How does a Mustang fare in a harsh, North-eastern winter? More specifically, Canada. I only ask because last year, Montreal, where I live, was covered with over 200 inches of snow. I've already done the rear wheel-drive-in-winter thing in my first car. I was behind the wheel of a Chevette with about four hp and two ft.-lbs of torque (slight exaggeration). In other words, it came standard with engine-limited traction control. A buddy of mine tried to negotiate last winter in his Twin Turbo Supra. Fancy snow tires and 200 lbs. of gravel in the trunk still made it the worst winter car in the universe. He ended up buying a Hyundai Accent to get through the season (ouch). True fact: in my entire life, I think I can count on one hand the amount of winterized Mustangs I've seen, complete with ugly black wheels and skinny winter tires. So, do the other Mustang owners who leave theirs in the garage all winter know something I should know?
78 Comments on “Ask the Best and Brightest: Should I Drive My Mustang in the Snow?...”
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I drove several Canadian winters in my fathers base model Ranger (4 cyl, 5 speed, 2wd) and I can tell you that they get stuck on anything (even with snow tires) due to a lack of weight over the rear wheels.
On the east coast I do see quite a few mustangs in winter (almost always 6 cyl), but I have no idea how they handle the snow.
rev0lver: Hence the gravel in the trunk.
In my younger days, I drove several RX-7’s around Colorado and over the Rockies during the winter. Nothing like a set of chains and you’ve got a 4×4 sports car (well as long as the snow isn’t too deep of course). Although putting chains on a sports car out in the snow was never easy… LOL
Yesterday, it rained. And the guy in front of me at the light, in his SVO Mustang, was making zero forward progress. The water under his Pilots may well have been in its solid, frozen state. Finally, he was moving down the road, being very cautious. Upon his shift to third, the back end snapped left into oncoming traffic sending people ducking for cover in the ditch.
So from my perspective, I’d say you’ll be in for a whole nine months of puckered-up experiences in a Great White North pony car.
From my own experience, I grew in the Black Hills driving a 66 Mustang with a 289. Perhaps because I didn’t know better, I lived to tell about it. But six rock-salt bags in the trunk and some snow tires and a set of chains (yes tire chains) in at the ready would get you through the worst stuff. And if it didn’t, one bummed a ride with my brother in his Bronco.
In High school my brother had an 88 Mustang LX 5.0 (limited slip) with a set of snow tires on it and it was fine in the snow with 2 bags of sand
When i was in college I had a 91 Thunderbird LX 5.0, limited slip. I had 4 blizzaks on the stock 15-inchers and it was dropped 2 inches on Jamex springs. I had that thing litterally plowing through 8- inches of snow and never once got stuck. I never even put sand in the trunk, just a full tank of gas.
My 94 Crown Vic P71 was a b***h in the snow. It was an open rear with non-defeatable traction control. I got stuck everwhere with that thing.
If you have a good set of snow tires, a little weight, and a limited slip in a RWD car you will be fine in most moderate snow storms.
As I have strongly maintained ANY time someone brings up this topic–FWD is not better in the snow than RWD. The reason FWD is perceived to be better is because it has more weight over the drive wheels. The only reason MOST rwd cars are not as good in the snow are a) MOST rwd cars on the road today are trucks, which means NO weight over the rear wheels and b) most RWD cars have at least somewhat powerful engines, which means traction problems.
A RWD car with less power, like a fwd car, and with lots of weight over the drive wheels, like a fwd car, is as proficient or moreso in snow. I’ve lived in Northern Ontario my whole life, and not only have I driven many RWD cars in the snow, I’ve never once had a single accident, ever.
I maintain that the ULTIMATE winter beaters are cars like the Chevette, or the 4 Cylinder Mustang, or Volvo 240s, with just the right amount of weight in the trunk, and SNOW TIRES (easily the most important thing you need.) I’ve outdriven many a fwd shitbox on winter roads all over Canada with my 2.5L S10 with a load of sand in the back.
To answer Samir’s question, the car will be fine to drive in the snow, with snow tires. You just have to know how to meter your right foot properly. As to whether or not you SHOULD drive it in the snow, it comes down whether or not you like your car–no matter how good an undercoating you get, no matter how much you clean that car during the winter, the road salt, snow and slush WILL eventually cause rust and rot. It’s a fact of automotive life in Canada. That’s why I’ve ALWAYS had a cheap POS car for the winter, to put my nice summer car away. It’s up to you.
Samir:
My father is a land surveyor and had a box which fit into the very back of the bed by the tailgate filled with rebar.
It didn’t help much.
And on a different note…
RF, how can you not love the tone of this Porsche in the video? This also must be in your iPod — a flat-six, reverberating through the forest as its insane conductor throttle-steers around ice bends.
Snort, bark! Growwwwwl…it’s like a mad beast!
Perfect.
Spectators at rallye events amaze me, though. They’re crazier than the drivers, standing at the road’s frozen shoulder as a wide-open Porsche screams by balanced on the edge of control.
Nutters, they are.
Forget the Mustang, Syed. Put the engine weight over the rear wheels, no sandbags necessary, and race around Canada in a 996 or 997.
Unless you are completely inept…you should be able to handle a RWD car in the snow. I have never been stuck in the snow in my car…
When it comes to RWD cars, weight distribution is paramount. My MR2 got me through two winters with no incidents; I did have to buy a set of winter tires, though, because my current summer tires turn into plastic when it’s cold out.
On the other hand, the Miata wants to make doughnuts even in the rain, as soon as you turn off traction control. When winter comes, it’s gonna stay under a cover – heated seats are great, but a formerly-25K-pile-of-scrap isn’t. Remember, you’re not the only one having trouble in the snow, you are far more likely to get ran into when the weather is bad.
Hence, the best solution is a rusty crusty beater for the winter. $500-1000 buys you a decent late-80’s compact with a nasty exterior, a couple dents, and broken A/C. Here in MD, you can even register it as historic, and not be obliged to do safety inspection or emissions. Moneywise, it’s perfect. If you kill it, you get back 300$ for scrap. If somebody else kills it, you get a jackpot of $1000-1500 from the other guy’s insurance. If you don’t kill it, you can safely sell it comes spring for about as much money as you paid to get it in the first place.
Of course, nothing is more fun than a front-heavy RWD car in the snow – as long as you can afford to loose it.
With the right tire combo, traction control, and some additional weight it is definitely do-able. But why would you want to do that to your new shiny sports car? Rocks, road salt, worry about sliding into something – that’s no fun.
Consider picking up a beater SUV if you have the extra parking space. With this market there are tons of deals. I picked up a used Jeep for slightly more than I would have paid to properly winterize my car. When I added up the cost of winter tires and rims plus the insurance savings from having the other car off the road those months AND the peace of mind – it just made sense. The Jeep is a beast in the snow; it’s also a great vehicle for home depot runs.
I used to drive my Rx-7 and then my Miata year round (in New England), and a good set of snow tires makes all the difference in the world. I don’t know how much worse it is in your neck of Canada, or if the extra weight on the Mustang would make a big difference, but with snow tires I never had a problem, and felt like I was in better control then 2/3 of the people on the road (especially most SUVs with ‘all season’ tires).
Also, I don’t know if this is a Miata thing or not, but we never put extra weight in the trunk. The thinking was I’d rather have problems getting started, then have problems getting the rear end at the back. Or maybe we just didn’t have the trunk space.
One (Finnish) word: Hakkapelliita
Step 1: Get good snow tires, emphasis on good. Do not use all-seasons, excessively wide tires and/or budget snows. I can’t stress this enough.
Step 2: Put them on all four wheels, not just the rears.
Step 3: Don’t drive like it’s a dry summer’s day.
I feel it’s important to note that all the above apply to front- and all-wheel-drive drive cars as well. The only difference is that a front driver (and most AWD cars) will step sideways at the front, and will do so more gently, while your Mustang will snap a little more suddenly.
Personally, I’ve found AWD the worst: not because of the outright ability of the car, but because the initial positive traction gives a false sense of security. Front-wheel drive lets you know things are going bad very, very early in the game; the steering gets light, the car pushes in turns or pulls when accelerating and you drive slower as a result. AWD makes you cocky because you don’t get those early warning signs. It’s been a long time since I’ve driven an RWD car day-in/day-out in the snow, but I recall that it didn’t give as much advance warning as FWD does.
I don’t think putting more mass in the rear is a good idea. You’ll lose some steering control and upset the balance of the car. Better to just keep a tank full of gas (a good idea in winter regardless) and be gentle with the throttle.
LUNDQIK-
I agree. A beater SUV isn’t much more than a decent set of snow tires / rims for the Mustang.
That is some amazing driving in the video, but the spectators standing along the curves are out of their minds.
Grew up on Lake Ontario and drove V8 Pontiacs every winter. Part of learning how to drive was finding a big parking lot after a fresh snow and learning what the car would and wouldn’t do and how to recover when the back wanted to be the front. It was supposed to be serious, but damn it was fun. Put some snows on it and find a parking lot…..
Hmmm, I guess a FOB 60’s Pontiac sedan probably had a less craptastic weight distribution, but it was no prize.
Speaking from personal experience, the Mustang will be fine in the snow, provided you invest in the right tires for the job.
My previous car -a ‘99 Mustang GT w/ traction control- took on each Northeast Winter like a champ. I was using a set of Blizzaks which provided an added bonus: the ride improved!!
I drove my C6 Vette through last year’s Boston winter with the (worn) summer tires (285/35/19 in the rear) still on it. I got stuck once (and it just required a push to get me unstuck) all winter. Granted, Boston doesn’t have as much snow as Montreal, but it’s not Florida either.
The winter before I drove a Lex GS400 with 245/45/17 all seasons and I was fine.
If you know how to drive, it’s not a big deal to pilot a RWD car in the snow. Especially if you live in/near a city and the roads are cleared on a semi-regular basis. A ‘Stang should be a lot easier to drive in the winter than my Vette was becuase it’s less powerful, and you’ll probably have better (i.e. not huge summer tires) on it as well
I tried a 3000gt (FWD, base model – not too fast) in the snow in Omaha with A/S tires (I’ve never used winter tires here, but we get plenty of snow). It was a total disaster just like your friend there. A half inch of snow would make it nearly undrivable. I also now own a 2nd beater car just for that reason. I wouldn’t bother with the mustang.
I drove all last winter in the snow with my 91 300zx. It’s rwd, no traction control and I have all-weather tires. It was a very sideways affair… I love driving in the snow however, so I’m not the majority. I drove from nyc to vt several times in blizzards. Was good, good fun. You should be fine with a mustang with winter tires. It’s got traction control. If you keep some chains in your trunk you will have no problems in any weather.
Oh and practice makes perfect. I highly recommend finding a parking lot, turn your traction control off and practice sliding and recovering until you are comfortable. Then when you turn it on you should feel very comfortable. Then drink a 6-pack and practice some more (I kid).
My wife has driven her Mustang GT covertible for 2 winters now. A set of Blizzaks, in the original size, on aftermarket wheels, did the trick. I’ve driven that car as well in the winter. There are no problems getting around. Neither of us has ever been stuck, in any of our RWD cars, since I started using Blizzaks in 1997.
We live in SE Michigan, which, while not the worst winter spot in the world, has eniough snow, ice, and freezing rain to be a true test of inclement weather abilities.
One caveat about driving with winter tires: you can stop faster than everyone else out there on their all-season or summer tires. This can get exciting.
Bob
I drove a new Mustang GT through the Michigan winter last year… personally I don’t recommend it. Of all the production cars available today I imagine the Mustang must be one of the absolute worst when it comes to snow.
I got stuck a few times; the car simply doesn’t have enough clearance over heavy snowfalls. Once I was underway it was OK though.
Of course, I was on all-seasons and not snow tires, but unless snow tires raise your car I don’t think they would have helped.
It is of course as many previous posters have mentioned, do-able, but not preferable. Especially when compared to say… an Evo IX. (Now that was a good winter.) Ultimately, owning a Mustang is all about fun. There’s simply no other purpose for that machine. Driving it in the winter is really the anti-thesis of fun, so why put yourself through that if you have a choice? Am I right?
…Chevette with about four hp and two ft.-lbs of torque (slight exaggeration)
True, it’s more like 2 hp and 1 ft-lb of torque….
Must share this little anecdote re rear wheel vs front wheel drive cars. The Mrs had just taken delivery of her brand new 92 Accord and was as happy as a pig in poop. After several months of winter driving I asked her how she like the handling in the snow. “Oh it’s great now that I added some weights in the trunk!” Huh? sez I that aint gonna help dear. Oh yes she says her father told years ago in the winter you always carry additional weight for traction. Well, me never being right I let her carry on and it was almost two years later when I happened to open her trunk and lo and behold 6 40 lb bags of salt. Salt I say!
Well I had to explain to the dear lady that now that two had broken open and who knows how long they had been there she could expect to be visiting a body shop before long. Why she queries –well you’ll see! 16 years later that mother is still sitting in the driveway refusing to rot away. Mind you there is a bit of duct tape in a few normal Honda weak spots but she still tells me it doesn’t handle like it did the winters she carried salt.
Oooobladee obladaaa
Out here in the PNW we get the worst possible driving conditions in winter: heavy wet snow, usually on top of ice, as the default winter weather is rain… which only becomes snow as the freezing-level drops in altitude. Therefore it starts out wet, then freezes, then layers snow on top for good measure. It rarely freezes hard (temps stay close to freezing and never get REALLY cold to add bite to the texture of the ice & snow)… roads turn into slick billiard tables here. Add to that virtually NO flat ground, everything is hilly.
When this happens I park even the FWD cars in the garage and don’t venture out, despite a lifetime of snow and slick driving experience. The preponderance of morons on the road keeps me telecommuting. If pressed however, I’ll bring out the wife’s Jeep CRD, which works like a champ.
In my youth, I spent part of my time in Montana, where it gets damn cold, and driving is actually much easier. My VW Rabbit did great, though it was a Diesel and really had to be “plugged in” all the time when off. I also drove an old VW Beetle here in Washington and it was an amazing snow car, even on our super-slick stuff. With the right tires, it went anywhere.
A Mustang though? I guess it depends upon how precious it is to you. If you don’t want it getting beaten and salted, leave it in the garage and get a beater. SUVs can be bought for pennies right now.. just slap on a set of crappy-looking steel wheels and good snow tires. You’re good to go. If SUVs are not your thing, then any cheap car will do. The definition of a “beater” is a car you don’t mind getting beaten. ;)
–chuck
http://chuck.goolsbee.org
I am shocked, very very PLEASENTLY shocked, to hear that TTAC’s best and brightest aren’t brainswashed morons! SO MANY people still believe the 1970s propaganda about FWD being better in the snow… this discussion is bringing a joyful tear to my eye… excuse me.
Heh, that’s sort of funny. When I read the title, before I clicked through to the article, my first thought seriously was “Maybe you should get a beater Hyundai Accent with winter tires.” Odd I picked that one exact car from the squishy parts of the mind.
Seriously, FWD is better in the snow. Now, hear me out before you call me a moron. To get your RWD snow-worthy, you not only need the snow tires, you (as most people suggest here) will be adding sand or whatever in the back. Not only are you adding weight (- fuel economy) you’re taking away your usable cargo space. In a FWD car, it’s snow tires and go.
I personally wouldn’t drive my mustang in the snow(not that i would ever own one), but as stated before with snow tires and a little weight you’ll be able to move around, except for on heavy snow days. If your snow comes 4″ at a time, you’d probably be okay, but if it comes at 10-12″ increments i’d look into a beater.
Personally i’d stay away from SUV beaters as most older SUVs (unless you go old school) have vacuum operated 4wd units, they always fail when you want them to work. So avoid S-10 Blazers as tempting as their nearly free prices are.
Nothing beats a heavy FWD car in the snow, really anything fwd with ground clearance does okay. I’d Recommend a Buick LeSabre for ultimate winter beatings, preferably late 80’s vintage.
In the 1970s, it wasn’t propaganda, it was true. It’s still mostly true today, but not for the reasons people think:
* Front-wheel drive is more forgiving in a standing start, given all-season or summer tires and lack of traction control.
* The default behaviour of a front-wheel drive car that loses traction at start (mild sideways pull or straight wheelspin) or in a skid (pushing straight) is safer, especially without electronic aids.
* The default behaviour of a rookie driver (stop/slow/let off gas/turn) in a panic situation is correct for a front-drive car.
I think people mix up “traction from a start” and “safe handling”: an AWD car with all-seasons can start off better than a front-driver with snows, but will have less grip and, thusly, weaker handling and stopping ability.
Putting sandbags in the trunk doesn’t help handling (and can make it worse–you have less grip in the front, and thus less steering and braking) but it does help standing-start traction.
Not being able to start is annoying. Not being able to stop or steer is potentially deadly. I think people place too much emphasis on the former because it’s what they notice first; unfortunately, it’s also what traction control and all-wheel drive mask; the second is only helped by stability control, snow tires and–most importantly–smart, cautious driving.
Get a $500 beater for the really crappy days. You’ll not only save your car from yourself, but from others, and you’ll be stress free in the long run.
Oh, and full-sized SUV’s are horrible in snow, they get just as stuck under their own weight.
A high HP, RWD sports car is a cakewalk in the snow compared to pulling two empty 28′ trailers with a single drive axle semi-tractor in the snow. When you spend an hour plus on top of Donner chaining a set you have reached a true state of winter driving enlightenment.
I’ve know people who have made it through the winter here in Reno with ‘Stangs rolling all seasons. It can be done but will be interesting at times.
If you are going to get chains for the ’stang, practice putting them on in your driveway. You don’t want to have to figure our how to get them on getting cold, wet and miserable on the side of the road. A cheap pair of pliers and dish gloves will make it easier to get them on.
Or as others have stated, just get a beater SUV. A running Jeep Cherokee (XJ) can be had for $800-1500.
When cars went the direction God Intended front power and balance..thats mostly history.The few surviving rear drivers ex Mustang are not balanced like the old rear drives.Extra weight in the trunk can move or dent-outward.
The question is Do you have to?..if so Can you..drive in a huge storm?
I have a retired Z56 Police Tahoe that goes through pretty good. (2wd).AWD is the safest in the worst weather.
If this is a Y/N How on the hell do we know?
Firstly, why oh why are you talking about snow??? Its mid August, 29 degrees Celsius, I’ve got beers in the icebox and a barbecque planned for when I get home tonight. The last thing I want to remember is the winter and snow about to descend upon my Canadian city months away.
To answer your question, yes, absolutely. I kept my car a garage queen for the first 3 winters of its life, but last year I decided, screw it, the car’s meant to be driven. Despite my pampering and detailing OCD, my car still attracted the dings, rock chips, scratches and normal wear and tear. And with car-seat kids, I gave up trying to keep the interior pristine.
So with skinny snow tires mounted, I enjoyed a completely uneventful winter on ice and snow. My E46 M3 had no issues traversing snowy roads, icy intersections and avoiding pot holes. However, as others have said, you need to make adjustments in how you drive. Drive cautiously, ensure smooth steering, brake and accelerator inputs, give yourself plenty of space and time, and steer clear of all other motorists as much as possible as they scrabble around with their all-seasons. Of course with a sporting car, your car becomes a snow plough when the inches pile up.
Brrr, back to sunny thoughts…
I drive all winter long in my mustang here in Central Illinois. I have a V-6 with the 5 speed and I have a set of bridgestone blizzaks mounted on stock mustang alloy rims. I have learned you can buy sets of stock 16″ mustang rims all day long with everyone upgrading to 17 and 18’s. The only time I have ever been stuck in the snow with this combination is when the snow is high enough to reach the floorpan of the car. I also do not place any weight into it. I figure if I am making payments on it I am going to drive it in any weather.
I drive my G35 with snow tires through Chicago winters without a problem. It drives better then my wife’s Accord with A/S tires.
Drive wheels are important for acceleration, but for stopping and turning, tires are key – snow tires make all the difference. Use smaller wheels with higher profile, thinner tires (think ice skates) for the winter set.
Lastly, the best part of snow tires in winter – they allow you to get a nice set of rims and performance tires for the summer.
In my experience the best snow/ winter cars are FWD cars equiped with a nice heavy v6 over the front axle. With a decent set of A/S tires you will have all the traction and control you will need.
alterboy21:
Lastly, the best part of snow tires in winter – they allow you to get a nice set of rims and performance tires for the summer.
Your tires also last roughly twice as long, so the expense evens out, and it makes passing state inspections easier (slap on the ones with the most tread).
I moved back into snow country last year. Tire chains are the great equalizer for when things are too icy for even winter tires. The only time I got stuck (in a Protege) was when I was pushing snow.
That said, I wouldn’t put chains on a mustang. Now’s the time to shop for a winter beater.
Both a 240sx and an old MK2 Supra were just fine for me in some pretty terrible conditions. More powerful cars would require much more delicate operation of the throttle and a complete avoidance of the cruise control.
I like RWD, it gives you some warning you are going too fast before you fly into the ditch. You need to be easy on the throttle but steering with one set of tires and pushing the car forward with a different set makes sense to me as far as safety goes.
edit: When you lose traction going around a corner with a fwd car the car points you toward the ditch, so when the front wheels do get traction back you have to steer the car back into the corner or fly off the road. A rwd car doesn’t do this, when the back tires lose grip you get pointed into the corner not out of it, apply a bit of clutch or back off the thottle and you have much less to worry about when the tires grip again. It’s even kind of fun once you get the hang of it.
Weight distribution and tire size and type all make a big difference though. Also, a stick shift makes a world of difference for getting moving and lets you cover the clutch for when the back tires do go squirrely.
They stop the same whether they are RWD or FWD or even 4wd, and that to me is the important part. The worst vehicle I ever owned for driving in the snow was an old Toyota 4×4 pickup, it could go anywhere but good luck trying to stop it.
Several years ago I had a 95 Mustang Cobra (no traction control back then) and left work at 7pm in 3-5 inches of fresh snow on unplowed roads in Wilmington, De. My trip home was about 7 miles over fairly hilly roads including my rather steep driveway. Fortunately I had almost new Michelin Pilot all seasons on the car and by using very light throttle and keeping up my momentum I made it home into the garage. I was actually surprised and fully expected to get stuck. The next few days I drove something else to work and left the Cobra in the garage.
I have driven rear wheel drive cars with rear snow tires only through decades of Canadian winters without difficulty. Never got stuck, even in a Mustang!
Front wheel drive snow capability is overrated, spooky and treacherous. A slide-out in a rear drive car is corrected by releasing the accelerator, which most people do automatically. The appropriate response in a front wheel drive car is to keep on the gas and power-out; dangerously counter-intuitive.
The November 2005 Consumer Reports points out significant winter tire disadvantages including greatly reduced performance on wet slushy roads.
One word of advice:
Blizzak. I have a set of four Blizzaks on their own cast wheels which go on the CTS every November. The last time I got stuck was the very morning I was trying to get out of my driveway to go to the tire dealer to get the Blizzaks. I will *never* run so-called “all-season” tires ever again. The Blizzaks turned the Caddy from a handful into a predictable handler in the snow and even on ice. I was amazed at the fact that the Blizzaks can get some grip on ice. What’s even more amazing is that they are the same size as the summer tires.
I wish I had had them on my RX-7 and Mustang GT that I owned when I lived in Boston. Those cars were a nightmare with summer tires in the snow.
Get some real snow tires, preferably narrow ones with studs, and definitely not the wide V-rated sort-of-winter tires that are compromised for handling and noise on dry pavement, and you’ll be fine.
Gardiner, have you ever driven a FWD car? They’re definitely more forgiving of incompetence than RWD. You’ll never have dangerous oversteer on a FWD car unless you have better tires on the front than the back (which all tire manufacturers recommend against doing). Any car is dangerous with that setup, but especially a FWD car where the driver is used to understeer. A FWD with snow tires in back and all-seasons in front is safe, but you might get stuck. Snow tires in front and all-seasons in back should be illegal.
I also don’t believe you that winter tires are dangerous on slush. Most winter tires will outperform most all-seasons in wet, slushy snow. Winter tires even do very well in terms of dry and wet summer traction, though without much tread life. You either read something wrong, or CR has once again shown its incompetence in testing anything automotive-related.
You will pay a price to drive the Mustang in the snow. Whether it’s expensive snow tires (in a size smaller than your summer tires, hopefully), some bodywork, or sand all over your trunk when the bag eventually breaks, etc.
You can go that route but eventually, I think, you will find that it’s too much stress to be worried every second you are on the road whether or not you are about to start sliding off of it. That’s when the Accent starts to look better and better.
And if you ever misjudge a corner in the Accent, all that you’ll do is add some character to it. :)
That car in this specific clip was actually my vote for best sounding passenger car, but I did not include it because of its modified nature as a rally car.
Practice in a snow covered shopping parking lot..
screw the rental cops..no whining here please
“IT MIGHT BE ILLEGAL ” Like the courts are full of drivers who learned how…to ah drive on ice.
Hang the tail out..steer the ass with the front end..and make sure you have full tank of gas and please wear your Sunglass’s now hit it!!!
“it’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses …”The Blues Brothers”
Have RWD fun…..
The topic seems to have been covered magnificently by the best minds in the automotive world. But, I’m going to add just a little bit more.
I’m also a Great Lakes driver. My area had record snowfall last winter.
My 2000 Crown Victoria with nothing in the trunk and Nokian winter tires–on their fourth season– on all four rims–got stuck only once–reversing up an ice-covered driveway. I just drove down to the end, did a K turn, and drove out frontways.
A Mustang with new winter tires will probably be OK, but learn the limits of the car on snow and ice at your first opportunity.
I agree with all the other RWD winter drivers here. I drive my Volvo 240 in the snowbelt here in Ohio with no issues. Snow tires, but no weight in the back as wagons have close to 50/50 weight. The only issue I could see you having is ground clearance.
I drive my M3 in New England snow. No problems with good snows in the back. And I managed to get home (after being pushed a few times) through 12″ of fast falling heavy snow with bald snows. Of course the M3 is balanced much better than a Mustang and an E36 M3 costs less than a new Mustang. Also they have that great S50B32 321hp engine up in Canada….
Yes, yes, yes.
With dedicated snows on dedicated rims.
I have a 3 series, RWD only. With a set of thin Michelin Pilot Alpins I have no trouble in even decent snow.
Went to Vermont last year, and we got 18 inches of fresh over some frozen. My RWD car had no problems getting around (turning the traction control OFF) while a FX 35 with all seasons and 4Wd was stuck.
If you put dedicated snows on your AWD, then you win, but snows on RWD beat All seasons on AWD.
I love my 3-er in the snow.