There’s just nothing like a shiny new car, truck or SUV to make you feel like hitting the open road – heading out from McHenry to points unknown. Everything is clean. The engine purrs like a kitten. And then there’s that new-car smell. But, how does a car go from that to some of the junkers you see on the road?

Don’t just compare those junkers to new cars; compare them to some of the older cars – older cars that look as though they’re almost new. How can a car that’s 20 years old, or older, look better than a car that’s only a few years old? The answer is simple – someone didn’t care enough to keep that junker in better condition.

There are people who baby their cars. They pamper their automobiles on a daily basis. Oil changes are always done on schedule, as well as all other scheduled maintenance. They wash their cars with frequency. Some take the car through the carwash. Others are purest who would never stoop to allowing the rolling brushes and swaying rags of a carwash to touch their baby. They opt for the ‘touchless’ carwash or they wash the cars themselves (somewhat problematic in a McHenry winter).

They keep their cars clean an operating in tip-top condition at all times. But, there are others who hardly pay attention to their cars at all, at least not until their cars demand attention. You’ve seen them driving down Route 120 in McHenry. The car, truck or SUV they drive is filthy, loud and it runs rough while blowing clouds of smoke out the exhaust. Or, you may seem them on the side of the road with the hood up.

The truth is that these are opposite ends of the spectrum. Most people fall somewhere in between. They have the oil changed but they’re not as concerned about making sure that it’s done according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. They’re less scrupulous about other maintenance, too.

The better someone is about maintaining their car, truck or SUV, the longer it will take, assuming they don’t have an accident, before it turns to junk. And, remember, when a car, truck or SUV is turning to junk, it’s as though dollar bills are flaking off the side of the vehicle as it drives down the road, and as it sits in your McHenry driveway.

A car, truck or SUV can turn to junk almost before your eyes. Or, if you maintain it well, it can last, in nearly pristine condition for decades.