Driving around Wheat Ridge
I-70 cuts straight through, plus Kipling, Wadsworth, 38th, 44th and 32nd Avenues.
Being right on I-70 means a lot of highway miles and a lot of mag chloride in winter. Give the underside a good rinse a few times in winter and once in spring, especially on older cars where brake lines and exhaust hangers can rust.
Front Range driving, in general
- Altitude. At a mile up, non-turbo engines make noticeably less power and turbos work harder. Coolant boils at a lower temperature too, so a weak radiator cap or a small leak shows up sooner here.
- Hail. Spring and summer storms can total a car in ten minutes. Comprehensive coverage and a garage are the real fix.
- Winter. Magnesium chloride on the roads is hard on brake lines, exhaust parts and undercarriages. Rinse the underside in spring.
- Mountain grades. I-70 and US 285 are hard on brakes and cooling systems. Fresh brake fluid and a healthy water pump matter more here than at sea level.