Drive during the winter?
07-25-2005, 02:20 AM
#2
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location:
Posts: 22
RE: Drive during the winter?
I drove my 90 LX 5.0 for 2 winters, but that was on short trips to work. I wouldn't recommend it on the highway in the snow or ice. Then again I wouldn't recommend any performance car in the winter. If you have to drive it, I would highly recommend some performance Snow tires for it and pray some moron doesn't hit you.
07-25-2005, 02:32 AM
#3
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Posts: 1,013
RE: Drive during the winter?
well drove my 93 4 banger with bald tires through the winter, lets see. i ran off the road once, hit another person truck and screw up the front headlight and hood, and got stuck in my drive way. I would say spend your money on a front wheel vehicale or a 4x4 truck.
07-25-2005, 03:27 PM
#4
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location:
Posts: 68
RE: Drive during the winter?
No way, especially if you want to preserve the body and keep the car for a long time.
You buy one of these as a toy if you live in snowy climates, not a daily driver. Unless you also get a winter beater.
You buy one of these as a toy if you live in snowy climates, not a daily driver. Unless you also get a winter beater.
07-25-2005, 03:41 PM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 364
RE: Drive during the winter?
I drove my 00 Mustang last winter, It is my daily driver. You just have to be really carefull and make sure your tires are in good shape. I spun my tires some but never spun off the road, never hit anyone and didn't even have any close encounters. I just kept the car clean during the winter since there was tons of salt on the road during snow storms.
07-25-2005, 04:01 PM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BLAM-O
Posts: 7,895
RE: Drive during the winter?
if it's just rain, it's fine. snow would scare me, but I'm a wuss from socal where it doesn't ever snow. Last winter was very wet though, and TC helps when it's raining sheets. I feel bad for you guys who have to have two cars for the seasons. I drive it year round.
07-25-2005, 04:04 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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Posts: 68
RE: Drive during the winter?
I feel bad for people who don't live where there is snow! My Rav4 is awesome in the snow, lots of fun.
Even if you wash your car in winter, the salt still will eat away the undercarriage and body over time. You;d have to wash it after every drive to prevent that. You can rustproof, but still...
Even if you wash your car in winter, the salt still will eat away the undercarriage and body over time. You;d have to wash it after every drive to prevent that. You can rustproof, but still...
07-25-2005, 04:07 PM
#9
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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RE: Drive during the winter?
ORIGINAL: _Shifty_
I feel bad for people who don't live where there is snow! My Rav4 is awesome in the snow, lots of fun.
Even if you wash your car in winter, the salt still will eat away the undercarriage and body over time. You;d have to wash it after every drive to prevent that. You can rustproof, but still...
I feel bad for people who don't live where there is snow! My Rav4 is awesome in the snow, lots of fun.
Even if you wash your car in winter, the salt still will eat away the undercarriage and body over time. You;d have to wash it after every drive to prevent that. You can rustproof, but still...
07-25-2005, 04:09 PM
#10
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 823
RE: Drive during the winter?
No sweat. A rear wheel drive car is actually much safer than a front wheel car in wintery conditions. You can drive your car out of just about any kind of spin with a small turn of the steering wheel. Start to lose a front wheel drive car and the whole thing spins around 360 degrees. Yes, front wheel can go up hills that haven't been adequately plowed a bit easier due to the engine over the drive wheels but a properly prepared Mustang can also handle the weather.
I live in Upstate New York and am no stranger to bad weather. Up to 100+ degrees in the summer to -50 degrees wind chill in the winter.....such fun! Number one, forget any notion of using so-called "all season" tires on your Mustang. NO all season can replace even a half *** snow tire. The best overall thing to do is go to Tire Rack and get one of their many wheel/tire specials they start offering in the fall. What it amounts to is one smaller rim size with a higher profile tire to compensate for speedometer error mounted with four winter rated tires. Both the tires AND the higher profile stance will help to cut through bad winter weather. Most all of their packages are very well priced and will save you untold misery during the winter. A typical Mustang package is around $450 to $600 for wheels and tires mounted and balanced. All you do is just swop each fall and back again in the spring. You also will save your summer tires and wheels from exposure to sand, salt, calcium chloride, etc. that they love to put on the roads during the winter months. These chemicals can do alot of harm to custom or other special factory wheels.
Second, when bad winter weather threatens, be sure your gas tank is at FULL. That extra weight in the back of your car over the drive wheels can make a tremendous difference in traction. It is also a good idea to keep a bag of kitty litter in your trunk for perminent extra weight, not to mention it comes in handy to throw under your drive wheels if you should be so unlucky as to get badly stuck in the snow. Don't forget all mid '90's to present GT's come standard with limited slip rearends (positraction) that spins BOTH rear wheels trying to locate the best point of traction rather than just one, static wheel only. AND, the newest Mutangs (not really sure which year it started), have traction control as well.
It all starts with good winter tires while maintaining a good rear weight balance. Actually, winter tires are better today than ever. You have to remember to respect your winter tires on dry pavement, though, otherwise you can get into trouble on tight turns, etc. that typically you can motor through at high speeds with your summer tires with no problem. Winter tires are not super performance tires. They do what they are meant for the best, maintain good traction in winter weather.
Other than that, a good, light foot on the accelerator when starting from a stop and a slow, steady foot on the brake when stopping is all you need to stay out of trouble during the winter. AND, be sure to keep extra distance between you and other drivers on the road. I always try to stay in the middle lane as well so, if I should be unlucky enough to hit an unforeseen patch of ice, I have a lane on either side of me to drive out of the skid. Mustang's heaters/defrosters are actually quite good as they are basically the same as used in other much larger Ford vehicles as well. So, YES, you can drive your Mustang in the winter....just take it easy.
I live in Upstate New York and am no stranger to bad weather. Up to 100+ degrees in the summer to -50 degrees wind chill in the winter.....such fun! Number one, forget any notion of using so-called "all season" tires on your Mustang. NO all season can replace even a half *** snow tire. The best overall thing to do is go to Tire Rack and get one of their many wheel/tire specials they start offering in the fall. What it amounts to is one smaller rim size with a higher profile tire to compensate for speedometer error mounted with four winter rated tires. Both the tires AND the higher profile stance will help to cut through bad winter weather. Most all of their packages are very well priced and will save you untold misery during the winter. A typical Mustang package is around $450 to $600 for wheels and tires mounted and balanced. All you do is just swop each fall and back again in the spring. You also will save your summer tires and wheels from exposure to sand, salt, calcium chloride, etc. that they love to put on the roads during the winter months. These chemicals can do alot of harm to custom or other special factory wheels.
Second, when bad winter weather threatens, be sure your gas tank is at FULL. That extra weight in the back of your car over the drive wheels can make a tremendous difference in traction. It is also a good idea to keep a bag of kitty litter in your trunk for perminent extra weight, not to mention it comes in handy to throw under your drive wheels if you should be so unlucky as to get badly stuck in the snow. Don't forget all mid '90's to present GT's come standard with limited slip rearends (positraction) that spins BOTH rear wheels trying to locate the best point of traction rather than just one, static wheel only. AND, the newest Mutangs (not really sure which year it started), have traction control as well.
It all starts with good winter tires while maintaining a good rear weight balance. Actually, winter tires are better today than ever. You have to remember to respect your winter tires on dry pavement, though, otherwise you can get into trouble on tight turns, etc. that typically you can motor through at high speeds with your summer tires with no problem. Winter tires are not super performance tires. They do what they are meant for the best, maintain good traction in winter weather.
Other than that, a good, light foot on the accelerator when starting from a stop and a slow, steady foot on the brake when stopping is all you need to stay out of trouble during the winter. AND, be sure to keep extra distance between you and other drivers on the road. I always try to stay in the middle lane as well so, if I should be unlucky enough to hit an unforeseen patch of ice, I have a lane on either side of me to drive out of the skid. Mustang's heaters/defrosters are actually quite good as they are basically the same as used in other much larger Ford vehicles as well. So, YES, you can drive your Mustang in the winter....just take it easy.