Any ND Prius owners

I'm in ND but haven't got my Prius yet. Have one on order and am impatiently waiting. Been a couple months already. But I've read on these forums about other people in cold climates (like Alaska) that don't seem to have any problems with them in the winter. An engine block heater is highly recommended.

 

My husband thinks the Prius is ugly. But since it's going to be my car it doesn't matter what he thinks of it!! I thought they looked kind of strange when I first saw them too, but the more I see them, the more I like them. And the thought of getting 45+mpg makes it all the more beautiful to me.

We rented a Prius when we went to Sedona, AZ last December so got a good test drive then.

 

I can comment on SD winters. Which are not as brutal as ND, but cold sometimes. I lived there b-4 moving eastward to PA.

No issues at all at -15 F overnight outside. The 201 volts powers the smaller electric motor (there are 2 in the Prius) which turns the engine about 1,000 RPM without spark or fuel, adding those things as the engine turns. MUCH better than the old-school 12 volt starter, cranking maybe 300-400 RPMs, hoping the engine fires.

Traction is much better with different tires than the OEM Integritys. The standard TRAC control is great, but a bit sensitive if your tires suck. I put on snow tires for about 4 months out east and have no probs here or the more snowy Black Hills in western SD. Deep snow will be an issue, so keep that in mind. You've got about 5.5 inches clearance. About the same for any gas car.

So far, the "ugly" thing has vanished from anyone who I tell it costs less than $30 to fill. Well, even that price is going up, but compared to 50 bucks or more, it is REALLY a beautiful car.

You cannot go wrong with buying a Prius. It IS all everyone says it is and more.

 

I live in western Montana so our winters are a bit more moderate than ND (or eastern Montana), but when my Prius was one week old (late December/early January) I drove to Minneapolis, across ND, to visit my son who lives there. I hit all kinds of weather including gale-force winds, blowing and drifting snow, bitter cold, etc. I drove the stock Integrities, still am. No problem, the car handled it all quite well. I have since installed an EBH (engine block heater) although that isn't necessary to get it started, even on the coldest days, simply helps the car to warm up more quickly and improves mileage. I'd recommend one strongly.

 

Friend of mine has one and he just moved to Germany (USAF). He had a block heater, interior heater, and remote starter on his and had zero problems...even in -30 to -60 range. I've heard the main batteries don't take/hold a charge as well in very cold climates, but he never mentioned any problems to me.

I just bought a Prius last week, but left it in VA since I'm moving there next month and needed one less car to drive from Minot, ND to VA. awiz11