Performance Unlimited Blog

Please, have a safe and wonderful holiday as McHenry welcomes in the New Year. The kids, the job, the holidays, and all the other activities that fill your life: it’s been a long year, hasn’t it. You deserve a break from it all and, with New Years Eve upon us here in McHenry, this is a great opportunity to unwind and celebrate. By now, you’ve chosen your New Years party, or parties, that you’ll hit tonight. You’ve probably chosen what you’re going to wear. You’ve made arrangements with your spouse, loved one or that special date who will accompany you for the festivities. When you arrive for the fun, you’ll mingle and chat with friends. Maybe you’re going to a New Years party where they have games planned. What’s all but certain is that you’re going to have a great time. Then the hour will approach and you’ll all gather with your friends, and do the countdown. 10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1: HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is one of the best parts – hugging and kissing your spouse, loved ...

You don't have to just guess where Santa is on Christmas Eve; NORAD is tracking the flight of Santa, his sleigh and all the reindeer.  Imagine a time when they only way to know where Santa was on Christmas Eve was to hear the prancing hoofs of Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen; Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen on the roof. Oh, and of course, along came Rudolph later on when he solved the crisis of that terrible blizzard decades ago. Today, thankfully, we’re no longer in the dark. Coming as something of a surprise, it was the military that cast light on Santa’s travels around the globe delivering toys to boys and girls around the world.  NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, has developed and improved equipment designed to track objects in flight around the globe. It was only a matter of time that their equipment would reach a state of high-tech capacity that would allow NORAD to pick up and track Santa, his sleigh and reindeer in flight. That technological advan...

McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes is a great place to start your local Christmas shopping. The malls are not what they used to be at Christmas time. The crowds were often oppressive. There was competition to get to certain gifts first, usually toys from children’s Christmas Gift Lists. But, for McHenry shoppers, that largely gave way to the modern era. Now, many people in McHenry do much or all of their Christmas shopping online. It’s a bonanza for Amazon and other online retailers. As a result, we see UPS, Amazon, FedEx, and USPS trucks all over the roads making deliveries. Maybe you’ll still do some of your Christmas shopping online. But why not do some of your shopping locally? In McHenry, there are all kinds of shopping opportunities that may open windows on Christmas gift-giving ideas you might not have considered. How’s this for an idea? Take a stroll through the McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes. Here are some of the options you’ll find there: AteaCo Coffee and Tea Bright Nest Edge Designs KEST...

With another McHenry winter setting in, it's important to remember to change your oil. Changing the oil in your car, truck or SUV is important any time of the year, whether a McHenry summer, winter or in between. But there are reasons to ensure that you stay up on oil changes in the winter. As we all know, when you go out to your McHenry garage or driveway to start the car, truck or SUV, you’re counting on the oil to provide essential lubrication. Without that oil, metal will rub against metal causing extreme friction and heat. Consider that, idle (when the engine is running without depressing the gas pedal) for most cars is between 600 and 1,000 rpms. That means, every minute, the crankshaft rotates 600 to 1,000 times. The pistons go up and down in the cylinders 600 to 1,000 times. When you start driving, that number will probably move into the 3,000-rpm range.  When accelerating, you could increase the rpm to the 5,000-rpm range. At 600 rpm, the piston goes up and down in the cyl...

Did this driver adequately prepare for driving this Wonder Lake winter? There's a good chance that the problem they're experiencing could have been avoided with some proper preparation. Imagine going for a jog one winter day in Wonder Lake except you’ve dressed as though it’s the middle of summer. Those shorts, t-shirt and sneakers might have been enough in July but, even if you have a high tolerance for cold, it may not be a good idea to head out that way in December. At the very least, you’ll want to check the weather before you leave your Wonder Lake home. Preparing for a drive in winter is much the same thing; if you’re not prepared, you could wind up in serious trouble. If you head out jogging in shorts, t-shirt and sneakers when it’s 10-below zero (you might not want to go out jogging at all on a day like that), you could get frostbite and/or hypothermia. If you head out on the road driving on a winter day, or night, and you’re not prepared, you could get into all kinds o...

Here at Performance Unlimited, we would like to take this moment to say Happy Thanksgiving . 2024 has not been the easiest year so far and, this late in the year, it can only get so much better. But there is still reason for us to be thankful. It’s good to have some gratitude, even when things are tough. Inflation has been troublesome, the job market could be better, and there are wars. But we still have cause to give thanks. Most of us have friends and family to share our lives with. We have homes and, hopefully, those homes are warm and there’s food in the refrigerator.  One day each year is set aside for us to give thanks. And that day is this week – Thursday, Nov. 28. This is a day to gather with friends and family, enjoy a meal, probably a turkey dinner, and share each other’s company. If we can avoid politics, we can probably have a pleasant time.  We can bask in the light of the warm feelings we have for those we love and cherish. We might even enjoy watching some footb...

If your battery and charging system aren't up to the task, your car may not start one cold Richmond winter night, or day. Winter in Richmond makes drivers happy when cars warm up and they feel the heat coming out of the vents. But that only happens after the car starts and warms up a bit. What if the car won’t start. You bundle up and run out to the car for a trip to a store in another town. As is often the case here in Richmond during the winter, the temperature is well below zero. Bundling up only helps so much. You slide into the driver’s seat, insert the key and attempt to start the car. The last thing you want to hear is silence. You don’t want to discover that the car won’t start. Maybe you’ll pop the hood and look at the engine while wrapping your arms around you to ward off the cold. Maybe you’ll just run back into the house and look out the window at the car with wishful thoughts that it will start the next time you try. But, whatever you do, this is certainly not part of ...

Veteran's Day is about those who fought for our liberty. The American automobile is a product of that freedom. Veterans Day became an official national holiday in the United States in 1938. But it originally signified the end of WWI. This is why it is celebrated on November 11 each year.  World War I ended at 11 a.m., of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. That was the time agreed upon when the Germans surrendered. More than 116,000 Americans died in WWI. Globally, the war was responsible for 22-million deaths. The sacrifice paid to defend liberty is clearly worthy of a day of somber recognition. But, unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day does more than honor the dead. Veterans Day honors all Americans have served in defense of American liberty It was just before WWI that Henry Ford began production of the automobile on the world’s first assembly line plant (Dec. 1, 1913). The assembly line led to affordable production of cars and trucks. This would have a profound effect on societ...

That's a good tire that will take a bite out of the road this McHenry winter. You want to make sure you've got a good set of tires on your car, too, before winter arrives. Imagine trying to take a bite out of an apple without teeth. That’s a fair comparison of trying to drive on slippery winter roads in McHenry without a proper set of tires on your car, truck or SUV. The word is “traction.” You need some traction for your teeth to break through the skin of an apple. And you need traction for your tires to pull you through the snow on a McHenry road after a snow storm. Winter in these parts throws conditions at our tires where only the strong will survive. And, if your tires are not up to the challenge, the results could be catastrophic.  It’s not just that your tires may not get you going on slippery roads; it’s also that your tires may not help you stop in critical situations on slick winter roads. When your tires won’t stop your car, truck or SUV, the question is, “What will?...

You decorate the kids, yourself, even the house for the holiday. Why not decorate your car, too, this McHenry Halloween? Halloween is descending upon McHenry again. It’s time for scary movies, haunted houses and, of course, Trick-or-Treating. It’s time for spooky costumes, whether for the kids or for mom and dad when they go to that adult Halloween party. McHenry residents turn out in large numbers to celebrate that annual arrival of All-Hallows-Eve. A substantial proportion of the homes will be decorated for the occasion.  Decorations for homes include orange and black lights, graveyards out front, ghosts hung from the twisted branches of trees and, of course, inflatable witches, goblins, skeletons, and spooky monsters.  For Halloween of 2023, these were the 10 most popular costumes listed by rank: Barbie Princess Spider-Man Witch Fairy Wednesday Addams Dinosaur Cowboy Ninja Bunny Some of these are perennial favorites of children as they head out for Trick-or-Treating. Witch ...

Things that puncture your tires will cause flats. But, a McCullom Lake winter can cause a  flat tire, too. Maybe, when you pulled out of your McCullom Lake driveway, you ran over a nail. That would explain why you have a flat tire now. You could have run over a screw, a sharp piece of metal or any number of things that could puncture your tire. But maybe it was something else. As we all know, temperatures are dropping around McCullom Lake this time of year. It’s evidence of the annual arrival of winter. And that may have something to do with your flat tire. You might even have more than one tire going flat since the culprit is affecting all the tires the same way simultaneously. This is not a problem that your parents were as likely to face 30 years ago. So what has changed? Why would your tires have a chance of going flat when temperatures fall and not your parents? Not that much has changed in the technology of tire manufacturing. Tires were made of rubber then and they’re made o...

When you consider that a bitter-cold Johnsburg winter can lead to a cracked engine block if your antifreeze isn't up to the task, you may want to have your antifreeze checked. At the heart of your car, truck or SUV’s engine is the engine block. Can you imagine if you were preparing to leave your Johnsburg home and you discovered a puddle of green coolant under the engine. It could be a sign that the heart of your vehicle’s engine – the block – is cracked. A cracked engine block is probably the most expensive problem you’ll ever experience with your car, truck or SUV. It’s so costly, some people will give up on the vehicle and buy another. Otherwise, you’ll need to have your car, truck or SUV towed to a trusted auto repair shop to have the engine block repaired or replaced. Sometimes, a cracked engine block can be welded. Many times, however, the damage is beyond the ability for welding to fix the problem. The only solution is to order a new engine core – a block with a crankshaft, ...

A Richmond winter can get darn cold. You may not want to wait until the temperature drops to have your car heater checked. If it works  properly, you can stay warm and comfortable all through the winter. You look out the window of your Richmond home and think about running out to the car; you think about it because you can see how cold it is out there and you’re reluctant to leave the warm and comfortable confines of your home. Imagine how reluctant you’d be if you knew the heater in your car didn’t work very well. Imagine driving all winter with a heater that doesn’t work. Every time you left your Richmond home, you’d enter a frozen tundra behind the wheel of your car. And what about clearing the frost from the windshield. The car heater that provides and warm and comfortable environment for you while you drive is also essential to keeping the windshield clear so you can see where you’re going. The key element for your heater is the coolant/antifreeze that runs through the radiato...

Visibility is crucial when driving and a Wonder Lake winter poses a problem for winter drivers. Proper precautions are the solution. Sept. 24, 1929, famous WWII pilot Jimmy Doolittle did something incredible; he was the first man to take off in an aircraft, fly a set course and then land the aircraft only using instruments. He had no windshield to look out of. That’s an amazing accomplishment but it’s not something you want to do in your car pulling out of your Wonder Lake driveway. Of course, it’s best if you keep all four of your car’s tires on the ground – your car probably isn’t designed to fly. But even with the tires hugging terra firma, putting a black screen over the windshield while you drive is not a good idea. You want to see where you’re going. As insane as some might have considered Doolittle’s feat in 1929, driving without good vision is probably crazier. Remember, there are other cars on the road. But you don’t need a black screen across the windshield to struggle with v...

We just crossed the line into autumn but, don't kid yourself; a McHenry winter is just around the corner and there's nothing like getting the jump on the season by winterizing your car, truck or SUV. IT’S STILL SEPTEMBER!!! What do you mean, it’s time to start thinking about winterizing your car, truck or SUV here in McHenry? Actually, that’s not such a crazy idea. According to the National Gardening Association, there is a 10% chance that we’ll see our first freeze her in McHenry by September 26. And we have a 50% chance of seeing the first frost by October 8. Not to put a chill on your autumn fun, but there’s a 10% chance we’ll see a temperature of 16 degrees by November 8. These dates are just around the corner. In reality, winter is just around the corner, too. The earliest snow in the area was Oct. 12, 2006. The average first snow of the season is November 16. The first snow of last winter came on Halloween. In any case, early, average, or even late, snow is coming. Snow i...

Considering the pros and cons, how do EVs measure up to internal combustion engines? Are you considering an EV – Electric Vehicle? There are some advantages. There are some disadvantages, too. Weighing the pros and cons of EVs vs. internal combustion engines can probably start with comparing the weight of the vehicles. When it comes to weight, heavier vehicles were trending before EVs seriously hit the scene. According to the Website AXIOS, “The average weight of U.S. vehicles has already increased from 3,400 pounds to 4,300 pounds over the last 30 years as Americans have ditched passenger cars for pickups and SUVs. The same Web page also gave a comparison between a 2023 GMC Hummer EV and a 2023 GMS Sierra. According to Kelly Blue Book, the later weighs in at less than 6,000 pounds. The prior tops the scales at more than 9,000 pounds with 2,900 of those pounds taken up by the battery. That extra weight translates to more wear-and-tear on the roads. At the same time, since drivers gener...

You don't need to service the transmission as often as you should change the engine oil. But, if you want to pull out of your Wonder Lake drive with confidence, you'll want to service the transmission when it's due. You start the engine and give it the gas. The engine revs but, otherwise, nothing happens. You sit in your Wonder Lake driveway and go nowhere. Clearly, you need to do something else if you want to begin your trip. And we all know what that is. You need to put the transmission in gear When you think about your car sitting out there in your Wonder Lake garage or driveway, you probably think about the maintenance required to keep it operating properly – the engine, the suspension and steering, the tires and brakes and other components. But how many times do you think about the transmission. Fortunately, transmissions are fairly reliable components. You can drive for 100,000 miles, with some transmissions, before you have to service the transmission. The only thing...

McHenry drivers know that their brakes don't fail often. But, when they do, a critical braking failure can cause serious problems. It's a good idea to have your brakes checked periodically. You’re driving south on Green Street and, just as you come up to Green Street Café, a car pulls out and turns left in front of you. Will you have time to stop? You’re headed east on 120 and, at the last second, without using their turn signal, the person driving the car in front of you decides it’s time for a fastfood sandwich. Can you brake in time? Worse yet, you’re driving down any one of the many side streets in McHenry when a kid chasing a ball runs into the street in front of you. Can you stop in time? In any of those questions, finance and treasure hang in the balance. Even life and emotional welfare are at stake. And there are a couple critical factors that may decide the outcome. Attentive Driving If you don’t notice the car pulling out of the parking lot, the suddenly braking vehic...

Do something exciting this Labor Day; take in some drag racing at one of the dragstrips driving distance from McHenry. Ahhhh, Labor Day in McHenry. We kicked off the unofficial start of summer Memorial Day with the Indy 500. Isn't it appropriate to acknowledge the unofficial end of summer with auto racing? You can kickback, relax, throw some brats, burgers or steaks on the grill and prepare yourself for the autumn ahead. Then again, maybe you’d like something a little more exciting. Maybe you’re interested in something that will get you heart pounding and your blood flowing. Have you considered checking out NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) drag racing on the quarter- or eighth-mile track? At the dragstrip, cars will line up in pairs preparing for high-powered runs down a short straight-away. Their engines will roar at high rpm as racing slicks burn and smoke until the rubber is extra sticky.  Then the drivers will nose their cars up to the Christmas tree. No, this isn’t the tree...

Make sure your engine oil is up to the task as we enter Wonder Lake's dog days of summer. On any given day of the year, when you pull out of your Wonder Lake driveway, you’re giving your engine oil a test, especially during the dog days of summer. Thankfully, engine oil is generally prepared for the test. No cramming necessary – engine oil knows what it’s supposed to do and, if you give it a chance, it will do the job effectively. That’s the problem – ‘will you give your engine oil a chance?’ Engine oil has a relatively short life expectancy. It will only last so long and then …? Well, then it simply doesn’t do its job so well. It doesn’t provide adequate lubrication for the internal components of your engine. The question of whether your engine oil is up to the test depends on the time between oil changes and how you drive your car. It also depends on external factors, such as the outside temperature. Your car may generally idle at 600 to 1,000 rpm (Revolutions Per Minute). At 1,0...

Johnsburg schools are about to open and that means you have work to do getting your brood ready for another school year. Don't let an automotive breakdown disrupt your already busy schedule. Whether you have a toddler heading to Ringwood School Primary Center, James C Bush Elementary School, Johnsburg Junior High School or Johnsburg High School, this is the time of year that you’ll be heading out to do all that back-to-school shopping. In fact, with new clothes, backpacks, pens, folders and whatnot, you’re liable to be rather busy. When you’re busy, so is your vehicle. And if you have a young athlete in the family, a member of the school band, or an aspiring thespian, you may have additional shopping to do getting your boy or girl ready for the Johnsburg school year ahead. All that running around, along with the customary trips you make to work, to the grocery store, to the salon and other stops you make along the way, add up quickly. It’s going to be hectic out there, isn’t it? Wh...