The Midwest is not kind to your car’s shock absorbers, particularly in the winter. Snow, ice, salt and cold temperatures conspire to pockmark the roadways leaving nasty potholes everywhere as though we had an infestation of gigantic moths chewing at the asphalt and concrete.

While one individual solution would be to move south where the winters aren’t as harsh, as long as we’re here, and since this winter’s damage is generally done, it’s probably a good idea to check your shocks about now.

Another good reason to check your shocks now is that, this time of year, there are always good specials on shocks. For instance, Performance Unlimited in Ringwood is offering a 4-for-2 Special, along with NAPA Auto Parts. You merely pay for four and then send in for a reimbursement of the price of two. The deal is good for struts, too.

“The folks at NAPA know that this is the time of year when people often discover they need new shocks or struts,” said Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited. “Deals like this make life a little easier on the pocketbook of drivers.”

Norton pointed out that, just because winter is about to come to a close doesn’t mean every car on the road needs shocks. He said that most shocks should last close to 100,000 miles, though that figure is reduced based on road conditions and driving habits. Therefore, it’s important to check your shocks before you unnecessarily replace them.

“Drivers can bring their cars in and we’ll check their shocks for them or, if they’re coming in for an oil change or other service, we can check their shocks while we’re working on their car,” Norton said. “On the other hand, people can check their shocks themselves and get a pretty good idea if they need to replace them.”

To check your own shocks or struts, Norton described the following procedure:

• On each corner of the car, push the car down several inches
• Hold the car there for a moment and then, suddenly, release
• Observe how the car reacts. If the car moves smoothly back to its original position and stops, your shocks or struts are probably in good shape. If the car jumps up and bounces, it’s almost certainly time for new shocks or struts.

When replacing front shocks or struts, it’s a good idea to have your front end alignment checked. You might even want to have your tires rotated and rebalanced while you’re at it. Even if your shocks or struts are still good, potholes may have knocked your alignment out of whack. Bad alignment will affect the way your car handles and will increase wear and tear on tires and your suspension.

Bad shocks and struts will also adversely affect the wear and tear on your chassis and tires.

“Bad shocks put stress on other suspension parts,” Norton said. “Whatever you pay for the shocks, there is a good chance you’ll pay more for additional repairs if you wait too long to replace bad shocks or struts.”

The 4-for-the-price-of-2 offer on shocks and struts from NAPA is good through the end of March and does not apply to labor. Expect to wait two to three weeks to receive your reimbursement in the mail.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment to have your shocks and struts checked, call Performance Unlimited at 815-728-0343 or visit www.4performanceunlimited.com.