When you purchase a new car, whether a new car from one of the new-car dealerships in McHenry, or a used car from a used-car lot or private owner, there is an acclimation period. You have to get used to the car.

This doesn’t mean you have to learn how to drive the car, though there are areas where this applies. What it does mean is that, for instance, the nobs and controls are in different locations compared to your previous car, unless you’ve bought the same car. Even when you buy the same make and model of car, you may find significant changes in where the controls are in the new car based on differences in the years the cars were made.

In your previous car, when it rained in McHenry, you found the wiper control arm mounted on the left side of the steering column. In the new car, you may find it’s on the right side of the steering column. And, where you would move the lever up to turn the wipers on before, now you have to pull the lever down. And, how does the intermittent wiper control work?

While you adjusted the seat positions manually with the old car, you may find that, with the new car, you adjust the seats with power buttons. You’ll have to learn how to operate the heater and air conditioning. And then you have the sound system. Is it an older style stereo, possibly with CDs?

Some cars come with subscription options for music, radio and gaming in the car. Some cars come with video options (for those who aren’t driving). Newer cars come with navigation systems. All of these systems come with a learning curve. The more complicated the system, the higher the curve.

Once you’ve figured out how to operate and adjust all the systems in your car, then you have to learn the nuances of how your car drives. This includes getting used to the way your new car accelerates. Your new car may have more or less power than your old car. But, how it accelerates also includes how responsive it is to pressure on the accelerator.

How does your new car handle? If the car sits higher, such as would be the case if you’ve moved up to an SUV or pickup, it may be more top heavy. It may not handle the turns the way your old car. You may also find that your new car handles the bumps in the road differently.

Then there are the brakes. When you first buy your new car, it’s a good idea to find a McHenry parking lot somewhere and find out how it reacts in a panic-stop situation. Better to find out in a parking lot before you have to deal with an actual emergency braking situation.

One last piece of advice – read the Owner’s Manual for your new car. Even after years of driving, had you read the Owner’s Manual for your old car, you might have found there were controls you never knew about. Why wait until you’ve owned the car for two or three years before you discover you can, for instance, change the color that lights your dashboard? That’s a minor thing but, the more you know about your car, the better you’ll be as a driver and operator of that vehicle.