or the next fan speed up. Set the temperature to a comfortable level but not to cold. There is a ECO button located next to the fuel door button. That helps set the AC to a economy level. You should get about 42 mpg during the summer unless its extremely hot. You will pickup up one to two mpg when the engine is broke in around 5000 miles or at your first oil change. You may get another single mpg by switching to full synthetic 0W-20 oil. I buy mine from the toyota dealer then take it somewhere else to have it put in. I also use the filter from the dealer. A toyota tech told me the 0W-20 oil gets up to the valve train quicker than the thicker oils. This is important when first starting the engine and when it kicks on and off during driving.

You already know about the tire pressures up to 38 to 40 psi when there cold. You can also improve your mileage as you get better at driving the TCH. Thats good for one to five mpg. I would say 45 combined as time goes on. That depends on what state and your traffic conditions. Take offs from a standing start and acceleration seems to be the big gas guzzlers. In some traffic you have no choice but to stay with the other traffic.

I forgot to mention that Spring and Fall are the best times to get your top gas mileage. That is if the winds are down and it's sunny. It seems the dry air helps along with the any high air pressure across the state.

You will find that driving the TCH is a fun but learning experience. Enjoy

Re: I just got my new TCH. Couple of questions.
 

Thanks for all or your replies. I have one more question:

I know it has been addressed before, but I could not find the post. My question is related to my first tank fill up. According to my math I got 34mpg, but my TCH indicated that I had gotten 36.4mpg. So I am wondering how accurate is the mpg indicated by my TCH?

Thanks again,

Juan