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Winter readiness is about more than getting your BMW or Audi started on a cold morning. Tires, visibility, coolant protection, and small problems that worsen in the cold all affect how confidently your car handles winter driving. A few checks before temperatures drop can help you avoid preventable trouble. Here are seven common winter-prep mistakes,…

Every October, exotic owners around here start asking the same question: park it or drive it? The honest answer is that Minnesota winters are hard on cars but not impossible, and a proper storage plan is less about locking the car away for five months than about controlling what happens to it while it sits.…

A new smell inside your car is more than an annoyance. It can be an early clue that fluid is leaking, a component is overheating, or fumes are entering the cabin. The scent alone won’t identify the exact problem, but noticing when it appears, and acting on it, can help you avoid a breakdown or…

Your BMW, Audi, or Porsche may start perfectly every morning through summer and still leave you stranded on the first truly cold day of fall. That is because a battery that seems “fine” in warm weather can lose much of its starting ability when temperatures drop. At the same time, cold oil increases engine resistance,…

Minnesota winter does not wait for the first major snowfall to start damaging your car. Road crews may begin applying salt and brine before the roads look fully “wintry,” which means your vehicle’s most vulnerable components can be exposed well before the first deep freeze. For European vehicles, fall is the last practical window to…

A generic OBD-II scanner can be useful. It may tell you that your BMW or Audi has an engine-related fault, provide a basic trouble code, and help you decide whether a warning light needs immediate attention. But it rarely tells you the complete story. Modern BMW and Audi vehicles are built around dozens of interconnected…

Your BMW or Audi may start, idle, and drive every day while slowly losing the sharp response it had when it was newer. The problem may not be a failing turbocharger, worn ignition coil, or clogged fuel injector. In many direct-injection engines, the real issue is hidden inside the intake ports: carbon buildup on the…

There is nothing quite like the feeling of unbuckling your helmet after your first hot lap at Brainerd International Raceway or Dakota County Technical Center. For Porsche owners in the Twin Cities area, taking your sports car out of the daily commute and onto a closed circuit is the ultimate way to experience what German…

There’s nothing quite like the rush of a track day. Whether you’re heading up to Brainerd International Raceway for a full weekend or taking part in a local performance driving event near Minneapolis, your Audi is built to perform. But while your Quattro system is clawing for grip and your turbo is spooling at max…

Owning an exotic car in the Twin Cities is a unique experience. Between the pristine stretches of highway and the vibrant local car scene, there’s nothing quite like taking a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren out for a weekend drive through the lakes area. However, owning one of these high-performance machines comes with a set of…

If you’ve owned a European performance car for more than a few years, you’re likely familiar with the routine maintenance schedule. You get your oil changed, you keep an eye on your brake pads, and when the steering starts to pull slightly to one side or your tires show uneven wear, you head in for…

Mid-June in the Twin Cities brings a specific kind of magic. The lakes are sparkling, the patios are packed, and the open roads are finally clear of the winter salt and spring potholes. For those of us driving high-performance European machinery: whether it’s a precision-tuned BMW, a visceral Porsche, or a refined Audi: this is…

Owning a European performance car: whether it’s a precision-engineered Porsche, a high-revving BMW M-series, or a refined Audi RS: is a unique experience. There’s a level of connection to the road that few other vehicles can match. However, along with that performance comes a long list of “expert” advice, garage-talk legends, and internet myths that…

When the Minnesota summer humidity finally hits the Twin Cities, there is nothing quite like the relief of sliding into your BMW, Audi, or Porsche and feeling that immediate blast of crisp, cold air. But if you turn that dial and get nothing but a lukewarm breeze, your first instinct might be to solve the…