Anyone drive their 300A in the snow???

[ADE 1000]

I am in the market for a Marauder and I have been primarily focused on 300Bs because I wanted the traction control. I live in Chicago and the Marauder will have to get me through the winter. I have driven newer RWD Fords with the traction control system and never had a problem, even with standard all season tires. But the extremely good deals to be had on 300As is making me reconsider.

So my question is, with snow tires is a 300A a safe vehicle in the winter??

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[O's Fan Rich]

when it gets heavy, or even threatened heavy,I took the Suburban.
No risky when I don't need to.

[jgc61sr2002]

I would go for the Traction Control.

[Mikeenh]

I don't think A or B makes a difference. You still need to turn & stop in the snow. These big tires are like riding on skate boards. Get the best deal and buy 4 SNOW not all purpose tires. I drove my MM last winter with the stock tires....No more. Tirerack.com $500.

[Bigdogjim]

ADE 1900: I dd have to use my Marauder once or twice in the snow last year. Like Mike said "These big tires are like riding on skate boards. "

Their was just a thread about winter tires. I have seen post from a few owners that did make out OK in the snow with winter tires.

[Long Live #3]

Any car that is RWD can't do anything in the snow. I know this because my dad taught me how to correct a spin in HIS '96 T-Bird.

[gja]

Snow?...That's what the Caprice is for.
It sits on 245/65 15s. Mud and snow treads.
Goes great. Baby stays parked.

[Agent M79]

I've only driven in snow in large RWD cars successfully. '72 Caprice, '79 & '81 Bonnevilles, '85 Parisienne. No traction control.

The only and last FWD car I owned, '90 Beretta GTZ, was never set up for snow and sitting still would slowly slide sideways to the curb!

[cruzer]

I have over 300,000 miles on Panther platforms with traction control--even tho I live in Texas, I made 2-3 trips to The Pocono Mountains of PA every year for the past 22 years--I've been in snows up to 6-10 inches. When properly driven, I'll take a RWD Panther against a FWD any time--on numerous occasions I was moving when FWDs were sliding all over the place--its a matter of technique

[mroder]

Just go to your local farm store and put 2 large sand bags (50-75 lbs each ) in the trunk in the winter. Thats what I always use and I used it in a 1990 Comaro RS (SLED) for 12 yrs. NO PROBLEM..
I live in Peoria IL.

[Mad1]

Originally posted by ADE 1900
So my question is, with snow tires is a 300A a safe vehicle in the winter?

I'd point you to my experience (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1601&highlight=first+scratch).

For the record, I grew up driving in Northern Ohio (lots of snow) and drove lots of rear-wheel vehicles without much incident. I didn't have any problems with the MM either, except that it doesn't like to go downhill or uphill in snow. (That's a real problem when you're in the foothills of Tennessee.)

I'll be walking to work next winter (on the two days it snows here!). Hua!

Mad1

[Mobster]

I drove mine all winter here in Toronto- tough sleddin' sometimes- take it easy- take it slow- sometimes I couldn't get out of a flat driveway! This year it's gettin' shod with some real snows- then look out Santa Claus!
I checked out some sub rims to change over- local boys are recommending using a 16" Suzuki turbo rim with some decent snows- a little black paint on the rims shouldn't make it look too bad... better a little nasty rim action than piling it up on the 401!
If anyone has some better snow rims- I'm all ears...

[Murader03]

Drove mine all winter here in Delaware. After the first snow and driving with the stock tires, I made a beeline to TireRack and got winter tires before the next snow fell. We had 27" over a 7-10 day period, and once I was plowed out, the car never missed a beat. I passed several CVPI's backup in snow drifts and off the road, bt the MM just kept on going, and going, anf going. Well, you get the picture. Other than staying off the roads after the Gov. delcared a state of emergency, the car was great. If you were taught how to drive a RWD in the snow, it'll get you most places you want to go.

[vaderv]

I live in the Detroit area. IMHO traction control would be a huge waste. The only thing you have to be carefull of verses a front wheel drive is taking off. This car is heavy enough that it tracks better than the Villager it replaced. It stops fine, just don't lead-foot the lights.

[ADE 1000]

Thanks for the responses guys.

It is fairly obvious that the 18" stock tires are a no no in the snow. I was planning on getting snow tires regardless or whether I got a 300A or 300B.

I am still somewhat undecided, but leaning towards a 300B. Based on my past experience with RWD cars, I think I would feel better with the traction control. My brother currently has a '98 Mark VIII LSC that I have driven in the snow several times and I have yet to get it stuck with the traction control. On the other hand, the prior '95 Mark VIII we had, which had a more primitive version of traction control that just applied the brakes, would get stuck constantly. But you never know, the right deal on a 300A might still sway me.


Thanks again for all the help.

[jgc61sr2002]

mobster - Welcome to the MM site the best on the net. You definately came to the right place. The was a thread on winter tires. You can do a search.:)

[mdmarauder]

Drove all winter long with the stock tires no problem. I drove the gf's new Taurus one day when the snow was deep and hated it. Front-wheel drive is not that much better.

[GarageMahal]

I drove my 300A all through the winter. The stock tires are pretty useless after 3+ inches of snow. Get the winter tire package and have nothing to fear. It really goes well with winter boots on.

jta

P.S. I have been driving retired highway patrol cars for 18 years in the white stuff and the MM with snow tires is the best performer yet although I never put snows on any of the others.

[Mobster]

jgc61sr2002- thanks for the welcome! I really think there's promise for this site. Looking over the quality and depth of communications/subjects and everyone's enthusiasm for this car- that I've been waiting a long time for...! I will most likely start some threads of my own and see if we can't move some of our concerns and interests directly to the Ford Execs in Planning and Development...

I do have one question: most of you southern folks speak about a 300A and B model? When I ordered mine- it was get me all the options- mine came with a traction control defeat switch on the dasd... and I believe there were only one or two extras- cd changer and cargo trunk organizer... were there different model options in the States? and what's with the heated seats- that's not an OEM option here- I'd like to find out more about that one!

[GarageMahal]

It gets more confusing. I am sure there are other posts here that say this better but here is my understanding.

US - 300A - First run
US - 300B - add traction control, delete full size spare, delete remote fuel door release, delete dash clock (moved to radio), ...

Canada - 300A = US - 300B

Confused yet?

It gets worse, some of the 300B were not fully decontented and have some of the features that were deleted.

Hope this helped some,
jta

[MapleLeafMerc]

Last November I got my Marauder, just in time for winter(!) (live north of Toronto). As I did with my old 96 Impala SS (miss you), I got rims and snows for all for wheels. My guy found used 6-spoke alloy rims (say "Racing I" on them), and the tires are unidirectional Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 225/55R17 front and 235/55R17 rear (tho' these say M2). 225/235 approximates the factory tire aspect ratio) As far as traction control goes, it's one of the most useless options I've ever encountered. All it does is kill the power to the rear wheels; try to get moving in snow from a stop when that happens. Now it's a habit to turn the stupid TC off when I get in. Anyway, these tires were great in the snow.
P.S. Don't forget to rustproof.

03 Marauder (wish I'd been offered heated seats!)