Economics of Maintenance for Elgin Auto Owners
April 15, 2026
Buying a new car in Elgin is always a big financial decision. The allure of that new car smell is powerful, to be sure. But what if your current car is still in good shape? How do you decide?People in Elgin who've been used to driving a new car every three to five years may be having second tho... More
Mileage Headed Downhill? (What Causes Bad Fuel Economy?)
April 14, 2026
Name someone you know who enjoys spending a lot of money on gasoline. Yeah, me neither. Thats because it costs quite a bit to keep fueling your vehicle. One way to save money on gas is to get good fuel economy, and most of todays vehicles are designed to maximize your mileage. But you might f... More
Smooth Operator (Shocks and Struts)
March 29, 2026
Few of us ever drive somewhere without encountering some pretty rough roads, and it's amazing how well our vehicles are able to smooth out the ride. Thank your shocks and struts. The two parts are similar. Some cars have shocks in the rear, and struts in the front. Others have struts all around... More
That Vexing Vapor Venting (Vapor Coming out of Vents)
March 22, 2026
You may have noticed sometimes on a hot and humid day, vapor will come out of your vehicle's vents when you have the air conditioning on. Is that something to be concerned about? Well, it depends. Sometimes that steam or vapor can be caused by water accumulating in the vent system after it has c... More
Cabin Air Filter and Engine Air Filter: What?s the Difference?
March 15, 2026
You may have heard someone say they just got the air filter replaced in their vehicle. But did you know your vehicle has two different major air filters and they both perform quite differentbut very importantduties? Todays vehicles have a cabin air filter, and an engine air filter. The engine a... More
Rumble from Down Under (Muffler Replacement)
March 8, 2026
Weve all noticed them at one time or another on the street: a car or truck that drives by and the deep roar from their exhaust system sounds like a drag racer on the line. But what happens when that rumble is coming from under YOUR vehicle? Well, it could be a sign your muffler needs attention. ... More
A Clean Start (Battery Cleaning)
March 1, 2026
You may be fanatical about keeping the outside of your vehicle clean. But what about what's under the hood? Have you ever thought about how dirt and grime may be affecting your engine's components? One of the most important parts under your hood to keep clean is your vehicle's battery. With a d... More
Ball Joint Replacement
February 22, 2026
Think about this the next time youre driving. Your front wheels can steer your vehicle and, at the same time, the wheels can move, even with all the irregularities in the road moving them up, down and in different directions. Pretty amazing engineering, wouldnt you say? What allows that are part... More
Smooth Operator (Shock Absorbers)
February 15, 2026
When you are comfortably headed down the road, you may not realize how many of the imperfections in the driving surface are being smoothed out, so you hardly feel most of them. You can thank your shock absorbers for a lot of that comfort, and its important to make sure you keep your shocks in go... More
Making Sense of the O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor Replacement)
February 8, 2026
As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More