Driving a 5.0 in winter! Any tips?
10-30-2004 | 12:50 AM
#1
Driving a 5.0 in winter! Any tips?
Well I've searched hi and low and the only decent ride I can find for a good price is a fox 5.0
My 89 which has never been driven in the winter is going for storage.
Who here has driven one in the winter and do you have any tips or advice?
I was thinking of 4 snows (or at least 2 in the rear) and a sandbag or 2 over the rear axle.
I have driven rwd cars such as my folks Porsche in the winter and had no probs as long as I wasn't being an idiot.
So give me your thoughts, tips and suggestions.
I would appreciate it,
DevilishCoupe
My 89 which has never been driven in the winter is going for storage.
Who here has driven one in the winter and do you have any tips or advice?
I was thinking of 4 snows (or at least 2 in the rear) and a sandbag or 2 over the rear axle.
I have driven rwd cars such as my folks Porsche in the winter and had no probs as long as I wasn't being an idiot.
So give me your thoughts, tips and suggestions.
I would appreciate it,
DevilishCoupe
10-30-2004 | 09:08 PM
#2
CMOC Addict
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 795
From: Welland, Ontario
yes. DON'T. they are terrible in the winter, cost alot more than a beater on insurance, and with the vast selection of cars out there.... why bother with a 5.0?
Instead, if you don't want to buy the car for yourself, why not post the car so someone else here can pick it up cheap for a project car?
We are losing many many fox bodys nowadays. luckily many of them are 4 cyl's.. the roundy poundys are just buyin 'em up for thier racing.
Don't even get me started on the reasons why you should NOT drive a 5.0 in the winter.
1. you are risking your life as well as others for driving a car that is very nose heavy and overpowered in less tractable situations such as a snow and ice.
2. Mustangs have poor corrosion resistance. it will NOT last too long as stay nice driving it in the winter. sure .... you could undercoat it, BUT there are still MANY areas that will begin to show rust.
3. for the price of insurance and good winter tires and bags of heavy stuff, you could have purchased a winter beater, and saved money on insurance. there are MANY MANY cars available out there for a great price that could be very decent winter beaters.
4. if you use a winter beater.. you have something to look forward to in the spring. i know by mid winter i am really itchin for spring to come so i can drive my damn 5.0
5.0 with the traction difficulties you will endure, i hope you have a gold CAA membership. you will need it.
6. you are destroying another American Classic. I look back at all those people who HAD such wonderful machines of the 50s 60s and 70s and think to my self... what a waste of a great automobile.
7. back to the traction and loved ones. I have a friend who tried to drive his 5.0 in the winter. well... he believed that it was just fine in the winter. why shouldn't he drive it in the winter. Well sure enough.... on the 401 about 5 years ago... he lost control of his 87-89 Mustang GT 5.0 5 spd and he hit a school bus. His wife and her mother and baby were int he car with him and the school bus was full of kids. wife = DEAD, wife's mother = DEAD. Kids on the bus.... some hurt. Lesson learned...
8. oh ya ...undercoated mustangs are a pain in the butt to work on later.
9. i have seen 2001-2003 GT,s convertibles V6's come into the Ford dealer i work at with lots of rust for going only a few winters w/o proper undercoating. I have seen a 94-95 V6 that was so bad it was pretty much ready for the wreckers with only 104K kms on it.
10. anyone got anymore reasons NOT to drive it in the winter? please post 'em
Instead, if you don't want to buy the car for yourself, why not post the car so someone else here can pick it up cheap for a project car?
We are losing many many fox bodys nowadays. luckily many of them are 4 cyl's.. the roundy poundys are just buyin 'em up for thier racing.
Don't even get me started on the reasons why you should NOT drive a 5.0 in the winter.
1. you are risking your life as well as others for driving a car that is very nose heavy and overpowered in less tractable situations such as a snow and ice.
2. Mustangs have poor corrosion resistance. it will NOT last too long as stay nice driving it in the winter. sure .... you could undercoat it, BUT there are still MANY areas that will begin to show rust.
3. for the price of insurance and good winter tires and bags of heavy stuff, you could have purchased a winter beater, and saved money on insurance. there are MANY MANY cars available out there for a great price that could be very decent winter beaters.
4. if you use a winter beater.. you have something to look forward to in the spring. i know by mid winter i am really itchin for spring to come so i can drive my damn 5.0
5.0 with the traction difficulties you will endure, i hope you have a gold CAA membership. you will need it.
6. you are destroying another American Classic. I look back at all those people who HAD such wonderful machines of the 50s 60s and 70s and think to my self... what a waste of a great automobile.
7. back to the traction and loved ones. I have a friend who tried to drive his 5.0 in the winter. well... he believed that it was just fine in the winter. why shouldn't he drive it in the winter. Well sure enough.... on the 401 about 5 years ago... he lost control of his 87-89 Mustang GT 5.0 5 spd and he hit a school bus. His wife and her mother and baby were int he car with him and the school bus was full of kids. wife = DEAD, wife's mother = DEAD. Kids on the bus.... some hurt. Lesson learned...
8. oh ya ...undercoated mustangs are a pain in the butt to work on later.
9. i have seen 2001-2003 GT,s convertibles V6's come into the Ford dealer i work at with lots of rust for going only a few winters w/o proper undercoating. I have seen a 94-95 V6 that was so bad it was pretty much ready for the wreckers with only 104K kms on it.
10. anyone got anymore reasons NOT to drive it in the winter? please post 'em
Last edited by 91mgt; 10-30-2004 at 09:11 PM.
(heck.. maby 2.. yours and the car
10-31-2004 | 06:26 PM
#5
Border Patrol
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 651
From: Burlington ON
Find something along the lines of a 91 Tercel or Camry
Great Reliable cars. I've had an 86 Camry... mother was the original owner.
Good in the winter.. cheap on insurance.. I'm sure there are other equal cars.. that should be a good start though
Great Reliable cars. I've had an 86 Camry... mother was the original owner.
Good in the winter.. cheap on insurance.. I'm sure there are other equal cars.. that should be a good start though
11-01-2004 | 09:25 PM
#6
CMOC Newbie
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1
I drive my '93 LX 5.0 coupe all year long. Four years ago I made the decision to drive the car in the winter after never being winter driven. I bought a set of the 15 inch 10 hole rims and mounted Michelin Artic Alpins. These tires are fantastic. The traction with these tires in snow and ice is better than my factory 16 inch wheels and tires are in the summer in the rain. I don't put any extra weight in the trunk other than trying to keep the gas tank filled. I have never had any problems driving. My car is completly stock with a AOD transmission. This probably makes a difference since it is not nutty with tons of horsepower and torque, and the auto makes for nice gradual starts as opposed to a 5-speed. Oh yeah, I live in Winnipeg and we get quite a bit of snow here, but I have never had any problems driving.
There were hundreds of thousands of these cars built so I don't feel like I'm destroying a rare vehicle. Besides when Spring comes I have my '65 K convertible to drive when the weather is nice.
There were hundreds of thousands of these cars built so I don't feel like I'm destroying a rare vehicle. Besides when Spring comes I have my '65 K convertible to drive when the weather is nice.
11-02-2004 | 02:08 AM
#7
CMOC Newbie
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12
From: Edmonton, AB
LMAO..... ! ANY car, truck, bus, semi..... hell ANYTHING on the road can be dangerous on winter roads. You just have to learn to drive in the snow, and not be a speed demon. Take it slow and steady, and you'll get where you're going just fine.
However, if you HAVE to drive a V8 Stang during the winter, let me say this:
My '83 GT was driven all year round for 15 of it's 21 years (not heavily driven, but it was still a year round daily driver none the less) (see pics here) - it's never seen winter tires in it's life time - only 225 all-seasons. My friend Chris99GT... not sure if he's on here or not, but he also drives his 99 GT all year round as well. This is what he has to say about winter driving his 99 GT.
In my experience, if you do want to use sand bags to increase your downforce, put them on the floor behind your driver and passenger seat (wrap them up in a couple of black garbage bag or something if you want to avoid sand leaking out). This will add weight in the center of the car.
If you want to talk about corrosion and rust, don't live in Toronto or anywhere around the coasts. Salty ocean air will destroy a car in not even a 1/4 of the time that it will here in Alberta (or Sask, MB, or western Ont). Don't believe me? Look at the cars that in the Toronto area. Most of them are under 10 years old, and if they are older than that, there's a very good chance that they've had paint/body work done at some time (not saying ALL of them, but at least 80-85% I'm going to guess). My '83 GT has factory paint, no accidents - the front driver's side fender had to be replaced do to a fallen ladder in the 80's though, and no visible rust (there's a small amount under the driver and passenger sides doors as I mentioned earlier). This kind of thing is unheard of down east.
However, if you HAVE to drive a V8 Stang during the winter, let me say this:
My '83 GT was driven all year round for 15 of it's 21 years (not heavily driven, but it was still a year round daily driver none the less) (see pics here) - it's never seen winter tires in it's life time - only 225 all-seasons. My friend Chris99GT... not sure if he's on here or not, but he also drives his 99 GT all year round as well. This is what he has to say about winter driving his 99 GT.
To provide a little background about myself, I have been driving my 99GT for the last 5 winters in Edmonton and have a great deal of experience driving in the winter. I hope that you read through this article and pick up a few things.
1.Winter Tires: If you are going to drive your mustang in the winter in Canada, winter tires are a must. I would recommend getting a 2nd set of rims on which to mount them. It will be cheaper in the long run then changing your tires twice a year. For your second set of rims, I would recommend a set of steel wheels from a place like Canadian Tire or a set from a V6 Mustang. Regarding tire size, I would also recommend either 205/65-15 or 225/55-16. Anything wider then that and you will not have enough ground pressure. For tire selection, I have used normal winter tires, studded winter tires and, the sticky ice grabber (Blizzak type) tires. I would highly recommend the Blizzaks. The Z rated winter tires are not recommended.
2.Sand Bags: I don’t recommend the use of sandbags however if you choose to use them, they should not go behind the axle. If the sand bags are behind the axle they will take weight off your front tires by using the rear axle as a fulcrum. In my experience, all that the sand bags have done is increase stopping distance.
3.Motor oil: Make sure you switch to an oil with a low first number. In the summer a 10w30 will be fine but for the winter you need a 5w30 as stated in your owner’s manual. The 5w30 provides a better cold flow rate while still protecting at higher temperatures. I also recommend using synthetic oil because they also have a higher cold flow rate.
4.Windshield washer fluid: Make sure you use a ‘Winter’ windshield washer fluid. Summer washer fluid may freeze in the bottle or more commonly freeze on your windshield when it is misted. I recommend using the rain-X washer fluid, it costs about a dollar more per bottle but it is worth it. Also, if you have a light frost on the outside of your windshield and you use this brand of wash to remove it, it does not re-freeze.
5.Air Conditioning: Run your air conditioner in the winter, it will take a great deal of moisture out of your car and prevent your windows from frosting over on the inside. For maximum effectiveness, run your air conditioner with outside air, so in your Mustang, turn it to A/C not MAX A/C.
6.Shovel and emergency kit: It’s a good idea to have a small shovel and some warm clothing in your Mustang. I ensure I have a pair of warm boots, a heavy jacket, toque and gloves in the trunk during the winter.
Please contact me if you have any other questions about winter driving your Mustang.
Chris White
www.redandwhite.ca
1.Winter Tires: If you are going to drive your mustang in the winter in Canada, winter tires are a must. I would recommend getting a 2nd set of rims on which to mount them. It will be cheaper in the long run then changing your tires twice a year. For your second set of rims, I would recommend a set of steel wheels from a place like Canadian Tire or a set from a V6 Mustang. Regarding tire size, I would also recommend either 205/65-15 or 225/55-16. Anything wider then that and you will not have enough ground pressure. For tire selection, I have used normal winter tires, studded winter tires and, the sticky ice grabber (Blizzak type) tires. I would highly recommend the Blizzaks. The Z rated winter tires are not recommended.
2.Sand Bags: I don’t recommend the use of sandbags however if you choose to use them, they should not go behind the axle. If the sand bags are behind the axle they will take weight off your front tires by using the rear axle as a fulcrum. In my experience, all that the sand bags have done is increase stopping distance.
3.Motor oil: Make sure you switch to an oil with a low first number. In the summer a 10w30 will be fine but for the winter you need a 5w30 as stated in your owner’s manual. The 5w30 provides a better cold flow rate while still protecting at higher temperatures. I also recommend using synthetic oil because they also have a higher cold flow rate.
4.Windshield washer fluid: Make sure you use a ‘Winter’ windshield washer fluid. Summer washer fluid may freeze in the bottle or more commonly freeze on your windshield when it is misted. I recommend using the rain-X washer fluid, it costs about a dollar more per bottle but it is worth it. Also, if you have a light frost on the outside of your windshield and you use this brand of wash to remove it, it does not re-freeze.
5.Air Conditioning: Run your air conditioner in the winter, it will take a great deal of moisture out of your car and prevent your windows from frosting over on the inside. For maximum effectiveness, run your air conditioner with outside air, so in your Mustang, turn it to A/C not MAX A/C.
6.Shovel and emergency kit: It’s a good idea to have a small shovel and some warm clothing in your Mustang. I ensure I have a pair of warm boots, a heavy jacket, toque and gloves in the trunk during the winter.
Please contact me if you have any other questions about winter driving your Mustang.
Chris White
www.redandwhite.ca
If you want to talk about corrosion and rust, don't live in Toronto or anywhere around the coasts. Salty ocean air will destroy a car in not even a 1/4 of the time that it will here in Alberta (or Sask, MB, or western Ont). Don't believe me? Look at the cars that in the Toronto area. Most of them are under 10 years old, and if they are older than that, there's a very good chance that they've had paint/body work done at some time (not saying ALL of them, but at least 80-85% I'm going to guess). My '83 GT has factory paint, no accidents - the front driver's side fender had to be replaced do to a fallen ladder in the 80's though, and no visible rust (there's a small amount under the driver and passenger sides doors as I mentioned earlier). This kind of thing is unheard of down east.
Last edited by SilentNoise; 11-02-2004 at 02:16 AM.
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