What do you have planned for this summer? Are you going somewhere on vacation? Will you drive there? Maybe you’re not taking an extended trip but still planning to make same day-long excursions. In either case, you’re certainly expecting to have a good time at your destination. You may even expect to enjoy the drive.

The last thing you want to deal with while driving to the Milwaukee Zoo, fishing in Northern Wisconsin or even doing something closer to home in the McHenry County or Northern Illinois region is to have your trip interrupted by car trouble. Who wants to sit on the side of the road with the flashers on watching the other cars go by while you wait for a tow truck?

There are a number of automotive problems that could cause a costly inconvenience during your trip. For instance, you could have …

•    A flat tire
•    A car that overheats
•    Engine belts that break
•    Radiator hoses that burst (this could also lead to the overheating issue listed above)
•    A dead battery or faulty charging system
•    Steering or suspension problems
•    An engine that doesn’t run or runs so poorly you have to pull over
•    Brakes that fail

That’s quite a list. Before you get too worried, remember that you don’t see cars on the side of the road every other mile. In other words, there’s no reason to assume these problems will occur. Rather, they may occur. But, if you drive often enough, eventually, you will, almost certainly, experience one of these issues. The good news is that you don’t just have to drive along waiting for a problem to happen. You can do something to increase the reliability of your automobile.

Before you work yourself into a frazzle worrying, all you need to do is ensure that your car receives appropriate automotive maintenance. This is something you should do anyhow. But, if you are taking a trip, a trip where you’ll be farther from your trusted auto repair shop than usual, it’s a very wise idea to make sure your vehicle is up to the task.

It’s a good idea to bring your car in for an oil change every few months (refer to your owner’s manual for your car’s specifications). While changing the oil, a qualified auto repair technician will look your vehicle over for any safety and reliability issues. While no one wants to hear that their car has a problem, it’s better to hear it while you car is up on a lift than to wait for the car to tell you itself while you’re driving down a barren road in South Dakota.

“Maintaining your car is less expensive in the long run,” said Denny Norton, the owner of Ringwood based Performance Unlimited. “And it’s a lot more convenient. You also have peace of mind when you know you’re on top of your vehicle’s maintenance.”

You can ask Denny yourself by calling 815-728-0434.