Snow Driving Help

bummer dude.... kinda wondering if any car with regular tires could have made it?

 

So a touring.
You could try Nokian WR G2 tires, available in 205/55R16. These tires would work much better than the stock tires, and would probably get you up that hill. They are very close in diameter, so the speedo and odo should be almost right on (835 turns per mile vs 855 stock). Best part - you leave them on year round, as they don't wear out on summer roads and faster than a "summer tire".

Perhaps you should try again with the stock tires but only use about 30% throttle. I find the car will keep trying at that throttle position, as it doesn't overpower the system. Do make sure the tires are fully inflated. In snow tires actually work better with full pressure as the tread tends to clear better. Perhaps try 40 PSI front and 38 PSI rear.

 

With the traction control on the Prius, the tendency is to take your foot off the accelerator when the power drops ... DON'T. Keep your foot on the accelerator and the car will slowly gain traction.

 

Switchbacks without snow tires! How do other front-wheel drive cars with traction-control handle that situation?

The typical steep climb I witness watching others is mindless spinning of the wheels until the resulting slow crawl gets them up. Obviously, leaving a slick trail of glazed road behind you isn't considerate. It's wears away rubber quickly too.
.

 

This is good advice.

I have no experience with the OEM tires on the touring model, but the OEM tires on the standard model are terrible in snow. I switched to a good all season tire and it made a world of difference. Snow tires would do even better.

Tom

 

I live in Northern Maine( so we drive in snow ALL the time), i would suggest Copper Studdless Snow tires, they're great. I have a company pick up that i use to get to work but my wife uses the Prius daily and with the Copper studdless, never a problem. Unless of course you try to go through too high of a snow bank and get hung up because the tires no longer have traction because the car is off the ground. I think i paid around $450 for a set of 4 tires, installed

 

Definitely get snow tires! They really do work!

 

My Prius is completely helpless on icy roads, or a bit of slush/snow, unless I run aggressive studded winter tires. They really do work

 

I had trouble with my Touring in light snow (also with OEM Turanzas) first day I brought it home. Next day, I ordered some Blizzak snow tires from Tire Rack for $80 each, and drive through 2 feet on a New England tour with no problem. Snow tires make an enormous difference!

-MKL

 

I live in Nebraska, and we have snow pretty much through winter. I just got my 08 package 6 in early november. We've had a few snows since then, LOTS of ice under the snow, and while my prius (with stock non touring tires), doesn't get around as good as my f-150 4x4, it does a pretty decent job. My work van is a 01 chevy 2500, RWD, and i don't have too many issues with it, with all season tires. My mates car is a 96 accord fwd with (basically) slicks on the front, and we have no issues there either.

A lot of people around here say the regular tires are awful in the snow, and no offense, but i wonder if its lack of knowledge about driving in the snow, or have i been lucky? I've never replaced tires on any car to drive in the snow, and as long as the snow isn't going to high center you, i can imagine with the right know-how you would be ok, am i wrong? Anyone else use the plain ol' tires that come with the prius and have no issues in the snow?

 

Whatever

 

Then explain it to me, why do so many people say the stock tires suck so much in the snow? A simple whatever doesn't address the issue.

 

is an explanation of why regular tires dont work well in snow and ice and that "snow" tires are recommended...

that is like asking "why should i wear a coat?"

well, you might be able to run around in 20º F temps in a t-shirt (i did it as a kid in alaska...) but then again a coat might be a good idea...

 

Its not exactly like that. If you told me that you can not go outside in 20 degrees or else your blood will freeze within 5 seconds and you'll die, i'd have the same question.

I'm not trying to be a smart nice person, or trying to offend people, i just want to know why everyone says the stock tires are so awful. Am i the only one here crazy enough to attempt such a feat as driving a prius with stock tires in snow?

 

At the risk of sounding trollish, let me try and help the Vegan understand. An 08 with stock tires has full treads. I own one and was able to do circles around some 4x4's in our recent 18 in snow storm (WAY COOL). The key is the new tires. Snow's are recommended because the agressive tread holds better. New tires full treads will perform similiarly to the snows. The OP has 11k on the tires. OEM Integrities with wear will probably act like IceSkates even for experienced snow drivers. It is all to do with Tread depth.

My Body isn't a graveyard, it's a temple!

 

nope... i also drive on nothing but stock... get a lot of rain and it has snowed here more this year than any year in recent memory...but not enough to justify the expense.

i guess what im trying to say is...if you have a problem driving in snow, get the tires... if not...dont worry about it.

lets face it... the question you ask cannot be answered. some people cant parallel park either... so you gonna ask why??

 

No i wouldn't ask why, i would just say they don't know how to park, which was my original reply to myself, meaning they must not know how to drive on the snow.

Cute.

 

I live in Nebraska as well ... can I ask which dealer you purchased from? I am in Lincoln ... how did they treat you?

Thanks!

 

I bought from performance toyota, they were good to me. who did you go with? (maybe we should talk about this outside of this thread) hit me up in a pm