First of all I have to say I am a dedicated 3rd Generation RX-7 fan. I haven't found many cars out there that can touch one of these rotary rockets. I'm proud to sayI have embarrassedmany ponies with my 7. They are fast, drive like they are on rails andplow like tanks in the snow. Throw a set of snow tires on and I'm out there with the 4-wheel drive trucks showing them how it's done with all 300+ hp. With performance like this, there is always a price and it's a huge $$$$ for this one. They are expensive to fix and gas mileage sucks.

Now I'm sure I've ruffled a few ponies out there and I have to say I'm sorry. I've always loved the mustang and sound of a fine tuned v8 is...well what else can I say but damn!!! I recently started looking to buy 2004 GT or Cobra and add either a single or twin turbo setup. I know that's gonna put me in some high numbers as far as hp but what's the fun in leaving it stock?

With that being said, my only concern is how a stock gt is gonna handle on wet and snow. This would be a daily driver and I fully understand that it would require snow tires during winter time. I owned a Camaro and it was like driving a sled on wet let along adding snow to the mix. As far as my power upgrade, no worry about the increase. I know howto stay out of boost when it's wet or slick out. If anybody could give me some insight on the handling characteristics of these cars, I would be grateful.

Again, I am sorry if the first part of this message bothers anybody. It wasn't intended to do so. RX-7's have been my passion for many years and I'm wanting to venture out to something fast but less expensive to fix.

Thanks,

J[/align]

 

Are you talking about racing or aggressive driving in the rain/snow? If so, you are SOL. If you have the right tires, and use your head, you will be fine. They aren't automatically dangerous in bad conditions. It's high performance tires, and a heavy foot that gets people in trouble when it's slick.

 

No, I'm not talking about racing or anything like that in rain/snow. I just want something that with the right tires I can safely make it to work 20 miles away when the weather is bad.
I have a friend with a 2004 v6 that complains about they don't move in snow. I didn't know if it was the car or his driving. It's alway nice to get others opinions on things like this.

Thanks
J

 

My car is a daily driver. I bought it in the fall and had a lot of handling problems with it the first winter. The previous owner had put high performance summer tires on it. With them I could get stuck in an inch of snow and slide sideway in a corner on frost. This winter I put ultra high performance all season tires on it and I've had nothad any problems driving through 2-3 inches of snow. You just have to be easy on the throttle.

 

It's all about the driver!!!! I drove my mustang in 6"s of snow and slushand did fine. I even took 3 of my co-workers with trucks to work.I noticed that I had better control whenI took off the traction control. IMHO it's all about the driver.

 

Like already stated with good snow tires and a little weight in the rear and a good driver Mustangs can be just fine in the snow. I know of many Canadians that drive there car in the winter.
The people that have trouble are the ones with summer tires and a heavy foot.

 

Tires and the driver are what's key. Get a good set of snow tires and go light on the throttle and you'll have no problems.

 

This really helps my decision on getting a Mustang. Now to rebuild my rotary and do a little prep on my RX-7 to sell it. Thanks for all the info. Once I find a Mustang, I'm sure I'll have questions and need sugestions on upgrades.

Thanks guys!!!

J

 

hold that thought man

STOCK, a GT can be hard enough to handle in the snow, and you want to do a turbo setup?!

With the amount of power youre likely going after, I really think it would be in your best interest (if you really want a stang) to pick up a higher miles GT (80-100k) for like 10 grand....and spend another grand or two on a beater....

I drove my GT stock in the snow a few times and it wasnt pleasant....I cant imagine driving on it with the supercharger....even keeping my foot out of it.....i'd be doing donuts on the freeway

performance cars and winter driving just dont go hand in hand.....even big power Evo's and STI's gotta turn down their boost, throw on blizzaks and drive like a granny....

 

I've been driving the stang through this very wet winter in Chicago. The hardest part is getting her to move from stopped at a light, what with all the slush at an intersection. I've recently tossed 200lbs of salt (bagged!) in the trunk, and I've had no problems. I'm also running the PO's Toyo performance tires. No problems once moving, just getting started. We're supposed to get another 6" tonight, so I may sing a different tune tomorrow; we'll see.

3rd gen RX-7s are beautiful cars, and now you're looking at Mustangs. You, my friend, have got good taste.