Performance Unlimited Blog

Like most of your friends in McHenry, you probably have a little cabin fever. That's a good time to think about changing your car's cabin filter. By the time of year, it’s not uncommon for folks in McHenry to have a touch of cabin fever. Winter tends to drive us indoors. Even for those who enjoy outdoor activity, skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, and such, they don’t spend us much time outside as they do in the summer. While the approach of spring weather in McHenry offers escape help for those with cabin fever, maybe this is a good time to remember to change your cabin filter in your car, truck or SUV. ‘Cabin filter? What’s that?’ you say. There are a number of filters in your car, truck or SUV and they have different purposes. You have an oil filter that filters dirt and fibers from the engine oil that is critical to the lasting good performance of your engine. There’s also a fuel filter that keeps debris out of the fuel injectors or carburetor in your vehicle. There’s also ...

Believe it or not, Spring is coming to Richmond. This is a good time to think about having the oil changed in your car, truck or SUV. You can almost smell the fresh aroma of Spring approaching as you step out the door of your Richmond home. Not only does it appear that you and your car, truck or SUV have survived another winter, but you’ve just passed the official end of winter – March 20. Now, it’s time to think about that post-winter oil change. No doubt, you’ve been on heightened alert all winter to ensure that your vehicle will take you to the end of the season here in Richmond. You’ve earned the right to take a deep sigh and relax a little. Okay. That’s enough. Now back to work. Back to work means that you want to make sure your vehicle is ready for the Spring and Summer ahead; you want to know that your car, truck or SUV will last for the long haul and will carry as much resale value as possible along the way. The solution is proper maintenance. This means changing the oil on sch...

Two key factors with winter driving in or out of McHenry are visibility and traction. When you pull out of your McHenry driveway in your car, truck or SUV, you know how to drive. You know how to control the vehicle and the importance of paying attention. But are you ready for all the special considerations the weather can throw at your driving? Hopefully, we’re on the tail end of the McHenry winter of 2023-24. But, past experience tells us that we can hardly assume that’s the case. In other words, the considerations of winter driving are still pertinent. Winter driving includes greater attention to visibility. Snow, sleet, freezing rain and the spray of water infused with roadsalt can play havoc with the surface of your windshield, side windows, rear window and even your side mirrors. It’s essential that you have good wipers, plenty of windshield washer solvent, defrosters that work and that you keep all the windows and mirrors of your car, truck or SUV in optimal condition so you can ...

McHenry Shamrocks activities include dyeing the river green (Photos courtesy of McHenry Parks and Recreation) The City of McHenry dyes the Fox River green for St. Patrick's Day last year. Don't worry, they're doing it again this year.  There’s a big city Southeast of McHenry that is known to dye its river green for St. Patrick’s Day. But did you know you don’t have to leave McHenry to enjoy the same festive event and atmosphere? That’s right – they dye the Fox River green in McHenry for St. Patrick’s Day.  The city also offers three days of events for the whole family that will make St. Patrick’s Day in McHenry a festive time you’ll all enjoy. Watching them turn the river Irish green is worth your time. Folks from Blarney Island come out and spread the dye from jet skis at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16. They also dye Boone Creek next to the Riverwalk. The action actually kicks off on Friday night with food trucks and a 40X140-foot heated tent. Spiked and regular hot chocolate ...

Even though McHenry isn't having this kind of weather lately, it's still a good idea to have an emergency kit in the car. You have a spare tire in your car. WAIT! You do have a spare tire in your car, right? And it has air? Whew. Allow me to start over. Your car should have a spare tire in the trunk that holds air so, if you have a flat tire away from your McHenry home, you can replace the tire and keep going. But there are more things to carry with you as you drive in case of an emergency. In other words, beyond that spare tire, you should have an emergency kit in the car. What should your emergency kit include?  Thinking about that spare tire, your car should have a jack so you can jack up the car and replace the tire (should also have a block you can put under a tire to keep the car from rolling while it’s up on the jack). A Flashlight, quite obviously, so you can look for things, take a look at what is wrong with your car and signal other drivers. Road flares or reflective ...