Daily Driving an EcoBoost in Cold Weather (GOOD IDEA?)

[Silent]

Hey guys, like I said in my previous thread, I'm planning on getting a 2019 EcoBoost mustang (with 39K miles).......and I hope it is a good investment which lasts me.

However, I'm located in Canada where it is cold for 5 months of the year. Is it safe to daily drive it here?

Ive heard repair bills get very costly down the road.....is that true?

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[cactus_kid]

Why wouldn't you ? Ford did extensive cold weather and high altitude testing with the Mustangs 2.3L engine/transmission. Just don't romp on it until the car reaches operating temps.

 

[SAL-E]

With the appropriate tires, why not?

 

[Rogues Gambit]

Hey guys, like I said in my previous thread, I'm planning on getting a 2019 EcoBoost mustang (with 39K miles).......and I hope it is a good investment which lasts me.

However, I'm located in Canada where it is cold for 5 months of the year. Is it safe to daily drive it here?

Ive heard repair bills get very costly down the road.....is that true?

I has Michelin AS3's on my old EB, solid although then I wish I had real snow tires.

I daily'd my old girl, so rain, shine, sleet or snow, I was going places

 

[David Schmidt]

Put good rubber on its feet, put good oil and gas in its veins. Flog it like you're mad at it once it's warmed up. It's what Henry Ford would want for you.

 

[Fly2High]

get winter tires for it and you will have a good winter experience. Go all season and good luck.

All season are not great in everything. They can handle some winter conditions but are nowhere as good as true winter tires in snow.

Grab a set of Nokia Hakkapeliitta (best out there) or Michelin or Bridgestone for the winter months and you will barely care that there is snow on the ground.

Enjoy your 4 season car!!

 

[Cobra Jet]

Have owned (20) Mustangs to date - with all prior including my current 94 Cobra being “5.0’s”.... drove all 24/7/365 all year round without issues.

On my 2nd EB Premium w/PP - and have driven both in “all season” weather here in NJ - which includes very heavy snow and icing in winter months...

Do:

1) full tank of gas

2) have proper all-season or winter snow tires. I drive with the Pirelli PZeros, it’s not recommended below 40* and they are in fact “summer only” tires. Trust me, it can be done, but if doing it - use common sense.... I also have years of Mustang driving experience, so I already KNOW my vehicle and it’s capabilities and performance in wet/snow/ice conditions.

3) Common Sense - don’t drive it in the snow and ice as you would when it’s sunny and 85* - you will end up in a predicament. Use the “snow” driving mode, it does work well. Give yourself distance between you and all other drivers.

4) If you’re not experienced with a rear wheel drive sport car platform in extreme weather conditions - take it easy and get to learn the car....

5) Just because it had modern day “nannies” doesn’t mean those nannies can save your ass if you’re being stupid in dry or wet conditions.

6) Use the correct appropriate windshield washer fluid to avoid freezing of the fluid and the lines... don’t use the standard crap, use the stuff that is specific to winter driving.


As far as function and performance in extreme cold (snow, dry or ice) - the car will start up, idle, drive and handle just fine - just follow the above tips and you’ll have no issues. The HVAC system in the S550 along with the heated seats function will make you hotter than a marshmallow over flames if you desire...

 

[Justpassingas]

My EB was a DD although I didn't drive it during a snowstorm...never had any problems even with the OEM tires.

 

[Zooks527]

However, I'm located in Canada where it is cold for 5 months of the year. Is it safe to daily drive it here?

Get a set of Blizzak WS-90 tires, put it in "Snow" mode (if available on that car), and you're good to go.

Ive heard repair bills get very costly down the road.....is that true?

No more than any other 2019. The electronics can be pricey if they fail, but that's every car these days.

 

[Rogues Gambit]

I used to be "AWD or bust!" Until I got my Audi with decent AS' stuck in the snow. Also was driving normally in my mom's Range Rover, briefly lost control and caught it before it could smack into a guardrail on the way home.

Then i put Michelin's on my Mustang and made it up and down my parents hilly driveway with ease, when everything else without a/4wd time at that time was screwed.

If you want extra security, throw sandbags in your trunk for added weight/traction

 

[Balr14]

Decent snow tires and 100lb bag of sand in the trunk is all you need... and some common sense. Most of the problems with driving in snow that I have seen are due to stopping, not starting and everybody has 4 wheels for stopping.

I always get the smallest and narrowest rims that fit my car for snow tires. A narrow tire digs into the snow better, where a wide tire tends to ride on top. A small rim and a tire with big sidewalls has more sidewall flex and better bite than a skinny sidewall. I found 16" Toyota rims that fit my Lexus which normally had 18" or 19" rims. They worked great, but looked like a NASCAR racer.

 

[Spartan1]

I know we're not talking about a Porsche here, but it just seems so blasphemous driving a performance car through snow, slush and ice for 4 or 5 months a year.

It's like when I see a thread about adding a tow hitch or bike rack, makes me cringe a little, hahaha. But hey, to each their own, just drive safely.

 

[K4fxd]

Who needs winter tires? I remember when I was young I had a 440 4 speed Roadrunner and I drove it in the winter with drag slicks. I even got a ticket for not having DOT approved tires.

Most fun I ever had on 4 wheels.

This was in River Falls Wisconsin around 1980.

 

[NoVaGT]

I drove a 2005 GT around with AS tires, in SW MI. winters. It was....entertaining.

Then I put Mud & Snow tires on it, and it could go anywhere.

ETA; Adding weight in the trunk is unnecessary. These cars have plenty of weight over the real wheels. And adding weight to the back can make losing control, fish-tailing, much worse with the added mass in the rear.

It's pure physics; an object in motion tends to stay in motion, more so with more added mass. Creates a swinging/pendulum effect that is to be avoided.

 

[Zooks527]

Then I put Mud & Snow tires on it, and it could go anywhere.

Snow tires are the key.

My truck has 4x4 and gets snow/ice tires in the winter, so it's a bear in bad conditions, but RWD with real winter tires is also very good.

That being said, my Mustang gets performance winter tires instead of snow/ice tires, but that's because I have the truck. My wife's AWD Subaru stays on A/S tires all year, because if there's snow in the forecast, she stays home or makes me take her places in the truck.

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