I've commented often in the past and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, but the obsession with mileage, while admirable (I guess) seems like 'much ado about nothing'.
The average person keeps a car, more or less, for 75,000 (15,000 a year for five years). At best, one can 'push' their car from ~34 (EPA) to ~40. Yes, I know a few can go higher, but we're talking average here.
What does this mean in dollars and cents? 75,000 at 40 MPG is 1875 gallons and at 34 MPG is 2200 gallons. So, you might save 325 gallons at an average of $4/gallon (some pay more, some pay less and gas over the years is volatile, but this is a good starting point) for a total of $1300 savings. The hybrid costs more to purchase and, presumable, will have a higher resale value (although not as much as the premium to purchase the car new so you'll lose money on the 'hybrid premium'), but I'm not going to factor in the cost of the car.
So, this obsession amounts to $1300 savings over five years. That's $260 a year or about $5 a week. That's it!
One less latte, a few less text messages, wearing a suit one more time before sending it to the cleaners, waiting a few weeks to rent a movie online instead of seeing it in the theater, one less beer at the ball park (yeah, I know, beer costs more than $5), brewing coffee at home instead of grabbing it on the go...I could go on, but that's not an amount of money worth worrying about, is it?
Now if you're going to say you care about the environment, not money, well that's great, but if that's really the case, you can do a lot better than driving the hybrid (including car pools, mass transit, eliminating all non essential driving, driving a smaller car, etc.).

I've seen people fret over whether or not to use AC at full blast or ECO mode and getting upset when it goes to ECO without their knowledge, whether they can keep the car in electric mode over 42 MPH (and getting upset when they're coasting on the highway and the ICE is not running but it's still spinning), if mud flaps will cause drag and harm mileage, how much amperage the head lights draw, whether they should use the heat in the winter, over inflating tires, whether to use the brakes or the "B" gear, the exact speed to drive and how quickly to accelerate, whether to drive with the windows open, etc.
IMHO, I think this is just ...silly. It's like the cars are just big video games that we're all trying to win. But what does it get you? $5 a week...or if you're really a gas sipper...$6 a week?
I hate to sound cavalier, but if $5 is going to change one's life...maybe the Camry Hybrid isn't the right car (a good used car can be had for $10,000 less).

I'm not interested in ruffling any feathers nor is this an attack against anyone, but want to interject a modest amount of reality into the discussion. I obsessed (for a month) when I got my car...now I just drive it. Yeah, I'm probably paying $5 a month more than I should...but since I don't go to Starbucks, I figure I'm ahead of the game.
It's a car, just enjoy the road and don't worry if the AC is on full blast...if it's hot (we'll be setting a new high in NJ today), enjoy the cold air.

 

I think some people like to obsess over something and then move on. My previous ride was a 600+hp AWD TrailBlazer SS netting me 11mpg. So at 38mpg+ I'm saving more than a latte a month. I didn't get this vehicle to 'save' money as a $1000-2000 beater would save more money in the long run if you can tolerate it.

I just like the vehicle as it's unlike anything I've had before. Sitting at 'idle' no longer means idle--it means the vehicle's ICE is turned off. Or I can cruise thru a drivethru in EV mode or in my (25mph) subdivision while on battery.

Granted if I could go 45mph in E-Mode I would be adding battery packs like crazy. Not for a savings but just to do it.

Many people add superchargers and radios and (etc) to their vehicles without a return on investment, but the *journey* (a ka the build) is the fun part...not necessary the end result.

Again, I got this car for something different, and it is exactly that and I love it!

I think all of your points are valid, but they carry over into real life too----should you turn all the lights off in the house? Unplug the TV's so they don't draw parasitic electricity?

I also think that 35mpg is a 'status' too. Especially for such a big car as the Camry Hybrid.

Good Talk!

-Mike

 

Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that the car is efficient...I was referring to the obsession to get the car from 35MPG to 38, 40 or beyond, etc.
I'll only buy hybrids going forward (or so I feel right now)

 

Then yes I 100% agree with your statement(s).

There is no true discernible difference going from 35 to 40mpg at all to be noticeable in 'the long run.' I sure do enjoy a coffee on the run I can say that much!

-Mike

 

I guess for a camry that gets more miles to a gallon, the difference between a regular camry is not so obvious. but having the escalade hybrid actually felt good to me and how I use it because I needed an SUV, a luxury SUV that will not hit me in the wallet when I travel coast to coast for vacation(hate flying).

driving to work was mundane when I was driving the lexus, so quiet, so luxurious and so boring. when I got the evo(evolution IX MR), every day became a pleasure because of the acceleration, connection to the road and also it came only in manual. you don't need coffee as the rumble of the exhaust, the spool of the turbo with 300 hp is enough to wake you up. keep your senses rolling, smell the air, esp with the windows rolled down. all of it stopped, when in one instant, these midlife joys where taken away as the usual routine of driving to work was abruptly ended when while driving the curve the rear wheels fishtailed(on an awd car). having enough autox experience and seat time, I tried fervently to control the car but the fishtail was overcorrected from the right to the left then to the right until it became evident that not only traction was the problem but the road itself was a progressive curve and not just one. it ended up in a 4 wheel slide and rolled over 3 times and hit a tree and rested upside down(when I was rescued).

after that life changing experience , a slower pace in the hybrid was the way to go. mileage obsession? sure, esp the EV to ICE and vice versa.

the aftermath:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24787456@N03/

 

Obsession = Persistent disturbing preoccupation with something.
By the definition, it is something unhealthy and unreasonable, so I would tend to agree, that it makes little sense, to make your own life miserable to save few $. BTW have any of you watched extreme couponing? So I think it could be worse. I monitor my gas usage from the day one (actually I was doing it way before TCH) and really don't do anything about it. As a matter of fact on those few rare occasions when I did try to influence my driving, just for the kicks, to get better mpg, it actually got worse. I like the car a lot, I know I get good MPG and if I have to open up full throttle to pass this marauding Prius, laying back half a mile behind traffic, hypermiling during rash hour, I don't even think about it. I think most drivers are like that. Now some people are more prone to become obsessive about something than others and if it's about the mpg, no harm done I guess. BTW sorry about pocking fun about Prius, just kidding, it could be any car, like Insight for example.

 

My car was a few months old (still in my obsessive stage) and I saw a Highlander Hybrid on an EMPTY highway about 20 yards behind an 18 wheeler. The next day I saw a TCH in the left lane doing 55 MPH in relatively heavy (albeit moving at a good clip 65-70 MPH) traffic.
Seeing such foolishness, I decided to just drive it like a normal car.
Yeah, I check the tires for proper inflation (every few months), but other than that, I'm a normal driver.

 

haroldo, this is interesting coming from you. personally, i have to command you for "bravery" and raising this question - HERE!.
i have quite a few notches on your "obsession" list. well, here's the thing. i am paid for driving. i do a lot of business mileage and am paid at IRS rate for every mile. let me spit 3 times to make sure i do not jinx this. hence, my gas, my wife's gas and my Silverado gas are all covered and we have nice leftover.
so why do I concern about mpg? well with me, it is a question of principle. i like efficiency and hate dumm stuff. if it's said to do this, and it does not, then i consider it a lie, and will ***** about it. clear enough?
what you say is nihil novi ante sol. what you say is relevant to a straight car purchase only, and need to be supported by repair costs. i read a cute article 2 years ago, when author statistically showed that there is no advantage to buy a hybrid, and repairs cost on average 30% more. now, should you combine your statement with repair costs involved - yes, there's no point in buying one.
there are much more fuel efficient vehicles out there, that produce probably less pollution than TCH, but we do not buy them. why? because we are humans. some fell under hype spell, pumped into our brains by traders. you ever watched South Park episode on Prii? some bought them out of necessity, weening away from gas guzzlers. ( i apologize to admin, i WILL NOT believe that buying a hybrid Escalade is a NECESSITY).
some bought it out of $$ calculations. say, i bought mine used and cash, no debt; i am paid for mileage, so better mileage=more $$ into my pocket; i am a very large fella, 275, 6'5'' worked out body, so i do not fit well into a Civic. i tried. this one has more shoulder/hip/leg room than my Silverado. some bought it hoping for a decent mileage family hauler (yeah, right, every pound lowers mpg instantly). many reasons. some bought it to tinker with and turn it into a 600hp race car. it's whatever. NO ONE listened to the sense of reason and sober calculation. humane, so humane.
i know what i WANT to have, except that i can't. i want one of them European market stratified direct injection engine vehicles, with electrical turbo charger. can't buy them here, and they made it absolutely not cost efficient to import one, and if even so done, it will not pass emissions here anyway, and will work worth of **** on bad gas we have here. so, like they said back in an old Russian cartoon - All the best are dead! Well, then get best amongst the worst. for what we have available - TCH is an OK car.
now, considering that hybrid wars are now going full steam, with Hyundai introducing their own Hybrid drive - sounds like by the time i'll reach the magic "must sell" marker, which is 95000 miles, there will be several decent sized vehicles available, doing easily 50mpg average. maybe it will be a SDI engine, maybe original Porsche design hybrids, maybe something else. i still have about 5 years to get there. i drive a lot but do not put a lot of mileage on her, as i alternate with my - he-he, blasphemy - Silverado. or will simply find a 95 Civic in good shape, fix it, and switch to it. 45mpg and no worries, and i do fit, my son had one.

 

Don't confuse obsession with reasonable behavior:
Let's say I'm driving my family on a weekend outing to the beach and I decide to slow down to 35 mph speed limit (otherwise known to all drivers as a minimum suggested speed), to enjoy the view and switch to all electric drive to see how much mpg I can muster, that's IMO is normal. Shutting off TV, computer, lights when not in use - normal, despite savings being miniscule.
Driving to work longer, slower way, just to get better mpg = IMO obsessive.
Just by driving less efficient car from time to time, it doesn't seem to me that you're that obsessed with mpg that much at all.

 

Oh, I agree, reasonable driving techniques is one thing (I drive that way...and shut off lights when not in the room ), the items I pointed out are another...

...all for a cup of coffee per week