Rust protection (undercarriage) and winter daily driving

[bknight21]

After winter it held up fine it was summer that kicked its ass. In winter rocks and sand and such are stuck in the snow or powed ff tothe sides of the road I had very little damage in the winter. Now summer the rocks and crap come bouncing off the trucks and cars and have nothing to stop them like snow so they bounce and bounce and take chunks out of my paint.

As far as finish my paint is like glass it hasn't affected my paint finish I also keep about 14 layers of product on it LOL. but as far as rocks good luck. Even with PPF not much withstands a rock hurling at your car when you are going 80 they will still put hoels in ppf but it does help. actually i get most my rock chips on the front of the roof just above the glass??? go figure.

I firmly believe ruby shows damage worse then black it is beautiful when nice but damn its a chore keeping it that way.

My paint as of last week like a mirror after one winter and my car sits out side as i dont have a garage and there are trees everywhere and it rains on it all the time.

Yeah I love Ruby Red when it’s clean but it sure does show every little imperfection. Your car looks very clean especially for not storing it in the garage.

Sponsored

 

[Hack]

Another vote for the lanolin based products like fluid film and woolwax. I sprayed my Fiesta ST last year and it looked great under there this year when I sprayed it again. The best protection is if you can drive on a dry dusty road shortly after spraying it. The dirt helps make a nice caked on layer.

I've been using on my '99 F250 as well. That vehicle is already rusty, but I feel that the progression of rust is at least slowed down.

I think Mustangs are great for winter driving. Just get a nice set of snow tires and you will be good to go. I would recommend skinny rims to keep the tires and rims less expensive. Narrower tires do better in snow anyway.

 

[rocky5517]

Maybe, but I see no reason you can't attach a garden hose to it. Maybe modify the jets to work with the lower water pressure. I might pick one up to play with.

 

[rocky5517]

4000 psi is a LOT of pressure. I'd be really careful of not coming close to any painted surfaces. If my eyes aren't failing, given the angle of the nozzle attachment and the low clearance of our cars, can it fit all the way underneath? I kind of like this idea.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Another vote for the lanolin based products like fluid film and woolwax. I sprayed my Fiesta ST last year and it looked great under there this year when I sprayed it again. The best protection is if you can drive on a dry dusty road shortly after spraying it. The dirt helps make a nice caked on layer.

I've been using on my '99 F250 as well. That vehicle is already rusty, but I feel that the progression of rust is at least slowed down.

I think Mustangs are great for winter driving. Just get a nice set of snow tires and you will be good to go. I would recommend skinny rims to keep the tires and rims less expensive. Narrower tires do better in snow anyway.

I'm loving people's inputs on these, I'm glad I'm getting lot of ideas and thoughts. I do plan on driving my Bullitt daily even through the winter.

I've booked the Krown oil spray, $129.99 before tax, it'll take 'em 2hrs, pretty good deal in my opinion. I am on stock Pilot 4s. Took them to a track one day 2 months ago and when it's low 30s in SW OH, they get slick.

What's your winter setup, including tires and rim styles? I seem to get lot of opinions on "you don't need to keep the staggered setup," but I'm scared not to.

 

[FunkinGoNuts]

I've never heard of Krown until now, seems like a good deal. Unfortunately there's no businesses in over half of New England... go figure! Anyone want to open one up? LOL

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

I've never heard of Krown until now, seems like a good deal. Unfortunately there's no businesses in over half of New England... go figure! Anyone want to open one up? LOL

That sucks. But maybe, uh, ROADTRIP?

I feel like I'm usually in that boat with those kinds of businesses. But strangely enough, there's 2 within 1.5hrs of drive from my house. They're also like 30min apart from each other.
Might be given by the location, i.e. winter-ish or not. But I'd assume NE gets those too. The one I'm going to does a lot of semi trucks and I'm guessing that's bulk of their business. You might want to search by that and see if they have a passenger car option.

 

[IrishStallion]

Buy a winter beater. I would not even think of buying a sports type car in a full 4 season area without funds for second car. Driving a mustang on salt/snow is just poor financial judgement in the end. What happened to actual financial planning and saving for future purchases instead of “have it now” at all costs....?

Besides buying a brand new car (sports 40-50k) just to drive the wheels off year around it will depreciate the crap out of it in 2-3 years. Off rant...

 

[Zooks527]

2nd year I bought a 99 GMC Sonoma truck for $1500 and I sold that extra set of Wheels and Snow tires.

Liked having a truck so much that I upgraded that the 3rd year for a 2010 Silverado Regular Cab 4x4 . Going on my 3rd winter with the Silverado and I just love it and the Mustang says thank you.

Not for nothing but I really like having a 2nd vehicle that I can park anywhere and not give a crap if someone dings it up. Also good for hauling crap. Insurance is only $650 a year btw

+1

I bought my 2005 Tacoma 4 years ago and use it for all the things above as well as my daily driver. Don't care where I park it, don't care about the weather, 4x4 + Blizzaks is unstoppable, and it hauls everything. 75,000 miles since I bought it (it's nearly at 245,000 now) and chugging along. Had the frame replaced under warranty just before I bought it, so even if the engine and transmission fall out tomorrow, I can replace them for $6k - $8k all-in and have an effectively new truck.

That being said, I still have Michelin performance winters for the Mustang, and it's my weekend fun car year-round. It only goes out on clean roads unless my daughter's in town from CA during the winter. If she is, she drives my wife's Subie, my wife drives my truck, and I'm stuck driving the Mustang. The horror!

Besides buying a brand new car (sports 40-50k) just to drive the wheels off year around it will depreciate the crap out of it in 2-3 years. Off rant...

Yup. Those 75,000 miles I've put on the Tacoma in 4 years didn't go on my M235 / Mustang. Can't say I'm a fan of the 16 to 18 mpg, but, hey, it's a truck.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Buy a winter beater. I would not even think of buying a sports type car in a full 4 season area without funds for second car. Driving a mustang on salt/snow is just poor financial judgement in the end. What happened to actual financial planning and saving for future purchases instead of “have it now” at all costs....?

Besides buying a brand new car (sports 40-50k) just to drive the wheels off year around it will depreciate the crap out of it in 2-3 years. Off rant...

Although I get your point and understand it, I specifically bought a car that is wonderfully daily-able and is good on a track. I've been to a track once since I got it in Feb 2020, it did awesome, but is such a fun daily driver.
If I got a very nice car, but let it sit in the garage, it seems like a waste. Again, I get when people have it as a weekend toy, but I don't. I plan to own this car forever, so any depreciation "saved" by putting on less miles is not a valid problem for me.

If I look at the car in 5 years and it only has half the miles it would, but I had to suffer in some POS cheap car all winter, what point is that? I bought it to drive it. I get your point of view, but I don't see myself putting it away for 4 months and just look at it.

 

[Fly2High]

I'm loving people's inputs on these, I'm glad I'm getting lot of ideas and thoughts. I do plan on driving my Bullitt daily even through the winter.

I've booked the Krown oil spray, $129.99 before tax, it'll take 'em 2hrs, pretty good deal in my opinion. I am on stock Pilot 4s. Took them to a track one day 2 months ago and when it's low 30s in SW OH, they get slick.

What's your winter setup, including tires and rim styles? I seem to get lot of opinions on "you don't need to keep the staggered setup," but I'm scared not to.

I posted the link to all the Mustang tire/wheel sizes. Here it is :

https://www.wheel-size.com/size/ford/mustang/2019/

The base GT does not come staggered. If you have fear, get those. I would suggest a set of 19 x8.5 to 19 x 9 depending on the width of tire you want to get. I think the stock GT takes 255/40R19. Here is a chart that will help you determine what width rim will take what width tire.

a 19 X9 can take anything from a 235 - 265 wide tire.
a 19x8.5 can take any tire from 225 - 255


narrow is better in the snow. I already indicated that a 235 is what Ford recommends..

As for tire series (30, 40, 50), use the calculator and keep the circumference within 3% or less of the stock OEM.

use http://www.tire-size-calculator.info/ to see how the new tires differ in size between the stock ones.
Here is what it looks like for the comparison between a 275/40R19 and a 235/50R19 (Ford recommended snow)

they are within 2.1% so they are fine.

No , they will not provide the same level of traction but it will make the car safer in the snow.

You could change the numbers and see what a 245/45R19 or 255/45R19 might be like, etc.

Have faith in yourself. It turns out not to be that hard.

As for wheels, you can buy any you like as long as you verify with the seller that they fit. I posted in another thread the spec sheets for the 15" Brembo - aftermarket that matches what we have OEM. You can give that to the wheel manufacturers to see if they will fit before buying. Order the correct lug seat, pattern and hub cut and that is it. I would stick to the same or close offset to stock even if that means you cannot rotate. It is piece of mind. Other might suggest getting 4 rear offset and getting a set of spacers. There are pros and cons to spacers and Google is your friend to help if that is the route you want to go. I chose less parts and kept the stock offsets and simply make sure which tire goes where.

Of course, you could just buy some OEM wheels in the sale section and mount winters on those.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

I posted the link to all the Mustang tire/wheel sizes. Here it is :

https://www.wheel-size.com/size/ford/mustang/2019/

The base GT does not come staggered. If you have fear, get those. I would suggest a set of 19 x8.5 to 19 x 9 depending on the width of tire you want to get. I think the stock GT takes 255/40R19. Here is a chart that will help you determine what width rim will take what width tire.

a 19 X9 can take anything from a 235 - 265 wide tire.
a 19x8.5 can take any tire from 225 - 255


narrow is better in the snow. I already indicated that a 235 is what Ford recommends..

As for tire series (30, 40, 50), use the calculator and keep the circumference within 3% or less of the stock OEM.

use http://www.tire-size-calculator.info/ to see how the new tires differ in size between the stock ones.
Here is what it looks like for the comparison between a 275/40R19 and a 235/50R19 (Ford recommended snow)

they are within 2.1% so they are fine.

No , they will not provide the same level of traction but it will make the car safer in the snow.

You could change the numbers and see what a 245/45R19 or 255/45R19 might be like, etc.

Have faith in yourself. It turns out not to be that hard.

As for wheels, you can buy any you like as long as you verify with the seller that they fit. I posted in another thread the spec sheets for the 15" Brembo - aftermarket that matches what we have OEM. You can give that to the wheel manufacturers to see if they will fit before buying. Order the correct lug seat, pattern and hub cut and that is it. I would stick to the same or close offset to stock even if that means you cannot rotate. It is piece of mind. Other might suggest getting 4 rear offset and getting a set of spacers. There are pros and cons to spacers and Google is your friend to help if that is the route you want to go. I chose less parts and kept the stock offsets and simply make sure which tire goes where.

Of course, you could just buy some OEM wheels in the sale section and mount winters on those.

I remember that link, thank you very much. I think I have some detailed reading and information to sift through tonight and through the weekend.

 

[Fly2High]

I have been there, done that. Feel free to message me any time. Glad to offer what little knowledge I have.

That said, do not do what I have done with my spare. I use the table and the calculator and figured out the perfect size I wanted in a spare and.... they do not make tires in that size.

Make sure you look up what sizes the tires come in and toss them in the calculator for comparison. Once you figure out the tire you want and can get, then find the wheel that will fit that tire. I think I found that to be much easier.

All the best.

Frank

 

[Kevindust]

What's your winter setup, including tires and rim styles? I seem to get lot of opinions on "you don't need to keep the staggered setup," but I'm scared not to.

My car is a PP2 so the staggered setup wasn't an issue for me. I went with Fast Wheels model FC04 in a 19" x 8.5" with a 35mm offset at all four corners. They are flow formed, relatively light (21.4 lbs) and fit over the Brembo brakes with no spacers.

https://www.fastwheels.ca/productinfo.aspx?wn=fc04&fn=titanium&lang=en-US

For tires, I chose a 245/45/19 Continental VikingContact 7. I wanted to use a square set up so that I can rotate the tires (although the tires are directional so I can only rotate front to back.)

I understand that the 245/45 winter tires have a 27.7" diameter while the OE 305/30 summer tires have a 26.3" diameter. This is outside the generally accepted 3% difference but it will provide me with an additional 3/4" of ground clearance. I debated going with a 245/40/19 to get closer to the factory tire diameter but the tires were out of stock and more expensive.

Having said all that, my wheel and tire retailer didn't know about the PP2 (OEM square) and initially assumed that I had a PP1 (OEM staggered). When I ordered a square tire set up, they responded that "this tire and wheel combination will likely cause issues with your ABS system, as the diameter differences between the front and rear will be different from OEM." I truly don't know if going from a staggered set up to a square set up will mess with the cars' electronics but you are wise to at least consider it. I would contact TireRack and see what they have to say on the subject. For your Bullitt (i.e. PP1), one option is to go with a 245/45 rear and a 245/40 front in order to maintain some of the factory stagger.

On the subject of driving a Mustang in 4 seasons: My wife and I have a 2016 Tacoma 4x4 and we both work from home now so the Mustang won't be driven much in the winter. However, we have a 5 year old and there are some days that we just need two vehicles. Plus, the OE tires aren't supposed to be stored in sub-freezing temperatures so I needed some kind of alternate wheel/tire set up even if I was just storing the car in the garage all winter.

I've been there, done that with the whole "making a payment on an expensive pony car while it sits in storage and I drive a POS all winter." Never again. I bought a nice car to drive it. Getting it Krowned, keeping it clean and swapping wheels every Spring/Fall is all part of the fun. I drove my previous 2005 Mustang GT through 4 Ottawa winters as my only vehicle and I never got stuck, I just had a tonne of fun.

 

[HolubS]

I bought my Mustang used and plan to drive it year round. Bought a set of wheels and Michelin X-Ice tires 2 winters ago from Tire Rack. If it gets bad I could borrow my wife's Explorer 4x4, After 2 Iowa winters it haven't left my car in the garage yet. The lack of a spare tire leaves room for some small canvas bags of sand for weight...

Sponsored