Pot Holes Are the Devil!

Why is it that whenever you start to see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel something jumps up and kicks you in the 'nads?

In this case, here we are looking at the spring season of tax return, extra PTO sold back and year end bonus. Granted, all of it was going into the down payment on a vehicle, but it feels good to know that for a short time at least you have a generous cushion to absorb some disasters should you need to ... but it's not here yet.

Then, I drove to work yesterday, and by the time I was halfway there, my car was melting down. Every little bump in the road was causing my tiny little car to buck all over like a bronco, and I almost lost control of it a couple of times. By the time I was about two thirds of the way there, I was convinced I had a flat and pulled off to check my tires - all full. Seeing no immediate damage, I got back on the highway and managed to wrestle the car to work where I called my husband in a panic claiming my car had gone homicidal and was trying to kill me.

One tow truck and a mechanic later ... and we learn that my suspension system has pretty much disintegrated overnight.

It seems that at some point between driving to the grocery store the day before and heading to work, I had hit something, likely a pot hole, and had gotten a rock wedged up in my rear passenger suspension. One small piece of road debris that managed to dismantle my entire car - three struts, two control arms - $1,100 in repairs + tow. All from one tiny rock out of a pot hole.

Thankfully, the insurance, albeit unhappily, will step in and chop that bill up a bit. But still, what a way to get a kick in the gut when you start to feel like maybe things are going to get a bit better.

Oh, and pot holes? Avoid them. Really, seriously, avoid them.

I feel for you, OP. Sounds like a nightmare to be going down the road with no clue as to what's going on.

What's really weird, is I just got done talking to my brother about his car. He also thought he had a flat. He stopped and checked, and he couldn't see anything wrong. He managed to make it home and will be calling a mechanic in the morning. I wonder if this is the same thing? Regardless, kinda strange to see this post right now!

Good luck with the repairs!

You have a heck of a story there. I am sorry to hear your car saw so much damage from this never ending winter. I work in the auto parts industry, right in the rust belt.

I just wanted to let you know that struts are usually replaced in pairs. Your handling can be affected if the one remaining old strut does not perform the same as a new one. I'm not telling you to go yell at your mechanic, if you trust them then there should be no worries. Just a friendly notice.

Safe travels and warm wishes to you and your family.




SM

Not sure where you live as not all places would offer, but you should contact your city or county. They may pay for your repair bill.

reply to post by sporkmonster


We did replace the last strut especially after the insurance came in and covered a good chunk of the bill. So all four are done.

And we live in the part of town that's sort of the "tax ghetto." They think nothing of taxing us all the time, but our city services are crap. The road that runs in front of my house almost never sees a snowplow until the snow had pretty much melted. It's bad enough a couple of the neighbors have plow attachments on their large lawn tractors and they dig everyone else out for gas and treats (cookies, etc.).

reply to post by ketsuko


Out here in occupied California a lot of the roads have pot holes. Of course the state is bankrupt from wiping all the lazy & drug addicted peoples behinds, so it's not really a surprise at all, it's just a shame. We have semi-trucks driving all over the place making things 100 times worse as well. Sorry to hear about your car troubles though my friend. ~$heopleNation

reply to post by ketsuko


Not sure where you live, but here is an email I received just yesterday to humor you about pot holes and my area!

Maybe you don't have it so bad after all

All credited to that comedian, Jeff Foxworthy (though Snopes says he's not the source?)

Jeff Foxworthy said this about Indiana:
**If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you may live in Indiana.
**If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't even work there, you may live in Indiana.
**If you've worn shorts and a jacket at the same time, you may live in Indiana.........
**If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Indiana.
**If "vacation" means going anywhere south of Fort Wayne for the weekend, you may live in Indiana.
**If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Indiana.
**If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Indiana.........
**If you have switched from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you may live in Indiana.........
**If you can drive 75 mph through two feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Indiana.
**If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both doors unlocked, you may live in Indiana.
**If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Indiana.
**If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Indiana.
**If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph, you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Indiana.
**If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Indiana.
**If you know all four seasons are: Almost winter, Winter, Still winter and Road Construction, you may live in Indiana.
**If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Indiana.
**If you find 10° "a little chilly", you may live in Indiana.

Last time, I checked the state did have a budget surplus - which is a good thing.

Unfortunately, they have abandoned taking care of the roads and my SUV has aged 10 years in 2 years!

I remember when I was in High School my small town got a new 'claim to fame'. (You know like Chicago is the Windy City, and Boston is Bean Town? Welcome to Wherevertown USA, the cotton pickin' capitol of the world?) They had a parade. They had fanfare. They revealed it. "Pothole Capitol of Northern..." it was like you could hear crickets.

Potholes are serious business man. They can dislodge road debris and so much more. I am thankful you survived your trip to work in a homicidal car.