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an empty parking lot with a couple inches of fresh snow is my late fall first snowstorm classroom. Just be real careful of the light standards. What moron puts a post in the middle of a skid pad anyway. Gets in the way of the snowplows.
[SIZE=3]My name is Amy, and I guess by the name it tells you I’m a girl. I live in Central Vermont, and went to school in Michigan so I had my share of winter driving and got stuck way too many times. I work in a rather professional office so I wear a lot of skirts and dresses. I have a 2003 Mustang with manual transmission and a 2006 Mustang with automatic transmission. On this particular night I had my 2006 Mustang, it has summer tires on it, and this was the first time in the snow with it. I had left work about 7pm, we had a 3 inch mixture of snow and ice on the roads and cars, it was still snowing lightly. Actually due to my being somewhat of an air head I had to let the car warm up about 15 minutes because I neglected to put a snow brush and ice scraper in the car. So after warming the car up, I struggled to get the car our of my parking space and out of the parking lot, and managed to make my way to the entrance ramp to the interstate, a normal 10 minute drive which this night took about 30 minutes. The entrance ramp was clogged with cars trying to make it up, so I thought that I would drive to my tennis club to burn a little time and use the ladies room because by now I had to go sooooo badly. The club is located in a part of an industrial complex, I turned onto the road leading to the club, and was not picky as to where to park which was a parallel parking space in front of the building, only to find the place closed. The area where my club is, is not widely traveled and you somewhat have to go out of your way to find it, and also in a bad area as my cell phone could not get a signal. Once back in the car I found myself stuck so badly, spinning my wheels helplessly. Not that I mind being stuck, because for me I feel sexy and helpless spinning my wheels in my Mustangs, and you often meet some real cute hunks who are more than gladly to rescue the “damsel in distress”, however I was really not going anywhere, and I was getting super frantic because of my need to use the ladies room at this time and I was rather desperate by now. I think I was there for a total of two hours to 2 and ½ hours and must have been on a lot of ice also because I was not going anywhere, wheels just spinning and spinning, when a plow operator who plows the club parking lot came by and helped me out of my situation. I finally made it home about two hours or so later. My old Mustang is a manual transmission, with all season. I usually was able to get around most of the time, got stuck a many times, and was usually able to rock it out, occasionally I would need a push, and this is the first year though with an automatic. Of course having to use the ladies room as badly and desperately as I had to and not being very picky about finding a better parking location and I think being as frantic as I was because of the need to go I believe did not help, because I am sure that I nailed it at first trying to get out to find somewhere else to go, and I just dug into the snow and ice pretty deep creating myself some ruts of my own. My poor skirt though. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]The first few times getting stuck, and most of the time, I was the only one stuck it was pretty embarrassing, being the only one in a flat parking lot spinning your wheels, however over the years. I was really not thinking straight by then seeing the club closed and having to desperately use the ladies room. You must know how you get frantic and panic, when in that situation and I was really not in the mood to meet anyone just looking for relief. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Well what I really want to know is what is the very best snow tires I can get for my Mustang so I will have a better chance at getting home and not getting stuck. [/SIZE]
I have a manual 2wd 2007 tacoma it was scarry with stock tires...get a set of blizzaks!!! after switching to real snow tires and a little extra weight in the bed, I was able to get through the worst vt/ct could hit me with...even made it up a few hills my friends suv couldnt make (4x4 doesnt help bald tires)
I drove a 78 Mercedes 300CD rear drive coupe in a new england winter without snows but good quality all seasons. She was fine, even during a 8 inch snow storm on the CT turnpike on my way to Boston.
I have also driven rear drive Peugeot 505s (sedan and wagon) with snows and I could climb up and down hills with the cars.. never got stuck. But I know how to drive in snow. I was once passed by a Jeep and Subaru going at a high rate of speed on a snowy highway and further down the road I saw both slide and hit each other (fortunately a state trooper was on the other side of the road).. I did not slide and was able to avoid them in the Peugeot.
So snows and smart driving and the type of RWD car helps..
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunsprit
I drove MB & Peugeot diesels for many years in Colorado's mountains, and commuted West during the winter, too. I also used a '72 BMW 2002. I've cruised past many stuck cars on the Eisenhower Tunnel approaches in Colorado with an old 220D at 35-40 mph (which was almost as fast as it would go when it was dry pavement on the climbs, too).
The most important thing is to adjust the loose nut behind the wheel to "snow mode". This is harder for some than others. Better hardware will make it easier for you, but, correct driving technique is the main thing.
Next most important is tires. Real snows all 4 corners are best, although all-season tires will do well in snow if they are nearly new and the tread is deep. Likewise the snows really only work when the tread is more than about half. Blizzaks actually only have the snow compound on the outermost "half" of the tread, once they are half worn to 4 or 5 32nds, they essentially revert into normal all-season tires.
As M3 Mitch said, the most important aspect is technique, and keeping a level head. I have driven all sorts of vehicles in snow. My current ride is a rwd sedan. It does fine if I stay out of the throttle (sometimes you just feel the urge...). Fwd or awd/4wd is inherently better in snow, though. Depends how much advantage you think you need.
One thing to keep in mind, almost all the police cars here are rear drive cars. They either run studs or studless winter tires and I haven't seen a whole lot of them in a ditch yet.
And the reason for that? They know how to drive in the snow. Those of us that grew up in snowy areas back when there was no such thing as front wheel drive learned how to drive properly. Todays drivers are woefully inadequate in anything but ideal driving conditions, what car they drive doesn't matter, they don't have the skills to do anything but poke along at 10 miles an hour in the snow and cause traffic to pile up behind them.
And the reason for that? They know how to drive in the snow. Those of us that grew up in snowy areas back when there was no such thing as front wheel drive learned how to drive properly. Todays drivers are woefully inadequate in anything but ideal driving conditions, what car they drive doesn't matter, they don't have the skills to do anything but poke along at 10 miles an hour in the snow and cause traffic to pile up behind them.
That has a lot to do with it. I drive a '97 Mustang and have had no problems so far in the snow. I did put a set of Michelin X-Ice snow tires on the rear axle (too costly for all 4), and keep some bags of salt in the trunk to weigh down the back end. I moved up here from Florida 2 years ago and had NEVER driven in the snow before, yet I have less problems than some of the locals in their front-wheel drive sedans. I've driven this same car for the last 11 years, and know it's limits, and also know how to handle it if the back end wants to slide around. For the most part, people just don't bother to use common sense before going out on the road. I see so many cars up here with nearly bald all-season tires in the dead of winter.
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Best snow tires for a mustang
as I had to and not being very picky about finding a better parking location and I think being as frantic as I was because of the need to go I believe did not help, because I am sure that I nailed it at first trying to get out to find somewhere else to go, and I just dug into the snow and ice pretty deep creating myself some ruts of my own. My poor skirt though. [/SIZE]
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