hey everyone, i've been lurking the past little while reading up on Mustangs and stuff since i hope to own one someday. i'd like to hear from owners from the snowy states and and Canadian provinces about what it's like to drive '94-98 and '99-04 Mustangs. they both come with limited slip diffs, but the '99-04's came with Traction Control. is this a considerable factor to integrate into my decision for the winter months?

i live in Saskatchewan where there's snow from about november to april, and i'd like to have a vehicle that isn't going to be terrible to drive in the snow. once owning either of the mustangs, i would plan on modifying it to become a mid-13's car. i know that winter tires do wonders, but does TCS make a much larger difference over a non-TCS car?

lastly, is it possible to install the Bosch TCS system into a '94-98 Mustang, if i so happened to want it/need it? since it's basically the same platform and just new sheetmetal, it makes sense to me that it could be done. thanks to all that respond

 

Welcome to the site Craig

I think that any rwd car should never be driven in the snow, they get stuck easily and can cause severe inury or death in bad weather. I would rewcommend snow tires and TCS if u do plan on driving it in the snow, but the best bet is a winter 4wd beater.

 

Geez dude you make it sound like your driving a geo at over 30. Theres nothin wrong with drivin a Mustang in the snow unless you have high performance tires or are afraid of salt.

I had mine runnin threw the snow goin 45 down the expressway following my dad in his Taurus. Just take your time. Brake early and gradually. Let the abs help you. Be wary about puttin weight in the truck. Helps you to move forwards but once you get sideways, you get sideways.

heck I drive my truck threw the snow all the time. It's got just touring tires. I rarely have it in 4wd. With 300 pounds of torque to the rear wheels yeah I get a bit sideways but I got my own traction control. Common sence.

 

are you serious about rwd cars not being driven in the snow? only in the past 20 years have FWD cars really been prevelant in the snow. It just takes common sense and an easy foot on the brakes and gas.


thats like all the people that post how dangerous mustangs are in the rain
they complain about how the car gets sideways, or they hydroplaned into a ditch or whatever, but then they say "well my tires were bald and I was driving 70mph in a monsoon." or they punched the gas from a stop during a rain storm and the rear end got out from under them. common sense.

 

A Mustang will run decently in the snow. A little weight in the back and some winter tires should do you just fine. The TCS is very nice on the 99-04's I must admit.

If you could though find a secondary beater for the winter. If not, practice in an empty parking lot once it snows. Practice stoping, accelerating, avoidance manuevers, turning, all the good stuff and you should be fine.

Be safe!!

 

i still run a 96 cougar xr7 all winter long. very light car in the rear. just take your time, and try not to drive if there is over a couple inches, and definatley try not to drive if there is ice.

 

I get a ton of snow per year and a RWD car int he snow here would be in a snow bank or in the woods somewhere. when it storms here all that doesnt get stuck is some fwd cars and vans and trucks

 

have you ever tried switching off TCS in the winter on your car to note the difference? my dad drives a car with TCS and that thing hooks up in the winter like nobody's business.

here in Saskatchewan, temps go down to -40 Fahrenheit and after some snow dumps, only the vehicles with winter tires or deep-tread all-seasons get around much in the snow. for my car, i've just mounted some winter tires for the front driving wheels and i'm totally fine. i am 20 years old so i do know what happens in these conditions when situations get ugly (thanks for the advice tho ). i dont usually see too many mustang GT's from any years driving around in these winters, but i know it's possible.

 

I've turned it off in the rain a couple of times. I noticed a difference especially if I get on it. I was driving it in the rain once and had it on. I had to stop at the top of a steep hill. When I accelerated I felt it slip for a second and then grab. Theres an indicator light on the dash that lets you know when it kicks in too.

Its a huge difference from my 87 GT. When I had that Mustang I had to be really ginger giving it gas and even then it spun a lot on that hill. I love traction control, such a great system!

 

there have been times when I didn't like it.

like accelerating from a stop to turn onto a busy street, your tires slip on some gravel and your car bogs to the point of no acceleration. gets your heart beating fast when you look in your rearview.

 

Thats when you turn it off and blassstttt awaaaaayyy!!!! LOL

 

i dont use the TCS from a start but going down the road its a big help. sometimes on the start you need some wheels spin to get going. and the TCS kicks in really quickly. all i have every driven is RWD. rain sun or snow. but if it gets too bad i just dont go out period. i trust my driving. its everyone else that stinks. though my 92 sat whenever it snow this winter. but thats b/c my winter wheels and tires got given away. and nitto drag radials dont hook in the snow!

 

Very true! So many people venture out in the snow when it is really best not to. If I know I can't make it, I can't make it. Its that simple. I'd rather miss a day of paid time off at work then try to get there, get stuck, have to call a tow truck, and still miss work!

 

The TCS is nice, but nothing beats a good set of winter tires and a little common sense with the left foot.