I was recently driving on a road in the mountains and hit a patch of black ice. My car slid and went into a shallow ditch maybe two feet deep at the most. My car had a tree branch tangled somewhat in the front wheels. I pulled the tree branch away and with some maneuvering was able to get the car out of the ditch. I noticed at first some squeaking, which went away as I drove. I notice now that when my car goes over 40 mph I feel a really bad vibration coming from the front end, you can feel it through the steering wheel, what feels like the wheels or suspension or something. Nothing looks bad to the naked eye as the car really took no significant exterior damage. Yet I feel something is not right. What do you think it would be?, and will this be an easy fix for a mechanic?
Have someone watch the car from behind as you drive. I'd suspect you bent a wheel or an axle in which case they will see it wobble. It wouldn't be worth reporting to your insurance company because it would probably cost less to repair than your deductible if you have collision coverage. Expect to be out a few hundred for the repair.
It could be one of many things depending on the year, make and model It would be best to have your local mechanic put the vehicle on a car lift and check the undercarriage as well as the suspension, wheels and tires
