No, it’s not jewelry. It’s also not the latest electronic gadget. But, if you haven’t considered a gift certificate for auto repair, you may have neglected an excellent present to put in someone’s stocking December 25th. Admittedly, a gift certificate from an auto repair shop isn’t the ideal gift for everyone. After all, there are some people who don’t own cars. Some folks have brand

You don’t want to bring your car just anywhere for auto repairs and maintenance. You want an auto repair shop you can trust. And, by trust, that means you can trust that they have the expertise and equipment to do the job right. But, trust also means that you know they’ll be looking out for your best interests, as opposed to ‘how much they can get out of you.’ Your automobile is one of your

It was the second time Jean noticed the little orange warning light flash on in her dashboard beside the speedometer. The first time, she thought it was a fluke. Or, maybe, just hoped it was a fluke. She told herself, “If I see it again, I’ll worry.” But then it flashed again. “It may not have meant anything, or at least not something important,” she thought out loud. But, deep down, she

A customer, at Ringwood-based Performance Unlimited, had their car towed in the other day because the engine wouldn’t run. The damage to internal parts of the engine were extensive and, unfortunately for the customer, avoidable. The car’s timing belt broke causing a chain reaction of internal-engine damage. Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited, feels bad for the customer. More than

You’re cruising along on Johnsburg Road thinking about what you’ll buy when you get to the store. You’re thinking about what you’ll fix for dinner tonight or what time you have to pick your daughter up from her horseback riding lesson. You’re thinking how nice it would be to take a little time off, maybe visit an exotic destination in the Caribbean. Whatever you’re thinking about, you

Winter can reach bitterly cold temperatures here in McHenry County. With wind chills, winter carries potentially fatal consequences across the barren landscape. Traveling on such days is a challenge – a challenge to safe and warm even in your car. But, when you turn on the heat in your car the heated air pours out of the vents and warms you to the bone, right? It all depends on whether your car’s

“Hey, Hey!!” yells Jack Brickhouse over the car radio as Willie Smith slaps a three-run, 3rd-inning homer to help propel the Cubs to another division-leading victory. It’s July 12, 1969, and the temperature is nearing 90-degrees here in the Chicago area. Of course, you have your car windows down. Rolling the windows up on a day such as this is just crazy. Inside the car would quickly turn into

Early autos required auto maintenance, too. The automobile has played a significant role in American society. With Henry Ford’s development of the assembly line, even someone with a moderate income could afford to purchase a car. With their new car, they had new options. For starters, they didn’t have to live within walking distance of their place of employment. Imagine if you didn’t

There’s something about cruising on the open road – a kind of freedom you feel as the mile markers go by, local radio stations fade in and then fade out as they’re replaced by other local stations that track your route as the aural equivalent of mile markers. Whether you’re headed north, south, east or west – sometimes, it’s just great to get away. And, when you get back, folks will ask

With these articles, we try to share a little useful information for people who rely on automotive transportation. That, of course, refers to the vast majority of us. We also, occasionally, share high performance automotive tips, from time to time. Our goal is that these articles are of value to as many drivers as possible.The other day, we discovered that we may not speak to as many drivers as we