“It doesn’t look that bad, it wasn’t the guy’s fault but it’s $3,600,” said Tony Licocci, with McHenry MAACO Collision Repair & Auto Painting, as he looked over a vehicle that recently came into his shop for season repairs.In the auto body industry, seasonal repairs represent those that are caused by weather conditions. In this case, the $3,600 bill is the result of icy conditions

Slippery roads make winter driving a bit more intense than most driving of the mid-summer variety. Around these parts, in the Midwest, we’ve all seen cars in the ditch testifying to the reality that cars do slide on ice. But, slippery conditions are not the only cause. In fact, some of those cars in the ditch got there as much because of impaired vision as from the level of traction on the highway.Keeping

“12:00 … 12:00 … 12:00.” If you were around in the days of VCRs, you probably remember the repetitive flashing of that number. Back when VCRs were state of the art, most of the video machines included a clock with a digital display on the front. For those who were not entirely technically savvy, programming the clock was a nuisance they often skipped.As a result, instead of the time changing

In the darkness of the late night drive, reflective mile markers flashed by with a monotonous rhythm.  Bob pushed the accelerator down just a touch hoping to eke out a bit more speed and, thereby, shorten the duration of his trip. But the slippery roads rebelled and he felt a looseness in the steering as Mother Nature challenged for control of the car anywhere past 45 mph. He imagined his family

(Originally posted November 2011) From 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 17, the MC3 business networking group, part of the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, will throw one heck of a shindig at McHenry VFW east of the bridge on Route 120. Denny Norton, of Performance Unlimited, 5415 Austin Court, Ringwood, is a member of MC3 and the “Shop With A Cop” party is one of his favorite events of the year.“This

You probably heard about the 27-inches of snow that fell on the east coast recently. Even if you didn’t hear about that, you’ve almost certainly noticed that Halloween has come and gone and the weather outside is decidedly chillier. What does this mean to you? If you live in these parts, you know that it means you’ll need to start bundling up when you go outside. It also has distinct implications

It’s a good idea to keep your eyes open on the road ahead while driving. Actually, it’s just as critical to keep tabs on what is coming up behind you.Most cars today have a rearview mirror and an outside mirror on either side of the car. Properly used, they can give a driver an effective view of what is approaching from behind. Proper usage, however, goes beyond regularly checking the mirrors;

OK, so the paint is nice and shiny, the interior smells like pine, the tires are clean and glistening and engine doesn’t knock or wheeze but what’s the real cost of that used car you’re looking at? The real cost of a used car isn’t just the cash you fork over to the seller. It’s more than the additional cost of taxes and licensing. The true cost of a used car includes all the repairs you’ll

If your daughter started to cough and wheeze, you’d probably check her temperature and look for other signs of an illness. Automobiles are much like children in that they usually give signs of their condition when something is wrong. Just as, when you take your daughter to the doctor, you’ll want to describe the symptoms that brought you into the doctor’s office, when you bring the car into

The further we move away from an incident the fuzzier our memories become. Considering, there are few instances when a sharp recollection of what occurred is more vital than when we’re involved in a traffic accident. In fact, such events are generally not best left to memory. The wise driver will, at the first reasonable opportunity, write down a full description of the event. To do so effectively,