when you drive your MM in the winter.......

[Black_Noise]

do you just throw on snow tires or, do you also detune the car at all?

remove custom tunes or anything like that?

is anyone driving a supercharged MM in the snow? (is that even possible)

[ctrlraven]

Snow tires mounted on 16" CVPI steel wheels, correct the revs per mile and lower the shift pressure via Xcal2. That's all I do for mine.

[jdando]

Put on the snows and drive it everyday!

[Krytin]

No snows, no detune and drive it every day even through the storms!
Also have been running KDW2's on the back all winter - she goes!

[Egon Spengler]

Stock marauder with '07 Grand Marquis Wheels and WS60 Blizzaks... great in the snow, but I also put 200 pounds of plastic pellets in the trunk for peace of mind

[Egon Spengler]

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/7/8/6/6/Dirty.jpg

I like them better than steelies... but nothing beats the stockers

[Dragcity]

Depending on the gas you get, you may have to adjust an 'aggressive' tune. They are putting a ton of Ethonol in our gas up here this year. I had to knock off 2 degrees timing and richen up the mix. Still no black on the tips, but no ping either.

Depending on the amount of snow and temps, 4 snow tire come highly remmended. Obviously, stay out of the accelerator when snowy, slippery, icy.... Snow tires won't save you from being an idiot....

[ctrlraven]

I get a little build up of black carbon on my tips every week and at the 1-2 wot shift I'll let out a nice poof of carbon out the back. Is this good or bad?

[Raudermaster]

I'm running my spare rims with the KDWS' on them since the KDW2's blow in rain, let alone snow. I did what Chris said and also adjust the line pressure back down a bit. But, I don't drive her everyday, just on sunny days. It's the Mirage I drive usually all the time now.

[MENINBLK]

Snows are in my signature.
I put them on when the weather gets REALLY BAD in November.
If it stays calm, then they stay off and the stockers stay on.
In 4 years, I've only used the snows for 2 seasons and 10k miles.

[Krytin]

Depending on the gas you get, you may have to adjust an 'aggressive' tune. They are putting a ton of Ethonol in our gas up here this year. I had to knock off 2 degrees timing and richen up the mix. Still no black on the tips, but no ping either.

Depending on the amount of snow and temps, 4 snow tire come highly remmended. Obviously, stay out of the accelerator when snowy, slippery, icy.... Snow tires won't save you from being an idiot....

I've been in Buffalo in the winter - You are 100% correct!

[Eric91Z]

I did 2 Iowa winters with the Marauder. Just ran snow tires on 16" CVPI steel wheels. Never had to add extra weight or anything. Put the 91 octane tune in instead of the 93 octane tune just to be on the safe side for "winter gas".

I now run those same winter wheels/tires on the CVPI for the winter. 3rd winter with them and they are doing well.

[Lou]

I drive mine all winter with the stock tires although I just put a new set on 2 weeks ago.

The only adjustments I make is to strap an egg to the gas pedal and carry a clean pair of underwear in the glove box. ;)

[Kennyrauder]

I run Blizzaks & have a Reinhart installed Vortech S/C. This car has started at -30 without the engine block heater plugged in. Ran 3 winters now no problems. I live in Northern Ontario Canada. PS the engine sure honks in this cold climate, you get by real well with the air to air intercooler.

[03Farmmarauder]

Question....If you drive your marauder in the winter why do u guys remove the stock wheels. Do you remove your paint on the car also. The wheels are protected with the same clear that is on the car!!!!!

[O's Fan Rich]

When I drive what in the what?

[Breadfan]

Question....If you drive your marauder in the winter why do u guys remove the stock wheels. Do you remove your paint on the car also. The wheels are protected with the same clear that is on the car!!!!!

Because they put on 16" snow tires. If you keep them seperate and plan to use them year after year it's cheaper because you don't pay to remove/mount balance twice a year, plus you get more sidewall and a thinner tire which is better in snow.

And you keep salt sand and snow off your wheels which unlike the rest of the car spin at many RPM's when driving. (Well hopefully unlike the rest of the car!)

It's generally easier and in many cases works out to be more economical to have a seperate snow tire/wheel combo.

This year and last I tried to keep my MM off the snow last year we had a fair amount and I drove my old 200,000 mile Mustang GT in it and did fine.

[bob6364]

Question....If you drive your marauder in the winter why do u guys remove the stock wheels. Do you remove your paint on the car also. The wheels are protected with the same clear that is on the car!!!!!

Because winter driving isn't just about the salt,you have more road debris,mud and you may even slide off the road into a curb,etc etc etc....my steel wheels get a big gouge OH WELL!

[Joe Walsh]

DRIVE MY MARAUDER IN THE WINTER!?!?!?....... :eek:

(I only did that the first winter-'02 that I owned it, now I'm patiently waiting for the salt to be washed from the roads...)

[1stMerc]

We don't get the kind of snow and ice that hangs around, here in St. Louie, Mo. Have to remember most times if we even had snow the previuos season. Run with the oem's and DR tune all year round. Just take it easy and may put a little extra weight in the trunk to compensate for my slight build. One thing i did do was put the stock plugs back in this season with no ill effects. Romped on it pretty good this past Sunday with no pinging or detonation. We seem to have pretty good gas here.
Only use Shell or BP.

[00 Aggie]

Question....If you drive your marauder in the winter why do u guys remove the stock wheels. Do you remove your paint on the car also. The wheels are protected with the same clear that is on the car!!!!!

Umm they use a ton of mag chloride up here, which is tough on the paint. Not to mention the cost of 18" snow tires.

[Aren Jay]

Detuned already so I just put snow tires on. Mind you getting to the shop to mount the snow tires was a nightmare, slipping sliding and almost not making it.

With snow tires it was great. No problems yet, not as good as my Subie was the first season in the snow, but much better than not using snow tires. Or even any other car I have ever used in the snow, possible with the exception of that Plymouth Horizon I drove in the early 80's.

[Badger]

Use the stock tires. Egg under the gas pedal. Driven through snow sleet ice etc. Boost on freeway overpasses when raining and below 31 degrees = BAD. :D

[03Farmmarauder]

Marauder is under a blanket in the garage so i wouldnt know how they do on snow.:banana2::banana2::banana 2:

[QWK SVT]

16" steelies, plus WS50 Blizzaks all around... It's been a great solution, to my winter driving (daily driven). No mods are removed, and the une stays the same. My mpg goes down the drain in the winter (to about 16-18mpg), due to more tire slip and the winter gas, but I get where I'm going.

A couple of weeks ago, we had a bad storm come through, right during rush hour. Took me 3.5 hours, to go less than 16 miles, but I made it home, only once needing to turn off the traction control to make it up a slick, icy incline. I was shocked at the number of Acura TL's stuck spinning on the sides of the roads... I passed at least 4 of them, spinning like crazy and not moving forward, at all! :eek:

[Black_Noise]

well im taking a trip friday of about 120 miles (one way) an they are saying snow or rain... and i havnt driving in the snow with the MM, i have driving ON snow, but also not with the new tune so i didnt know how bad it might be.

I should be alright if there is S/Cd MM up in canada right? i think so

[hot-rauder]

Marauder is under a blanket in the garage so i wouldnt know how they do on snow.:banana2::banana2::banana 2:
congrats.... no need to rub it in and show off to us. sorry some of us have no other option.

i have my steelies off right now. we had a 1/2" of just light snow last night and my KDWS' couldnt do anything to save their lives.... partially b/c my rear tires are almost "homemade" drag slicks:o and even when they are new the KDWS' cant move in even rain lol.

i also just cant stand the look of the steelies. ui hate it, but i would rather have an ugly car and be safe than look good and slide anymore.

[Dragcity]

black 03,

Be careful. The wide tires, responsive throttle, stiff shifts and slippery roads = potential disaster.

If you are unsure of the way conditions will get, and how to drive in it, I would recommend:
A) Use a different vehicle
B) Stay home
C) Stay on heavily traveled roads and practice safety.

And keep a full tank of gas.

Not sure where you are at, but it is really friggin' cold in the Northeast. Single digits and teens. Rubber don't work so good in those temps. It's more like hard plastic.

Just be safe.

[Black_Noise]

the truck uses twice as much gas, and the MM already has a full tank, and we will be on the highway. I have to go. Its a hearing to terminate my X's rights of our daughter, and took boot, she stabed her "GIRLFRIEND'S" husband over the weekend, then she took of and has a warrent for her arrest, they still havnt found her, I think we have a good chance of termination

It cant be anyworse than when i had to drive my 95 camaro lt-1 6sp when i was a part time pizza delivery boy.

[03Farmmarauder]

congrats.... no need to rub it in and show off to us. sorry some of us have no other option.

i have my steelies off right now. we had a 1/2" of just light snow last night and my KDWS' couldnt do anything to save their lives.... partially b/c my rear tires are almost "homemade" drag slicks:o and even when they are new the KDWS' cant move in even rain lol.

i also just cant stand the look of the steelies. ui hate it, but i would rather have an ugly car and be safe than look good and slide anymore.

Just be careful with the old girl and give her alot of warm baths. ;) It makes me sad that i cant drive the MM in the winter.:bigcry: I didnt even get to take her to the chi town auto show. :bigcry:

[ctrlraven]

16 CVPI steelies with the bling bling wheel covers
Front 235/70-16 Winterforce M+S
Rear 255/70-16 " " "

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a164/ctrlraven/marauder/DSCF2022Medium.jpg

[Dragcity]

Dude, you have way too much clearance betwwen the tire and wheel well.....

Eh, go big or go home.

[ctrlraven]

I'm running the same tires as you! Well just 255 in the back since they stopped making the 265 series lol.

I love the clearnece though, that inch height increase makes it easier to get in and out.

[Dragcity]

Oh, I thought you went one series smaller. So sorry... Looks to be more room than mine.
Can't wait to get the factory rims back on. Come March, I am so sick of seeing my Marauder dirty, salty and with silly plastic wheel covers on it.

God, I hope the weather gets good in the beginning of April.

O.k., enough hijacking. Sorry fella's.

[ctrlraven]

Oh, I thought you went one series smaller. So sorry... Looks to be more room than mine.
Can't wait to get the factory rims back on. Come March, I am so sick of seeing my Marauder dirty, salty and with silly plastic wheel covers on it.

God, I hope the weather gets good in the beginning of April.

O.k., enough hijacking. Sorry fella's.

Were not hijacking, were just slightly off topic but still talking about winter stuff. I can't wait to put the stockers back on, I really miss being able to take turns a whole let better plus the front drivers side tire keeps losing air for some reason and no one can figure out why, rim isn't bent, tire will hold air but once it's out in the cold I lose 6-8 psi per 8 hrs.

I guess you didn't see the other part that is on my car that is dying to play once it gets warm lol.

[hot-rauder]

mine with the steelies on it

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z302/blkmarauder/007-1.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z302/blkmarauder/008.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z302/blkmarauder/009-1.jpg

my brothers w/ steelies

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z302/blkmarauder/011-1.jpg

[Blk Mamba]

Just like she was the day she was born.

[Eric91Z]

The very first winter I had my Marauder I had those nice winter wheels/tires all ready to go. At the time the Marauder was my only car and my daily commute was about 100 miles round trip.

Well, they had called for the first snow, but said it was only to be a dusting. So I waited to put the winter setup on. Well, about 10:00am that morning it start snowing those big, heavy, wet flakes with a couple of inches by mid-afternoon. Well, I didn't get off work until 10:00pm that night and only had about 1/4 tank of gas in the car. Needless to say there was a good 6-8 inches on the ground by the time I got off work with high winds (lots of drifting).

Took about 20 minutes to get from work to the gas station and filled up. It was 20-25mph trip home on the stock BFG's and driving on lots of ice and through drifts (county highways). Took 2 hours to get home on a trip that normally took an hour at most.

Needless to say I put the winter wheels/tires on that night. And ever since then I have put them on at least a week before even the slightest chance of snow and run them through mid-April. No reason to take a chance.

And after doing this for 3 winters I am a huge believer in dedicated winter tires. They are leaps and bounds above an all season tire any day.

[Dragcity]

See, See that.?

An unsolicited testimonial.....

[whd507]

I am a huge believer in dedicated winter tires. They are leaps and bounds above an all season tire any day.

oh yeah. while the marauder dosen't really get out when there is a chance of salt, I have studded winter tires for other cars/trucks.

ice storm? what ice storm?

[Eric91Z]

See, See that.?

An unsolicited testimonial.....

Glad to help...