Dear James: My asphalt driveway has many cracks and small holes. It is only a few years old. My repair attempts don’t last for long. How can I fix them better? —Carla A. Dear Carla: Asphalt driveways do require periodic sealing, but they should not be deteriorating in just a couple of years. It sounds like improper installation or installation over an unstable base has occurred. Check your original installation contract for any warranty information. Unless your driveway is literally crumbling from a bad base, it should be able to be repaired. Since the base is hidden under the asphalt, it is impossible to inspect it. If it continues to deteriorate even after you make proper repairs, a bad base is the most likely cause. In that case, the driveway must be replaced again. With an unstable gravel base, for whatever reason, there probably isn’t a “permanent” repair for the …