Performance Unlimited Blog

They call it the 'Rustbelt' for a reason - because, in the McHenry area, rust eats away at your car, truck or SUV. What can you do about it? What can you do to fight back? Ahhhhh, it’s a new year. A fresh start. Another chance to achieve your goals. Unfortunately, as McHenry is this far into the Northern Hemisphere, it’s also a chance for rust to take a bigger and bigger bite out of your car, truck or SUV. The battle with rust is inevitable. Rust is iron oxide caused by a chemical reaction when water, oxygen and iron (and other metals). That chemical reaction is transformative; it transforms iron and metals from their solid form into a crusty, flaky, dusty brownish-reddish substance that is unstable – unstable in that it is easily broken apart. The chemical reaction described above IS attacking your vehicle. And the reason that the location of McHenry in the Northern Hemisphere is critical because the conditions that promote that chemical reaction are never more prevalent than ...

This is not the kind of detour you want to take on the way home New Years Eve. Whether that's you or a loved one, this is not the way to start 2024. You and your spouse are dressed to the nines and out for a good time celebrating the arrival of another new year here in McHenry. You slide behind the wheel and head out for that party at a club or a friend’s house. You make a conscious effort to not drink too much but … Scenario #1: A little after 2 a.m., while driving home, you see red and blue lights flashing in your rear window. You have a sinking feeling in your gut as you pull over to the side of the road. You lower the window and pull out your wallet to retrieve your driver’s license. At the same time, you try to work out the calculations of exactly how many drinks you actually had at the party. You’re hoping it’s something minor. Maybe you have a taillight out. Maybe you missed a stop sign. But no. Next thing you know, you’re out of the car and attempting to walk, heal-to-toe,...

Imagine if  Santa  didn't maintain his sleigh. How would he deliver all those toys and gifts to girls and boys in McHenry or anywhere else in the world? Maintenance is as important to  Santa 's sleigh as it is for your car. Children all over McHenry are counting on Santa to come down the chimney Christmas Eve. And he will. Ever dependable,  Santa  will check all the names on his list and check them twice. He and the elves will have all presents ready and wrapped in time for loading in the back of his sleigh. And speaking of his sleigh, his attention to detail includes preparing for the late-night ride. The sleigh is a critical part of what  Santa  needs to do his job. Like any vehicle, it requires timely maintenance, especially after the wear and tear of extensive use. You may say that, “Yeah, but  Santa ’s sleigh only gets a workout one night out of the year.” That may be true, but when was the last time you drove your car to every child’s me ar...

No doubt, you have a lot of errands to run with Christmas  fast approaching. It might be worthwhile to have your car, truck or SUV checked out to make sure it won't leave you in the lurch with all that driving you have to do. To Do List … Drive kids to school and pick them up after last day before Christmas Break Bring kids to church to practice for Christmas Play Make list and go to grocery store for Christmas Party Go to liquor store for drinks for Christmas Party Go to stores for Christmas shopping Go out with family to buy the Christmas tree Go to other Christmas Party at work Go sledding with family Bring the baby to see Santa Take family to church for Christmas Play Go back to stores for those things I forgot on other trips These are just some of the places you may need to go this year as you prepare for the approach of Christmas. You may have even more trips than are included in this list. You may find you have unexpected stops to make that couldn’t possibly find their way o...

82nd Anniversary of Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, bringing American into WWII, offers a reminder of the incredible levels of manufacturing in America to meet the  emergency . In 1942, Chevrolet produced the most automobiles in the United States with 254,885 vehicles manufactured. Ford built 160,432 that year. But these numbers were down drastically from the year before. In 1941, Chevrolet built 1,008,976 autos. Ford built 691,455. Plymouth built 522,080, Buick 374,196, Pontiac 330,061, Oldsmobile 270,040, Dodge 215,575 and Chrysler 161,704. But, if the 1942 numbers were down, they were nothing compared to the numbers of vehicles built by American auto manufacturers in the years 1943, 1944 and 1945. For those three years the only data is for war production; there were no automobiles built those years. To understand why, we need to look back to the tail end of 1941. In particular, we need to look to Dec. 7, 1941 and an event that took place that day that changed everything. That e...

The oil pouring in front is clean, fresh oil. The oil draining in back is dirty, used oil. How long would you want to drive your car with the oil in back before changing to the oil in front? Don't forget to change your oil on  schedule this coming Richmond winter. Since late September, this blog has included numerous posts about preparing for the upcoming winter that will benefit Richmond car owners. We discussed ensuring that the coolant in your vehicle also works effectively as an antifreeze. We don’t want our coolant to freeze on a cold winter night. We’ve also discussed maintaining optimal vision while driving in a Richmond winter. Keeping windows clear is vital. Ensuring that your headlights work so you can see where you’re going at night and that your other lights work so others can see you can catch your signals of turns, braking and backing up while driving in winter. We spoke about your defrosters, which also help to clear the windshield in the winter, the heater to keep y...

Hopefully, you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. But, please, remember that those who serve are not home in McHenry with their loved ones for the holiday. Where will you and your loved ones have Thanksgiving this year? Will you drive to spend the holiday with family and friends? Will you spend your Thanksgiving in your McHenry home with loved ones who drive to see you? However you spend the day, you have a choice. Others have made decisions that may deny them the choice of where to spend Thanksgiving. Some of those who have limited choices in where they’ll spend Thanksgiving are not too far from McHenry. They’re over by Lake Michigan at Great Lakes Naval Base. They are people who made a choice to serve their country and defend the liberty we use when we choose, among other things, where to spend Thanksgiving. Those who serve are often separated from loved ones when the holidays come around. Fortunately, we don’t have to think of them in the line of fire today. But even if they’re not figh...

You may not think about your tires much today, but, when the coming McHenry winter arrives, you may hope that your tires have the traction to get you where you're going and safely. Most of us who have driven McHenry roads in winter before understand that, not only is winter cold, but it’s often rather slippery and the right tires make a big difference. Traction may mean something to drag racers in summer but it means something to all of us in these parts in winter. Even in summer, a rainy day can prove slippery on a McHenry road. In the fall, fallen leaves can be slippery, all the more so if they’re wet. But nothing compares to winter when it comes to stealing traction from drivers. In the winter, you’ll have days when you’re trying to drive your vehicle through various depths of snow. You’ll have other days when you’re contending with ice. You may find yourself driving on a day with a freezing rain that is treacherous, to say the least. Do you remember those winter days when all t...

Cragar S/S mags were the choice of hotrodders years ago, and for some today. But custom- look mag wheels are common today and found on almost every car in McHenry. Years ago, mag wheels were rare. Today, they’re everywhere – nearly every car, truck and SUV comes with mag wheels. They’re stylish. They’re cool. But, when it gets cold as another McHenry winter approaches, they do come with one potential problem. In days gone by, most cars, trucks and SUVs came with steel wheels. For appearance’s sake, they usually had shiny metal covers that were pounded into place called hubcaps. Hubcaps were notorious for flying off the rim if you hit a bump too hard. You might see a driver pulled over on Route 31, right here in McHenry, so they could get out of the car, truck or SUV they were driving and retrieve a hubcap that took flight after they hit a pothole. Of course, not everyone stopped to find their errant hubcaps, especially since they would sometimes roll for considerable distances after co...

And don’t forget to watch out for little monsters on the streets While enjoying the holiday, be sure to drive safely this Wonder Lake Halloween. Little ones don't always take proper precautions, especially when they're caught up in Halloween fun. You’ll carve some pumpkins before Halloween rolls into Wonder Lake Tuesday, Oct. 31, right? Some of you will provide additional decorations for the house. Some will go whole-vampire, ghost or ghoul with the Halloween decorations for the house. And, no doubt, you and the kiddies will dress up in costumes for the spooky event, right? What about the car? The car has significant potential to add to your scary display. You can fill clothes with straw, place it behind the steering wheel, but leave off the head and have yourself a headless driver. You can create a vehicle-sized face on the front of your car, truck or SUV, something sinister maybe. You could have a bloody hand sticking out from under the hood. How about legs and feet sticking ...

Is your car, truck or SUV up to the job? Don't just assume your car, truck or SUV will start with winter coming to Richmond; have it checked out so you know it will start. Have you ever noticed that more people have trouble starting their cars, trucks or SUVs in Richmond when winter rolls into town? The same cars, trucks or SUVs started just fine all through the summer. Autumn arrived and they still started every time the owner engaged the ignition. What is it about winter that convinces some vehicles not to start? The problem is inside the engine – the oil. The oil thickens when the temperature falls. And, as we all know, the temperature in Richmond during winter can fall precipitously.  When you turn the ignition key, or press the ‘Start’ button on your car, truck or SUV, the solenoid calls for electricity from the battery and feeds it to the starter. The starter has a small gear that engages with the teeth on the outside of the flywheel.  Turning the flywheel begins the mot...

Imagine what it would be like if you drove this winter and your car's heating system wasn't keeping you warm. In McHenry, it gets darn cold in winter. You could wind up looking like a popsicle if your heating system fails. Last week, we discussed how the defrosters will help thaw ice on your windshield as the coming McHenry winter approaches. The good news is that, if the defrosters work, there’s a good chance you’ll have heat for your own comfort in the car, too. If the defrosters provide heat blowing up into the windshield, it indicates that your vehicle is producing the heat you also want for personal comfort. If the defrosters provide heat but you can’t get the heat to blow out of the vents in the front of the dash, or onto the floor, it’s almost certain that you have a problem with controlling the vents; the heat’s there you just can’t get it to go where you want it to go. The problem described above is something to bring to a trusted auto repair shop in the McHenry area. ...

The ability to see while driving is, obviously, crucial. But, a McHenry winter provides even greater challenges to visibility. Are you ready? Imagine driving down 120 in McHenry with your eyes closed. Probably not a good idea. How ‘bout wearing dark, dark sunglasses while driving at night? Uhm … that’s not the best idea either, is it? Or, you could make a pin hole in cardboard and look through that as you drive. As with the other ideas, why would you do that? There’s really no good reason to accept substandard visibility while you drive. In other words, when you’re operating a vehicle that can drive at substantial speeds, on roads that are lined with fixed objects, and sharing it with other vehicles moving at similar speeds, the ability to see where you’re going is generally well appreciated. We’re probably all in agreement then that we shouldn’t create situations that make it harder to see. By that same standard, should we accept situations that limit our visibility while driving. The...

A crucial step in preparing your car, truck or SUV for the Johnsburg winter ahead is to have the antifreeze checked. Some folks say ‘You gotta go with the flow.’ You may agree with that philosophy. You may prefer to buck the trends and blaze your own trail. But, when it comes to a Johnsburg winter and your car, truck or SUV’s antifreeze, going with the flow is definitely the right answer. Antifreeze needs to flow. It needs to wash through the passages in your car, truck or SUV’s. Once the engine has warmed up, that antifreeze will carry away heat that could damage the engine. But, when temperatures drop during a typical Johnsburg winter, before the engine is running, and creating heat, the coolant needs to prove its stuff as antifreeze - a liquid that doesn't freeze. Not to get confused, coolant and antifreeze refer to the same fluid that is crucial to your engine. The names refer to that essential fluid's ability in your engine to cool when the engine is creating heat and to c...

Yes, it’s still September in McHenry. But it’s the end of September. On average, the first accumulation of snow for the season comes Nov. 18. That’s only about a month-and-a-half off. In 2006, the first accumulated snow came on Oct. 12. THAT’S ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY! Whether winter comes sooner or later, you want to be prepared. You wouldn’t want to find yourself out for a walk in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt or blouse when the temperature suddenly drops to the teens. Well, you wouldn’t want to discover that your car’s antifreeze can’t handle a sudden drop in temperature, either. How cold will it get this winter in McHenry? Who knows. What can you do about it? You could winterize your car now. You’re going to want to prepare your car for winter anyway. Why wait to the last minute, especially when you don’t know when the last minute will drop. Besides, the closer we get to winter, the more those who are late preparing their vehicles for the season ahead will rush in to have their cars ...

There was a time when people in Wonder Lake left the doors of their homes unlocked. They knew their neighbors and knew they wouldn’t come into their homes unless invited. They also knew that their neighbors would notice if someone suspicious was near their home and that the neighbors would confront them, ask them what they were doing, or call the Sheriff to come check things out. Folks around Wonder Lake used to leave their car, truck or SUV doors unlocked, too. Whether it’s your house or your vehicle, it’s no longer a good idea to leave the doors unlocked. For one thing, we don’t seem to know our neighbors as well as we used to. For another thing, respect for others’ property seems to be on the decline. Leaving your house unlocked makes it easy pickings for someone with nefarious intent to come on in and help themselves. The same is true with your car, truck or SUV. While someone could steal from your home or vandalize, with your vehicle, they could drive away with the entire vehicle....

 Or you might bring the car in to have it looked at You’re driving down 120 in McHenry and you suddenly notice a knocking or scraping sound you never heard before. What do you do? Well, you could turn up the stereo louder until you can’t hear the sound. But that won’t fix a problem that will probably only get worse. Some drivers in McHenry have powerful stereos in their cars. When they turn it up, the vehicle may actually bounce in the road to the beat. A stereo like that can blot out almost any sound from a mechanical issue their car can produce. But your car stereo doesn’t have to have super-duper sub-woofers to blot out most sounds produced by your car, not to mention the errant ambulance that may come by. As a means of dealing with mechanical problems, a louder stereo is seldom the optimal solution. In most cases, the best it will do is to allow you to ignore the problem a little longer. Let’s say, however, that your car starts making a thumping noise. You may even feel a jerk ...

The last day to swim at the Merkel Aquatic Center Pool is Monday, Labor Day.  McHenry is a great place to live and, particularly, to enjoy summer. But summer doesn’t last forever and Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, is one of the signs that the seasons are about to change. And as summer ends, the little ones, and not so little ones, are back to school. In fact, most of them are back to school already. As a parent, you know all about this. Your schedule is probably already packed to the breaking point. And it’s only going to get worse.  The point is that Labor Day offers a 3-day weekend and a last chance to kick up your heels and have a final big splash of the McHenry summer of 2023. Don’t let it pass without making the most of it. Get out and do something. If you want to stay local, Labor Day is the last day of the year to jump in the water at the Merkel Aquatic Center. Or you can have a picnic in Knox Park, Petersen Park or one of the other outdoor recreational facili...

What if you have trouble with the car now as McHenry schools open up for the fall? That’s not a pretty picture, is it? Summer is winding down. Of course, summer may have kept you busy in its own way – vacations, trips to the McHenry pool and park on Green Street, summer camp and other such activities. But autumn is different.  With the approach of autumn, you need to prepare to modify your schedule. Will you drop off and/or pick up the kids from school? Are your children involved in after school activities – sports, band, chorus, school clubs, etc.? Then there are all the trips to the stores for class materials – trips to the stores for their new school wardrobe. And while all these trips are added to your daily agenda, you still have all the other trips you take regardless of the school year. To and from your job, to the grocery store, date night with your spouse: you’re counting on your vehicle to get you there and back reliably. Reliable transportation is not something you can t...