Tom, I feel your pain. I'm in Mi. and we haven't seen the sun in 3wks. I did take my Stang out last Fri. . The roads were dry. I still keep mine insured so if the roads are dry I can Take it out. Picked mine up 12-30 04 and now have 3600 mi. on it.I hope to powder coat cam covers and install C D D shaker hood scoop before summer.

 

Mine is in the Cocoon from Oct 31st til May 01.

Just check on Mice and Battery Charger about once a week.

Ordered a K&N Replacement Air Filter for the Mustang when
it Wakes up.

Know how your feeling.

 

I hear ya man! Its hard making that car payment when the verts under wraps. It hit 55 degrees here today so I tore off the cover and went for the first drive since November. I spent the whole time worrying about getting a rock chip with all the red cinder rock they use here in Central Oregon, so I put her back. Bummer!

 

I completely understand. I too thought that the 5 months it took for my car to arrive was the worst. That was until the first snow fall. I had every intention of parking it in the garage until spring. needless to say, as long as it is nice out, the Mustang is back to active service.

I just follow a few simple guidelines.

1. There can't be snow/slush on the roads
2. Must wait one week after that last snow fall to drive

Number 2. is very important as when Nebraska sands the highway, they sometimes mistake 2 inch gravel for sand it seems like.

Anyway, its a car, I bought it to drive, so I drive it. The painter will take care of any rock chips. I'm not too worried about the salt on the roads. I doubt I'll have the car long enough for it to rust out. Plus, I get 28mpg with the stang, 18 with the f-150. The more cash I save = sooner delivery of the CDC Shaker.

 

I can't imagine having the Mustang GT in the garage and not driving it! I'm as **** as the next guy when it comes to my Mustang, and am super-fussy about where I park, washing/waxing only with microfiber terrycloth, etc., and as a reward for that fussiness, I still have a ding-free car without even a swirl mark after 9 months and 6500 miles of ownership.

But I refuse to pay that kind of money and not enjoy the car, so I drive it year 'round. I only have one car, and have always only had one car. Don't get me wrong - I'm not going to drive the car in a blizzard - I'll take the wife's Santa Fe to work in snow whenever school is closed, since she works at the school. But, I drove my '95 GT through seven New England winters, and with over 100,000 miles on it, you honestly could not tell that it had been driven in snow, salt, and sand. And before that, I drove an '87 GT in a bunch of New England winters, and before that an '84 Z28, and before that an '80 Z28, and before that a '74 Z28, and before that a '70 Olds 4-4-2, ...

I understand that some folks just have a policy not to drive their nice car in the winter, and that's cool, but just not for me. Driving on snow in a rear-wheel drive car CAN be a ton of fun, when the traffic is light and there's not too much snow.

So yes, I have sympathy for all the folks who park their cars for the winter, but sometimes I wonder why they do it?

 

because some people like me have lowered thier cars, installed ground effects and spent a lot of money on the car. Therefore my car would be one heck of a snow plow and the front fascia would get smashed the first time I hit a chunk of hard packed snow that builds up behind tires on a car and then clutter up the road. Why pay so much money for a car, just to trash it in the winter. Not to mention the snow brush marks in the paint. I did drive it last year in the snow, but with all the mods it is just not worth it.

 

Same here. Lowered w/ chin spoiler = messing up your car in the winter.

I've driven many RWD V8 cars in the winter, but this one's my baby and I'm not gonna mess her up.

Besides, Michigan uses a lot of salt (no sand) because we usually get some pretty heavy downfalls and so believe me, even with one winter, the car would begin to rust.

Tom, I feel your pain, I'm glad I got a car cover for Christmas so I don't have to look at how pretty she is each time I get in my other vehicle.

At least you got to drive yours all summer, I barely got to drive through the first oil change before parking her.

 

Salt, sand, bricks of compressed snow etc may do some damage but I would be more worried about some other idiot sliding into me.

 

snow brush marks in the paint? please don't tell me that you would brush snow off the paint of your car with a brush!

But actually, we're not talking about driving in an actual snowstorm in this thread - we're talking about garaging the car for the entire winter. Of course, some members of this forum live in places where winter is just one steady snowstorm, so for those people, I can see getting a beater. The Mustang is obviously not a great car in snow.

 

What else are you going to use? A leaf blower? Not sure about where you live but here, in the winter, it is illegal to drive your car if the windows are covered in snow. Several times after work I would go out to my car and it would have 4-6 inches of snow on it. You just can't clean the windows and drive. You have to clean the snow off of the car. Now, I try not to let the brush touch the paint but I don't care how careful you are, it is going to eventually happen.

Oh well....no worries here. My car will be just as spotless when she comes back out from storage, if not cleaner

Put winter tires on the car and it is great in the snow.

 

My origianl plan was to store the car all winter in my attached garage. But then, I see days like this outside, 30 degrees and not an once of moisture on the streets. So, as long as the snow is on the yards and not the streets, why not take it for a spin or two.

 

Part of the reason my car is stored for the winter is that I have another car for my commute. If my commute becomes more reasonable for next winter, I may drive it but keep the beater for the snowy/slushy/salty days.

 

:angry: Hay I ordered mine in June and just got it on dec 22. I drove it home and put it in the garage. At least most of you got to drive more than 4 miles. I can't wait to really drive it but like everyone I need to let the snow melt. But at least it is finaly in my garage

 

I was undecided as to whether or not to keep my Stang insured over the winter months and elected to keep it insured. Thank Goodness I did. Because in spite of the cold and gray weather here in PA, there are always those welcome breaks, where one can still enjoy your ride and not subject it to the salt slush and all that comes with winter in the Northeast.

Most days it's under cover in the garage, but every 7-10 days or so we escape for a "winter tease." :drive:

 

Man... I feel for you guys... I can't imagine what it must be like to store your rides for months and months without being able to drive :drive: and enjoy them... And all that talk about sand, snow and salt... I thought sand was for the beaches, snow was for the mountains and salt was for my french fries.... Anyway guys, I hope it's a short winter for all of you so you can get your cars out of hibernation and enjoy them...

 

I ordered my car in March, when there was snow on the ground. Had to wait all summer until September to receive it. Then, put it away two months later.

I get to look at it sleeping soundly everyday and I leave the house through the garage to catch the bus to work. Man this sucks.

But I know it's for the best. My last car was AWD and I drove it all year long, but man does it take a beating in the winter. The last thing you're thinking about is being careful as you try and hack an inch of ice covering your car after an ice storm. And driving on the highways is like subjecting the front end of your car to a sand blaster - talk about paint chips!! Come April, I know I'll be glad I sacrificed my comfort for it Plus, I'm saving well over 50% on my insurane payments.

Kristina

 

All they use here is salt too. You barely got to drive her because you were so busy with all your sweet mods!

 

Now this is the guy I feel sorry for...4 MILES!!! YIKES, THAT SUCKS BIG TIME!

 

Got mine in June 05 - parked it for the season in late October.

Currently suffering from Mustang Separation Anxiety (MSA).

So once a week I go to the rear garage. Pull the cover up enough to get inside.

Then I shift through the gears and make engine sounds. I think I turned a 13.22 last week...

 

No. B) A 4-wheel drive jeep is great in the snow. A Mustang with snow tires is not even close to a jeep, when it comes to snow traction.