<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hey Bill,<div><br></div><div>I'm working in the Corning-Elmira area just a smidge south of you. I've had my Prius for one winter and have been very impressed with the winter traction. The beast has a traction control system that pretty much prevents spinning of tires in any way. There was only one time I couldn't get where I wanted too (I had the same problem one year earlier with a Caravan) and one time I pulled off the road to talk on my cell only to find that I couldn't easily get out. I decided to just work at it for a few moments inching ahead then back. After a few times of "packing a track" the Prius drove right out!</div><div><br></div><div>As for ground clearance - it seems to be comparable with the Caravan that I traded for it. I've not had any clearance problems at all.</div><div><br></div><div>will</div><div>currently hiding in the Southern Tier of NY</div><div><br></div><div><div><div>On Jul 11, 2008, at 10:34 AM, Bill Costanzo wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div bgcolor="white" lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="blue"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><div class="Section1"><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; ">Anybody have experience with the Prius in northern winter conditions, specifically traction in the snow and ground clearance?<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; ">Bill Costanzo<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; "> <o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div><div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><hr size="2" width="100%" align="center" tabindex="-1"></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold; ">From:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">On Behalf Of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b>Farrell<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">Sent:</span></b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Friday, July 11, 2008 8:15 AM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">To:</span></b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Pianotech List<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">Subject:</span></b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Re: cars with better gas milage</span></font><o:p></o:p></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; ">The Prius is a mid-sized car. Lots of leg room in the back. Three people can sit in the back. I have hauled both grand and upright actions in the rear with the rear seats folded down - lots of room to spare. We've had it for 2-1/2 years now and love it. I have kept track of all fuel purchases and we have averaged 53 mpg over the course of ownership.</span></font><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "> <o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; ">Terry Farrell</span></font><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><blockquote style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: black; border-left-width: 1.5pt; padding-top: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 4pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; ">----- Original Message -----<o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><div><div style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: rgb(228, 228, 228); margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">From:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:pianotune05@hotmail.com" title="pianotune05@hotmail.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">Marshall Gisondi</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">To:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">pianotech@ptg.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">Sent:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Friday, July 11, 2008 12:25 AM<o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">Subject:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>cars with better gas milage<o:p></o:p></span></font></div></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; ">Hi Everyone,<br>How roomy is the Prius? Is it a good kid hauler like a minivan although not quite as big,but how does it do with hauling families and can one fit a piano action in it both grand or vertical? Our Taurus is eating gas like crazy and I cannot figure out why. We had the fuel injectors cleaned not too long ago. Have a great rest of the night!<br><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Marshall</st1:place></st1:city><br></span></font><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><br></span></font><b><i><font face="Garamond"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; "> </span></font></i></b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; "><hr size="2" width="100%" align="center"></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; ">Making the world a better place one message at a time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.imtalkathon.com/?source=EML_WLH_Talkathon_BetterPlace" target="_new" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">Check out the i'm Talkathon.</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></div></blockquote></div><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Arial">No virus found in this incoming message.<br>Checked by AVG -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.avg.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.avg.com</a><br>Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.7/1546 - Release Date: 7/11/2008 6:47 AM<br></font></p></o:smarttagtype></o:smarttagtype></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>