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Damage From Potholes, Icy Roads A Boon For Car Repair Shops

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Icy conditions Friday night and the explosion in the number of potholes throughout the weekend have made for some pretty busy auto repair places.

Jim Hess, owner of Naper Auto Works in Naperville, said a car came into his shop on Monday, after being damaged when it dropped into a pothole.

Tad Lucas, general manager of Hubbard Woods Motors in Winnetka, said ice also was a big problem early in the weekend.

"We've had some customers slide into curbs" after hitting ice that they didn't know was there until they were on it, Lucas said.

Matt Kastner, an owner of Downers Grove Auto Rebuilders, says he's had to schedule some auto body jobs for next month, because it's become so busy.

"There's only so much you can do in a certain amount of time, and there's a pretty big backlog out there right now," he said.

Kastner said he's seeing mostly front-end damage, but some rear-end damage too. He said his shop is writing a lot of estimates, and hearing from a lot of insurance companies now.

He said business is much busier than it was last year when the winter was milder.

In Chicago, any motorist whose car has been damaged by a pothole can contact the city to apply for compensation.

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