Winter – Driving in the Muck

As you know, during winter not only do cars suffer, but the roads they drive on progressively get worse and will develop faults in them that can contribute to more car repair issues than any other major factor. You’ve hit them, I’ve hit them, and we’ve all hit a pothole. But how bad could it be? Well, considering the amount of stress it puts on the vehicle’s shocks, the car’s struts, the springs, and not to mention the tires and the loss of a hubcap or two. Over time this can wear down the vehicles entire frame and integrity, joints loosen, parts begin to move, and eventually something comes loose, and you end up being the one that pays for it. So, how can you lessen the impact when the roads begin to warm and the potholes become a problem?

First off you can make sure you maintain tire pressure, this gives you and additional cushion, and keeps the wheel from changing shape as it passes over the hole. If you see one in time, slow down as much as possible before you run over one – the slower the speed the less the impact, if you rev it up and fly over the hole you are likely to get into an accident, or totally destroy the chance of your car not having any major problems in the near future. If you know the road you must travel on is filled with them, be firm in your grip on the control of the car – maintain control and do not let go. Once you’re going over the little bombs do not apply the brakes – this increases the amount of strain on the front tires and will increase the strain on the front suspension system, in addition look before you cross over any puddles – they could be disasters in disguise. Many pothole damage related automotive problems occur from these menacing puddle filled pools of doom – you can’t tell it’s a pothole unless you are careful. Slow down and avoid large puddles or round shaped ones that seem deep. One hit of a bad pothole can misalign you tires, break the struts, harm the steering alignment, and even lead to braking problems if you really hit a doozy.