Yes, my diesel's brakes failed... she's off to the shop for repairs...

This might something you can fix yourself. High ground clearance wrecks aerodynamics, but it makes getting under the vehicle for fixes easy.

Replacement lines are readily available. With the extra space under the truck and in the engine bay, swapping them out should be straight forward. The only possible issue would be keeping air out of the master cylinder. Check with a site specific to your truck on how difficult the job could be.

If fixing it yourself isn't an option, get a quote on replacing all the lines. At the very least, have them all flushed. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, and over the years water will accluminate in the system. Unless you have been regularly bleeding the lines, that water probably caused the line to rust out from the inside. So the other lines might be ready to go also.

I know it isn't something most manufacturers mention in their maintenance guides, but bleeding the lines every two years is good practice. I've been bad about it myself. Another option is just testing the fluid for water content to see if flushing is needed. I think it is straight forward with a tester like the one for measuring coolant concentration (it's the same measurement, specific density).

 

So what if it snows? Drive the Prius. Mine does fine up and down the Rocky Mountains throughout all weather conditions. Last weekend there was a pretty good snow on one of the passes, first time this season I have seen the police cruisers do their "follow me" routines and trucks forced to put chains on. Prius made it just fine.

 

First winter I was using 3 year old near bald all season Goodyear somethings. Did OK in the snow.

I put Michelin X-ICE 2 tires on last season, and I have them on now too. They are definitely an improvement, and the best snow tire I have used. I have driven FWD and AWD vehicles in the snow for a long time. The AWD can make some situations easier, but there are very few situations where you absolutely need AWD. And most of those situations involve you doing something stupid to get into them. Like plowing through a snow bank and then needing to reverse out of it.

Driver ability is what you need. If you have never driven a FWD in the snow, then you will need practice. AWD vehicles are much easier. A brain dead monkey could drive them in the snow. Stopping is no different though. Next time it snows, head out to an empty parking lot and drive around. Do some spins. Crank the wheel, put both pedals to the metal and learn how the car drives. You need to know what to expect for when you are in that panic situation. Being in a panic situation is not the best time to learn as you go.

I find the Prius very rear heavy. Going down steep grades and on very bad tires with ice, the rear has a tendency to come loose. With the real tires, no issue. Also the traction control can be a problem. That is the only complaint, however it can be turned off by entering "inspection mode". This will cause the engine to run constantly and disable traction control to allow for wheel spin. Rarely have I needed this except for a few cases we had ice storms and my multi-thousand vertical foot accent to home was causing problems a little wheel spin fixed.

I have seen many AWD and 4WD vehicles spin out around me driving stupid. The Prius brakes are awesome because the regen gives you nice even braking that is slow and continuous. No worries about locking the tires braking if you drive slow and steady or worse, locking 1 wheel and spinning. The Prius fits my 180cm in the hatch no problem, and it takes me to all the resorts, back bowls, and mountain passes with no issues.

 

Get some Nokian Hakkapilittas. I have them on my car. The rally racing guys love them.

 

I understand not wanting to mess with repairs if you feel out of your depth.

FWD is all most people really need for snow. I've only had trouble when on balding tires. Something that would hinder even AWD and 4WD. The only time I could've leave my house was after an ice storm with the Prius. The traction control defeated me. It was a 2005 though, and I believe Toyota has dialed back the sensitivity of the system.

Ground clearance is something to consider, but unless you really need to be somewhere in such bad weather that it's a factor, you and everyone else is better off staying at home.

 

I don't think we get as much snow here in north eastern Pa., but I've always been able to get by with FWD and all season tires. The higher tire pressures I now run at, might hinder traction, but that's an easy fix. The Prius traction control is its biggest hurdle. Good tires help there.

On the other hand, if you need the truck for other things, I'd save the cash that would go to snow tires to keep it running. You never stated what model it was, but most of the earlier ones were tough to kill.

 

Bales? My Mom in SE Kansas and most folks in North Alabama use rolls. Throw a tarp over them and the critters handle the rest.

Bob Wilson

 

the Prius really does fine in snow... so long as there isn't a lot of it I've only gotten stuck once, bottoming out in a turn lane (would you believe the roads had been completely clear 2 hours earlier?). But then again, this is Minnesota. We can get a lot of snow all at once. Two years ago, we got 2 feet of snow in 1 day!

If you're unsure/uncomfortable driving it in the snow, start out easy. Drive slow, leave plenty of room, and head over to a large, empty parking lot nearby (schools on Sundays are great for this). Get into the parking lot, and start playing around - get up to speed, and tap the breaks hard. Learn how to handle a fishtail. Do some donuts. Once you get over the "OMG I'm out of control" fear, you'll start to have a little fun, and be more confident in your ability to handle the car in the snow.

 

My F250 has been with me for 3 year and 45k. In that time it's cost me $8k in repairs and maintenance and $700 a month in fuel. This is why I've purchased another Prius for when I don't HAVE to drive my truck.

 

You can lease a small fleet of Priuses for that much money.