driving in the rain

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pie r sqd @ Sep 1 2007, 04:45 PM) [snapback]505567[/snapback]</div>

Sounds like urban legend (about problems in the rain).

If the problems are in fact true, I would check the circumstances in which the problems occurred: bald tires???; starting off on an oily surface???; stability control disconnected???? I think you get the point.

Net, net, with the safety systems on the Prius, there would have to be some external factor for there to be problems.

 

I think some people are just a little too harsh on cars. Yes, it's not a race car. My car does just fine in the rain. I haven't slid or spun the tires or tripped the traction control or antilock enough to cause me problems so far. On the so called "garbage" stock Goodyear Integrities.

I think the comments were caused by the 2005 and earlier traction control being too sensitive, and ill-informed owners not realizing they were trying to accelerate on oil soaked roads. One that was discussed here complained they would spin the tires and activate the traction control aggressively exiting a parking garage. Just where you would expect lots of oil on a concrete road. Worst case scenario.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Beale @ Sep 1 2007, 08:20 PM) [snapback]505604[/snapback]</div>

I do not know about anyone else but both my daughter and I own Prius and when we went to get new tires the traction and wet handling improved markedly.

Moral: OEM rubber is the cheapest thing they can get. If you do not like the wet handling of your car get rid of the OEM rubber and buy decent tires to replace them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pie r sqd @ Sep 1 2007, 07:07 PM) [snapback]505619[/snapback]</div>

Here is one vote for Michelin.

 

The OEM tires are crap. That's where all of the rain and snow horror stories originate. I swapped mine for Micheline MXV4+ Energy LRR all-season radials. The difference in control was like night and day, with no loss in fuel economy.

Tom

 

I've had my Prius for less than five weeks and have only had one really rainy, windy day. My commute that day included crossing a high bridge with severe crosswinds. My only complaint is that my mileage for that trip dropped by over 3 MPG from a normal commute of 54-55 to 51.5. I guess the extra resistance and the wipers were just too much. :lol:

In similar situations my Chevy Aveo was hard to control and I was worn out by the time I got home.

 

OEM tyres in Australia are Michelin and they seem very good.
The traction control is a little easy to set off in my 04 but maybe that's because there's a lot of torque to spin the wheels.
Even though I sometimes upset the traction control I have never felt that the car is out of control, with ABS and traction control how can you get into trouble?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pie r sqd @ 2007 Sep 1 4:45 PM) [snapback]505567[/snapback]</div>

It's not the car's fault, it's the tires. Just about anything would be an improvement.
By the way, pie are round.

 

Adelaide's favorite pies, Balfours meat pies are square.

 

Well, in New York weather (where the OP is), I would recommend Nokian WR tires. You will be able to use them all year round, as they are true all season tires, and have the snowflake symbol on the sidewall, meaning you do not have to "chain up" on interstates like other all season tired vehicles must in certain situations.
I'm putting them on Pearl asap, as we have six month winters here. They work well on ice and snow, are great rain tires, and wear very well, even on hot dry summer roads. They are not cheap, however. You do get what you pay for.

 

When it's raining........Slow down!! and don't drive like an idiot....Same as with any other car.

 

I'm a relatively new owner (but now have 10Kmiles). I've noticed a greater tendency to spin with the stock tires too. I attribute it to the higher low speed torque that you have with electric motors, more than anything else. I'ts no big deal though as between the traction control and more linear gas (? is that the correct term?) pedal action it is easy to control.

 

Just been through one of the wettest winters on record here. Not even one occasion of loss of traction, no wheel spin, no problems.

 

Whatever tires or chosen inflation pressures, on this topic I always like to nag.

The wet traction decreases rapidly when tread depth is below 3 mm (well above the legal wear bar limit). It may not be to your best advantage to get those last few thousand miles out of any set of tires.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pie r sqd @ Sep 2 2007, 12:45 AM) [snapback]505567[/snapback]</div>

One good reason would be that they may have over inflated their tyres, Lot of people advice here to inflate more than the Toyota Recommended value to increase MPG, they do gain MPG and Grip on a dry road, but the drawback is that the grip is lost on wet road... The Toyota given value is the average value for both dry and wet road good handling...

 

nt

 

Of course it don't rain much around here but I have 57,000 miles on OEM tires (2 Sets) and have never had trouble driving in the rain or snow.