What’s in a quality auto repair and maintenance shop?

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 question of when.

When looking for a quality auto repair shop you can trust, start with their reputation. Ask around (you might want to focus on asking people who have cars that are well maintained). Where do family, friends and neighbors take their cars for repairs and maintenance? Ask how long the auto repair shop you’re considering has been in business.

For instance, Performance Unlimited started serving auto owners in the McHenry area in 1982: more than three decades ago.

Where do they do their work? If they’re working out of a garage somewhere, you may find they’re short on equipment, experience and the kind of insurance auto repair shops keep for their auto technicians. Your best bet is a well-established auto repair shop that is fully equipped.

Speaking of automotive repair and maintenance equipment, do they have the latest diagnostic equipment? Newer vehicles often require the newest equipment for proper diagnosis of automotive problems. The amount of time is also significantly affected by the kind of equipment an auto technician is using.

Are they certified? At Performance Unlimited, the auto repair technicians are ASE Certified. And the certificate is clearly posted on the wall so you’re not left guessing. ASE Certification also means that the auto repair technicians are going back for classes and seminars to stay up on the latest advances and changes in the automotive repair and maintenance industry.

Do they offer a warranty? If so, what kind of warranty? At Performance Unlimited, they offer a 24,000-mile, 24-month warranty on provided services. More than the written warranty, they’ve proven that they stand behind their work.

Not all automotive repair and maintenance shops offer drop-off and pick-up service. For many of their clients, it’s more than a mere convenience that Performance Unlimited offers this service within a 10-mile radius of the shop.

A commitment to properly repairing an maintaining your car will definitely pay dividends down the road. Choosing a quality auto repair and maintenance shop is the key to that commitment.

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

We’ve all seen those blocks of snow falling from behind the rear tires of a car when the snow rolls into McHenry . Fortunately, they’re just packed snow that will disintegrate under your vehicle’s tires as you simply drive right through them, right? Don’t count on it. Those blocks of snow are often packed so tight, condensed by the thaw-and-freeze cycle, that they’re anything but oversized snowballs . They’re often more like boulders. Hit one of those blocks and the collision between the block and one of your tires could send you careening off the road or into oncoming traffic. In some cases, they’re so solid you could pound them with a sledgehammer with little effect. They truly can represent a serious road hazard. The problem is that it’s difficult to tell how solidly they’re packed when you see them on the road, left their unwittingly by another driver. Either way, your best bet is to try to avoid them. But you want to be careful dodging blocks of ice in the road, too. You need...

October 20 Hootenanny will benefit veterans with PTSD

Been to a Hootenanny lately? When you read that question did you ask, “What?” Well, if you have gone to a Hootenanny in a while, or if you don’t know what a hootenanny is, we have an event for Oct. 20 that will clear up either question. From 6 p.m. to Midnight, Saturday, Oct. 20, MC3, the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce business networking group, is helping to host an inaugural Veterans R&R Wild Horse Hootenanny at Beyond Stable Farm (11129 Rte. 176, Woodstock). The event will benefit Veterans R&R Operation Wild Horse. Operation Wild Horse serves veterans with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Working with the horses has proven to have an incredibly calming effect on the veterans. And, it’s good for the horses, too, rescued wild mustangs. This means that the hootenanny is for a very good cause. But, it’s also a lot of fun. So, what is a hootenanny? According to a Google search, a hootenanny is “an informal gathering with folk music and sometimes dancing.” The V...

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