Kevin Post, an auto repair technician  with Ringwood based Performance  Unlimited, cleans a part in their new SmartWasher parts cleaning  system. For as long as auto repair technicians can remember they’ve had to hold automotive parts under a stream of somewhat toxic parts cleaner. That’s all different now; today, there’s a parts cleaner and fluid that is safe for auto

It’s one thing to maintain one car, SUV or van; try maintaining a fleet of vehicles. Of course, if you are responsible for maintaining a fleet of vehicles for your business or the company you work for, you know all about that. Maybe you have a staff to maintain the fleet. They do all the oil changes, tune ups and, to some degree, they handle repairs. The cost of a staff to maintain a fleet of vehicles

Here in the McHenry area, we’re pretty darn fortunate. The shelves are full at the grocery stores, our neighborhoods are reasonably safe and people are generally friendly. One reason we enjoy such blessings is that there are Americans who go above and beyond to ensure our safety. These are people in the military who put their lives on the line in war-torn areas of the world. Some paid the ultimate

McHenry Fiesta Days runs from Friday, July 10, through Sunday, July 19, at Petersen Park (4300 Petersen Park Road) in McHenry. That’s more than a week’s worth of bands, food, beer, amusement rides, live music and even hot-air balloon rides. It includes the McHenry River Run 10K and 5K races. It also includes a Bags Tournament ... (read more).

When you bring your vehicle to an auto repair shop, you want to know that the auto repair technicians are qualified. Have they had sufficient training – the latest training? Do they have experience? Years ago, there was a television commercial where a dopey looking guy in dirty coveralls says something to the effect of “Gee boss, I never did fix an automatic transmission before.” When you

Makayla Huff, in Performance Unlimited car No. 22 was oneof 28 competitors last Saturday in the McHenry Kiwanis SoapBox Derby. John Street in McHenry was transformed last Saturday from a residential roadway, on the southern edge of the downtown shopping district, to a speedway where racers finished the final tweaking of their racecars in preparation for the 13th consecutive McHenry Kiwanis Soap

It’s a good idea to keep your hands on the steering wheel when driving. An auto repair technician, however, may violate that reasonable premise. An auto repair technician may take a car for a test ride. Finding a straight, flat road, they’ll wait until there isn’t any traffic to contend with and, then, they’ll take their hands off the steering wheel. When letting go of the steering wheel,

Summer has at last arrived. Good thing your air conditioning is working. One day soon, you’ll come out to the car on a 90-plus day and find that it’s a virtual oven in there. As soon as you slide into the driver’s seat, beads of sweat will appear on your brow. It’ll almost burn to touch the steering wheel. But, no problem; you’ll turn on the AC and, within minutes, nice cool air will pour

A recent post from the Northwest Herald recommends that car owners demand that their auto repair shops have ASE-certified technicians. That’s good advice. ASE is the shortened acronym for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. Since 1972, this non-profit organization has worked ensure that auto service technicians have the skills and training to properly repair your car. But,

Scott Norton (left) and Denny Norton(center) present an award to the ownerof a '63 Plymouth at Green StreetCruise Night Monday, May 18. Green Street Cruise Nights kicked off in McHenry with a roaring success Monday, May 18, with Mopar Night. There were 458 cars entered in the event, including a wide range of makes and models. There were new cars and old cars. But, regardless of the age of a car,