94-95 Gt As A Daily Driver?

[Chythar]

I'm decently handy with tools, but I don't want to be fixing my DD every other day either. but that's what I should expect with a 20 year old car huh?

I DD my 94 Cobra clone and I have no issues. However, I went through a patch of several months where it seemed that something broke every week. Mostly sensors and other electronics in the engine bay, if I remember right. Once I got past that bad patch, the car's been stable and reliable ever since. Mustang 5.0's are really hard to kill but you do need to keep up on your maintenance to keep them running well.

 

[Mintsick]

Would not actively choose to DD a mustang all year round, but if you just gotta have one and you can only afford 1 car go for it.

 

[stykthyn]

I think an SN car would be light years better than a fox.

 

[joetrainer31]

So I have a thread over in the Fox area asking if a Fox would be a good DD in Pittsburgh, and it was almost universally a no. I'd still like to have the 5.0 engine, so I'm wondering if the 94-95 Gts are any better in the snow and rain? More creature comforts? It would be my only car, but I am willing to sacrifice a little comfort and convenience for a cool car....but only up to a point.

Any advice is appreciated!

As one who has driven in the snow, and has owned several fox body stangs, and now owns a 95 GT; I'd say that you could do it if you consider the following...

1) 94-95s are simply a better starting platform so get one of those.
2) get a nice battery relocation kit and put the battery in the trunk for more weight over rear axles in rain & snow.
3) replace all steering link & sway bar bushings with urethane bushings for better traction.
4) highly consider rear upper and lower control arms for better traction.
5) get an adjustable pan hard bar to eliminate lateral slop. If you add a torque arm & a pan hard bar you can eliminate the upper control arms and quad shocks.
6) get weld in subframe connectors to keep chassis rigid.
7) get a set of snow tires for the winter.
8) limit rear end gearing to 327 or maybe 355 if you can control your foot in the winter.
9) make sure shocks & struts are in good shape & get an alignment.

If you get these modifications your car will do better in the snow than some front wheel drive cars. Side note: highway patrol still uses rear wheel drive in CT. Maybe in your state too? Anyhow, you should be fine in the snow and driving in the summer will be like your car is on rails!

 

[chriskarel]

Wow, great post. That's quite a list of mods, but they don't seem too terribly expensive tho.

 

[chriskarel]

so......if the 94-95s are that much better than the Foxes, one can surmise that the 99-04s would be better than the 94-95s?

there are a few clean 99-04 GTs that are decently affordable in my area.

 

[84Ttop]

so......if the 94-95s are that much better than the Foxes, one can surmise that the 99-04s would be better than the 94-95s?

there are a few clean 99-04 GTs that are decently affordable in my area.

99 up wouldn't be my first choice but does make a decent DD

 

[mikestang63]

99 up wouldn't be my first choice but does make a decent DD

I had a 2001 GT as a DD and it was a blast to drive. Doesn't compare to the wife's 2013, but leap years ahead of the Fox body for comfort, safety, and technology. I threw a CAI, gears, TB, exhaust, and a chip in it, and drove it for 3 years without one problem.

 

[chriskarel]

mileage around 18-20 city / 20-25 highway sound about right?

 

[84Ttop]

My 96 vert averaged 21-23 between highway and city, not too bad and like @mikestang63 said was a blast to drive (Exhaust only). I'll take my 2011 F250 Diesel as a d/d over driving a mustang everyday. Now if we are talking about banging gears around town, then Mustang is the WINNER!

 

[chriskarel]

well yeah, if i could afford and had space for a second vehicle i wouldn't DD the Stang...but I don't haha.

 

[Grudge302GT]

I DD my 94 GT from aug 2006 till may 2007 when I had finally had enough. During a heavy snow storm a 40 minute drive turned into a 3 hour drive as all my back wheels did was spin and they had new tires. I tried starting in first gear and the tires spun and then tried starting in second and the tires spun faster. My mustang is a weekend only car and has been for over 6 years now. My car is lowered and has KYB AGX suspension set to the softest setting and the car still rides like a rock, I can really feel it when I get back into my current DD.

 

[joetrainer31]

I DD my 94 GT from aug 2006 till may 2007 when I had finally had enough. During a heavy snow storm a 40 minute drive turned into a 3 hour drive as all my back wheels did was spin and they had new tires. I tried starting in first gear and the tires spun and then tried starting in second and the tires spun faster. My mustang is a weekend only car and has been for over 6 years now. My car is lowered and has KYB AGX suspension set to the softest setting and the car still rides like a rock, I can really feel it when I get back into my current DD.

That stinks. Do you have a picture of your ride? What mods have you done?

 

[LX302]

really? Because someone says don't do it, you're now an expert on their driving ability? Is it possible? Yes. Is it advisable? Not if you have a better option. And winter driving isn't just about poor traction. I've been to PA, and my grandparents lived in SW NY. I've seen what winter driving does to cars in your part of the country-it eats them alive. Even up here,where we don't do salt, the underside of my excursion is nasty dirty and corroded. I wouldn't do that to my Mustang if I could help it.

I drive in winter conditions six months out of the year. I consider myself a good winter driver, and my driving record backs it up. I wouldn't fault anyone for saying that DDing a Mustang in winter isn't a good idea.

Really, I did DD every winter for years. If it's your only car and you love driving it, you can do anything you set your mind to.

My comment wasn't to offend anyone. I know most drivers don't want to chance wreaking there Mustang in adverse conditions and just purchase another car or truck. I just chose not too and giving some other real life experiences /choices to the OP.
HTH's.