All those ruts and potholes around town are hitting your car very hard, especially this year with the longer winter driving season. The owner of a local auto shop has some advice. Most manufacturers recommend an alignment every two years; but Suzette Teagarden with Reed Market Auto Service in Bend says for those of us who drive a lot in Central Oregon and hit potholes and road ruts, once a year is more like it. "With the snow like we have this morning, everybody’s got their snow tires off; you take the roundabout a little too fast. You hit your wheel on the right front. That definitely causes some damage there, usually to the suspension components.”  Teagarden says if you nail a pothole or fall into one of those big ruts, if you don't get a flat tire, it’s still good to take your car in to your mechanic to make sure you don't need realignment.