Dirt Road + stang?
12-08-2014, 07:36 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MI
Posts: 49
Dirt Road + stang?
This is probably an unusual topic for this forum, but I am currently in the market for my first house, and I'm struggling here.
I am not exactly in a hurry to buy and I've been looking for the last 6 months or so- but I think I have found the perfect house for me. I'm a single guy and I want to live in a particular rural township in south east Michigan, and after looking at probably 10 houses I have found one that I deem perfect.
Perfect price range, perfect size, perfect layout, has the attached 2 car garage + 900 square foot separate garage in the back (critical). But my only hang up is that it's about 1/2 mile down a dirt road- one that is not horrible, but does have its occasional section of shallow potholes.
I'm now at the point to where i need to make a decision, and that is my only hang up. The house is getting tons of showings now, and if i'm going to pull the trigger and put in an offer it will have to be in the next day or two. What do you guys think about having your mustang live 1/2 mile down a dirt road? I keep mine really clean and garage it over the winter, and I'm concerned about the suspension going over a mile of unpaved road every time I drive it.
I am not exactly in a hurry to buy and I've been looking for the last 6 months or so- but I think I have found the perfect house for me. I'm a single guy and I want to live in a particular rural township in south east Michigan, and after looking at probably 10 houses I have found one that I deem perfect.
Perfect price range, perfect size, perfect layout, has the attached 2 car garage + 900 square foot separate garage in the back (critical). But my only hang up is that it's about 1/2 mile down a dirt road- one that is not horrible, but does have its occasional section of shallow potholes.
I'm now at the point to where i need to make a decision, and that is my only hang up. The house is getting tons of showings now, and if i'm going to pull the trigger and put in an offer it will have to be in the next day or two. What do you guys think about having your mustang live 1/2 mile down a dirt road? I keep mine really clean and garage it over the winter, and I'm concerned about the suspension going over a mile of unpaved road every time I drive it.
Last edited by om3n; 12-08-2014 at 07:39 AM.
12-08-2014, 08:01 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MI
Posts: 49
But let me ask you- would you want your stang to live on a 1/2 dirt road?
12-08-2014, 08:43 AM
#4
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BC
Posts: 364
I took my last Stang (an '88 LX 5.0) on a camping trip and drove it up 100 miles of Forest Service roads, with cross ditches, etc. No problems. Nothing broke or hit, just had to be a bit careful. I didn't really care, as the stock 4X4 suspension was going out for lowering springs and shocks as soon as I returned.
Save your pennies and pave the road at some point.
Save your pennies and pave the road at some point.
12-08-2014, 10:01 AM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MI
Posts: 49
I took my last Stang (an '88 LX 5.0) on a camping trip and drove it up 100 miles of Forest Service roads, with cross ditches, etc. No problems. Nothing broke or hit, just had to be a bit careful. I didn't really care, as the stock 4X4 suspension was going out for lowering springs and shocks as soon as I returned.
Save your pennies and pave the road at some point.
Save your pennies and pave the road at some point.
12-08-2014, 11:36 AM
#7
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,793
Six miles of dirt to my house. Don't drive it when it's muddy and don't get too wild. I drive too fast, so I have rock chips, but I'm used to that. I grew up here, so I don't even think about it anymore.
12-08-2014, 11:53 AM
#8
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: DE
Posts: 546
I would have no worries about the car with only a 1/2 mile dirt road. You will be driving it at slow speeds (I hope), and you will also learn every bump, hole, and divot that is there and just drive around them to avoid. Cleanliness is a separate issue, but probably not a huge problem.
I live in the northeast and roads and highways that I drive on a regular basis have terrible holes and bumps. Some of these roads are 50 MPH highways. I think driving these types of roads are much more hazardous to your suspension than a dirt road to your house. I say go for it, and save your money to pave it someday like others have suggested.
I live in the northeast and roads and highways that I drive on a regular basis have terrible holes and bumps. Some of these roads are 50 MPH highways. I think driving these types of roads are much more hazardous to your suspension than a dirt road to your house. I say go for it, and save your money to pave it someday like others have suggested.
12-08-2014, 12:16 PM
#9
I drive a V6 because I'm a giant wimp
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: MN
Posts: 101
I built a house on property that the county required the driveway be on the township road (3 acres surrounded on 3 sides by roads, 2 were paved)
Then the driveway had to be a minimum 300' from any other road or driveway, so it put me nearly 750' from the pavement.
I lived there for 7 years with my saleen mustang, and I liked it clean, so rainy days or when the frost was coming out etc all sucked and I took the truck.
But after 6 years there 2 of the "new" neighbors also did not like the gravel township road and its lack of maintenance, we chipped in and paved it 20' wide (original road was only 16' wide) for nearly 1/2 mile long. I think it ended up costing somewhere in the $100,000 range and we did manage to get 3 other homeowners to chip in, although the division of expenses wasn't equal.
The furthest guy paid almost 40k of the cost while myself being the closest paid 25k and the next guy paid 20k and those other contributors were like 10k each
pavement isn't cheap and if the county steps in and bitches about "their standards" it can get even more....ours was township road and the township didn't give a rats *** what we did, so thankfully it was easy, widening it was simply so we could pass each other without dropping two wheels off on the shoulder
Then the driveway had to be a minimum 300' from any other road or driveway, so it put me nearly 750' from the pavement.
I lived there for 7 years with my saleen mustang, and I liked it clean, so rainy days or when the frost was coming out etc all sucked and I took the truck.
But after 6 years there 2 of the "new" neighbors also did not like the gravel township road and its lack of maintenance, we chipped in and paved it 20' wide (original road was only 16' wide) for nearly 1/2 mile long. I think it ended up costing somewhere in the $100,000 range and we did manage to get 3 other homeowners to chip in, although the division of expenses wasn't equal.
The furthest guy paid almost 40k of the cost while myself being the closest paid 25k and the next guy paid 20k and those other contributors were like 10k each
pavement isn't cheap and if the county steps in and bitches about "their standards" it can get even more....ours was township road and the township didn't give a rats *** what we did, so thankfully it was easy, widening it was simply so we could pass each other without dropping two wheels off on the shoulder
12-08-2014, 01:39 PM
#10
Even if I had a nice newer car then I would still make an offer if that house was ****.
I mean I get that its not smooth pavement and I'd rather not live on a dirt road but if you're only going to drive on it for a mile round trip then I don't think its an issue. Plus you're in michigan. Paved roads have their potholes too.
I mean I get that its not smooth pavement and I'd rather not live on a dirt road but if you're only going to drive on it for a mile round trip then I don't think its an issue. Plus you're in michigan. Paved roads have their potholes too.