I'm moving to North Dakota here in a while and I just got a 2005 Prius. Should I be worried about how cold it gets there? I don't know if I can find garage parking or not. Would the cold be bad for the batteries? I know it is a crap load to replace it. I guess using a block heater or whatever it is called is common there? I don't even know how that works. Does anyone have any tips for this noob? Thanks.
:welcome: to priuschat! it's not bad for the car, but bad for your mpg's! search grille blocking. it keeps your engine warmer while driving. you can have a block heater installed, but you need a place to plug it in.
Bisco's right (as usual). They sell Priuses in the frozen North. They work fine up there. Don't sweat the battery issue. It's inside the car. They'll be a little less efficient than those used by folks who live in warmer climes, but I don't think a few ND winters will kill them. You may want to consider a block heater to keep your engine warm for starting up---especially if you have to park outside. This will keep your oil (and your block---hence the name) a little warmer and maybe add a little to your engine life, but the 0W20 synthetic may make this measure a little more extra-redundant than the people who make money selling engine block heaters will lead you to believe. If you had a '73 GMC pickemuptruck with a cast iron block and 30W oil, then yeah, I'd say it's a "must have" item. Priuses......eh, maybe not so much. A lot of folks have EBH's for Priuses, and they're not really hard to find or install. Just make sure you can park in a location where you can reach your car with an extension cord where you park overnight. Good Luck in ND!
