gas millage and handling question

[Cataract2]

i was wondering for those of you with the 93-95 5.0 V8 mustangs just what is your MPG with 87, 89, 92/93 fuel. i do not expect the mustang to get great gas millage but i was a straight answer.

and also. i've read many reviews and reports about mustangs not handling well in rainy weather (snow here in central fl is not a problem. lol. hot hot hot) in how they loose traction really really easily.

i ask these questions just to find out from those who have mustangs a straight answer.

[6T9PONY]

Any rear wheel drive car with a V8, or even a smaller engine with decent power isn't going to have very good traction on wet roads--not just a Mustang.

If you drive responsibly and you're aware of the road conditions, you'll be just fine.

[MidNiteBlu 5.0]

I get about 14.5 - 15 using 89 octane. this is all in town with little mostly no highway driving. As for rain it doesnt handle too bad. I mean you definently have to watch your throttle when going around curves.

Later,
Nick

[Cataract2]

(i should be in class..... it's been a bad semester)

so let me see if i have this right. the higher the octane the lower the MPG.

[Mr 5 0]

I have a lightly modified '90 LX (5-speed) and I use 94 octane gas, exclusively.

I average about 15-18 mpg, depending on how much around-town driving I do.

I've gotten 24 on the highway (26 on a long highway trip) and less than 10 mpg when driving stop-and-go and/or racing. Gas mileage depends on how you drive it, but a V-8 Mustang is not an economy car and was never meant to be. You want economy, buy a Honda Civic. You want performance, buy a V-8 Mustang. Simple as that.

Mustangs are nose-heavy, have tons of low-end torque and as a rear-wheel drive car, they will fishtail on a damp/wet road or in sandy road conditions. You have to respect that aspect of the Mustang or you're looking for grief and bent sheetmetal.
Obviously, having good tires helps traction.

In the wet, start very easy and upshift quickly. Most Mustang drivers get into trouble when they try to drive in the wet the same as they do on dry roads. Dumb. Some new Mustang drivers think it's 'fun' to fishtail and try it once too often, ending up out of control and in an accident. Also dumb. Respect your cars limitations.

[95mustanggt]

Higher octane does not equal lower MPG. The only reason it might seem like that is because most people who run high octane fuel have increased there timing and probably have a lot more done to the car so they get poorer gas milage.

When my car was bone stock with just the K&N and 2.73 gears I got 20-24 MPG (depending on how I drove) and up to 28 MPG on the highway. Now I get between 18 and 20 MPG.

Yes Mustangs can be hazzardous in rain or snow. I drove my GT in Northern Canada for a couple years. It takes a lot of patience and skill to avoid an accident. However these are not front wheel drive grocery getters were talking about here. Any rear wheel drive car with decent power and torque is going to have traction problems in poor road conditions. It shouldn't be that much of a concern. You should have no problems in rain unless your racing, and if your dumb enough to race in the rain, you really shouldn't have a V8 Mustang.

Hope that helps.

[95mustanggt]

Darn Mr 5.0 beat me too it, and said basically the same thing I did. Oh well there's 2 opinions that are going in the same direction

[lx mike]

My 93 lx even with 3.73 get anywhere from 20-25 mpg on highway depending on if i drive the limit or not. I use either hess or mobil or shell super depending on where i am when i need gass and haven't norticed any big difference in milega efrom any of them. in the rain i use a very light foot on the gas especially in the corners. i just usualy coast around corners and don't get on teh gass till car is straight.