Moving from California to a Freezing Snowy Area, Advice?

Careful though - studded tires are illegal in Minnesota, in general. (Unless you're a non-resident passing through, or a mail carrier with a mainly unpaved route.)

Just because the insulation is cheap doesn't mean it's not a great option. If you get the right size (mine says it fits 1/2" copper or 3/8" iron pipes), it squeezes in between the plastic fins in front of the radiator, and doesn't need anything else to secure it besides friction. If you get black, it's basically invisible, as it sits flush with the plastic, and is recessed a bit from the body, so it's always in the shadow of the hood. Installation is fairly quick - probably 10 minutes to an hour, depending on how meticulous you are. Just cut the insulation to the right length, and cut slits in it for where it crosses the vertical plastic fins. Here's a few good pictures from somebody:
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-modifications/38645-my-attempt-grill-blocking.html

 

I seen someone in Lexington Kentucky last winter that was driving a SUV with studded tires Don't know why as they don't have real winters compared to the MN crap.

Snake will be fine as in the big city, they dump so much rock salt on the roads that there is really nothing other than wet salt infested roads to drive on. Now go outside the big city and you can actually find roads with ice & snow to drive on.

There are days & nights where it snows somewhat heavy and MN-DOT camps on plowing but it doesn't last more than a day. I did hear the forecast was for a cold winter and the muskrat's did build their huts in deep water so that means it will get to -15 or so temps in the last week of December thru January. The snow is usually gone late March but it can stick around thru April. Figure 6 months of cold & 6 months of warm weather in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.

Mike
Still enjoying this warm California air for another couple days :rockon:

 

Best grill blocking thread to me is http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...62556-2010-prius-grill-blocking-strategy.html

 

man, there are a lot of words on this thread. my skimming caught a couple of notes about "just don't it", but one that caught my eye was "don't drive in the snow." i suggest the opposite. at your earliest opportunity, get out and drive around in the snow and ice in a nearby, big, empty parking lot like at a church on a weekday. scope the testing grounds out before the snow hits so you know where any damaging obstacles are located. spin the car, slam the brakes, start, stop, play around until you get a sense of how you can control it on the slide. this is actually fun and will prepare you with some confidence for getting to work and back.

-TJ "south-florida-boy" Minski

 

It shouldn't fall off if you wedge it in there. As I mentioned, I just buy a bag of black cable ties and secure them in there. 6 ties total between the 2 pieces of insulation I use. Most people don't even notice it, because it's the same color as the grille. Like you said, give a shot, especially since it's only like $5.

 

Sorry about the late reply.

I like your attitude, you'll fit in well. Minnesotans don't let a little thing like cold slow them down. The snow gives a lot of recreational opportunities as well.

I grew up in the same county as International Falls, and I learned there's no such thing as weather too cold, just clothes that aren't warm enough. And in this case, cars that possibly aren't prepared. John1701a has it right - you don't really need to to anything to your car (except check the antifreeze protection, that can be done with an $8 device with the floating balls in it, or any mechanic can do that). I have never heard of anybody changing the entire radiator fluid seasonally before.

I did have one problem when I took my car from Texas up to northern MN one winter and it was -30'F (or maybe -40'F, I don't remember). It sat outside all night, then when I started it, it reluctantly started. It was a stick shift and I had it in first, but it wouldn't change gears until I had driven nearly a mile and it had warmed up a bit. That's when I realized some places use different transmission fluid than other places (the previous owner might have done a cheap refill job too). I would expect modern cars with original fluids would be better at that. That car also had slushy radiator fluid at those temperatures, but it survived.

 

The foam insulation works great, is cheap, and lasts a long time. I'm still using the same pieces I installed years ago. It's not fancy but most people don't notice it.

On a Gen II


There is a guy on ecomodder.com who is fabricating a custom grille block out of fiberglass. Should look nice when it's done.

 

I was in Sacramento a couple weeks ago wearing shorts & a T shirt. It was hotter than hell out there

Mike

 

From highschool shop class [back in the day when highschools offered a shop class]; Ethylene glycol has it's own freezing temp and a boiling temp, as does water. But when you combine these two ingredients the numbers change. The optimum / best mixture is 50/50 and safely prevents your block from freezing down to -34F.

Any other mixture is a lesser mixture.

 

$5? You were ripped off.

My high-tech lower-grille block was first put in early 2010 and it's still there (well it's at 75% right now, I hope I haven't lost my 4th piece).

 

You can always tell the "Visitors" to our lovely state, tee shirts in 50 degrees, while the "Resident" standing next to you from Chula Vista, etc, will be wearing a down jacket!

 

It was indeed. Then the temp just dumped into the low 30s at night and mid 50s during the day.

 

I seen a few wearing what looked like a fuzzy hooded parka ound: It was just plain hot out there. Ran the A/C in the Camry Hybrid day & night. The only time it was slightly cooler was when I was in San Fran waiting for their slow train to bring me around the airport. It's 28F here at home this morning but I only had to wear jeans and a T shirt as a coat would be way to hot :eyebrows:

Mike

 

Freak! 28degrees and my Carhartts go on. lol

 

I wished I did not have to run around dropping the wife off at meetings or I would have looked you up while out there. She is out there right now but coming home this evening as we have to hit the road for a while in the Great Lakes states. Maybe next late summer I can get out to Sacramento again. While driving around between Antioch & Sacramento, I had to give up counting Prii as there were too damn many. Funny thing I noticed is many people hauling nice person in the left lane in their 3rd Gen Prii :car: I drove nice as I was working the Camry Hybrid to see what I could get out of it for mpg. The best combined I got for the week was ~38 mpg. Pretty lame as just last week I drove ~3750 miles in a regular Sonata (Non-Hybrid) and averaged a combined 38 mpg

Mike

 

It would have been great to meet you in person. It was my non-chemo week too. Next time you come out this way just shoot me a message and we can toss back a couple beers and tell lies. Or I can take you on a tour of one of our preserves that I manage.

 

Sounds like a plan. Take care & hope to meet up next year. Hopefully I will have my new car by then

Mike :tea:

 

Good! We can take your car if we visit Taylor Ranch Preserve. Mine tends to get stuck there. Ask HyoSilver about his "tour". lol