Your alignment is a huge factor in your safety and repairs needed down the road. An aligned vehicle pulls you off the road and toward your wallet; however, there are some easy ways to tell if your car is not aligned. We at Performance Collision Centers are here to help!
How can you determine if there are alignment issues?
There are many different ways to see if a realignment is necessary. However, here is what to look out for:
While driving, your car pulls toward oncoming traffic or the ditch.
Your steering is noisy or vibrating when you turn the wheel.
Your steering wheel is crooked, off-center, or tipped when you drive straight.
One edge of your tire’s tread is smoother than the other edge.
Your tire looks tipped when you look at it from the front or rear of the car.
A wheel on your vehicle looks like it is pointing inward or outward when the rest of the tires are straight.
Screeching tires when you turn, even if you go slow.
When should you get an alignment?
You should be getting an alignment test every one to two years. After that, your trusted mechanic should investigate with a thorough inspection. If something is still off, consider the following:
When did this problem occur? Did you hit a curb, for example?
How often does this happen? Does it only occur when braking? Do certain road conditions have an effect?
When was the last time your tires were rotated or inflated? This inaction can wear tires unevenly.
What work has been done or needs to be done? Again, this factor is essential to discuss to determine how it could relate to the issues you are seeing.
What benefits come with fixing your alignment?
Your car alignment plays a big part in the condition of your vehicle and your wallet. Here are some ways you will benefit from keeping things straight.
Your tires last much longer. This benefit is because they wear more evenly and slowly, replacing them less often.
Fuel costs will drop. Road resistance will lessen once you fix the car, and your vehicle won’t have to work so hard to reach the destination.
Less gas also means saving the environment.
By keeping your vehicle in good condition, your driving will improve—no more pulling to the side on a straight road.
When you take care of the alignment, you save your car from needing much other work done, saving you thousands in repairs.
If you have found yourself in a collision and recognize any of these signs in your car, you should get it checked out. Our Gold-Class certified technicians are prepared to get you back on the road safely, so you don’t have to worry about a thing! Use our check out a location near you to talk to us directly.