[bjack]

First ask yourself "What do you want to drive?" You say you've got the budget to buy, this tells me that you are probably buying the car with your own funds or at least have contributed significantly. If you want the mustang and you cave in to family and peer pressure and buy the civic.....you will regret it each time you see a stang zipping by or charging up in your rear view. Michigan has perfected the snow removal process, it has snowed in Michigan every winter since time began and they know how to prepare and react to treating the roads and highways! If you find yourself on a snow/ice covered road, all you have to do is ensure you have some good all season tires, give yourself plenty of room for breaking, tap, tap the breaks (don't lock em up) and bring the car to a slow steady stop. Don't over accelerate when starting off, sometime with a standard trans you do much better to start off in second gear to avoid spinning the rear tires. If you get in a situation where the rear “fish tails” let your foot off the accelerator and turn the wheels in the opposite direction the car fist tails and tap, tap the breaks when the car straightens up. Easy stuff…use common sense and you’ll be okay. Get the Mustang and think about the possible good times, trust this old fart….that young little honey would much prefer being picked up in a stang opposed to a civic!!