Tips on Winterizing Your Car for the Cold Chicago Weather

winterize car at Hong Kong Auto Service for road trips

Winter in the Chicago area can be a brutal experience. If you aren’t prepared for extreme temperatures, bone-chilling winds and levels of frozen precipitation that could drown a bass, then don’t try and reside in Illinois. By the same token, the vehicles of those who live in this geographic torture zones are subject to some…

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What You Need to Know to Maintain Your 4×4 Vehicle

4x4 vehicle

Enjoying a four-wheel drive vehicle (4×4) can be a beautiful thing. Whether your vehicle is all-time all-wheel drive or allows you to select between two- and four-wheel drive as driving conditions dictate, the freedom that a 4×4 offers is, for some, one of life’s greatest pleasures. Camping, hunting, fishing, rock crawling, archaeology, or just general off-roading…

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Why do I need a timing belt replacement?

gears with timing belt wrapped around

Timing belts are one of those maintenance items that car owners don’t often think about but should. The timing belt is a critical part of your engine. If it fails, your car will stop running and, in some cases, incur major engine damage. To help you head off any unexpected or costly surprises, let’s cover…

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11 ways to maintain, clean and deodorize your car with vinegar and baking soda

Vinegar and baking soda are useful home remedies for removing stains, unclogging drains and cleaning windows. Turns out, they’re also useful in your cars and trucks—for killing odors, removing bugs and tar, and fighting off frost—and they’re environmentally friendly compared to many of the chemicals we buy to do the same tasks. Here are 11…

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Timing belt replacement can save you hundreds of dollars

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmtiYheNBWc&w=420&h=315] For many of us, replacing our vehicle’s timing belt isn’t a top-of-mind activity. But knowing when this critical engine part needs to be replaced can save you hundreds of dollars and a sudden, aggravating breakdown. Here’s why… When it comes to timing belts, it’s all in the name. The timing belt keeps your car’s…

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Preventive maintenance is key to saving money on car repairs

Spending several hundred dollars every year on vehicles that seem to be running just fine doesn’t sound like a good idea on the surface, but maintaining your car or truck has a big impact on your bottom line. Not only does regular auto repair prevent bigger, costlier repairs, but it preventive maintenance also helps prolong…

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