Who DDs There Fox Body?

[GT Drifter]

Part of me is thinking of giving up the Jeep thing. Building a Jeep to do the trails I want to do is rather pricey, not to mention that DD a big lifted Jeep is a PITA. Plus there's always the worry of breaking something and then not being able to get to work.

So I'm thinking maybe I should call it quits for a while and just get a fun to drive every day car. A 89-93 Mustang fits this to a T imo.

So who drives there Foxes all year round? Winter tires? Complaints?
Should I go through with this?

(For the record, I dislike my current DD.)

 

[Turkey Sammich]

I've been driving mine as a DD and it's seen all 4 seasons and one snow storm without a problem.

 

[FrankenStang]

I do now. 1986 GT.

 

[SteedaGT9150]

yes sir, everyday

 

[Darkwriter77]

I used to DD my notch. Out here in the desert, RWD is the way to go - no snow, rarely any rain. My notch was small enough to be easy to park almost anywhere, but substantial enough that I didn't feel like I was riding in a deathtrap if I was ever faced with the possibility of a serious collision.

The ONLY reasons why I stopped DD'ing my Fox:

1. Stupid gas prices + new job with 70-mile-a-day commute + 19 mpg (damn 4.10's) = MUCHO EXPENSE.
2. 90% of the buttholes on the road out here are illegals and/or don't carry any auto insurance, so if/when I get into another wreck, I'd get completely raped out of my poor car. Even if someone DOES have insurance, their insurer would surely give me the shaft and never pay market price for my car (especially considering its mileage), so my car could EASILY be totalled and I'd be screwed out of all my mod money ... plus I'd be devestated if my notch got destroyed.

Thus ... I drive The HARBL as my DD. Sure, it's about the smallest/lightest production car on the road, today (until those sMART cars start hitting the roads soon), and if I hit anything larger than a motorcycle I'll likely be maimed or killed ... BUT...

1. 52 miles per gallon > 19 mpg
2. Manual everything = less crap to worry about breaking
3. Fold-down rear seat = room to haul tools/parts for the 'Stang
4. EVERYTHING on it is cheap. Last set of tires I bought for a Geo Metro cost me $150 ... for a set of FOUR, mounted, balanced, WITH warranty. I can't hardly even get ONE 16-inch tire for the notch that cheap.
5. Chicks dig cute little economy cars. (It's true. I've had chicks wave and smile at me and stuff when I'm in The HARBL, but if I'm in the notch, it's like I'm friggin' invisible to anything with boobs ... and a magnet for every ricer and cop within five miles.

Thus, the Fox is now officially my Weekend Warrior, and The HARBL gets the Daily Beater title. And hey, to top it all off, my insurance dropped by ten bucks a month, too, when I told State Farm that I'd stopped using the Fox as my DD.

 

[fivespeedsteed]

there's a guy on here in norway (?) who dd's his in the snow, ect. he just runs snow tires. most people can do it. i should be getting a WJ soon and i plan on keeping it un lifted and dd-able, if anything only a 3"-4" BB and 31"s.

 

[glowstang93]

Everyday

 

[PUNISHER RACING]

everyday, thats the only way to go to work

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Things can happen anywhere...you can't prevent a disaster either such as fire, or theft...but those cars are too rare around here to drive everyday, or leave in a parklot like restaurant, movies, bar etc.... I take mine out once every week or two, but I never leave it. Actually, if I do, I might run in to 7-11, or the gas station for a Monster but that is it. 1 minute tops!!!!!!!

 

[85ragtop]

I did for a long time, until year before last when we had weeks of super hot days. I have breathing problems so a car with no air is not good on me.

 

[Strype]

You mean the overheating POS in my garage?


NO

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

You mean the overheating POS in my garage?


NO

You haven't fix that yet??

 

[bloopbloob]

so will you be driving in the snow? if so, how much snow and how often? i did it one winter here in alberta, and i really don't recommend it. A couple inches of snow and it got very sketchy!!! I got stuck just pulling out of the driveway a few times too. I only made short, low speed trips to school, and i didn't even like doing that. also if you ever get freezing rain, you can pretty much forget about getting anywhere that day!

 

[Strype]

You haven't fix that yet??

No

 

[Rdrcr]

My '86 GT is the DD. However, I also will use the motorcycle if my schedule and weather allows it.

Mike

 

[GT Drifter]

so will you be driving in the snow? if so, how much snow and how often? i did it one winter here in alberta, and i really don't recommend it. A couple inches of snow and it got very sketchy!!! I got stuck just pulling out of the driveway a few times too. I only made short, low speed trips to school, and i didn't even like doing that. also if you ever get freezing rain, you can pretty much forget about getting anywhere that day!

We get maybe 2-3 BIG snow storms once a year. Even then they are fairly quick to get salt and de-icer.
With the Jeep, I rarely used 4wd in the snow and it was bad at all, just had to take it easy.

I figure with some good quality snow tires, it should be more then doable.

 

[PeteyAce]

all year around, i have an easier time in the snow then my gf and she has got a altima, maybe its because she can't drive and she doesn't use a low gear while in the snow

 

[ill advised]

Only for 19 years now. lol Wait, why am I laughing? I don't have to deal with harsh winters though. That would probably make a difference.

 

[25thmustang]

I did, but after I realized when you are working full time, you can't not show up because your stuck in the snow (LONG uphill driveway = no good with a fox) I decided to grab a Jeep first, then went back to a fox (4cyl, worse than the 5.0) and now stepped up to an Audi. Mid 20 mpg, heated leather seats, moonroof, 6 disc CD player, 5-speed, and with a couple hundred dollars could be a 14 second car... Not to mention a warrenty good for another 45000 miles, .

 

[HaynStang]

I do, it's been my daily driver for 3 years now, and lately I've been driving about 60 miles a day. I like that the Mustang is small enough to be easily fish through traffic and is easy to park, yet is still substantial enough to feel fairly safe with all the idiots on the road here. Having a smaller, maneuverable car with lots of passing power comes in handy in traffic. I was borrowing a big Volvo wagon for a while and I really had to re-adjust to driving a car like that... you're forced to get stuck behind a lot more slow people than you would in a Mustang.

We get a lot of rain here and my Fox does just fine with good street tires on it, but I wouldn't reccomend driving it in the snow if you can avoid it. I've driven it in 2" of snow a couple times and it was all over the road. Snow tires would probably help a lot.

The main downside to DD's a 5.0 is the gas mileage, which isn't terrible, but if you're driving a lot you really need to keep your car in perfect tune because it makes a big difference.

You really need to stay on top of maintenance as well if you're driving more than a few miles a day. I bought my car with around 100k on it and 100% original parts down to the spark plugs. It drove pretty well for a little while, but once I really started driving a lot I had to replace a lot of things. I'd try to buy a car with very low miles, or one that's been driven frequently but has a service record to match.