Bring on Winter! 11 Winter Driving Tips

Winter is here! Or it'll soon be here. Or will hopefully start soon. 

I love winter. I love the snow, the frost, and the cold, dry air. One of my favorite things is being outside on a clear, cold day and having my nostrils freeze together with each intake of breath. Makes me feel alive! 

Driving in the snow and ice takes special care, and should never be done with complacency. Even if we have four-wheel drive, snow tires, or chains, we all must continue to drive with great caution and awareness. Don't forget: You are not invincible, but someone else on the road thinks they are.

Are Quattros Taking Over Minnesota?

(c) MN Audi Clubs

Today I made the following observation: There were more German-engineered cars in the parking lot of my health club this morning than I saw after driving 1100 miles in Minnesota last month. With one exception: Audi.

I was surprised by the number of Audis I saw in Minnesota when compared with seeing only five Mercedes-Benz (two SUVs, two sedans, one SLK driven by a 19-year-old show off) and two BMWs (one of which was in the garage of my cousin). It was like being on car Safari and watching for the elusive GLK and 528i. 

It's not surprising that Audi vehicles with Quattro sell well in snowy territories, but the ratio was so heavily weighted with Quattros, there must be something else to this. Does Audi advertise more than other luxury brands in Minnesota? Are the dealerships more plentiful? Does any of this have to do with Vikings?


I didn't watch enough TV during my two weeks in the state to notice advertising trends. And in a web search I find only three Audi dealers in the entire state, and I don't think any of them were started by former Vikings football stars.


What do you think? Is it the Quattro? Or the cool headlights?



(c) Copyright 2010-2016. Erika JN Fish. Car Mama. All Rights Reserved.

Q & A with Car Mama: Three Rows of Luxury

Car Mama answers your questions! A reader recently sent this: 

Infiniti QX56

Q. Dear Car Mama: I live on Long Island with my three kids, husband, and our nanny. My husband and I both work full-time and like to fill our weekends with adventure, as well as soccer games and trips to the park. I would like a luxury SUV with All Wheel Drive (or 4 Wheel Drive) that has captains chairs in the 2nd row and an easy-to-access 3rd row. My husband already has a GMC Denali, so I don't want another one of those. And I really don't want a minivan. Suggestions?

Audi Q7 - Happy Driver, Happy Family

I don't want to admit it, but the phrase "Happy Mom, Happy Family" is, in fact, true. I don't want to admit that my mood swings (which can shift with the wind) affect my family. As our kids get older, I get smarter -- or less stubborn -- and I can now admit that most of the familial happiness revolves around me. I also never wanted to admit that I'm a control freak, but I am. I'll let my husband be in charge of the car radio when he drives, but God save him if he reaches for the dial when I'm driving. Maybe my car's vanity plates should read "Scorpio" instead of "CarMama." 

Where in The World Was Car Mama?

I like to pretend that I have so many followers that my recent break in posts has distressed more than 2 people. (Thanks, Mom & Dad.) It caused me distress. And stress. Both, actually. Was it noticeable that my posting dwindled in November and is just now picking up in April? I refer to my time off as getting stuck in The Quagmire. But it could be called a hiatus. The Quagmire sounds like a place you don't want to be and hiatus sounds like a place of choice. I did not want to take a break, but stuff kept happening and I got stuck.

2009 Subaru Outback: Unflappable & Unstoppable

Plays Well with Mud

No matter the weather or the season, our Subaru Outback is perfect. It isn't flashy, it isn't super fast, but it gets the job done without complaint and with such capability that you just stop noticing how well the car works. The Outback is at the ready all the time. Add some good weather-appropriate tires and I think you can go anywhere.