Performance Unlimited Blog

Visibility while driving is critical to safely arriving at your destination, and all the more so when winter comes to Wonder Lake . This driver has failed the test of  ensuring he can see where he's going. If someone suggested that you get in your car and pull out of your Wonder Lake driveway to go for a ride with your eyes closed, what would you say to them? The logical response is that their idea is nuts. You’d be lucky to go 30 feet without running into something. The point of this rather absurd question is to point out how important visibility is while you drive. And nothing will challenge your visibility more than the coming Wonder Lake winter . Winter can interfere with your ability to see sufficiently while driving for several reasons. Winter drops things on your windows and windshield – things called snow , sleet and freezing rain Cold temperatures can cause frost to form on your windows and windshield Tires on other vehicles can kick up a mix of moisture and roadsalt th...

Winter is coming. Time to start thinking  about winterizing your car , truck or SUV. Think of it as mechanical insurance . It’s a frigid night in January. The wind is cutting like a knife. All you want to do is run out to your SUV, jump in, start the SUV and, as you start to get some heat in there, drive home. But, when you try to start the car … NOTHING! Or, maybe your car will start but your wipers are leaving big streaks and, apparently, you windshield fluid is frozen. You’re driving but your struggling to see where you’re going. Then again, your pickup truck may start but you’re not getting any heat out of the vents. Not only are your shaking from the cold, but the windshield keeps fogging up and, once again, you can’t see where you’re going. Your antifreeze may have frozen . Your tires may not provide the traction you need on ice and/or snow-covered roads. Your brakes aren’t up to the task and the slippery conditions make it dangerous when you want to stop. You may also find y...

This tire should have been checked a while ago. Now, it needs to be replaced. McHenry drivers should pay attention to worn tires, adjust air pressure properly and have their wheels aligned. As they pulled out of the McHenry driveway and headed for Route 31 , Dan tilted his head a little as though he were pondering a particular point. Julie asked him, “What are you thinking about?” “Shhhh,” Dan said. “What …? I just wanted to …” “Don’t you hear that?” Dan asked. “Hear what?” Julie asked. “I don’t hear anything,” Julie said. But then the traffic on 31 made room and Dan picked up speed. “Oh my, what is that?” Julie asked sounding alarmed. What they heard was a roar from the back of the car that got louder and louder as they picked up speed. “We must be dragging something,” Julie said in alarm. “No. That sounds more like a bearing ,” said Dan.  He pulled over, got out and looked around but couldn’t see anything. “Well, whatever it is, we need to get the car in and have it looked at,” s...

When you pull out of your Ringwood driveway , you want to know that your car, truck or SUV will take you reliably down the road. One maintenance procedure many forget is to have the transmission serviced . If your car, truck or SUV didn’t have a transmission, every time you pulled out of your Ringwood driveway, the car would struggle to get you going. A transmission provides the engine with a series of gears to turn while you drive. Yes, it helps you to go in reverse when you want to backup. You can put it in park so it shouldn’t roll out of your Ringwood driveway when you shut the car off. And you can put it in neutral so the wheels aren’t engaged while the engine is running. But the hard work the transmission performs is when you driving forward. The gears are progressively larger. It’s easier for the engine to move the car when it engages a small gear to get you going. But that small gear won’t spin the wheels on the pavement fast enough for you to keep up on a highway. And, while ...

Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, is upon us. Make the most of the occasion; load up the car and head out of your McHenry   driveway for some late summer fun, such as watching stockcars race at one of the oval tracks in the area. It’s sad to think that the unofficial end of summer is on the horizon here in McHenry but what can you do? What you can do is take advantage of the days of summer that remain. Making the most of the waning days of summer could lead you out to the backyard for a BBQ and party with friends. You can play some cornhole, listen to some music and eat some burgers, brats and dogs. And when the sun sets, you can recline with some mellow music and chat with friends under the stars by the fire. Then again, maybe you should go somewhere and partake of some outdoor activity. You can do something that will fill you, family members and friends with fond memories to help you bear the bitter days of winter a few months in the future. For those who are drawing a bla...

One way to check the health of that car out in your McCullom Lake driveway is to monitor the car's fuel efficiency . When you pull out of your McCullom Lake driveway, you’re spending money. When you speed up to pass a slow vehicle, you’re spending more money. The reality is that every drop of fuel your vehicle burns costs you money to get there. If you haven’t thought about it this way, you may not want to know how much it costs you to drive somewhere. After all, will it help you to know that a 3-mile trip from your McCullom Lake home to Jewel in McHenry may cost you 48-cents to get there and another 48-cents to get back? Of course, the cost of that trip, in terms of fuel consumption, depends on some variables. For instance, what was the cost of fuel per gallon ? How many miles per gallon (mpg) do you get in your vehicle? How heavy is your foot on the gas pedal when you drive? Were you stuck in construction traffic with the motor running? The idea that the trip would cost you 48-...

On dusty summer days, Johnsburg drivers will find that the array of car filters they have protect the car and them from the dust in the air. Here it is – midsummer in Johnsburg where, on those dryer days, we tend to experience some dust in the air. This is particularly true when the wind is blowing. This isn’t to say that Johnsburg experiences Depression Era Dust Storms , like those that covered the Great Plains in the 1930s and had people wearing scarfs over their nose and mouth.. But, the dust in the air tends to go everywhere. This isn’t necessarily the same as pollution – manmade particles in the air. But it can cause problems for you and for your vehicle. Dust is a major factor that has influenced auto manufacturers to install an array of filters in vehicles to protect passengers and mechanical components. Even if you can’t see the dust with the naked eye, it’s often there. It’s only a question of how much dust is in the air. With its bank of filters serving as a suit of armor...

As you rush to meet the demands of sending your prodigy back for another school year, you don't want to worry about whether you can trust the family vehicle . Just a wild guess – you’d say your life here in Richmond is pretty busy already? You live a full life and it keeps you on the go. You’re probably not looking for new things to add to your hectic schedule, are you? But, if you have children, you’re gonna have to fit a bunch more into that daily agenda of yours. Why would your schedule suddenly explode with new events and trips you’ll have to make? Because school is about to start again. We are on the doorstep of another school year here in Richmond, IL . You’re going to be busy – busier. Right off the bat, here are some trips you’re going to have to schedule: If you haven’t done so already, you may have to register your budding genius for school Doctor’s appointment to get your child up to date on vaccines Trip to the store for school supplies (inevitably we all forget someth...

Those UV rays from the sun shining on McHenry are incessantly sucking the pigment out of the finish of your car, truck or SUV. It’s a beautiful day in McHenry. What shall we do? A few of us may decide to ‘catch some rays.’ We’ll either take a run, play some sports, garden or just lay out where we can get an even tan. Of course, we don’t want to give the sun access to our skin without some kind of protection. Joggers, athletes and gardeners will probably want to wear hats. And everyone, especially those trying to catch a tan, will want to consider a safe sunblock . The sun can literally bake us if we give it a chance. And long before we’re ‘baked,’ it could cause some serious health conditions, such as skin cancer . If a McHenry sun can do all that to your skin, what can it do to your car, truck or SUV? The Ultra-Violet (UV) rays of the sun are like a barrage of heat-seeking missiles targeting your vehicle’s finish . You like that nice, shiny finish on your car, truck or SUV, don’t yo...

It's rugged out there when you go offroad. It's important to ensure that you and your 4-wheeler are ready for what the wild has to throw at you. Some of your McCullom Lake neighbors go around speed bumps, when they can. They steer clear of potholes. They choose the smoother roads when plotting the course they’ll travel. You chuckle when you think about them in their cushy front seats frowning at the slightest bump in the road. The softer easier path is not for you. That’s why your Jeep or truck sits higher with a beefed-up suspension. You’ve modified your ride for the most severe imperfections in whatever road you choose. And when it comes to choosing a road, as far as you’re concerned, the rougher the better. You’re a rock crawler and a trailblazer. You go where street rides dare not travel. And you love it out there in the wilderness where hills and valleys, creeks and logs are welcome obstacles to be surmounted, and you wouldn’t have it any other way. Offroading isn’t for...

Heading out the highway from Johnsburg for a vacation? It's a good idea to give those  big rigs a little space. Semitrucks can't  maneuver the way you can in your car, truck or SUV. And they can't stop as quick. Are you planning to pack up the car and hit the highway for regions where you’ll find fun and adventure? It’s summer in Johnsburg and this is the right time for a vacation, isn’t it? But if you’re going to travel in the family car, truck or SUV, first make sure that your vehicle is ready for the trip. You want to get where you’re going, no matter how far from your Johnsburg home, safe and without any breakdowns. That means changing the oil before you go, having the cooling system checked, the tires checked, the charging system checked, the tires and brakes checked, and the AC checked. You want the car, truck or SUV given a thorough examination to ensure that everything is in tip-top shape before you leave home. While it’s critical to have your vehicle ready for the...

You hop in the car in your Wonder Lake driveway and start the engine when it happens. You’re ears are accosted by a long, high-pitched squeal that makes your skin crawl. If your serpentine belt breaks, it won't take long before you know it. As it runs the alternator , your car will soon stop running. is it time to have your serpentine belt checked? ‘What the heck was that?’ you ask yourself as you pull out onto Wonder Lake Road . But the sound has stopped and you soon put it out of your mind. Maybe you shouldn’t forget about it quite so quickly. Vehicles don’t generally make unusual noises for no reason at all. The engine starts rumbling loudly? You may want to check the exhaust. There’s a grinding noise when you use the brakes? Time to have the brakes checked. There’s a loud hum as you drive down the highway? You might have a bad wheel bearing. But what about that squealing sound when you started the car. It was worse than two cats fighting, wasn’t it? Squealing under the hood i...

Are the neighbors on your Richmond street giving you 'looks' because your car, truck or SUV is getting louder? Could be time to have your exhaust system checked. A relaxing cruise on the roads of Richmond, or areas around town, can calm your nerves after a busy day. If it’s not too hot, you can have the window down and enjoy a fresh breeze flowing in the window. Maybe you’ll stream the melodic notes of one of your favorite musicians. It’s like a little slice of paradise. The last thing you want is something to inhibit the peace and tranquility of the moment. Just such an interference could come rumbling up from under your car, truck or SUV. If you ran snow tires in the winter, and haven’t bothered to change them, that annoying rumble may come from your tires. If something part is loose, you may have a rattle more than a rumble. If a belt is loose under the hood, you could have a high-pitched squeal that will hit you like fingernails on a chalkboard. But the real rumble may c...

The Declaration of Independence talked about the liberties of a free people. That included the freedom to come and  go where individuals wished. After 250 years of liberty, we can see that the automobile has enhanced that freedom. They didn’t have cars 250 years ago when the American Founders signed the Declaration of Independence. It’s doubtful they even considered the idea of horseless carriages that could convey people from here to there. But their choice to fight for freedom has everything to do with the fact that we can go out to our driveways, climb in our cars and drive almost anywhere we want to go. The idea that Americans were not restrained from crossing state lines, or moving across state lines, did not originate with the automobile. But the concept of liberty was embraced in the new country just as much, along with the right of Americans to live their lives without a King, 3,000 miles away, telling us what we can do or what we can say. When the automobile came along, it...

This is a great-big, beautiful country and it would be a shame if you didn't take your 4-wheeler offroad in America to see that beauty. America is a large country. A beautiful country. “From sea to shining sea,” it offers an abundance of natural vistas and adventures. And if you like to venture out from McCullom Lake , there are a number of off-road destinations for you to consider. Here are a few of the most fantastic locations to attract the off-roader inside of you: Upper Peninsula, Michigan Upper Peninsula offers a lot. You’ve got hundreds of miles of trails from the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in the South, miles and miles of trails through pines and cedars, beaches on both sides of the peninsula and the Tahquarmenon Water Falls . And you’ve got plenty of places to stop and camp. Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota  Off-roading in the Black Hills of South Dakota offers an adventure with no end. You’ll find hundreds of miles of landscape to challenge the most ardent lover...