This will be my first Mustang, originally I drove a 1999 Chevy S-10 P/U, and I was curious how the new ones perform in snow? Anyone have any experiences yet w/ the 05 GT in snow???
Not yet- here in No. Ohio's snow belt we usually have snow by this time, but not this year.
Reasons why the '05 might just be OK in snow:
1. Ford says they did over 1 million miles in snow- No. Michigan and in Sweden during the years they spent developing the '05 Mustang. Snow performance was one of their objectives as part of making the car more of a "daily driver".
2. "Smart" traction control- the TC in the 05 (I don't know about previous) senses the amount of slippage (I think on a constant basis) in the front wheels, and then adjusts the TC to the conditions. Lots of control when the pavement is slippery- and actually allows some slippage when the traction is good.
3. All-weather tires- the Pirellis (GT) are rated as M&S tires (also 400 as to wear)- so they are right in there with the best all-season tires. They are definately NOT "performance" tires that have 5/32 tread depth- they are full-depth and designed for rain and (light) snow.
I think they just made the '05 a better all-around driver than some of the previous models- ride quality, room, trunk, noise, etc..
All this said- you KNOW that the Mustang (or any car) will not outperform a truck in deep snow, right? It's still a car.
When I was bringing this car home I had to drive through the mountains of Austria and there was a light rain/snow mix with snow buildup in small patches. The car handled great with no hydroplane and no sliding. I was able to run 70 - 90 MPH with no problems. Last week it snowed about 2 inches here and I had no traction problems. Just take it easy when you start off and drive normally, and a bit slower. The tires and the car handle the snow just fine.