[wittman2]

Well, I put my $500 down on a Prius last night, here's hoping I get it sooner than the 3-4 months they were talking! But I did have another question- I live in Ohio, which has weather that changes seemingly every few hours... how does a Prius do in the winter? Our weather can range from crisp and cold to blizzard-like conditions. Just wondering how it handles in crappy weather?

Also, do Prius' come with 2 key fobs, or just one?

Thanks!

 

[richard schumacher]

Minnesota and Canada users have reported no problems. Mine came with two fobs.

 

[HunterGreen]

Know a few people in Vermont who are doing fine with them, which is part of what motivated me to go ahead. Just don't expect to match our southern cousins at MPGs in the winter.

 

[hyperion]

I get my forty five, winter and summer alike here in Massachusetts.

 

[wayneswhirld]

Know a few people in Vermont who are doing fine with them, which is part of what motivated me to go ahead. Just don't expect to match our southern cousins at MPGs in the winter.

Hunter,
I'm in Vermont, near Bristol. I've had my Prius since June. I commute 3 days a week over App Gap. Any info on the tires your VT friends use? Do they go with studs (never used them on my Subaru Outback but probably will go with them) What about winter wheels? I'm getting steel ones to avoid using the standard ones. The car has VSC which should also help. But I definitely won't drive it in mudseason!

 

[DanMan32]

Just be sure the car is wearing appropriate 'footwear' I.E. tires, for the existing weather conditions. Trac is a bit sensitive, but if the tires grip properly, there will be no or limited slipping, and Trac won't come into play.

 

[Hep]

I think the VSC is amazing! It handles better in snow than any othe car I have owned.

 

[jeromep]

Factory rubber on the Prius is not so wonderful. Integrities are economy rubber from Goodyear. Not a structurally bad tire, however the tread design and the rubber compound are not great on wet or snowy surfaces. They tend to let the trac system kick in a great deal on wet or oily-wet surfaces. I don't think they are too bad in slush.

The point is that there are some on the boards which have traded up to a different Goodyear tire at the dealership or at the local Goodyear dealer if they have less than 500 miles on the tires. The trade up would include paying the difference to a better tire, but I'm sure that would improve all handling in all types of weather.

I would advise against using studs. Any of the new stud less alternative tires are not a poor substitute for studs, but a superior tire which gives you a quite ride on bare pavement, but also has superior grip on ice to studs. Studs are bad for the roads anyway, chew up the surface and increase the cost of seasonal and total road maintenance. Avoid studs at all costs.

 

[melgish]

Avoid studs at all costs.

Just what I've been telling my 17 year old daughter