I daily drove sports cars until I was nearly 30. Its fine. Snow would suck, but blizzaks should solve that. I lived in the south though. Moving to the midwest, I drive awd vehicles on good all seasons or all weather tires.
What's it like to live with a Mustang as a full time daily driver?
- Thread starter KCJeep
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Not a car I would want for winter driving, trips with the family, etc. Weekends and a garage queen, maybe, but I gave up on Ford long ago.
My brother drove his 22 Miata through this last winter on some nice snow tires. And we had a truly nasty winter. Never went in the ditch but I know he's looking for a winter beater for next year.
Moral of the story for him was yes you can do it, but overall it's not worth it. You're quite a bit further south and I imagine you have much more mild winters so maybe your story will be different.
Moral of the story for him was yes you can do it, but overall it's not worth it. You're quite a bit further south and I imagine you have much more mild winters so maybe your story will be different.
I'm always trying to get the best bang for the buck. With that I had a thought or two that I'll share here...
New Mustang Ecoboost starts at $27K. But is it too much to suggest a look at the slightly used market?
Take this 2015 Lexus RC350 for example. Comfy, efficient, fun. You could likely negotiate to under $20K out-the-door. (For wheel rash, seat wear, etc. Both of these are pretty cheap to fix properly. Even cheaper if DIY, but that's not everyone's cup of tea.) Engine is a proven reliable design, and gets better MPG than the Ecobeast, despite having a couple ponies less than the Ecoboost. The V6, and RC350 overall, is just more daily driver friendly, IMHO.
There is also RC200t, but I still personally don't fully trust the long-term reliability of a turbo GDI engine, even in a Toyota.
There is also a RCF, but you don't want a V8. But that 5.0L in the earlier (2008-era) ISF is known to only start breaking in by the 200K mile mark.
Anyways. These are just a couple of my takeaways for your consideration.
Hope you find what you like and enjoy it for many years to come!
New Mustang Ecoboost starts at $27K. But is it too much to suggest a look at the slightly used market?
Take this 2015 Lexus RC350 for example. Comfy, efficient, fun. You could likely negotiate to under $20K out-the-door. (For wheel rash, seat wear, etc. Both of these are pretty cheap to fix properly. Even cheaper if DIY, but that's not everyone's cup of tea.) Engine is a proven reliable design, and gets better MPG than the Ecobeast, despite having a couple ponies less than the Ecoboost. The V6, and RC350 overall, is just more daily driver friendly, IMHO.
There is also RC200t, but I still personally don't fully trust the long-term reliability of a turbo GDI engine, even in a Toyota.
There is also a RCF, but you don't want a V8. But that 5.0L in the earlier (2008-era) ISF is known to only start breaking in by the 200K mile mark.
Anyways. These are just a couple of my takeaways for your consideration.
Hope you find what you like and enjoy it for many years to come!
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CR.
4 cylinders have undesirable NVH characteristics compared to a 90-degree cross-plane V8.In other news water is still wet.
Thanks to technology, we now also have variations of water: Dry/Thick/etc.
- Dry water or empty water, a form of "powdered liquid", is an air–water emulsion in which water droplets are surrounded by a silica coating. Dry water consists of 95% liquid water, but the silica coating prevents the water droplets from combining and turning back into a bulk liquid.
- Thick water is a beverage specifically designed for people with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). You can purchase pre-thickened water or you can thicken drinking water at home with over-the-counter thickening agents.
It’s a shame someone on the design team signed off on that Lexus front end.
Could do a V6 Challenger, good AWD system available if you want it, 52/48 weight distribution, super comfortable, gets decent fuel economy.
Yea, there is that lol. I kinda got used to it over the years, but keep forgetting that not everyone is ok with it.
I will say it is SIGNIFICANTLY better than the current abomination that is the Silverado 2500 front end.
Everyone in the family loves their Mazdas. Look there. They have boosted vehicles which might blow your skirt up.
To GP: ....and don't forget "heavy water, H3O"
To GP: ....and don't forget "heavy water, H3O"
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I drove an 03 Mustang GT as a daily driver back years ago. I still remember my first time driving in three inches of snow with that car. That day I learned to drift. I Litterally hit a bump in the road and drove it sideways while looking out the passenger window. It was all I could do to get it home. Not only that its hard to control in heavy rain. 25mph tops. It wasnt a stock mustang under the hood and I had wide wheels on the back and 2" of ground clearance. I suggest keeping a grand Cherokee handy for anything other than nice sunny summer days.
As sporty cars go the mustang would be my pick. When I was younger and dumber I had an 85 mustang gt, last year with the Holley carb, and an 88 formula firebird ws6 and I much preferred the mustang to daily drive as the fox body was way easier to get into and out of than the firebird.
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My wife's Bmw Z4 drove circles around my mustang. It was no match on a straight stretch but that little car was fun to drive and stuck to the road like glue.If I could easily answer that I probably wouldn't be so conflicted!
Seriously though, something sporty and fun, but reasonable on gas, insurance and upkeep yet still comfortable enough as to not be annoying for the 90% of the driving which is commuting and errands.
I test drove a Camaro LT1 (6.2L) a year or so ago. I like the look of the current gen Camaro but it is the most terrible car to sit in. If you get claustrophobic, it's definitely not your car. I read the Mustang feels better to sit in. I think it would be a decent DD.
Maybe cross shop with a used Cadillac ATS? The final years should have decent reliability and lots of the automatics are rear biased AWD.
For me, when I was thinking about a rwd manual DD, it came down to the Mustang and ATS, although I would've got the V6 in the Mustang.
For me, when I was thinking about a rwd manual DD, it came down to the Mustang and ATS, although I would've got the V6 in the Mustang.
I use '18gt as a daily, except days that I need my truck to move stuff for my construction business.
With very good winter tires and extra weight in the back you can get around on the snowy roads as well. Don't expect to be able to drive through unplowed deepish snow though.
I live in Vancouver BC and take my mustang when I go skiing, either in Whistler or Manning Park.
So, you can definitely daily it, but there are more comfortable cars for this purpose
With very good winter tires and extra weight in the back you can get around on the snowy roads as well. Don't expect to be able to drive through unplowed deepish snow though.
I live in Vancouver BC and take my mustang when I go skiing, either in Whistler or Manning Park.
So, you can definitely daily it, but there are more comfortable cars for this purpose
My 25 yo twin stepsons both have Ecoboost Mustangs, one an '18 pretty much base, one a '20 with the premium package. I've driven both. They have suprisingly good legroom, but, getting in and out is a bit of a challenge for a tall guy like me. Shutting the door imparts a fairly cheap feeling. The infotainment is better on the '20 model. 10 speed transmissions shifted smoothly, good for a daily. For a weekend car I'd want a 3 pedal setup. The torque is fun. You can get mid-20s MPGs if you don't treat every stopsign as a race. Handling is much tighter on the 2020 with the premium package as it has 20" wheels. I got the '18 a little sideways with an enthusiastic application of torque coming out of a left hand turn, but was easily corrected without lifting.
Overall I enjoyed driving them. From the purely driving perspective I think it would be fine as a daily, although, I live somewhere the entire city shuts down if there is even the slightest hint of ice and snow.
I guess the question is how old are you and how limber are you? The 20s and early/mid 30s year old version of me would have absolutely wanted this as a daily. The 50+ version? Eh probably not.
Maybe if I restarted my yoga practice and got a couple of massages a month I could live with it.
Overall I enjoyed driving them. From the purely driving perspective I think it would be fine as a daily, although, I live somewhere the entire city shuts down if there is even the slightest hint of ice and snow.
I guess the question is how old are you and how limber are you? The 20s and early/mid 30s year old version of me would have absolutely wanted this as a daily. The 50+ version? Eh probably not.
Maybe if I restarted my yoga practice and got a couple of massages a month I could live with it.
I'm 59, getting in and out of it hasn't been any issue. Five years from now? 
I've decided I'm overthinking the "Mustang" part. I've been driving cars again since 2017, sedans. The question is do I want to go from 4 doors to 2, FWD to RWD, and do I want to move from a VW to a Ford? Do I like the car enough to buy it to use as a full time car? It is good looking and sporty I'll give it that.
Another lengthy test drive is in order.
I've decided I'm overthinking the "Mustang" part. I've been driving cars again since 2017, sedans. The question is do I want to go from 4 doors to 2, FWD to RWD, and do I want to move from a VW to a Ford? Do I like the car enough to buy it to use as a full time car? It is good looking and sporty I'll give it that.
Another lengthy test drive is in order.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
The long doors would be a no for me. And looking up at all the trucks and suvs on the roads here.
