High mile Prius - “Ride of the week” – August 1, 2007.

xcel · #1 08-02-2007, 08:42 AM

Highest mileage Prius in the world and still going strong!

Jesse Rudavsky - CleanMPG.com - August 1, 2007

Jesse’s 2002 Prius-I with over 309,000 accumulated miles to date sits on the side of the road to Mt. Evans, CO. back in the summer of 2005.

Hello everyone. My name is Jesse Rudavsky. I am from Hingham MA. I would like to share some of my experiences with my 2002 Toyota Prius I have been driving for the last 3.5 years.

When I was 18, I purchased a 2000 5-speed Honda Insight in November of 2002. I bought that car for a ridiculously low price of $12,500 off a used car lot with only 13k miles. Heck They even threw in the $800 CD changer for free! Gas was under a buck 50 back then and people were not interested in a 2 seater that would only do 113 mph even though it would get 70mpg plus

The car had been sitting on that lot for nearly 6 months and the guy wanted it to disappear. Anyway, the Insight was a great car for me and I drove it trouble-free until 71,000 miles when I saw another deal I could not refuse.

I found my current 2002 Prius-I online listed for $10,000 with 84,000 miles. Gas was a buck 70 on that fateful day. 3/11/04 to be exact. At $3,200 below book value, I decided it was time for a change and snatched it up. Many of my friends thought I was crazy to take a "gamble" on a used hybrid with that many miles. Nearly 3.5 years and 224,000 miles of my own later, my Prius is still running strong with her accumulated 309,000 miles and counting. I recently drove out to Wisconsin for Hybridfest 2007 and down to Alabama afterwards to visit friends. Her fuel economy is still as good as day one. I am not much of a hypermiler but have pushed the car up to 100 mph for a few seconds in rural Mississippi and she didn’t even flinch.

I have taken my car everywhere including 8 separate trips to Florida, several trips out West and even to Alaska and back in the summer of 2005. She has also conquered Mt. Washington and Mt. Evans in Colorado at 14,258 ft. last summer. She has also experienced 117 degree heat while running MAX A/C at 80 plus mph cruising though the southern California desert last summer. The car did not overheat and I was kept very comfortable

As new or used automobiles go, I highly recommend hybrids of all types and especially the Prius to everyone. In the late fall of 2004, my father joined the club and purchased a 2005 HCH-I with a CVT. He is very happy with his car 55,000 miles later as well!

Jesse

noflash · #2 08-02-2007, 09:43 AM

You're my hero.

laurieaw · #3 08-02-2007, 10:41 AM

amazing

rhwinger · #4 08-02-2007, 06:41 PM

...and it still gets over 75 mpg. ;-)

Way to go, Jesse

BlueBulletIP · #5 08-02-2007, 11:16 PM

More proof that today's hybrids will last as long or longer than other vehicles, given the same care. Hat's off to you, Jesse. There's a 2002 Prius for sale near my house that I plan to look at and drive tomorrow. Only 91K miles. Just wish I could afford to add a 3rd hybrid to the family.

xcel · #6 08-04-2007, 05:15 PM

Hi All:

___Jesse gave me a ring earlier in the day and was asking questions about FAS’ing the Prius-I and other hypermiling details so as to take his ride up a notch. The story most would be interested in however was that he was over 70 mpg in a drive around town this morning and he has never seen south of 55 previously! That young man learns fast

___Nice job Jesse!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

xcel · #7 08-08-2007, 07:52 PM

Hi All:

___Just a quick post. Jesse sent me this pic the other day. I think it describes all that needs to be discussed

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Right Lane Cruiser · #8 08-09-2007, 08:27 AM

That is just awesome. Talk about getting your money's worth out of a vehicle!!! Especially since he has just started pulling even higher numbers out of it. I know that definitely improved the (perceived to me anyway) value of my Elantra!

hobbit · #9 08-09-2007, 02:25 PM

I talked to Jesse for quite a while the other day too; it
turned into a semi-interview just because I was curious as
to *why* he'd racked up that many miles. He's got quite
the story to tell, much of it involving Canada [yes, with
the occasional moose]. I'm going to try to get Altwheels
to waive the exhibitor charge for him just because his story
is so unique... he says he's been there before, but I think
emphasizing over 300K [andrew grant, eat yer heart out] in a
large public forum would be cool.
.
If I can make time, I'm going to help him change his tranny
fluid, too, which has apparently NEVER been done.
.
_H*

xcel · #10 08-09-2007, 08:59 PM

Hi Al:

___Make sure he goes after that ancient brake fluid while you are at it too

___Once he learns to be a little more gentle with his own little beauty in terms of its FE and another 190K shows up on the ticker, I think Toyota should send him a Prius-III free of charge

___Good Luck

___Wayne