For the past few days my 04 audi a4 1.8t has been preforming like crap until it warmed up to the middle of the gauge. my crap, i mean - slow acceleration, poor shifting (when you push the clutch in the speed drops really fast).

any ideas?

 

How cold is it? Does it smell like you're dragging brakes?

 

Weather has in in the upper 20s... my e brake came out of "alignment" today

 

You need to put white lithium grease on the cable, for the e-brake... They tend to freeze on cold weather like that.