50 mpg or bust.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

New Yaris is parked for the winter.

Just out of curiosity...What do you do re the battery? Do you start it periodically (but not drive it)? Connect it to a plug-in charger?... or (IIRC, do what CTScott does when he travels across the pond with his family) Disconnect one of the cables from a post on the battery?

[JustPassinThru]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Just out of curiosity...What do you do re the battery? Do you start it periodically (but not drive it)? Connect it to a plug-in charger?... or (IIRC, do what CTScott does when he travels across the pond with his family) Disconnect one of the cables from a post on the battery?

I haven't bothered with it - although when I get the airbag-logic units (putting it off for several reasons) I'll have to cycle the electronics.

I have stored cars and motorcycles every winter for decades. As times have gone on, corrosion and battery run-down issues get less and less. Advancement in base technologies, no doubt - and these are newer items, not old junkers.

This car was stored last year in an unheated shed, and started right up in March. This year I had to leave it outdoors, periodically sweeping the snow off it. I don't expect problems but if I have them, I have jumper cables and dialectic grease.

As I've noticed it, a battery in the tray will ACCELERATE corrosion that is THERE; but in a new vehicle with everything clean and protected, corrosion won't start just from the battery being in there.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

I haven't bothered with it - although when I get the airbag-logic units (putting it off for several reasons) I'll have to cycle the electronics.

I have stored cars and motorcycles every winter for decades. As times have gone on, corrosion and battery run-down issues get less and less. Advancement in base technologies, no doubt - and these are newer items, not old junkers.

This car was stored last year in an unheated shed, and started right up in March. This year I had to leave it outdoors, periodically sweeping the snow off it. I don't expect problems but if I have them, I have jumper cables and dialectic grease.

As I've noticed it, a battery in the tray will ACCELERATE corrosion that is THERE; but in a new vehicle with everything clean and protected, corrosion won't start just from the battery being in there.

Last night I experienced for the first time what those of you in Wisconsin, I imagine, have experienced more frequently ()....freezing rain. I was at Barnes and Noble last night. A fellow customer mentioned that we'd be getting freezing rain in the middle of the night. I did a Gas Buddy search (wanted to get gas next...no traffic). The cheapest station was fairly close to a Wal-Mart that an employee at a closer Wal-Mart told me had an item I wanted that they don't have. I drove toward the Wal-Mart, and didn't notice anything unusual on I-45 or I-610. On Hwy 290 I noticed a few truckers had pulled their rigs onto the shoulder. A few miles after that I noticed a sign that indicated Hwy 290 was closed WAY ahead in Waller County (perhaps the aforementioned truckers were heading to Austin and heard that the road was closed). I stopped at Wal-Mart and got the item I needed. I then headed to the gas station (at a Kroger store), and got out of my Yaris under those bright lights. The radio antenna had frozen rain all over it, and the tip was drooping from the weight of the frozen rain. The nose, the sides, the roof, and especially the mirrors of my Yaris were covered in frozen rain. I got the gas I needed. I took FM 2920 back to I-45. I only needed to advance a few exits on I-45 (North) before exiting go get my mail. Right after I entered the freeway, and overhead message sign read "Icy Conditions Ahead, Driving Discouraged". I was glad I only had to go a couple of miles. I decided to park my Yaris in my driveway, rather than in the garage. I didn't want the ice on my Yaris to melt all over the floor of the warmer garage. As of this morning, all of the ice had melted (onto my driveway) except the ice on the mirrors. For the first time in the short 'installation life' I could tell that my new NAPA Legend battery was giving a very, very slight nod to the cold weather (first non-garaged night).

[JustPassinThru]

We actually haven't had any freezing rain this season - our "warm days" like today, have gotten us up to about 18 degrees.

But in Ohoho, we used to see a lot of freezing rain. It's no fun to drive on and less fun when the car is iced up. The biggest problem is coming out in the morning and seeing your car encased in clear amber...and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it. Open a door? If you left it unlocked (if you could, in that area) the weatherstripping is frozen to the door. Roll a window down? Not happening.

More than once I've had to go through the rear hatch (I favor hatchbacks) figuring, if I'm gonna damage the weatherstripping, I'd rather it was not on the driver's door. Over two rows of seats, start it up, and WAIT. For the car to warm up and the ice on the doors to melt.

Typically it'll take about half an hour or longer for that to start happening. You shoulda put it inside.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

But in Ohoho, we used to see a lot of freezing rain. It's no fun to drive on and less fun when the car is iced up. The biggest problem is coming out in the morning and seeing your car encased in clear amber...and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it. Open a door? If you left it unlocked (if you could, in that area) the weatherstripping is frozen to the door. Roll a window down? Not happening.

More than once I've had to go through the rear hatch (I favor hatchbacks) figuring, if I'm gonna damage the weatherstripping, I'd rather it was not on the driver's door. Over two rows of seats, start it up, and WAIT. For the car to warm up and the ice on the doors to melt.

Wow.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/07vios/yaris

My average right now is 40 mpg. That's with some steep hills and the way my car is set up/modded. 8 or 9 out of 10 stop lights tend to turn red on me just as I'm getting close to it, so I don't get to take advantage of DFCO very much, and 2/3 times, DFCO won't kick in for me doing down those steep hills. Not sure why, but I'm guessing it's because I'm going over 65 mph?

I also keep my throttle at 23% on the freeway and just let the road determine my speed. lol.

[bronsin]

Hmm Im all for doing everything possible to get max mpg but taking the rear seat etc out down to bare metal (then losing lots o parts and forgetting how to put them back) isnt going to be good when the time comes to sell the car.

BTW now that its been 5 degrees here for a couple of months and Im making lots of 1 and 2 miles trips Im getting 26 mpg!

Really if you want mpg dont mod the Yaris get a manual ECHO. My manual 2001 ECHO got 53 mpg on the only LD trip I took to AC and back at 60 mph and 40 mpg driving 6 miles to work.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Hmm Im all for doing everything possible to get max mpg but taking the rear seat etc out down to bare metal (then losing lots o parts and forgetting how to put them back) isnt going to be good when the time comes to sell the car.

BTW now that its been 5 degrees here for a couple of months and Im making lots of 1 and 2 miles trips Im getting 26 mpg!

Really if you want mpg dont mod the Yaris get a manual ECHO. My manual 2001 ECHO got 53 mpg on the only LD trip I took to AC and back at 60 mph and 40 mpg driving 6 miles to work.

Last Saturday I had to go to Katy. I headed South on I-45, and eventually it was a parking lot re an accident ahead. I got off at Hwy 249, took that to Antione, and then took Antoine all the way down to I-10. Most of the way along Antoine, I was behind a black ECHO sedan (same body style as the one your son had). It had paper dealer plates (the ones that can be moved, not the temporary ones that specify the car they are supposed to be affixed to). There were 3 adults in the car, and they appeared to have plenty of room. The item that caught my attention the most was the paint job. It appeared to be the original paint job, and it was in phenomenal condition . I wondered how many miles had elapsed on the car .

[tooter]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Hmm Im all for doing everything possible to get max mpg but taking the rear seat etc out down to bare metal (then losing lots o parts and forgetting how to put them back) isnt going to be good when the time comes to sell the car.

BTW now that its been 5 degrees here for a couple of months and Im making lots of 1 and 2 miles trips Im getting 26 mpg!

Really if you want mpg dont mod the Yaris get a manual ECHO. My manual 2001 ECHO got 53 mpg on the only LD trip I took to AC and back at 60 mph and 40 mpg driving 6 miles to work.

I really like the looks of the Echoes...



...because they had really large high cabin windows. If Toyota still sold them, I'd have one of them instead of a Yaris.

Your 2001 Echo had the same 1.5 engine except it turned out 108 hp/105ftlbs instead of Yaris' 106hp/103ftlbs. It was also rated at a very respectable 34/41 mpg.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47nouirt47U

lol, not your everyday Echo. Surely won't get that 34/41 mpg rating. trololol

[bronsin]

Mine got 53 on the highway @ 60 mph