Federal Trade Commission concurs: you’ll save money in the long run with an auto-repair shop you can trust

No one would go to a doctor they didn’t trust when their health was on the line, just as they wouldn’t knowingly take their financial portfolio to a financial advisor with a felony background for embezzlement. The same logic holds true when bringing their car to an auto-repair shop.

A less than reputable auto-repair shop can leave you with costly and unnecessary auto-repair expenses. Trusting the wrong sort with your car can also leave you stranded on the side of the road somewhere when an improperly installed or defective part breaks down.

At Performance Unlimited, our recommendation is that you shop around. Ask others you know where they go for service and how they’ve been treated. Did their repair shop fix the problem and at the promised price? Once you’ve identified a shop with a good reputation, ask if they have proper certification, such as an Automotive Service Excellence seal. Are their certifications current?

Finally, ask them if they’re familiar working with your type of vehicle. Some shops only work on European or Japanese automobiles. If that’s the case, and that’s your type of vehicle, you may have a fit. But, keep in mind, specialization only has value where it’s matched by a positive reputation.

At Performance Unlimited, we’ve made a commitment to keep our auto-repair technicians up to date on training and knowledge of the latest vehicles on the road. They regularly attend classes on current changes in automotive technology, repair and diagnosis. This is a philosophy you’ll want to see in your auto-repair shop, too.

We think you’ll find these recommendations sound. However, if you’d appreciate another and impartial voice of reason you can check out what the Federal Trade Commission has to say about the matter. The FTC has published an online page titled “Taking the Scare Out of Auto Repair.” This is an excellent source of information about choosing an auto-repair shop and technician. It also provides excellent information about “unlocking the mystery” behind auto repair charges, preventative maintenance, “Protecting Your Auto Repair Investment” and more.

Reading this document will let you know if you’re on the right track in terms of auto repair and maintenance or, if need be, will help you to get on the right track. We’re confident you’ll find that Performance Unlimited matches up well with the FTC’s recommendations. However, wherever you take your car, SUV or truck, we wish you a safe and happy driving experience.

If the hyperlinks in the text above are not working in your version of this document, you can cut and past the following URLs (in the order that they appear above):

· Performance Unlimited – http://www.4performanceunlimited.com

· National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence – https://www.ase.com

· Federal Trade Commission Consumer Protection – http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/autos/aut13.shtm

To contact Performance Unlimited by phone, call (815) 728-0343.

Is your antifreeze safe from freezing this Richmond winter

You still have time to have it checked Well, there’s no denying it – winter tends to get chilly here in Richmond. We have to deal with snow and ice on the roads, scraping the same off our windows and windshield, and staying warm while we drive. Of course, you had your antifreeze checked before winter rolled into town. What?! You didn’t have your antifreeze checked before winter clamped down on Richmond? So, how’s your antifreeze doing? If you haven’t had it checked, there’s really no way of knowing, is there? This car has overheated in the middle of a Richmond winter. But, on the other end of the spectrum, the antifreeze can also freeze if it's not up to its job. Hopefully, you haven’t had a serious problem with your antifreeze already. If you did, you’d probably know. When antifreeze fails, it’s a potentially catastrophic condition for your vehicle’s engine. You could have hoses that have burst because of freezing antifreeze. Worse than that, your engine block may have crac...

Blocks of ice falling from cars in McHenry could cause accidents or damage

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Get out to McHenry Music Festival for a good time and music near to home

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