Some Parts In Short Supply As Potholes Create Spike In Tire Repair

By Michelle Durham

AMBLER, Pa. (CBS) - As PennDOT and NJ DOT work feverishly to fix all of the potholes that have crept up in the past few weeks, many folks continue their daily dance with the holes in the road, sometimes with dire consequences.

Bob Cox, owner/manager of Ridge Auto and Tire Center in Ambler says he is seeing unprecedented damage.

"The worst devastation as far as rims and tires and steering suspension components that I have seen. And I have been in the business 34 years."

Cox says his customers all give him the same reason for the damage: "I hit a pothole and now I have a flat. (Or) my steering is not correct."

Durham: "Now some tires are easy to get..."

Cox: "We've had a great degree of difficulty finding some tires. Now they are starting to run out of rims. I have a Ford Fusion we just found a rim for. We've been looking since Monday." 

Cox says there is little advice he can give folks other than to keep in mind any pothole you see on the roadway is much deeper and therefore dangerous to your car than it looks.