Snow tires make a world of difference. The skinnier the better. The Ti being RWD, is a blast to drift around in, however it's those occasional patches of ice that will take you out. Being from MN, I'm sure you know what I'm referring to. The traction control works but is unpredictable, so don't depend on it to save you. The car itself is pretty light, so if you're driving on hard packed snow or ice, sometimes 18 wheelers will blow you off into the snow drifts. Nothing beats the donuts these things can put down in the snow or the incredible drifts, but don't get too cocky. Ask DustenT, lol J/K Dusten
Maintenance costs are less than your average BMW, but expect some markup on parts. It's a 12 year old car, so be prepared to replace some common wear parts such as bushings, suspension and cooling system components. If you lower it and don't correct the negative camber in the rear, expect to go through a set of tires every year. Minor mods will get you close to 150hp, probably 140ish at the wheels. All in all due to it's wieght and gear ratio, these things are pretty snappy off the line and hold their own in higher RPMs.