I live in minnesota and havnt really had much of a problem and i live in a really hilly city as well. I usually just throw a couple bags of sand in the back of my trunk to help put some weight down on those back tires. But for the most part its really sorda fun !!! separates the good drivers from the bad

 

Where are you moving to in Maine? The problem is if you move out to east trucker f-er the roads aren't plowed in a hurry.

Nobody in Maine drives Mustangs. I went up to central Maine 2 weeks ago and nobody there had even seen a 2005 in the flesh. People acted like they did around here 8 months ago if they saw one. The car just isn't practical. If anybody has one there, it's a summer car.

Although if you're moving to the Southern part of Maine you will be ok. The climate there isnt as bad and is more populated.

 

Lived in Buffalo,NY for years and drove mostly RWD's some AT and some MT. I always used good snow tires on the rear and with MT feathered the gas and let clutch out slowly. FWD is a little better in the snow but not that much. Once I burned out an AT by "rocking" the car to get out of snow. Would"ve been cheaper to call a tow truck. :notnice:

 

I'll be living in Phippsburg, ME, but working in Brunswick. When I'm not driving the Mustang, I fly P-3 Orions. I've seen several Mustangs in Southern Maine, but they could very well be summer drivers. Although I notice plenty of BMW's and they only make RWD cars. Talking with several friends, they said with snow tires, TCS, and a pretty even weight distribution, I should be fine. :scratch:

 

Hunting subs from the air, and vettes on the ground! Sounds like fun

 

Yeah,
professionally my prey of choice is a submarine; personally I subsist on a diet of WRX Sti's, EVO's, and Vettes with a side of GTOs.

 

i have my 99 yukon! i am broke because i didnt sell it, i did sell the system which helped, but it will be worth it when the stang sits in the garage all winter. the only prob is, i have silverado SS rims/tires on it, so i have to find some c/k/tahoe/etc rims and slap some mickeys on them for the winter. cant beat a FSC in the snow though!!

 

I think your best bet is to find a nice cheap escort to plow thru the snow with and put the stang in the barn . I know my 06 torch red gt is going to winter right along side my red 90 gt ( which has been stabled away from the wisc winters and salt since new ). Not only will it avoid the typical winter bumps and bruises, it will be much cleaner in the long run, i dont care how much you wash it , the salt will take a toll on the underside .

 

Had plenty of snow here in Maryland, and I found the stock tires more than adequate as long as I didn't do stupid pet tricks or turn off the tracktion control. On hills I took off in second gear. I'm putting fatter rubber on 18" wheels shortly, but I'll swap 'em off again in December when I'll put the stock wheel/tires back on in anticipation of lousy weather.

FWIW, I cleaned my car twice a week at the car wash during snow conditions, to remove all traces of salt and gunk.


John

 

Amen brother !!!
Driving in Massachusetts, it's like playing russian roulette !!!
In winter, you almost get Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, like a veteran coming back from Afghanistan or Iraq...It really feels like you have to survive some suicide mission when you get out there...
Massachusetts drivers in general have some huge issues...

 

Drivin in Utah for 29 years with rear wheel drive. You aint got snow in Maine BTW.
Here are general tips for snow driving.
Whatever a normal stop distance would be times it by 5 on ice by 10.
You should roll to a stop without using your brakes if possible and screw the guy behind you in a hurry. You will see him up the road in the Barpit.
Start in 2nd gear if you have an auto from a stop on ice.
If you are manual trans feather that bad boy like you want it burnt up on a start.
And place it in neutral to roll to a stop only using brakes when needed.
Put weight in that trunk and lower your tire pressure 5psi under normal summer pressures.
Drive the crown of a road if the road slopes (when possible of course).
If the speed limit says 40 do 30.
In a 20 mph curve cut it sharp if possible and take it at 10-12.
Never Ever Ever use your speed control.
Bridges are nothing but Black Ice.
Change your route so that you can avoid sloping bridges and hills. Especially those ones with stoplights or signs at the bottom of the slope.
Keep back at least 5 car lengths from the guy in front of you. He is an idiot, you can lay money on that.
The first snow people go brain dead.
The second snow they are retarded.
The third snow most the idiots have already wrecked and are taking the bus.
If it takes you 30 mins to drive to work, leave 45 mins early.
Avoid parking in crowded lots, or near other cars.
People are really stupid in parking lots.
If the guy waiting for you to pass before turning into traffic is really just waiting to pull out in front of you at the last possible second. And he will fishtale and do 360's in front of you.
People in 4 wheel drive's are unaware that 4WD is to get you out of trouble, not into it.
Remember torque is your enemy on snow or ice.

Hope this helps.

 

The snow tires are definitely well worth it if you don't want a 2nd car. When buying snows, you can save a little money and get better traction by going with a narrower tire, maybe a 215/60 or 225/60 as opposed to the stock 235/55s.

Despite all the snow tires, traction control, etc, the most important safety feature in the car is sitting behind the steering wheel. When the 1st snow comes, find a big empty parking lot and practice getting into and out of a skid. Learn to feel what the car will do, both with the TC off and on. In addition to maybe saving the sheet metal some day, it's a heck of a lot of fun.

 

I kept my Jeep (99 Cherokee), so that'll be my foul-weather driver.

And Ixtlan beat me to it, but one important trick my Dad taught me all those years ago is to start out in 2nd or even 3rd gear if the surface is slippery. Keeps the tires from breaking loose and spinning all over the place.

With winter tires and the traction control you should be fine.