how do you guys drive it in the snow?

[TheSalad]

I drove my mustang during one winter. I remember I got stuck 26 miles away form my home in a snowstorm. When I got to this party, I already had trouble getting into the parking lot because there was about 2-3 inches of snow. After the party, about 2-3 hours later, it was still snowing. There were about 5-7 inches of snow on the road.

The first test was getting up a pretty steep hill that had not been plowed at all. I was in second gear going about 5 miles an hour until I got to the top. From there I was able to get on the freeway which had been plowed but was back to maybe a couple of inches. While I was driving, I reached an area that was really getting pounded. The road was snowpacked (that means there wasn't asphalt under the tire, just packed snow) and I was going down a slight hill. My read end started snapping around . I quickly checked my mirrors and found that I was basically alone. I eased on the brakes and controlled my fish-tailing. That was pretty much the worst of it, and I made it home on the snowpacked roads. It took over an hour.

By the way, I learned to drive in snow. I feel very confident while driving in snow. But this experience scared me to death. I didn't have snow tires, I didn't have weight in the back. I was on my own

I thought I was going to die. I am never going to do that again. I'll stay where I was next time.

 

[Mossberg]

I just moved to Georgia to avoid winter.

I got caught with my Stang in a few pop-up snow storms when I lived in Detroit, and it was a bitch to navigate through any snow especially with the stock gatorbacks I had at the time. I got stuck very often in whatever parking spot I could navigate my way into. In ice, I once spun the damn thing twice in a 2 block radius. Not fun at all.

Stangs are spring/summer/fall cars. period.

Beaters are worth every penny.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

But you proved it just now :/ The car isn't "tail happy," you just don't know how to drive on reduced traction. Anyone who's ever driven a pickup in the winter has figured that one out. There are things you know, and there are things you don't. This is one of those you don't.

So telling me I flat out don’t know what I’m talking about because you were foolish enough to drive your car through the winter because it was all you had to drive makes my advice irrelevant….pretty bold statement? So tell me...how long have you been driving now? What’s your winter driving experience like? I’ve lived in Northern Ontario Canada my entire life, which with the exception of Quebec probably sees the most snowfall of any Province in Canada and certainly more than any of the US States. Yes, that includes Minnesota. I’ve driven in anything from the first few December inches of snow on the ground, to 90cm+ during an 24hr white out. So if anyone is qualified to speak on the subject, I’d say I am!

If you want to compare pick up trucks, then yes they’re quite tail happy and nose heavy, but they also generally have a much longer wheel base than a Mustang does. Nose heavy Fox body + 101" wheel base + torquey V8 = Back end trying to pass the front end. I’ve had 4-Ford Rangers growing up in both 2WD and 4WD drivelines, in various wheel base configurations and not one of them were nearly as hard to keep strait as any of my Mustangs.

Just breaking traction from a crawl in a Mustang usually results in instant sideways action. I recall one winter getting caught in an overnight blizzard having to climb a slight icy incline backwards just to keep the car in a strait line. All while even the most basic of front wheel drive cars effortlessly drove by. Yes, if negotiated carefully, keeping the car strait is possible, but it’s those emergency situations that pop up where all that controlled driving goes out the window. The slightest little blip of the throttle, or bump from another vehicle will more often than not result in an unrecoverable spin. You can claim to be the greatest driver in the world if you’d like, but you’re only as good as the tools you have to work with. You might as well be driving a Motorcycle in anything over 4” of snow.

Deny this all you wish, and feel free to dismiss my pertinent experience but the fact remains there are far, far better and safer options out there for winter drivers than a Fox body Mustang. If someone has the option to take advantage of them at their disposal and still choose not to…..well….a fool and his money.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I've driven pick-up trucks and mustangs in the snow...they are nothing alike. The pick-up was definitely more stable when in 2WD mode.

I've driven my Fox in the snow too back in 1998/1999. The Fox Mustangs are definitely more tricky in the snow than the SN95's. At least i had ABS and Traction control to give me a hand. In the fox, i had nothing. Every second i was driving that car in the snow, the rear was sideways. Nothing i did would keep it in line. The SN95 at least had an easier time, but where i live is hilly. Come to a stop facing uphill...and I was screwed even with snow tires. Like i said, i got tired of being stressed out every time it snowed. My commute is 26 miles each way. I just couldn't deal with it anymore after 10 years of snow-driving Mustangs.

 

[RedDaemon]

ive driven in 3" of snow. it can be done but is highly recommended to avoid it.

when i had to drive it in the snow i kept the car in a gear higher than it should have been in. i also tried to anticipate stop lights so that i could keep momentum. i dont think i ever took it over 35mph. i also had new all season tires and fwiw it was a stock 99.

you have got to watch out for the other *******s on the road (just like you normally would) and pray to god they dont run into you because they dont know how to drive.

i wouldnt want to do it again. ive done it enough times

 

[trombonedemon]

Just in case you didn't know the best way to drive in snow is to not to. But, if you must, traction control is not the way to go, after turning it on, when I started to spin the tires tremendously, the car cut off. So i ended up driving on the fresh snow, no one was driving on and getting more traction with the Trac control off on street tires, Nexxen 3000's. The Knobby stubby tires are the best tires for snow, but when it comes to ice, stay home. Nobody's safe, no matter how much you weigh or the tires you have!!!!!

 

[Kilgore Trout]

As promised these pics were taken last winter...

Coming out of work at the end of the day:

On the interstate, good times... What do you think, would it be safe to try to change lanes? LOL...

Safe at home

Getting up the driveway was the hardest part

All you have to do is be prepared, drive smart, have excellent appropriate tires, let the slow cars all pass you, have good alignment, good brakes, everything else mentioned above, and a plan "B" and you will be fine!

Here is a pic from a happier day (yes I know one of my intercooler brackets has paint chipped I have painted it with POR-15 since that was taken):

 

[Gearbanger 101]

You call those snow banks.

This is pretty much the average picture of a Canadian winter in Eastern Canada

A 2006 photo taken at a Comfort Inn in Quebec from one of our many Canadian snow storms

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Here is a pic from a happier day (yes I know one of my intercooler brackets has paint chipped I have painted it with POR-15 since that was taken):

LOL...I don't mean to label you obsessive, but not a single person here would have noticed that had you not pointed it out.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Here's where my Mustang stayed when it snows. It's the car on the right.

Even the durango had trouble getting out of the driveway. I think the Mustang was buried for a week before i dug it out all the way

View attachment 249108



This is what i traded it in for. Much better in the snow. We had a BAD winter this year, and with the economy crapping the bed, not a lot of money to plow, so the roads were snow-covered for much longer

Through unplowed lots with no trouble. I've had it in snow so deep the front bumper would push it like a plow

 

[mustang50v8]

does driving in the snow and ice suck? yes alot, but the tires make a difference. i dont have the money for another car / insurance, nor the space for that matter. but i get though it. i have been driving for 10 years now. my first car was a v6 mustang and i drove that for 7.5 years. your best bet is to go to an empty parking lot while its snowing and mess around. it really helps you get a feel for the car.

 

[Mbraga92]

Seriously, some of the "helpful" posts in this thread are ridiculous.

Yeah, exactly what i was thinking. Most of you guys did help out though. Thanks so much for your help 40oz. And the others that posted up =] I feel more confident now.

 

[bboylobo]

i have driven every winter in a mustang for the last 5 years and honestly, it was scary everytime. i have an f150 now and i dont plan on driving the stang in the snow unless im going to a large parking lot to spin it around for a while.

if you do drive in the snow, get a manual stang. automatic mustangs are a coffin on wheels in the winter. in a stick shift you can drop the clutch when you feel your ass swerving. just have to be extremely cautious and plan your route before you get stuck.

 

[007]

I'm also from Mass and I agree with Gearbanger. I have driven the Mustang in snow. I've driven tons of cars in very heavy snow. I've seen a ton of accidents too.
Most of my cars have been RWD. As for the Mustang... It can be done, but it absolutely sucks. Load the trunk up with weight, snow tires are an absolute must. But I wont ever do it again!

The best advice is still on the first page of the thread. GET A BEATER, STORE THE STANG. Save rusting-out your Stang with salt and chipping the crap out of the paint, and save running the risk of wrecking it and getting hurt.
Tomorrow I'll dig up the picture of my friends highway crash. He'd been driving his Stang in snow for a few years. Swore it was fine. He almost died.

Every year I see the "wrecked my car in the snow threads". Its just not worth it IMO. Anyway, I've said my piece. Dont give a crap what anyone thinks of it!

 

[TheDukeOfEarl]

Just drive it steady. Not too much speed. Not too little if there are hills. Allow a lot of extra room for stops. Dont do anything fast. Dont turn fast. Dont brake fast. Drive like there are eggs under your pedals.
I was headed to Willow springs race track winter before last. Going over hwy 138 passing Hwy 2 at 4 AM. I was the first car through after a 4" dump that wasnt in the weather report. I was driving to the track on my Hoosier VRL's 335-30-18 rears 305-30-18 fronts. As I got to where the snow was sticking I just kept my speed up on the grade and heald it steady. She skated a bit but I got over the pass and down out of the snow. Actually I liked the snow better than the deep rain puddles.

 

[RedDaemon]

cant wait for another utica winter

 

[4point6]

This was my first car, too. I still don't know how I escaped two years of parking at a high school without getting smacked, especially in winter. Getting caught out in 4" snow was one of the most terrifying things I've ever encountered. I had blizzaks, and did get home ok, but got stuck in the driveway. If you have space to park the stang, and have money for a beater, DO IT. You can lower the insurance on the stang, and insurance will be way cheaper on a beater for those 6 months.

It doesn't matter how confident you are in your ability, someone else out there can ruin you day (or life). If you aren't going to accept the opinion from those of us that HAVE driven their cars through winter, that's fine, but don't say we didn't tell you.

 

[johnnyt03gt]

the problem is most people still drive too fast we don't get lots of snow in dallas but we do get black ice and lots of it, what i do is drive it in 2nd 15-20 mph, max, 14 years of driving
of driving like this in ice/snow no problems at all what's funny is when i drive that slow on ice i always see someone driving like it's summer time honking at me pass me i end up seeing em i a ditch up the road.lol

i will never forget the first time i drove on ice i just got my licence only been driving like 3weeks and to top it all off my car was a 93 cobra 5 speed bold tires trying go home
from work 1am my house was only 7 miles away i took my time 45min later im home
in one piece, just slow it down and differentially give yourself lots of room so you can
TRY too stop, BTW, my F_body cars i owned suck even more in thoes condition

 

[johnnyt03gt]

forgot to mention if u can get a better i just got done paying off the mustang
now im looking for an old car just for work or or sport bike 09 honda cbr 600 rr
or gsxr 600

 

[four six]

Drs in the snow are FUN