Medina Auto Repair

Snowmobiling is a great way to spend, not only time with your family, but outdoors, and we are fortunate Minnesota is home to some of the best snowmobile spots in the country. Our team at Nordgren Automotive is a big fan of spending some time in the snow. Here are 10 of the five best places for snowmobiling in Minnesota, and then 5 of the best spots nationwide:   Appeldoorn's Sunset Bay Resort in IsleKavanaugh’s Sylvan Lake Resort in BrainerdTimber Trail Lodge & Resort in ElyVoyagaire Lodge & Houseboats in Crane Lake ... read more

We are truly in our element when the weather is cold, and we love getting out on the weekends. Here are some weekend getaway ideas around the Minneapolis region: Mall of America -- When you’re feeling like you need to get out of the house, visit this behemoth of a mega-mall with its 500 stores, restaurants, and a wedding chapel. While there, you can enjoy the thrill rides of Nickelodeon Universe or visit the Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium. St. Paul Winter Carnival -- January 24 - February 3, 2019 Head to downtown St. Paul for a fun time with friends and family. This festival has a lot going on, and most of them are free. Visit the website for a complete schedule. Watch a Minnesota Wild Hockey Game --  You can find the schedule for Minnesota Wild here if you want to catch a home game in Saint Paul. Outdoor Adventures -- There are so many activities during winter time. Go dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, fat-tire biking, ice skating, ice climbing, ice fishing, snowmobiling ... read more

Several decades ago (prior to about 1980), winterizing your car was often a complicated ritual, but critical if you wanted your car to start when the temperature dropped. Luckily, modern cars don’t need quite as much babying when the weather turns cold, because nowadays automotive technology is such that cars can start in extremely frigid temperatures without the need for a lot of special winterizing preparations. However, if you want your vehicle to start on cold mornings and run well when the cold weather hits, it’s still important to prepare your car for winter by doing a few simple things (or having your auto mechanic do them). Switch to winter-grade oil in the winter. Motor oil thins as it heats and thickens as it cools. In colder weather, thinner oil is better. The first number in the oil specification index for a motor oil indicates the oil viscosity; for example, 5W-30 is more viscous than 10W-30, and if you generally use 10W-30 oil in the warmer months, switching ... read more

Have you ever had one of those mornings when you saunter out of the house, travel mug in hand, whistling a tune as you hop into your car...only to pound your head on the steering wheel minutes later as you crank and crank and crank the key because your engine won’t start? Or have you ever left work late or been traveling somewhere miles from home, maybe even in the dark or rain, and had your car simply break down on the side of the road? Both of these events are frustrating, upsetting, and sometimes even scary. Do you sit in your car waiting for the tow truck or a helpful friend to rescue you, wondering what you might have done wrong? Were there any steps that you could have taken to try to avoid at least some of the most common car problems? Well, we’re glad you asked! Some of the most common car problems can leave you stranded out on the road, but there are things you can do to prevent them (or at least somewhat minimize the frustration when problems do occur). Your Ca ... read more

Have you been thinking about buying a new or pre-owned car lately? Have you been considering a change in vehicles for a while but can’t decide if you want to spring for a new car or look for a pre-owned car that might prove easier on your wallet? There are pros and cons to both. Here are a few things to think about when you’re trying to decide between a new versus a used car. With a new car, you can get exactly what you want--the color, the trim, the features. Your new car will come with a manufacturer’s warranty. Many used cars, especially those sold by individuals, are sold “as is.” If you’re the first owner of a vehicle, apparently you will get more life out of it than out of a used car. Do you tend to keep your cars for a long time and drive them to very high mileage? In that case, buying a new car will likely give you more years of ownership. What is the main drawback to buying a new car, then? Well, there are three: 1. Depreciation. 2. Deprec ... read more