Oil, Chips, and a Side of “Wait, What Did PennDOT Just Do?”

If you’ve been driving anywhere from 5th Street to Ridge Road lately—and maybe even right past your neighbor's mailbox on Penny Lane—you’ve probably noticed the roads look like someone sprinkled gravel on freshly poured syrup.

That’s because PennDOT, in their infinite wisdom (and budget-saving strategies), has decided to give a fresh makeover to a huge chunk of Perkasie roads using something called oil and chip sealing.

[*Editor’s Note] Now, before I knew better, I genuinely thought “Oil & Chips” was just a quirky roadside café I hadn’t discovered yet. A place where you could get some synthetic blend with your kettle-cooked Lay’s. I know, not my best moment. Thanks, Nate (our ever-patient service manager), for gently popping that bubble.

What the &@% is Oil and Chip Anyway?

“Oil and chip”—also known as chip sealing—is PennDOT’s low-cost alternative to fully repaving roads. It involves spraying down liquid asphalt (the "oil"), then dumping a layer of crushed stone (the "chips") on top. It’s cheaper than full paving and supposedly extends road life.

Sounds great... in theory.

In reality? It’s like turning the street into a rock tumbler and sending your tires, paint, and windshield in as the unlucky participants.

So What’s the Damage?

Today alone, we had a customer come in needing their PA State Inspection sticker re-applied—because their entire windshield had to be replaced after being blasted by rogue flying chips. (Shoutout to the Alderfer Glass that said they’ve had over 100 people come in with the same issue. That’s not a statistic, that’s a trend.)

And not to make this about me, but… I brought my car in for a routine brake inspection and Ryan (our Mercedes/Porsche/Saab specialist and resident truth-teller) pointed out that the tread of my brand-new tires was packed with loose gravel. Fantastic. So much for that fresh rubber.

What Can You Do to Avoid a Chip-tastrophe?

Great question. Here’s what we recommend:

Reroute if you can

Stick to roads that haven’t been hit with the oil & chip special. If you see the warning signs—literally and figuratively—take a different way. Google Maps won’t tell you, but your suspension will.

Slow. Down.

If you have to drive through an oil-and-chipped road, take it slow. Like, Sunday-driver-on-a-mission-to-save-their-clearcoat slow. The faster you go, the more likely those chips become projectiles.

Check your tires and paint after

Chips can lodge themselves into your treads or scuff your paint. Give your car a once-over, or let us do it—no judgment. We’re here to help.

Don't tailgate

This one’s big. The closer you are to the car in front of you, the more likely you are to take a direct hit from the chips they kick up. Stay back.

Schedule a quick inspection

If you’ve driven through these roads recently, let’s take a look at your undercarriage, paint, tires, brakes—whatever’s most vulnerable. We’ll make sure no hidden damage is brewing.

In Conclusion…

PennDOT may think they’re saving the roads. But from where we’re standing (or squatting next to tire damage in Bay 3), it’s costing local drivers big. We specialize in European vehicles, and we’d rather not see your finely tuned Audi, BMW, Volvo, or Benz suffer the death-by-a-thousand-stones treatment.

If nothing else, let this be your PSA from someone who once thought “Oil & Chips” was a road trip snack stop: Don’t wait until your windshield looks like a spiderweb or your tires feel like a rock garden.

And hey, if you have had a run-in with the newly crunchy roads of Perkasie, come see us. We’ll check it out, clean it up, and get you safely back on the road—no chips included.