Performance Unlimited Blog

Better shops offer pick-up and drop-off service “I know I have to bring the car into the shop but how am I going to get home when I drop it off?” “If I drop the car off in the morning, how will I get to work?” “I can drop the kids off at school before I take the car in for an oil change, but I don’t have time to wait while they do the work. How will I get back to the office?” These are reasonable questions. Some folks have two cars, and two drivers with the time to drop off their car. Some have friends who are happy to pick them up when they drop off the car for repairs or maintenance and bring them to pick up the car when the work is done. But, even if someone has a friend who is happy to help, they may not want to impose on their friends … again. Some car, truck and SUV owners are fortunate enough to bring their vehicles to an auto repair shop that offers drop-off and pick-up service. This is a blessing for those who find it inconvenient getting their car, truck or SUV to t...

An article in The Princeton Review makes a profound statement about what you should expect when bringing your car, truck or SUV into an auto repair technician: “The days of uneducated grease monkeys are over.” As the article explains, extensive vocational training is required if an auto repair technician has any hope of keeping up with constantly advancing technology. You don’t really have to spend a lot of time under the hood of cars, trucks or SUVs to understand this. Just think about the advances in automobiles over the last couple of decades. Cars, trucks, and SUVs today come with a myriad of accessories, including: Heads-up displays Bluetooth and Smartphone connectivity and functions Heated seats Power adjustable seats with lumbar support Dash cams Foot-operated tailgates Forward-collision warning Backup camera Blind-spot monitoring 360-degree surround-view systems Dual-zone climate control Keyless entry Lane-keeping assist All these new features add more t...

You smile to yourself when you hear someone talking about how hard the miles are on their car, as though the roads around Richmond are really that bad. In fact, with a flurry of road construction the last few years, the roads around here aren’t bad. But, you have a different perspective. When you talk about a rough ride you’re talking about taking your 4X4 off-road where no one expects smooth coats of asphalt or concrete. In fact, if you found a blanket of asphalt waiting off-road, that would defeat the purpose. You go off-road because you’re looking for the challenge where the road ends. You want to challenge your 4X4, and your driving ability, to overcome the non-roads that nature has laid out for your driving pleasure. All the same, there is some truth to that asphalt driver’s concern about how hard the miles are on their car. The point is that, if that’s hard on their car, what are your off-road experiences to your 4X4? The thrill of taking your high-stepping 4X4 off-road get...

The answer to the question, ‘Will your engine keep its cool in the hot days of another McHenry summer?’ the answer is up to you. Oh, sure, something unexpected could happen. But, with a little attention to detail, a little Tender Loving Maintenance, your car, truck or SUV’s engine will take the heat in stride. If you do prepare for summer, we could have a record-setting heatwave and your car, truck or SUV will shrug it off as though it were a warm day in Spring. But, if you don’t take a proactive approach, your engine may throw an unpleasant surprise your way. It could happen something like this: You and the kids are driving down Route 120 heading out of McHenry for a day watching the Cubs at Wrigley Field (or the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, if you’re a Sox fan) and, as you approach the red light where Route 31 continues North, you notice that the engine seems to hesitate. When the light turns green, you may make it through the intersection, or maybe not. With the car, tr...