Posted on 1/21/2015
Hanover Park drivers have probably noticed that the government mandates a lot of equipment on cars: emission devices and control computers; safety equipment like airbags; and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the motoring public in Elk Grove Village but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new car in IL. Because new cars are more expensive, Hanover Park residents are driving their old cars longer. The average car is now over nine years old. 68% of vehicles on the road have more than 75,000 miles/120,000 kilometers. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on going. Some owner's manuals don't outline service requirements and schedules at higher mileage. Of course, that doesn't mean it doesn't have to be done. In fact, it's more important than ever for Hanover Park dri ... read more
Posted on 1/15/2015
If you're interested in customizing the wheels and tires on your pickup, there are a few things you should know first. Most importantly, the wheels you buy need to fit your vehicle. Not all wheels are created equal. Too many Hanover Park motorists have bought a set of wheels that caught their eye, then, after going to the work of mounting them, have found that the wheels don't fit right and the tires rub against the pickup when they turn or go over a bump. To ensure a proper fit, you can consult with your Kamphaus AutoCare and Emission tire professional. He/she can also help you find tires that are suited to your driving habits as well as your pickup. You may find their auto advice invaluable, and you'll probably be happier with your new wheels once you purchase them. But if you just have to have that set of wheels, and you're willing to pay for them, you can modify your vehicle to fit the wh ... read more
Posted on 1/7/2015
People from Hanover Park IL love their cars. And nothing goes with cars better than a IL road trip. Freedom from daily schedules, new sights and the open road – it's great! But there's nothing like car trouble to bring the fun to a grinding halt. Now you can't always avoid problems, but you can take steps to reduce the probability of getting sidelined on your trip. Let's look at some of the auto maintenance related problems you might encounter on a road trip and what you might do to avoid them. It all starts with a thorough trip inspection by your Hanover Park IL service professionals at Kamphaus AutoCare and Emission. Let's talk about some of the items on the trip inspection checklist. The most common vehicle component to fail is the tires. Of course, you can't always avoid a road hazard that leads to a flat, but you may be able to head off some maintenance-connected tire problems. A good tire inspection will st ... read more
Posted on 1/2/2015
A lot of us Hanover Park auto owners like our vehicles to reflect our personalities. We're picky about color and body style. We'll customize anything from floor mats to window tints to license plates. One popular way for IL car owners to customize a vehicle is to get new wheels. Wheels come in thousands of designs. Custom wheels can add personality, style or sass to a vehicle. Many of these customizations involve getting a bigger wheel. Fifteen or sixteen-inch wheels used to be the factory standard, But today, because a lot of Hanover Park motorists like the look of larger wheels, many vehicles are available with seventeen or eighteen-inch wheels. Optional wheel packages of twenty inches or more are also available in Hanover Park. If you want to upsize the wheels on your current vehicle, however, you should know it's not a do-it-yourself project. There are vital factors involved in ensuring your wheel change doesn't jeopardize the safety of your vehicle. First of ... read more
Posted on 12/23/2014
Every Hanover Park vehicle owner has to purchase tires at some time or another, so it's a good idea to understand what the choices are. The best seasonal performance is achieved by purchasing tires to match the season you are driving in. Summer tires are designed for hot temperatures. The tread is engineered for good traction on dry or rainy IL roads. But the rubber compound in summer tires gets stiff when temperatures drop below 45°F, and snow and mud can pack into the tread, reducing the traction of the tire. Winter tires are designed for good traction on snowy surfaces. The tread actually throws snow off of the tire as the wheel turns. The rubber compound in a winter tire is soft so that it will remain flexible at Elk Grove Village temperatures below 45°F. At higher temperatures, however, the softer rubber wears down rapidly. All-season tires sacrifice some of the extreme performance of summer or winter tires, but they maintain adequate traction in either type of ... read more
Posted on 12/18/2014
Hanover Park motorists' current vehicles have over a century of engineering behind them. They have evolved into complex and powerful machines. Developments in their engines, however, have coincided with advances in many other vehicle components, including the fluids. It's critical for Hanover Park auto owners to always use the right type of fluid for their pickup. Your service advisor and your owner's manual are resources for auto advice on exactly what types of fluid your vehicle needs. Improper fluids can damage your vehicle and void your warranty. Some of the fluids that have changed significantly in recent years are cooling system fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid and motor oil. Each of these comes in many varieties now, and it's vital to know exactly which one your pickup needs. Cooling systems were once made of iron, steel and rubber. One coolant could be used to protect all of these materials. But new cooling ... read more
Posted on 12/9/2014
Do you ever shop for shoes in one of our Elk Grove Village area shoe stores?When buying a running shoe, is quality important?Does durability matter as long as the shoes look fabulous?Would you rather have one pair of long lasting shoes or two pair of lower quality shoes at the same price? Is the warranty important when buying tires? When you choose new tires in Hanover Park, what's the most important factor for you? You know, buying tires in Hanover Park is a big deal. It's a big ticket item so you know you'll be spending a lot. You're not only concerned about the price, but you want to know that it'll be a long time before you need to buy new tires again. And of course there's the safety aspect as well. The tires do a lot of work – they carry the weight of the vehicle and you and your passengers. They need to be up to the task. You want to be sure they hold the road and provide good traction. If you carry heavy loads or tow a trailer, the tir ... read more
Posted on 12/2/2014
Would you be surprised to learn that about half of the passenger cars in Europe have diesel engines? You might also be surprised to learn that most auto makers produce a variety of diesel-fueled cars for purchase abroad. Diesel-fueled vehicles haven't been as popular in the North American markets like IL. But that won't be true for long. North Americans are seeing a lot more diesel-fueled vehicles on the road. And we're not talking about buses and trucks. These vehicles will be passenger cars, pick-ups and SUV's. There are two reasons for this. The first is a recent change in environmental laws that have upgraded emissions standards for diesel fuel in North America. Diesel fuel in North America used to have higher sulfur content than European fuel, meaning that it was a dirtier fuel to burn. That was okay for larger vehicles, but the lighter-weight engines in passenger vehicles just couldn't tolerate it. But that high sulfur content is now a thing of t ... read more
Posted on 11/28/2014
Most Elk Grove Village folks worry about running out of gas or having a breakdown on the side of the road. That is why we practice preventive maintenance on our vehicles — that and to keep our repair bills down. But one important part of preventive maintenance that may get overlooked by Hanover Park drivers is a periodic alignment inspection. Poor alignment causes tires to wear rapidly, unevenly or both. This means they will have to be replaced early, and new tires are more expensive than an alignment check in Hanover Park. Bad alignment can also cause damage to suspension and steering systems, which can be expensive to repair in Elk Grove Village. Tire wear on misaligned wheels can also lead to blowouts, which are dangerous, can lead to serious accidents, and can seriously damage your pickup. Also, poor alignment itself can be the cause of an accident, since the pickup may not steer properly. One o ... read more
Posted on 11/18/2014
At AutoNetTV we love doughnuts. So let's pretend you have three doughnuts right in front of you for today's discussion about upsizing wheels and tires. Hey, don't eat them now – your going to need them later. Many Hanover Park auto owners want to accessorize their car – you know, make it theirs. One of the easiest ways to get a custom look is to get some new wheels. There are thousands of wheel designs at Elk Grove Village area tire shops to get you the look you want. And for many Palatine motorists, that look includes bigger wheels. It used to be that cars came from the factory with 15 or 16 inch wheels. Now 16, 17 and even 18 inchers are standard. And the factories are offering optional wheel packages up to 20 inches or more. So let's talk about what to consider when you want to upsize your wheels. It's not exactly a DIY project, so you need to know a thing or two before you get started. The most importan ... read more