Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Mustang GT... is it really THAT bad in the winter?

phoenix1002 · 12-07-2004, 11:10 PM

I had some fun experiences with a mustang last winter...

My ex had an automatic mustang. She didn't have snow tires, but she also didn't have particularly wide tires, either. So while snow tires help in general, they only do so much...

Basically, the car couldn't handle for shit in the snow. I've heard this can be improved with snow tires and by putting bags of sand or cat litter or other heavy stuff in the trunk.

On one particularly fun occasion, we decided we'd try to go to the rock gym. It was snowing a bit when we decided we wanted to leave, and there were 2, maybe 3 inches of snow on the ground. In order to get out of the parking space, I had to scrape away all the snow from in front of and behind the wheels, then drive back and forth until i got enough momentum to move through the snow. I got out into the parking lot, went to drive forwards, and got stuck again. So I dug out from around the tires again. I started driving out of the parking lot, up a slight incline. I made it 3/4s of the way out the driveway, and the car started driving sideways whenever i gave it gas. I couldn't even inch it forwards. By backing up and driving forwards again, as well as shoveling out under the wheels, i managed to make it the few feet to the perimeter road at my school, which had been plowed, but had some snow and ice on it. I couldn't get anywhere on it. I also couldn't get enough control to turn around. So I had to go in reverse back down to the parking lot. Then, when I went to return to my parking spot, I had to shovel all of the snow from under the car to the parking spot in order to park again. It took me an hour to get about 200 feet away from the parking spot and back to it again.

My suggestion, if you're going to be living in a place where you get snow in the winter, but want a sporty car, look for something more along the lines of a WRX. They're sporty, and have all wheel drive. A friend of mine has one, and he loves it.

But if you're set on the mustang, then I'd definitely say you need snow tires and weight in the back of the car if you want it to be remotely useable in the winter. And I'd suggest throwing a snow shovel in the trunk, too, as you'll probably need it to move your car if you stop in the snow.

12-07-2004, 11:10 PM	#15 (permalink)
phoenix1002 Psycho Location: lost	I had some fun experiences with a mustang last winter... My ex had an automatic mustang. She didn't have snow tires, but she also didn't have particularly wide tires, either. So while snow tires help in general, they only do so much... Basically, the car couldn't handle for shit in the snow. I've heard this can be improved with snow tires and by putting bags of sand or cat litter or other heavy stuff in the trunk. On one particularly fun occasion, we decided we'd try to go to the rock gym. It was snowing a bit when we decided we wanted to leave, and there were 2, maybe 3 inches of snow on the ground. In order to get out of the parking space, I had to scrape away all the snow from in front of and behind the wheels, then drive back and forth until i got enough momentum to move through the snow. I got out into the parking lot, went to drive forwards, and got stuck again. So I dug out from around the tires again. I started driving out of the parking lot, up a slight incline. I made it 3/4s of the way out the driveway, and the car started driving sideways whenever i gave it gas. I couldn't even inch it forwards. By backing up and driving forwards again, as well as shoveling out under the wheels, i managed to make it the few feet to the perimeter road at my school, which had been plowed, but had some snow and ice on it. I couldn't get anywhere on it. I also couldn't get enough control to turn around. So I had to go in reverse back down to the parking lot. Then, when I went to return to my parking spot, I had to shovel all of the snow from under the car to the parking spot in order to park again. It took me an hour to get about 200 feet away from the parking spot and back to it again. My suggestion, if you're going to be living in a place where you get snow in the winter, but want a sporty car, look for something more along the lines of a WRX. They're sporty, and have all wheel drive. A friend of mine has one, and he loves it. But if you're set on the mustang, then I'd definitely say you need snow tires and weight in the back of the car if you want it to be remotely useable in the winter. And I'd suggest throwing a snow shovel in the trunk, too, as you'll probably need it to move your car if you stop in the snow. __________________ I'd rather be climbing... I approach college much like a recovering alcoholic--one day at a time...