i've got a 99 with 5 speed manual and snow tires and unless you're driving stupid, you really wont get stuck too much. Well, either driving stupid or trying to drive UP your driveway with 2 feet of sweet Michigan sticky snow [:'(]

where do you live at out of curiosity? Do yu guys got harsh winters?

 

But when you try to go into first even when you're holding the clutch down doesnt it grind?

 

You guys try to make it sound so easy, lol.
You must not have to drive in northern style winter weather very often.
We use chains bitch!

 

You don't even know the meaning of a Harsh winter. Try living in Saskatchewan during the winter. minus 40 &a lotof snow... I can't wait!

 

we got 3 foot deep snows last year for a month straight and it took 4 months to totaly melt

 

I live in Missouri. Soon to be in KC. By most standards we do not have harsh winters. Just unpredicatable ones. Not a lot of snow most years, but enough to keep you on your toes. Nothing nearly like Michigan, Colorado, or Saskatchewan. If a Civic can make it through the winter gracefully in those places, then it will have no trouble in Missouri. My ex had family in Northern Minnesota and I did a lot of winter driving up there. Now that's winter.

We can count on a couple of ice storms but, as I wrote earlier, I don't do ice.

 

Flip lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which is also where i grew up. Trust me, we don't need lectures on winter conditions

I for one can't wait for it to snow! This is how I'll be plowing my driveway...

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/nhmtns/?action=view¤t=7c99b2e9.pbr

 

whaaaat! looks just like my mom haha (she's got an Outback and theres quite a few days she has to do that every winter)

and ruhdwulf, i wouldnt say gracefully, but i imagine you'll be just fine

 

The UP. Yup. That's a winter.

We had a rain yesterday after a long dry spell. The water and oil on the roads, plus some nicely ground up leaves, made for some slick spots in some areas. I looked for the slickest, oiliest, most mulched place I could find. My driveway.A second gear start wasa simple and effective solution to wheel spin.

Who says you have to start in first? It's not like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.

Thou shalt start in first, not starting in second. Thou shalt move thy stick shift from first to second, not pausing nor grinding. Never shalt thou miss, pause, nor grind for it is offensive to thy Lord. Thou shalt proceed to third, counting as thou hast gone: first, second, third. This shall be the order of thy counting and thy shifting. Skip not thy gears. Proceedest thou with haste to thy fourth gear, the commandment of thy counting. Thy fifth gear beckons thee. Assail it in the order of its natural progression. Thou shalt now reach thy goal, thy pinnacle, thy Grail. Thou shalt slippest thou into sixth gear so that the order of they counting and shifting has been first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth and God shall smile on thee and clear thy road.

 

Hey man, I have a modified hatch and last year I got stuck in our work parking lot after it was plowed. I suggest winter ipike tires from hankook. I put them on and I'm in wisconsin. I haven't had any problems yet! I was passing 4wd suvs at lights! They are studdable tires and I'm running the inside treadblock with studs (so the cops can't see them) only and no traction problems whatsoever!