This summer I kind of bit the bullet and replaced the set of 18" fanblades on my '06 GT 'vert with a set of perfect used ones. I figured I'd sell the ones I replaced (had some curb rash on them) for a low price. I tried for a couple of months but no serious takers. I was considering selling them for scrap aluminum (would break my heart) when I had a great idea. I drive my GT year round, rain, snow or shine - so I decided to put a set of good winter tires on the old rims for the winter. I ordered a set of 4 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D tires from Tirerack. I figured it would make winter driving a lot less stressful, safer and will make my Michelin Pilot Sports last a lot longer. Plus, it will keep the salt off my new rims.
I'm doing the same thing. GT500's for the spring/summer/early fall and the OEM's for the bad weather in late fall/winter.
Winter tires Yea, I love the 'blades too. As I said, it would have broken my heart to sell the set my car was born with to be melted down.
Winter Tires I got my new Dunlops mounted on my old Fanblade rims. These are some serious tires. Winter? Bring it!
I "modded" my car with curb rash on my fanblades the day after I bought it. Some day I will replace them, I just haven't found anything I like better than them, but I know I should get something lighter.
I roll in an 04 with the Bridestone Blizzaks and all I can say is these cars are tanks in the snow WITH THE PROPER TIRES. I had a jeeper pull over and watch my wife come to a stop in 3" of snow, start to accelerate turn a corner while going up a steep grade in my 04GT. With regular tires it would have been off in the ditch. I'm looking into TC-11 or COP-90 to keep the salt from eating at my 04. People in Canada raive about KROWN with 10 years of nasty winter and no rust.
What are these things called "Winter" and "Snow" that you speak about We do not experience such evil things here in Florida Do these horrific events come about from some sort of curse?
The fanblades are beautiful, especially the ones with the painted inside part. However, they invite curb rash, even if you get tires with rim guard. A good way of avoiding curb rash is tilting the right side rear view mirror toward the sidewalk to see how close you are to the curb. I believe some cars do this automatically, or beep at you. I wish that were an option.
Well we haven't had a hurricane here where we live in many years and northern states can get as much damage as we do from hurricanes with rain and flooding. In fact the Weather Channel says Ike is headed towards the Ohio River Valley as I write this. On the other hand, we can drive our Mustangs all year, don't have snow, icy roads, salt and cinders to damage the finish, we don't get gravel getting kicked up and all those other 'curses' from living up there
I have to ask, what the heck is a "salty rain" and what on earth have you seen it do? We don't have "salty rain" here and I never heard of it. FWIW, hurricanes rain fresh water. We don't get industrial acid rain that damages the paint like you do in the industrial north. Florida is actually a very non-corrosive environment unless you take your car in the surf (and that's illegal almost everywhere).
I dated a girl on Ormond Beach and man her hatch was GONE on her 89 Stang. The two front fenders on the ol fox at the top of the lips was gone too. Maybe from sand sitting up in there? Hawaii has a real problem with vehicles being eaten to death by salt. I never believed it until I saw a few classics being restored out there.
