Living in the Wonder Lake area, we’re all familiar with the idea that driving on snow and ice is slippery. But, have you considered that autumn leaves can also create a slippery surface for drivers. With ice and snow, we know that, if the temperature drops, we can expect moisture on the pavement to create potential hazards. It comes with the territory. Wonder Lake drivers have experienced winter

When you drive the rural roads of Bull Valley or beyond, you may play the radio, get into the groove of your favorite tunes, but have you lowered the radio long enough to listen to your car? Your car may have something to say that you want to hear. No, this isn’t to suggest that, like the 1960s sitcom, ‘My Mother the Car,’ your car can actually talk to you. It’s not even a reference to a SIRI-like

Don’t worry about winterizing the car now; there’s plenty of time. The official start of winter isn’t until Dec. 21. That’s almost three months away. Rather than worry about winterizing the car, think about autumn activities you enjoy every year in and around McHenry, such as an excursion to the apple orchard or to the pumpkin farm. Of course, those are indications of how things could get busy

To some degree, you shouldn’t be surprised if your car is smoking. It’s part of being a car. So, the answer to the question, “Is it okay for your car to smoke?” is ‘yes,’ but with conditions. In other words, a certain amount of smoke, and a certain type of smoke is normal. But not all smoke produced from your car is okay. What kinds of smoke can you expect from your car without alarm and

April is National Car Care Month. Awesome. You don’t have to worry about the car the rest of the year, right? No, that’s not true. If you care about your car, every month is Car Care Month. Of course, you can put car care on the back burner until next April. You could also find yourself paying for repairs that were avoidable with a little automotive maintenance. You might even find yourself on

Rex Towing is ready to come out and help if you have a breakdown in the McHenry area. But, you should still know what to do if your car, truck or SUV breaks down. If you maintain your car, truck or SUV, it’s far less likely to happen to you. Instead, you’ll see other people with their hoods up sitting on the side of the road. But, even if you take good care of your vehicle, it’s possible

OK, the title has kind of let the topic out of the bag, hasn’t it? You have auto insurance – the kind of insurance you need if you have an accident or someone steals your car, truck or SUV. You have homeowners insurance or renters insurance. You may have insurance for your business. But, do you have insurance for your engine. Yes, there are companies out there offering auto repair insurance but

So, you own a 4X4. There are some great advantages to having two extra wheels to drive you through mud and snow. They give you additional traction climbing hills and can improve control on ice and snow. Additionally, a 4X4 is F-U-N, fun. As much as a 4X4 offers the potential for driving fun, on McHenry roads or off, it also offers the potential for additional problems. Mechanical systems can break,

Every time Marty Wolf, played by Paul Giamatti in the 2002 movie Big Fat Liar, hit the brakes, the horn honked and continued to honk until he took his foot off the brake pedal. This leads to a fender-bender and to an irate monster truck driver crunching Wolf’s Jaguar XK Leaper convertible. If every time you hit the brakes while driving down Rt 120 in McHenry, the horn honked, you’d find that annoying.

If you’ve driven a car long enough, you’ve probably heard some of these maintenance tips from the grapevine. Some are true, some have a touch of truth and some may be downright wrong. Here, as a means of separating fact from fiction, are some of the more common auto repair maintenance myths debunked. Myth: You need to change your engine oil every 3,000 miles. Truth: You’re better off checking