lundefinedl

Like others have said, I think the definition of hard driving depends upon the context. First and foremost, a vehicle should be treated with respect.

no:

*dump the clutch
*bang off the limiter
*cold driving - should never do this
*spin the tires
*unless drag racing, power brake
*drive on normal roads like it is a race track

To define what it means to be driven hard, you must define the context. If you are talking about doing laps at road america, you have a different context than if you are driving this as a daily driver to work every day. In my opinion, hard at the track is when you run mostly near horsepower peak. On the other hand, hard driving on the road is when you operate mostly in torque peak zone.

99gtstang

Just as a reference my last 99 I purchased with 104K 1st gt owned it for around four years. I beat the crap out of it. Three sets of rear tires while on the first set of fronts I live in the country and did a lot of burn outs.... Still trying to figure out why I torched my driveway haha. WOT every day never drove car without stomping on it. BUT never bounced limiter, always always let car warm up, no red light to light stuff, changed oil, and never street raced or went over a 100.. that is stupid.... A lot of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at WOT. I sold the car with 165K Only issues I had were coil packs that I can recall.

My 07 Purchased with 18K Now at 24K My exhaust is so damn loud I dont romp on it as much. Although still at leat one WOT a day. Few things I tend to do like above mentioned. Try not to dump clutch much, NO shifiting over 2500 unless WOT, use 5th gear doing 50+, and I am a believer in letting car warm up.

5POINTOH

I think everyone has their own definition of what is considered hard driving.

I consider myself pretty easy on my car. I do not:

1. drag race or autocross the car. This will put a little or a lot of stress on your car depending on hard you push it.

2. or at least rarely ride the clutch. I have never had to replace a clutch in any of the cars I have owned in my 23 years of driving including my 85 GT which I have had for almost 21 years now.

3. I always let the car warm up a little before I drive off.

4. Always change the oil on time.

5. Never red lined the car.

6. Always put at least 91 octane in the car.

I do drive my car fast from time to time and make a lot of shifts in the 3000 to 4000 RPM range especially when going from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd. I think if you are shifting at less than 2500 RPM in a V8 mustang going from 1st to 2nd.....you are lugging the car and will not drive very well. Though I can see shifting on a level road at 2500 RPM going from 4th to 5th.

raredesign

well, until the dash opens up and a big hand slaps me in the face, I say keep the pedal to the floor!

Grey2011GT

I think of hard driving is how much you are trying to accelerate through and out of a turn .

You can beat a car pretty well even without getting into much rpm.

I measure hard driving by adrenaline most alll the time.

Low or no rush means im nursing it.
Full rush , and anxiety I cant supress , and when Im feeling "that way" Im doing some hard driving.

Hard driving I think was the intention for the Mustang since the get go . They just jumped right into SCCA back then with old school mods. And took names .

GTjoe49

My $0.02

Driving hard is when your engine and tires are making more noise than "normal".