Question for Ford Mustang owners

[SamRoc]

Have been thinking of buying a Mustang for awhile now. Just have one question for anyone that drives one in bad weather. Here in NJ i'm worried about the snow and ice. Have heard they arent so good in the winter because of the rear wheel drive. Can you let me know what its like driving a Mustang in the winter? Thanks!

 

[maelstrom]

Never had a Mustang (though my ex did, and I don't think it was really all that good in the winter), but I had a Benz with rear wheel drive and I had to keep several HUGE bags of sand (like the 50lb. bags you buy to sand your driveway, patio, etc) in my trunk if I even wanted to think about getting my car up my driveway or some of the hills in town (not even big hills).

 

[N.Bailey]

If it's icy, it's worse than you can imagine. I live in PA, so imagine our winters are relatively the same as they are in NJ. The past couple of years have been really mild, so it's not been that bad, but I hear this winter is suppose to be a really bad one. If that turns out to be true, I do think you'll regret the decision to have a rear wheel drive vehicle. Otherwise, you'll probably do ok, especially if you do a lot of driving on roadways that the state/town keeps after during a storm.

We've not had to park my son's Mustangs (yes, that's plural due to non weather related accidents), yet, but there may come a first time for everything, though he has had to change plans a few times due to weather conditions.

EDIT: If you're buying a used vehicle, this is the time to get a great price on a used Mustang. If you wait till spring, you'll pay a lot more.

 

[Christine]

My cousin owns a Mustang (two years old) and we live in the DC metro area. She tells me it is just AWFUL in bad weather and she won't drive it.

 

[wdwmom2]

Two words.....they suck!!!! Love my Mustang, but it stays garaged in the winter time.

 

[TwinsinCA]

I had a Mustang when I lived in MN. The first couple years I had it I didn't even drive it in the winter. At some point I got different sized tires/rims put on the car and that helped a little, but it was still pretty bad.

 

[ferris198]

My Mother has a Mustang, we are in Toronto.
The first winter was hell with slipping and sliding in snow and ice.
Bags of sand and salt, while they helped, not so much.
Finally got snow tires, did the trick.

 

[pixiegoose]

My parents live in NH and have a Mustang. It lives in the garage once they get the first snowfall and doesn't come out until the Spring thaw. So, if it's going to be your only car, I'd say "no" to the purchase if you live in a snowy/icy climate.

 

[Denise W]

My husband is a Mustang lover, and has owned 5 over the last 25 years - most were with the big V8 engine and his current one is a Cobra. They are all terrible in the snow or on icy roads, but he won't give them up. All had standard transmission as well, which does help a bit when driving in bad weather.

Denise

 

[dakcp2001]

DF has one. They are as bad as you think in winter! Do you have the kind of job where you need to go no matter what the weather? Do you need to get up any hills to get to work or home? If your a teacher and school gets cancelled in bad weather, you will prob be fine. If you have children, the backseat is SMALLLLLLLL.

We used to have a winter beater suv that DF drove in the snow, but we got sick of paying insurance on 3 cars. It is no good in the snow and ice! DF loves it enough to deal with it during winter. Just get used to leaving early, taking it slow in bad weather, and get AAA for when you get stuck in ditches or on hills.

Oh, and if you live on a hill or have a slope for a driveway, then don't bother.

 

[SamRoc]

Thank you everyone for your help! I have heard Mustangs are bad in the winter, but i have always wanted one! Everytime i see a red one driving down the street i can't take my eyes off of it. Guess i'll just stick with the mommy van for now!

 

[elgerber]

Two words.....they suck!!!! Love my Mustang, but it stays garaged in the winter time.

Ditto!!! We just put ours in storage yesterday. It never gets driven in bad weather, but we have gotten caught in the rain on a road trip. Even in the rain, it handles terribly!

 

[SamRoc]

Not one good review, so i won't be getting one anytime soon. Its such a shame that its such a good looking car!! This is the one i wanted to get.

 

[N.Bailey]

Not one good review, so i won't be getting one anytime soon. Its such a shame that its such a good looking car!! This is the one i wanted to get.

snip pic

Well, I wouldn't say you're not getting good reviews. I just think it's a bad idea to get a real wheel drive vehicle if you live in the north and intend on driving it year round. We have friends in Texas that just laugh when we mention front wheel drive. I just tell them, YOU only laugh because you don't have to drive in the conditions us northers have to drive in during the winter months.

I'm sure everyone loves their Mustangs and the one you want sure is a pretty one.

Personally, I am no fan of any Ford vehicle, but my husband and son love them. Actually my daughter drives a Cougar, so she's a fan too.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Speaking as someone who had to get rid of her Porshe and get a Saturn Vue when she moved to the frozen fjords. . .I feel your pain.

But would you rather drive safely and know you're not going to be sliding all over the road come the next big snow or would you rather look kewl and have fun for two or three months of the year?

 

[DisneyFed]

Here's my take, based on 25 years (my god has it been that long) of dealing with Blue Oval Muscle...it's not so much just the rear wheel drive--though Front Wheel Drive is much much better in "foul" conditions...

First: Mustangs, particularly GT's and Shelby's, have a lot of torque heading to those rear wheels and that's what causes some of the "tail happiness" to occur--of course, guys with heavy right feet (like me) like that sort of thing. I don't know about the V6's so much as I've never driven one, except as a rental, and it was in nice conditions. Traction control helps some, so does the digital throttle response unit, but from what I understand rain snow and ice are still "exciting" in the new body style.

Second: Long nose, short deck Pony style "muscle" cars are NOTORIOUSLY nose heavy, butt light---which makes for less than ideal traction at the rear wheels in poor conditions--add the power of a Mustang V8 and you have recipe for excitement, as well as rockin' burnouts. Good if you're an idiot sliding the rear end out and having fun (like me), bad if you're transporting the kids to the mall in rainy weather.

The newer models are GREATLY improved over the old models, and an automatic "handles" handles better than a straight drive. Overall, by design Mustangs are light in the rear, though again, Traction Control has helped tremendously. They also like to understeer, but unless you're really pushing the car, you're never gonna' experience that.

I drove a 93 LX Notchback 5.0 as a Patrol Car when I was a cop....man I had a blast in that thing, but there were times (rain and snow) I had to drive very very very carefully---it was a 5 speed and it would break out on me real quick like. Matter of fact, I had one officer who jumped in with me going to an "officer needs assistance" call refuse to get back in the car with me. Said she'd never ride with me in "that car" again

On my hot rod Stang, I moved the battery to the rear compartment, and this helped some, but not a lot. I had to be pretty careful behind the wheel.


Edited to add:
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one. They are much better "commuter cars" than the older models, especially the V6's.

 

[DisneyFed]

Not one good review, so i won't be getting one anytime soon. Its such a shame that its such a good looking car!! This is the one i wanted to get.

Where are you getting the reviews??? Auto mags are notoriously hard on American Vehicles.

I cast the dissenting vote---GO FOR IT...DO NOT LOOK BACK---PASS GO AND GET YOUR 200 DOLLARS

 

[wdwmom2]

Samroc

If you really want one and can afford 2 cars, go for it!!!

My '97 4.6L RED Mustang is awesome!!! I love it!!! But it doesn't see the snow. In the winter my car was an 88 Ford Tempo. Old granny car but VERY reliable and OUTSTANDING in bad weather!!! I just got rid of the Tempo and got a Honda Accord. Just time to move up in the world.

I don't always drive my Stang even in the good weather. Evidenced by the fact that it has only 40,000 miles on it!!!

 

[elgerber]

Where are you getting the reviews??? Auto mags are notoriously hard on American Vehicles.

I cast the dissenting vote---GO FOR IT...DO NOT LOOK BACK---PASS GO AND GET YOUR 200 DOLLARS

I think the reviews they are referring to, is our reviews of it's handling in the winter. The auto mags actually love the new Pony.

I don't always drive my Stang even in the good weather. Evidenced by the fact that it has only 40,000 miles on it!!!

LOL, yep, I am with ya, my 2001 GT only has 13,000 miles on it.

 

[DisneyFed]

The auto mags actually love the new Pony.

Glad to hear that, I haven't read anything on it yet...