1,500 Miles, One Wiper, and My Dad
I drove my dad to Arizona in the 911 for a work event that got cancelled. The drive home had a thunderstorm, a fake AAA guy, hydroplaning, and one wiper. We made it.
How-to guides and other ridiculous automotive thoughts
Stories from the garage and the gut.
A personal and often ridiculous lens on someone’s view of the car world. It’s shaped into part memoir, part road trip reflections, part garage-floor confessional, and part useful guides so you can get the job done.
Reference
Torque specs and repair guides
Sourced from factory documentation wherever we can get it, with the caveats left in.
- 01 BMW N20/N26 torque specs BMW
- 02 BMW B58 Gen 1 torque specs BMW
- 03 BMW N54 torque specs BMW
- 04 BMW M52 torque specs BMW
- 05 BMW S62 torque specs BMW
- 06 R53 MINI Cooper S torque specs MINI
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The Complete Guide to Repairing Porsche PDK Transmission Problems Complete Porsche PDK repair guide for 997.2, 987.2, 991.1, and 981 owners. -
The Porsche 996 IMS Bearing Every prospective 996 buyer eventually has the conversation. -
Best Brake Pads for Porsche 986 and 987 Boxster/Cayman Stock Porsche brake pads are engineered for average use — and that means they're a compromise.
Opinions & stories
From the driver’s seat
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400 Miles to Clear My Head: A Northern California Rally A 5 AM start, 400 miles of Northern California backroads, and a long day learning how much I still don’t know about driving a 911. -
Juggling Glass: Mt. Umunhum Somewhere around the fourth or fifth hairpin, I said the name out loud to nobody. -
What GaryVee Got Wrong: Don't Sell Out Your Hobby When you sell out your hobby, you stop being a maker and start being a marketer.
Buying
Buying guides
Used-car lists with dated, sourced prices and what to check before you buy.
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BMW 128i Manual Coupe All 6 US years of the manual BMW 128i coupe, with what changed, the recalls to check and recent sold prices for each year. -
Manual BMW 3 Series Wagons 6 manual BMW 3 Series wagons, E46 and E91, with Bring a Trailer sold prices and the recalls to check on each. -
Used MINI Clubman S Manuals 6 years of the manual MINI Cooper S Clubman, from the 2009 R55 to the 2017 ALL4, with sold prices and recalls.
Index
Every article
All 84, newest first.
BMW 41
- BMW 128i Manual Coupe: Which Year to Buy?
- Manual BMW 3 Series Wagons: Used Buying Guide
- BMW E46 330i Window Regulator Diagnosis: Regulator, Motor or Switch
- BMW E90 Blower Motor Wiring Recall: VIN Check
- Best Used BMW Z4 Models for Enthusiasts
- BMW E36 Thermostat Replacement: Symptoms, Parts and Torque Specs
- BMW E46 330i Coolant Bleeding and Leak Diagnosis: BMW Factory Steps
- Best Used BMW M Cars Under $40k (October 2026)
- BMW E46 330i Lean Codes: P0171, P0174 & Vacuum Leaks
- Fun German Daily Drivers Under $20k (October 2026)
- BMW M54 Oil Filter Housing Gasket Leak: Diagnosis, Repair & Part Number
- BMW M54 DISA Valve: Symptoms, Testing, Replacement & Fitment
- Manual German Cars Under $25k Worth Buying Now (October 2026)
- BMW M54 CCV Failure Symptoms: Oil Separator Diagnosis Guide
- Best Used BMWs for DIY Owners Under $15k (October 2026)
- BMW M52 vs. M52TU vs. M54: How to Tell Them Apart
- BMW M50 Torque Specs: E36 & E34 DIY Engine Reference
- BMW M52 Torque Specs: E36, E39 & Z3 Reference
- BMW S62 Torque Specs: E39 M5 & Z8 DIY Engine Reference
- BMW N54 Common Torque Specifications: Complete DIY Engine Reference
- BMW B58 Gen 1 Torque Specs: Complete DIY Engine Reference
- BMW N20/N26 Common Torque Specifications: Engine Maintenance & DIY Reference
- BMW N55 Common Torque Specifications: Engine Maintenance & DIY Reference
- BMW F30/F31/F34 Common Torque Specifications: Maintenance & DIY Reference
- BMW E90/E91/E92/E93 Common Torque Specifications: Maintenance & DIY Reference
- Best Clutch Kit for BMW E36: OEM, Performance, and When You Need Each
- Best VANOS Rebuild Kit for BMW E36 and E46: What Actually Works
- Best Coilovers for BMW E36: What the Forums Actually Run
- Best Cooling System Kit for BMW E46: What to Replace, What to Buy, and When to Do It
- Essential Tools for BMW DIY — Build Your Garage Right
- BMW E46 Torque Specs: Complete Reference (All Engines)
- BMW E39 Torque Specs — Complete Reference (All Engines)
- BMW E36 Common Problems — What to Know Before You Buy or Work on One
- BMW E36 Common Torque Specifications (Maintenance and DIY Jobs)
- BMW E36 Buyer’s Guide — What to Look For, What to Avoid, What to Pay
- How to Install an Aftermarket Steering Wheel with No Airbag Lights and a Working Horn in an E36
- How to Reset the BMW E36 Oil Service Light with a Paperclip
- Complete Guide: E36 BMW Power Steering Hose and Reservoir Replacement (+3 Pro Tips)
- Analog Joy: Rediscovering Life Through My BMW E36
- The E36 is “Down For It All”
- 3 Reasons Why the E36 M3 Increased in Price (and WON’T depreciate again)
Porsche 25
- 1,500 Miles, One Wiper, and My Dad
- The Best Manual 996 and 997 Coupes for Sale, November 2, 2026
- Six Used Porsche Boxster and Cayman Picks Worth Considering
- Porsche 997.1 Carrera S AOS: Symptoms, Vacuum Test and Parts
- Porsche 997 Bore Scoring: What 98 Owner Reports Show
- Porsche 997 IMS Bearing Failures: What 419 Owner Reports Show
- Best First Porsche Under $40k (October 2026)
- Best Used Porsches for DIY Owners (October 2026)
- German Enthusiast Cars That Got Cheaper This Year
- Porsches You Can Still Buy Under $30k (October 2026)
- 7 Cheap German Sports Cars That Are Still Good Buys (October 2026)
- Porsche 997.1 Carrera Buyer's Guide (2005 to 2008): What to Pay and What to Check
- The Complete Guide to Repairing Porsche PDK Transmission Problems
- The Porsche 996 IMS Bearing: Risk, Reality, and What to Do About It
- Best Brake Pads for Porsche 986 and 987 Boxster/Cayman: Street, Track, and Everything Between
- Best IMS Bearing Solution for Porsche 986 & 987: What the Forums Actually Recommend
- Porsche 997.1 Carrera S Brake Replacement — Complete DIY Guide (Rotors, Pads & Hardware)
- Porsche 987 Boxster and Cayman Common Torque Specifications (Maintenance and DIY Jobs)
- Porsche 986 Boxster Common Torque Specifications (Maintenance and DIY Jobs)
- Porsche 996 Common Torque Specifications (Maintenance and DIY Jobs)
- Porsche 997.1 Common Torque Specifications (Maintenance and DIY Jobs)
- Paddle out. Even if it looks bad.
- Little Bastard Helped James Dean Search for Something Real
- How to Set Seat and Mirror Memory in a Porsche 997
- Science has Proven Porsche’s “There is No Substitute” Slogan
MINI 10
- Used MINI Clubman S Manuals: Which Year to Buy?
- MINI R56 Turbo Water Pump Recall: VIN and Repair Check
- R53 MINI Cooper S Serpentine Belt Replacement: Tools and Steps
- R53 MINI Cooper S Power Steering Recall: Symptoms and VIN Check
- Cheap Small European Cars That Are Fun to Drive (October 2026)
- R53 MINI Cooper S Common Torque Specifications: Maintenance & DIY Reference
- The R53 MINI Cooper S Supercharger — Maintenance, Service, and Upgrades
- R53 vs R56 MINI Cooper S — Which One Should You Buy?
- The R53 MINI Cooper S Buyer's Guide: What to Know Before You Buy
- The R56 MINI Cooper S Timing Chain Problem — What Every Owner Needs to Know