Shelby! Hemi! Boss 302! Supercharged! Muscle Car! Hotrod! Pony Car!These are words that generate a sense of power and individualism. They speak directly to America’s love affair with the car.The automobile provided a kind of mobile independence that allowed Americans to wake up in McHenry in the morning, and watch the sun set in the Gulf of Mexico that evening. Considering that, in the horse-and-buggy

Did you know that there is actually a difference between winter and summer wiper blades? According to NAPA, a summer wiper blade is “made with a lighter layer of rubber or silicone” and a lighter frame. This helps the blades to do a better job of wiping away water from the windshield in warmer weather. But these blades have a harder time standing up to winter weather.In the winter, they freeze

Changing the oil according to recommendations in your McHenry car, truck or SUV’s owner’s manual is a critical factor if you want to extend its life and durability. But summer is a factor that may influence how frequently you change the oil.There are two primary enemies of motor oil – dirt and heat. The dirt is the accumulation of particles suspended in the oil that increases over time after

You’re cruising down 120 one evening, a smile on your face as you head out of McHenry for an excursion you’ve looked forward to all through the pandemic when your serpentine belt breaks. Now that the coronavirus is fading, it’s time to get out of town. But you don’t go far before you have a problem.Suddenly, you notice that your dash lights seem as though they’re dimming. Next thing you know,

What happens to a liquid when it gets hot? It expands. Just like a person whose temper gets the better of him, as the coolant expands in the radiator, it may seek a way to relieve that pressure. You probably won’t like what happens when it finds that place.The place where the pressure is relieved is the place where steamed coolant will erupt from under your car’s hood.By the time this happens,

An insurance company has a commercial where a driver has forgotten their fishbowl, with a goldfish, on top of the car. The suggestion of the commercial is that drivers who are fastidiously safe behind the wheel will not drop the fishbowl off the roof and will receive lower rates for their auto insurance. In reality, it doesn’t matter how you drive from your McHenry home – that fishbowl is not going

How hot will it get this summer? The high temperature in McHenry during the summer of 2020 was 92 degrees on July 26. We hit 90 or higher on seven or eight days in the course of the year. But there were any number of days that hovered close to 90. The reality is that the temperature in McHenry doesn’t need to hit 90 before you turn the AC on in your car. At what temperature do you turn on your

It may come to you as a rattle. Then again, it may catch your notice with a squeal. Maybe you’ll notice a grinding noise. Or you could experience a repeated thump. These are all indicators of a possible problem. While they may cause some concern, they are all much better than noticing this problem when you hit your brakes and your car, truck or SUV doesn’t do what’s expected – it doesn’t

Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag at Talladega Speedway Sunday, April 25, in the GEICO 500, one of nine different winners in the first 10 races of the 2021 NASCAR CUP SERIES.“The whole race, I had a couple of opportunities to take the lead, but I just kept thinking, ‘Man, just keep your car in one piece till the end.’”And he did keep it together till the end as he took the first position

Are you and your vehicle prepared for the challenge?Warmer weather is settling over the McHenry area while the soil is retaining enough moisture to promise ample splattered evidence that brings a sparkle to the eye of the dyed-in-the-wool offroader who considers dirt on the fenders a badge of honor. Yes, it’s time to hit the road, and then leave the road, with your off-road monster of choice.Of course,