What I learned in my first year.
#1
05-12-2007, 01:39 PM
What I learned in my first year.
Time flies, and tomorrow (just under 19,000 miles) I'll join the growing group of people with year-old TCHs. Remember back to all the early questsions, concerns, and doubts? We now know a lot more.
I invite those of you who are in the year-old group to add items related to this post's title, "What I learned in my first year." Sort of a best-of-the-best summary for newbies.
I'll start, and my list will be by no means complete. I learned that:
1. Without trying, I'll get 36 MPG faithrully. By trying, I'll get 39-42 depending on driving circumstances.
2. The shudder turned out to be no big issue for me. I never notice it.
3. You have to watch the dealers like a hawk to make sure they put in 0W-20 or 5W-20.
4. Synthetic oil doesn't give better mileage than the regular stuff.
5. People generally agree that excessive tire pressures help too much with gas mileage, but 35-40 PSI might give a better ride and likely won't kill you. (Hehe.)
6. There are solutions for console crickets, if you get them.
7. The trunk actually IS big enough for most things.
8. Power IS good enough.
9. The hidden 'override' button is a God-send. Thank you to [name withheld] for sending me the 6.1 hack.
10. The upgraded stereo gives great sound for what it costs. Riding without an iPod connector should be illegal.
11. Using cruise control whenever possible can get you a few extra MPGs.
12. Slow acceleration is NOT the answer to good fuel economy.
13. People generally like Michelin better than Bridgestone.
14. Nothing has broken.
15. Everyone who rides in it is amazed by how quiet it is.
16. I love a smart key almost as much as I love my Mom. (I said ALMOST.)
17. My favorite accessory is the pair of suction cups that 'vioarc' first found to stick the rear license plate to the trunk so it doesn't rattle when closing the trunk lid.
18. I'd be sorry to own a car again that couldn't go 500+++ miles without gas fill-ups.
19. The Sanyo Katana is a great match for the TCH's Bluetooth, and transfers files perfectly. The Samsung I tried first was a piece of @#$%.
20. It's not cheap to replace a windshield, so stay way behind suspicious trucks, etc.
21. The VDIM system WORKS. I tried it out day-before-yesterday. Dumb California drivers.
22. Make sure the 'ECO' button stays on when running the AC. It helps mileage a lot. Mine seems to turn itself off mysteriously, so I check it often.
23. Your mileage may vary.
I invite those of you who are in the year-old group to add items related to this post's title, "What I learned in my first year." Sort of a best-of-the-best summary for newbies.
I'll start, and my list will be by no means complete. I learned that:
1. Without trying, I'll get 36 MPG faithrully. By trying, I'll get 39-42 depending on driving circumstances.
2. The shudder turned out to be no big issue for me. I never notice it.
3. You have to watch the dealers like a hawk to make sure they put in 0W-20 or 5W-20.
4. Synthetic oil doesn't give better mileage than the regular stuff.
5. People generally agree that excessive tire pressures help too much with gas mileage, but 35-40 PSI might give a better ride and likely won't kill you. (Hehe.)
6. There are solutions for console crickets, if you get them.
7. The trunk actually IS big enough for most things.
8. Power IS good enough.
9. The hidden 'override' button is a God-send. Thank you to [name withheld] for sending me the 6.1 hack.
10. The upgraded stereo gives great sound for what it costs. Riding without an iPod connector should be illegal.
11. Using cruise control whenever possible can get you a few extra MPGs.
12. Slow acceleration is NOT the answer to good fuel economy.
13. People generally like Michelin better than Bridgestone.
14. Nothing has broken.
15. Everyone who rides in it is amazed by how quiet it is.
16. I love a smart key almost as much as I love my Mom. (I said ALMOST.)
17. My favorite accessory is the pair of suction cups that 'vioarc' first found to stick the rear license plate to the trunk so it doesn't rattle when closing the trunk lid.
18. I'd be sorry to own a car again that couldn't go 500+++ miles without gas fill-ups.
19. The Sanyo Katana is a great match for the TCH's Bluetooth, and transfers files perfectly. The Samsung I tried first was a piece of @#$%.
20. It's not cheap to replace a windshield, so stay way behind suspicious trucks, etc.
21. The VDIM system WORKS. I tried it out day-before-yesterday. Dumb California drivers.
22. Make sure the 'ECO' button stays on when running the AC. It helps mileage a lot. Mine seems to turn itself off mysteriously, so I check it often.
23. Your mileage may vary.
#2
05-12-2007, 08:36 PM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
Thanks for the nice summary. I just wish to add that here in Canada, no matter how hard we try, getting 40 mpg in winter time is next to impossible. Everything else that you said is so true.
But now the weather is warming up here in the great white north. We will catch up to your 40 mpg real soon
.
But now the weather is warming up here in the great white north. We will catch up to your 40 mpg real soon
.
#3
05-20-2007, 08:54 PM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
June 9 will make one year for me too. What have I learned?
- I love my car. It was worth paying the extra money over a base model or XLE.
- It was WONDERFUL getting back the federal tax credit last week.
- It is fun to drive and it is not hard to learn how to get better gas mileage.
- Gasoline prices continued to rise throughout the year. I am sooo glad I average 38 mpg.
- I get upset when my car does not reward me after a trip by saying "Excellent." It is a precursor of how my day will go.
- I love it when the engine shuts off while sitting at a stoplight. Especially a long stoplight, as it makes you appreciate that you are not using any gas.
- The best solution for the console crickets ended up being to leave the right side corner of the console up about 1/8". The crickets stopped and after the first couple of weeks of leaving it up, I stopped noticing that it wasn't flush anymore. (However, now that there is a TSB out, I will ask Toyota to fix it).
- The plasmaculture filter is wonderful. It quickly rids the car of bothersome odors originating from inside or outside of the car!
- People are becoming more used to hybrid cars. However they STILL ask if I have to plug the car in to charge it.
- Connecting an IPOD with a Radio Shack $3.99 12" connector cable produces outstanding sound. I can't believe I drove my car for six months without purchasing one. As Steven says, it should be illegal not to have one. The sound is beyond compare.
- 5,000 mile servicings are expensive (I pay about $120).
- New cars are magnets for dings. I got my first big ding, more than likely from a shopping cart, after 2 months.
- Having to use a key to open or start a car would seem archaic.
- Once you take your hybrid to a valet for the first time, it becomes easier every time. However, it still makes me nervous so I try to avoid it. I need the exercise anyway.
- Too many people speed. As long as I am doing the speed limit, I don't care if they pass me when I am in "E" mode or getting 60 mpg. They are probably getting only about 15 mpg when speeding past me so that they can beat me to the next red light.
- There are a disproportionate number of "compact" parking stalls close to where you want to go. (I avoid tight stalls because of the the new car ding magnet syndrome mentioned above)
- The Camry Hybrid is a wonderful car.
- I still like visiting this website periodically to see what's new! Thanks to all those over the first year who provided so many tips.
#4
05-20-2007, 09:40 PM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
You can save a big portion of this my just getting an oil change. That's all you need to maintain the warantee.
#5
05-20-2007, 11:57 PM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
My one-year is in three days. I already have over 22,000 miles. Nothing ever broke and no maintenance was done besides oil changes ever 5000 miles. I always go at least 500 miles per tank, despite my non-stellar mileage.
#6
05-21-2007, 09:20 AM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves with car dealers.
Most dealerships just LOVE to come up with their own long menu of extra items done at different service intervals, just to drive up the price. This is the most outrageous example I've seen, pricewise, though.
It makes me wonder if they think they can get away with it more easily with a TCH owner.
I always have the dealerships do ONLY what the owner's manual recommends at each service interval. That way, I have the documentation for warranty purposes, and I don't pay for extra junk.
Most dealerships just LOVE to come up with their own long menu of extra items done at different service intervals, just to drive up the price. This is the most outrageous example I've seen, pricewise, though. It makes me wonder if they think they can get away with it more easily with a TCH owner.I always have the dealerships do ONLY what the owner's manual recommends at each service interval. That way, I have the documentation for warranty purposes, and I don't pay for extra junk.
#8
05-21-2007, 05:05 PM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
My 1 year anniversary will be 6/2 and now for my list:
1. don't get fooled into thinking the car is a dog just because accelerator pedal is linear and the car doesn't seem to pick up speed unless you floor it. IMO a lot of cars have accelerator pedal set up in such a way that the engine will give you most of it's power before you even get it pressed half way. It's just to make an impression on inexperienced drivers that the car has a lot of power during usually short test drive. TCH needs longer pedal travel so you can easily drive in EV mode, if you so desire, so it seems it has no pick up. Floor it few times and then make a judgement, to me it seems as fast as my older V6 Accord.
2. It's really, wonderful to drive 600 miles and still have 100 miles reserve in the tank. Last winter I rented 4WD SUV to go skiing in the snow country, just to remind myself how it sucks to drive from gas station to gas station
3. Now that the gas prices are at all time high and summer officially doesn't even start until next weekend am I glad my car gets around 40 mpg
4. I still like the car almost as much as the day I got it and except for the headrest which seems to be angled too much forward for my liking I really can't find anything wrong.
5. if I needed to buy new car next week, most likely I would get exactly the same, fully loaded TCH.
1. don't get fooled into thinking the car is a dog just because accelerator pedal is linear and the car doesn't seem to pick up speed unless you floor it. IMO a lot of cars have accelerator pedal set up in such a way that the engine will give you most of it's power before you even get it pressed half way. It's just to make an impression on inexperienced drivers that the car has a lot of power during usually short test drive. TCH needs longer pedal travel so you can easily drive in EV mode, if you so desire, so it seems it has no pick up. Floor it few times and then make a judgement, to me it seems as fast as my older V6 Accord.
2. It's really, wonderful to drive 600 miles and still have 100 miles reserve in the tank. Last winter I rented 4WD SUV to go skiing in the snow country, just to remind myself how it sucks to drive from gas station to gas station
3. Now that the gas prices are at all time high and summer officially doesn't even start until next weekend am I glad my car gets around 40 mpg
4. I still like the car almost as much as the day I got it and except for the headrest which seems to be angled too much forward for my liking I really can't find anything wrong.
5. if I needed to buy new car next week, most likely I would get exactly the same, fully loaded TCH.
#9
05-21-2007, 05:58 PM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
We're coming up on our 1-yr anniversary in mid-summer. I'd buy the TCH again in a heartbeat. 38MPG without trying. 40+ if you work at it a bit. Smooth, quiet, roomy, and comfortable.
I'm glad the accelerator is as linear as it is. I rent a lot of cars, and I hate the ones that are set up to give that illusion of power when a quarter inch of travel applies 90% of the available thrust. They're a real pain on slippery roads. The TCH is much more controllable.
The only issue we've had is the squeaking console, and now that there's a TSB to guide them, I'll have the dealer look at it next oil change.
I'm glad the accelerator is as linear as it is. I rent a lot of cars, and I hate the ones that are set up to give that illusion of power when a quarter inch of travel applies 90% of the available thrust. They're a real pain on slippery roads. The TCH is much more controllable.
The only issue we've had is the squeaking console, and now that there's a TSB to guide them, I'll have the dealer look at it next oil change.
#10
05-21-2007, 07:15 PM
Re: What I learned in my first year.
Hi Steve - per your point 6 : what are the best solutions to this "crickets" problem? I started hearing this kind of noise a few weeks ago and it is rather annoying. I did search for solutions but did nothing authoritative came up... Could you point me in a right direction? Is there a TBS for this?
Thank you.
Peter
Thank you.
Peter
