The Richmond winter of 2024-25 is slipping into the past and, hopefully, without any April surprises. That means it's time to check your car's suspension and see how it did  through pothole season.

Ahhhhhh. Another Richmond winter is over. No one will blame you if you take a deep sigh of relief. Of course, the effects of winter may persist a little.

Winters in Richmond are tough. They’re cold, icy, snowy and generally yucky. They’re hard on people. But winters aren’t just hard on people; they’re also hard on our homes and cars.

The cold, ice, snow and road salt collude to attack your car from its body to its undercarriage and all parts in between. But winter is also tough on your car’s suspension. 

Snow and ice make for uneven surfaces. In the meantime, the effects of the cold, snow and ice on the pavement is often disruptive, you might say.

Cracks appear in the pavement. Potholes appear, too.

If you drive on brand new concrete roads every day, your car’s suspension might last forever. But, here in Richmond, we simply don’t enjoy perfect roads like that. Even roads that are new will eventually succumb to the effects of traffic and weather. You might say, winter will get ‘em.

The jarring impact of a pothole causes wear and tear on your suspension. From your tires, to your wheels, to your shocks, struts, control arms, stabilizers, to ball joints and more – rough roads punish your car’s suspension.

It’s a testimony to auto manufacturers that they design and build cars that can take so much wear and tear. But, no matter how well the suspension takes the abuse, in the end, the abuse will win out.

That’s what makes the end of winter in Richmond the time of your to have your suspension checked. Hopefully, everything is fine. But remember, one defect in your part of your suspension tends to spread to other parts. It’s best to find suspension problems early and fix them before they spread.