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

The ad for new tires says $55. That’s not too bad, though four times $55 is $220. Then you have the other associated fees that run the price even higher – new valve stems, mandatory disposal fees for the old tires, etc. Oh, and did you notice the part of the ad where it reads “Starting at …” What does that mean?What that means is that $55 is for tires a little bigger than those on the wheelbarrow

You’re used to seeing road along this stretch. Today, however, you see water instead. You slow to a stop as you contemplate the million-dollar question – “Can I drive through this water?”When water covers the road, as is the case recently with heavy rains, we occasionally find ourselves faced with the question above. It’s terribly inconvenient when the road is blocked. We come to depend

If you don’t drink and drive, if you don’t text and drive, you’ve reduced two of the major factors that, as a result, could find you in an accident. Of course, there’s always the question of whether the ‘other’ driver was drinking or texting. Still, considering that somewhere around half of all auto accidents occur because of impaired driving, this is a significant way to improve your

“Winter potholes make driving here in the Midwest a brutal experience for cars and vehicles,” said Denny Norton, owner of Ringwood based Performance Unlimited auto repair shop. “Winter roads tend to knock a car’s alignment out of whack while roughing up your shocks, struts, steering and suspension.” Considering, Norton said spring is the best time of year to check out your alignment,

“Hey Cal, what’s with the long face?”The other day I had a dream. It was April 1. We all know the significance of that date – the one day each year where we celebrate the practical jokers among us.In my dream, I ran into an old friend I hadn’t seen a long time. He appeared anything but happy, hence the question above.When I asked the question, Cal walked over to his car and said, “Watch

The Midwest is not kind to your car’s shock absorbers, particularly in the winter. Snow, ice, salt and cold temperatures conspire to pockmark the roadways leaving nasty potholes everywhere as though we had an infestation of gigantic moths chewing at the asphalt and concrete. While one individual solution would be to move south where the winters aren’t as harsh, as long as we’re here, and since

Sure, the auto repair shop you recommended does a great jog repairing and maintaining the family car but I need someone who can help with my company’s fleet of trucks. What about that?Not all auto repair shops are the same. How many mechanics do they have? Do they have the capacity to handle a fleet of vehicles? Of course, even before you ask those questions, you’ll want to make sure the auto

I’ve always said that having a good auto repair shop where you can bring your car is only second in importance to having a good family doctor you can trust. An undependable auto repair shop can leave you stranded on the side of the road somewhere someday. Additionally, if you can’t trust your auto repair shop, how do you know when they’re digging too deeply into your pocket? You don’t.Considering

There’s not much that I like about winter. I don’t snowmobile or ski. If I want to ice skate, I can do that at the Crystal Ice House in Crystal Lake, and they have ice year round. I enjoy driving but even this is less of a pleasure in the winter.What’s wrong with driving in the winter? How about having to clean snow and ice off your windows before you go anywhere? How about the slush and salt