Clue

Short of not driving in the snow due to poor performance (lots of HP, RWD, wide tires, etc...not specifically a Mustang-only fault) I guess I don't understand not driving them at all during the winter? They are cars, meant to be driven. If they get dirty, wash them. I don't think I could ever buy a car just to keep it in the garage. My 3 vehicles average over 25k/year. Our 11 Mustang has over 30k on it. Our 08 Chevy HHR has 118k on it. Our 05 Trailblazer has 150k.
I read on here there other day where someone posted that NONE of their cars EVER sees rain. ?! How do you go to work? Or the store? Or..etc., etc.?

Oh yeah....nice looking car!

RandyW

Yeah, you can put winter tires on your Mustang and continue to drive it in winter. But do you get that much out of it? It's too slippery out to drive the Mustang any faster than you would drive a beater, so maybe it makes sense to drive a cheap economy car in the winter. If someone slides into your 20-year old Cavalier it's not the tragedy that it is if someone slides into your Mustang that you may have spent $40K on. Figure the price of a good set of winter tires, a set of wheels and the difference in insurance, and you might find you're better off having a $2000 winter beater.

MotoChris98

Totally a personal preference thing here, but I find that I'm better off driving a car I really enjoy year round. I've done the winter beater thing for years, and my opinion is that something like a mustang is way more fun to drive than a typical car (especially if it's front wheel drive), regardless of whether I'm going slow or fast. Life is too short for me to miss out on months of driving the car I love. On the off chance that someone hits me, insurance will take care of it. If I was trying to do the more financially sound thing to do, I wouldn't be buying cars like this in the first place anyways. What really sucks are the days here in Denver where they forecast snow so you subject yourself to your beater, only for it to end up being a totally dry, clear street day (which seems to happen a lot here).

montreal ponies

It's been a weird winter here as well, not much snow and temps above normal for this time of the year. But she'll have to wait till the end of March to drive out of the garage. Roads are disgusting with plenty of potholes and debris. I can live until then.

Hytek

I agree with you guys on driving all year round because you bought this car to enjoy it. But, however, when you live in a state that salts the hell out of the roads at the slightest chance of snow, you may reconsider. It's not driving mine in the snow that I'm worried about, it's the rust from the salt. I purchased my winter beater jeep cherokee for around the price of good winter tires, a second set of wheels, and tpms. Plus I now have an extra vehicle to haul the dogs, go to home depot, and drive in the mud.

FromZto5

Yep that was me. My toy cars don't get driven in rain. Why? Personal preference that's all. I get joy and satisfaction in keeping it clean and detailing her...lol. My g that I had for 7 years never saw rain.... Lol. My beaters see the wrath of winter.

Put it this way, if you ever had to buy a used car, by one of mine lol.

JCStang

I'm the same way, Mustang only driven in nice weather...have a 2010 cheap economy car that gets 35 mpg as I have a 60 mile commute when I go to work ( luckily, can TC 2 days a week and am off on Fridays). I traded in my 08 car for the 12 Mustang and it only had 12,700 miles on it. It's a personal preference..(my wife thinks I am weird...she cannot understand having a car just sitting in the garage...but then i do not understand her desire to own shoes in every possible color!!!)..I like knowing my car is always clean and I look forward to driving it..it's almost like getting into a new car all over again. Same reason I park as far out as possible, to avoid door dings and keep it in like new condition. I am not sure if i will be able to afford another new car, so i want this one to last as long as possible. I say to each his own!!

Overtorqued

Yep, salt is one of the things that sucks about driving a vehicle year round. I don't mind driving my new Mustang in weather (actually, I quite enjoy it even in bad weather), but if they've been salting the roads then I stick to driving my Cherokee!

FromZto5

Are you my brotha from anotha motha? Where have you been all my life. I chuckle because it's like you read my mind and I could have posted the exact same thing. My wife laughs at me too... lol. BUT, then I hear her wanting a BLACK car and asking me to wash her dirty ride. LOL.

I'll take this one step further and state, that I "assume" you're extent of your obsession with detailing is only to the onset of Washing and Waxing vehicles? If you are also obsessed with owning several buffers, buffing pads, polishing liquids, clay bars, painters tapes, over 50 waxes and sealants, and put painters tape all over your front end when driving far.... and the sight of ANY light marr/scratch or swirl drives you nuts, and you inspect your car under LED and halogen tower lights every day, THEN you have a problem.

Yes, I need Therapy.

If you don't have my problem yet, enjoy it... and stay away from the TRUE obsession!!!

Salt is indeed the ultimate killer.

Clue

I guess I took it that you don't leave the house in bad weather ever..that NO car can be in the rain. Understand if you have "toy" cars and beaters. I would venture to say that most people that own a Mustang use it as a DD. (not talking Boss, GT500, or vintage)

FromZto5

yeah toy cars (whatever they are that I've owned - Z, G, Rx7, etc) are never a DD for me. Yes, some folks do DD their stangs... that's their choice. For me, DD's see the increased risk of rock chips from hwy jaunts, scratches, dings, accidents, etc etc... all stemming from the fact that it's driven for more miles than a "toy" car stored in the garage. If folks are willing to accept that fact in exchange for the increased frequency of obtaining joy of driving their toy car/stang, I am very happy for them.

For me, the limited amounts of times I do get to drive Marilyn are such a pleasure for me. It's kindda like...... living here in Iowa, with the 4 seasons, I ALWAYS look forward to nice sunny weather, since it's limited. Absence makes the heart go fonder. I love that aspect of not getting "used" to or taking for granted great weather (like those folks living in Cali, for example...but I'm sure not all Cali folks take sunny weather for granted, but I'm just saying...). The same applies to my concept of my toy cars. I treasure every moment I get to drive my car...seriously. When I get home from a stressful day/week at work, or a work trip...and after I put the kids to bed and the wife is busy for a couple hours, I can just go to my garage, detail her, and take her for a short spin... that absolutely DOES it for me. That is my ultimate stress relief. Am I weird? Sure.... I am. But I'm ok with that. Different folks, different strokes.

Add to the fact that I get to keep my baby clean, detailed, swirl free, and pristine, and better than show room clean? HELL YES.

JCStang

@ FromZto5 - No I think you have me beat as far as being obsessed, but i could see myself getting there!!!.... I do not go quite to those extremes, but I think the main thing as far as waxing is i have always been afraid of using a buffer, but maybe if I start on the DD ( it's black as well) and learn on it I might get the hang of it. I had been thinking of just using a good spray wax with these super soft and thick microfiber towels i buy ( I have a separate supply for the Mustang) to help keep the swirls away. I have checked and so far there are not any swirls (or very few) on the Mustang, but then again i only drove it for about 3 weeks before storing it..and i agree about stress relief, I love backing the car into the garage on a nice sunny day and spending the whole day just detailing it...funny part is, doing other peoples car doesn't have the same affect, only on mine.

dmhines

Mine is an SDO car. Sunny day only. I drive my Jeep wrangler when raining or rain in forecast. Of course the jeep is a convertible and I also have a motorcycle so mustang doesn't get driven every sunny day. I also have a dog so she only rides in jeep. My 2010 GT was treated the same way. Mustang is definitely my toy.

Bert

Hey Zto5, car looks great, but doncha know that doing something like that (taking the car out early) is a sure way to guarantee that there will be lousy weather coming soon? We aren't out of the woods yet, it's only February and global warming really isn't that reliable, based on last year

sorta like fishing and rain gear . . . if you remember to take the rain gear, it will not rain . . . but if you forget the rain gear, look out!

My 2010 GT is my daily driver so I never have to put it away or take it out . . . I do hate the abuse it gets in the winter, but given the choice between (a) having a mustang as my only car, or (b) having no mustang, the choice was easy. Even if I had the choice, I don't think I would choose to drive something else to work, unless the weather was really bad.

The good news is that this winter was not like winter at all (SO FAR), I really didn't even need the snow tires!

FromZto5

Yeah the buffer is not primarily used for applying wax/sealants. It can be of course. But the primary use is for paint correction, or removal of defects like swirls, scratches, etc... that what I'm obsessed about If paint is not smooth and mirror-like in all its facets, I lose sleep. lol.

dmhines, I remember when you and I ordered our cars together. Glad you share my passion

Yeah I probably jinxed all of us man here comes 6 more weeks of snow

UnrealFord

Heres a good one for ya, I have a buddy who wont drive his 06 GT Mustang even in summer, Oh my God theres a 30% of rain today, noway am I driving it, or he wont go to big car shows like Carlisle because it will put mileage on it. You woulndt believe how bad that pisses me off..
Me and my other buddy have Bosses and we drive em, yes if its pouring out we wont leave but if its nice out and it might rain we just try to get there before hand, who cares if it gets rained on..We try to avoid driving in it, but its very unlikely, I had less then 500 miles on my Boss and was caught in downpour.,," Oh well sucks but its already done" LoL

FromZto5

Sorry man... but I'm the same way. Even in summer, if there's chance for rain, she doesn't come out. All my toy cars have been that way. Why I do it? OCD of course I just like to keep my toy cars in pristine can-eat-off-of-it shape, inside and out. (not that I would lol). Paint stays clean and swirl free, with no contaminants from rain debris adhering to paint, requiring clay barring to remove.... I love my paint smooth as glass (do the baggie trick during a wash to get the true feel of your paint condition). But again, to each his own. Some folks don't care if their car is dirty, and that's ok.... but I do. So I feel for your buddy We need to meet

FromZto5

BTW, I think I DID jinx myself... Since I activated my car on Friday last week, it has rained and snowed. In fact, last night, we got a couple of inches, and now there's salt and ick on the road again...... sigh..........

Hytek

Yup. You jinxed me too lol. Same crap here too.