Having lost a wheel and rim last year to a hidden pothole (covered by water), I am counting my blessings so far this year here in Pennsylvania with the decimated roads. Aside from just the obvious see-and-avoid and perhaps a little help from waze, can anyone add their techniques to help avoid these money pits?

One technique I do use at night is the extra close-up illumination of the fog lights (I now call them my road hazard lights).

 

They now sell LED fogs from mini for our cars. I have them but since my roadster is garaged, I've yet to use them. What i'm told is that they are incredible.

 

Use snow tires and cheap winter rims (really strong oem rims picked up 2nd hand works great)....usually an inch smaller than you summer rims...this will give you more cushion.... And in a few weeks, the potholes will be filled, the snow gone...then go back to your other rims!!

 

Here in Minnesota the potholes are every where and the worst part is we aren't even done with winter yet. Not only are there more this year but they are deep! I feel like we are on a track course dodging them all over!

 

Grabbed a clean set of used OEM wheels off Craigslist over the summer. Mounted some decent all seasons too them, plastidipped them black. Already have surprise wheel damage (scuff) after the first wash in a while. Well worth it. Total invested about $700. This winter has been brutal.

 

Aside from my own two eyes I try to watch cars ahead of me to see if they swerve or change their lane position as a possible indicator of potholes or other unexpected road hazards.

 

Always drive two cars ahead of you, my old pappy always said. But at night that goes out the window on a road with nobody but lil ol me on it!

The stock headlights( no HID) are pretty rough, I think I have to adjust them up even more that they are now to avoid da holes.

I Agree with the winter tires +16inch rims to absorb some of the shock. My nicely powder-coated 17's look like some one went at the edge with a melon baller last year...and that was just a run of the mill crappy summer road. Frost heaving can cause holes to pop up year round.

The joys of upstate NY.

 

I have been using the foglights lately for the same reason as OP.

 

Right there with you NY is worse than ever this year.

I run 16" run flats. Takes the pot holes pretty well.
BTY - Our '04 run the low beams along with the high beams when on high beams. The lighting is the best in any car I have ever been in short of the HIDs. Don't know why MINI went away from them but my '07's were really bad and my 2012 is not much better. I had to aim them down a bit to see the road at all in high beam. Works better for low beam too.