Performance Unlimited Blog

You don’t want to bring your car just anywhere for auto repairs and maintenance. You want an auto repair shop you can trust. And, by trust, that means you can trust that they have the expertise and equipment to do the job right. But, trust also means that you know they’ll be looking out for your best interests, as opposed to ‘how much they can get out of you.’ Your automobile is one of your largest investments. Not as large as your home but it certainly represents a significant purchase. Once you’ve made such an investment, you want to take care of it. That’s why you buy insurance. You want to know, if you do have an accident, that your car will be repaired. Proper automotive maintenance and repairs are a form of insurance, too. They ensure that your car is ready to safely take you and your family where you want and need to go when you want and need to go there. Without proper maintenance, it’s not a question of whether your car will one day fail this test; rather, it’s a questio...

Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to prepare for the cold, well, unless it's 2014 and you live in McHenry County. November in McHenry County this year apparently means arctic cold has suddenly, and unceremoniously, gripped the area in a deep freeze. Preparation for the cold means putting away your summer wardrobe and breaking out your winter wardrobe. More importantly, it means ensuring that your car is ready. Will your car start? Do you have tires and brakes that will grip the road through snow and ice when you want to stop or go? And, when you turn on the heater inside your car will heat come out of the vents? Merely in terms of comfort, you really want your car's heater to work properly in this latitude. But, it's more important than a matter of comfort - much more. How well your heater works says everything about how well your defrosters will clear the ice off of your windshield, and keep it off as you drive. If the car's heater doesn't wo...

Johnsburg and McHenry High School Madrigal Choirs will do a holiday sing off dressed for the Victorian Era. Table after table will provide a plethora of raffle items, silent auction items, live auction items – and then there’s the food and the fun. Anyway you look at it, the 8th Annual Shop With A Cop networking fundraiser is a party you don’t want to miss. “We’ve raised close to $15,000 each year for McHenry County Police Charities Shop With A Cop program,” said Wayne Seely, the president of MC3, the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce business networking group that sponsors the Thursday, Nov. 20, fundraiser party. “And we have one heck of a good time doing it.” The fun starts at 5 p.m. and lasts until 8 p.m. at the McHenry VFW – on the north side of Route 120 a little east of the Fox River. There is no cost to attend. Funds are raised through contributions and through auction and raffle entries at the party. With the money raised at the event, area police officers will pick dese...

With the unexpectedly early arrival of really cold weather, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your tires. Many cars have aluminum alloy wheels these days. Cold weather can cause leaks when tires are matched with aluminum wheels. On the one hand, cold weather hardens the rubber in tires. Additionally, the pressure inside the tire is reduced by the cold. The result is a potential leak. You may have a perfectly good tire and come out one cold morning to find it flat. The remedy when tires do go flat is, first of all, to keep an eye on tire pressure at all four corners of the car. If a tire does go flat, or loses air, bring it in to a trusted auto repair shop. Their auto repair technician will remove the tire and clean the bead of the tire and the edge of the rim. After putting the tire back on the rim, they’ll check for a leak. Once the tire passes the pressure test, it should be good for the season ahead. Of course, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the tires in the winter month...

Is there any part of your car more essential than the brakes and tires? You, your family and friends depend on those brakes to ensure your safety, whether driving in your McHenry neighborhood or farther afield. This is true on a dry street. When winter comes to McHenry, you’ll frequently find the streets anything but dry. Ice, snow and water mixed with engine and transmission oils that have leaked onto the road – those are the elements you’ll find attacking the vital quality called ‘traction.’ Traction is the difference between a hasty stop and an extended skid. If the brakes don’t work to their best ability, if the tires are slick or balding – trouble on dry pavement turns into disaster on a slippery street. While brakes initiate the stopping process, tires are where traction meets the road. As brake pads wear, and rotors and drums are scored, stopping distances increase. As tire tread runs down, traction is reduced. An inability to stop quickly is often compounded, during a...