Thinking
 

I'm thinking of a 4cyl Stang for all year round driving and a body parts donor for my 5.0 coupe...How r they in winter with a decent set of snows in the rear and a sandbag?

I don't have any winter 5L experience, however I have driven my 2.3 for the past 2 winters. Needless to say ... i've almost killed myself a dozen times, as it's biggest problem is stopping. Essentially "good luck". It will slide all over the place, skid everywhere, and won't turn for the end of the world.

It is the worst car I've ever had for the winter, however, it still does what I need it to do, and if you're really careful, and avoid sticky situations, you should be fine. You've just got to drive really cautiously, but I assume that is the same for any Mustang in the winter, especially the older ones.

On the plus side though, I have never gotten stuck anywhere during the winter, as you just hop out and push the damn thing in the other direction, :D . If you're going to be driving one, I wouldn't bother with all terrain tires, atleast get 2 real winter tires for the back, they will come in handy. Oh and it is a lot of fun in an empty snow covered parking lot ;)

Did you have any snow tires on your Stang?

I'll second that! I had an 86 2.3L for a winter beater....terrible in the snow.

I have driven both a 5.0 and a 2.3 Stang in the winter.
I had not problems. Don't just put 2 snow tires put 4. Also put about 2 40kg bags of sand or a really big boom box. I still drive my 5.0 in the winter.
Oh yea they are both stick cars.

I use to have a 4 cyl stang, and it was fine int he winters with about 200 lbs of weight in the trunk.

i drive my 2.3 stang in the winter with only winters.... as long as u dont drive like an ass u will be ok..... now if u screw around like i do (in parking lots and on my buddies road only) u can get into trouble.... just becareful and take it easy around corners is all....

winter driving
 

I drove my '86 mustang 2.3 for two winters on all season tires, never had a problem at all. I just put a heavy bag of cat litter in the back and away I went. Now I drive my '94 3.8l in the winter and haven't had any problems. I run BF Goodrich Traction T/A's all the way around and it grips pretty good.

When I had a '88 2.3 I drove it in the winter without any problems.
I stopped ok, I could turn ok and this was on all season tires. I never did weight down the trunk to.
I did not drive with the gas pedal mashed either.

Right now I am driving a 3.8 with four Blizzaks and am having a blast.
The last snow fall we had here in Toronto, from a green I was able to get better traction than a front wheel drive car beside me. (I do have a bag of gardening soil in the trunk, it froze up so I have a solid bag of earth moving around back there.)
But then again it was a kid driving beside me and he mashed the pedal. Rooster tails look dumb (IMO) from a front wheel drive car.
Not too hard on the pedal and I get where I need to go.

All my Mustangs to date have been 5 speeds.

I have been having fun with my car this season, did get winter tires in the back, but haven't added any weight. And the couple times I have gotten stuck, I worked myself out of the situation :tup