The average car comprises approximately 1,800 components, with arguably no part more important than a car’s four tires.
The tire’s ability to complete its task will dictate whether the driver can operate their vehicle as usual. For this reason, you need to replace the tires on your vehicle from time to time.
That is also the reason to invest in getting a car’s wheel alignment performed routinely. The cost of the alignment will always pay off in the long run. Find further information on what a wheel alignment is, its purpose, as well as what benefits it brings to maintaining your vehicle’s condition.
A front-end alignment typically costs between $65 and $100 (some brands are more, of course). At this price, it should be a regular part of your car care routine. To make alignment even more economical, some auto detailers offer lifetime alignment packages for around $200. Your car will receive a scheduled alignment every 6,000 miles (or as needed) for as long as you own it.
What Is a Wheel Alignment?
We’ll delve into the various factors that affect the cost of a wheel alignment together with the services offered in a wheel alignment, but first, let us define what a wheel alignment is.
Car maintenance that deals with Auto Repair includes adjusting the angles of a car’s wheels to the settings specified by an auto manufacturer. After a wheel alignment, a car’s wheels are guaranteed to be properly aligned.
Over the years, I have tried tweaking the procedure for obtaining the service. In the good old days, auto mechanics had to painstakingly adjust the wheels manually to achieve the alignment.
Now it is a lot easier for the auto mechanics to perform wheel alignment. Alignment machines have been developed that are able to align the wheels of your vehicle in no time at all.
I am astounded at the number of people who aren’t aware that a simple and affordable service, such as aligning your wheels, is to be done routinely.
People put the service off due to the cost of the wheel alignment or because they simply don’t know any better then have to deal with the consequences later on. Like other services done to a car, this too should be done routinely to make sure you are not spending unnecessarily.
How often should a wheel alignment be performed?
With the information you now have about wheel alignment and the procedure itself, your only question left must be when should the alignment on your car’s wheels should be done. The answer is that it depends.
If you commute for work more than drive casually on weekends, driving your vehicle into the ground will probably lead to spending more on repairs due to frequent overheating when compared to those who drive more casually.
On average, car experts recommend performing the procedure every two to three years, and doing so will keep the vehicle’s wheels aligned throughout the vehicle’s lifespan.
For those vehicle owners looking to go above and beyond, I would suggest changing the alignment even in cases where it seems too often, such as in combination with oil change cycles.
How do you know if you need a wheel alignment?
Assuming the averages are upheld, and you are only performing the alignment on average every two to three years, the chances of major issues occurring are extremely low.
Nonetheless, as previously indicated, if you fail to set a scheduling routine for the wheel alignments, you will most likely encounter alignment difficulties sooner rather than later. It is almost guaranteed that noticing wheel alignment problems will not pose a significant challenge.
How do you know that a wheel alignment service is due and that you will need to pay for the service? You need to check if:
- The wear and tear on the wheels is abnormally high.
- There is a lack of symmetry in the wear patterns of the vehicle’s tires.
- The steering wheel does not have the same angle as the wheels are pointed to, making it harder for the driver to steer the car smoothly in the desired direction.
- The vehicle tends to drift either to the left, right, or sometimes both sides, eventually becoming unmanageable for the driver.
- The vehicle produces unusual sounds with regard to the wheel while steering.
- The car’s wheels seem to produce persistent sounds that cannot be quieted no matter the circumstances.
Has looking back and remembering such instances helped you come across such situations? The good news is that it is quite easy to overlook some of these scenarios, especially with how hectic life tends to get.
Regardless of what the situation is, ignoring such a scenario should be the last thing that you do. Paying for a wheel alignment service will, without a doubt, provide countless benefits when it comes to the overall drivability of the vehicle.
Can you drive a car with bad alignment?
If your vehicle’s wheels have poor alignment when the car is in motion and you do nothing about it, there are no immediate risks. Under certain circumstances, you might even get away with going on a lengthy road trip without suffering any immediate consequences.
However, this does mean that the one problem you set aside needs to be solved eventually- in simpler terms, a car’s bad alignment will eventually catch up with the problems it brings. It’s only a matter of time before the issues relating to your poor alignment become a burden on your vehicle.
Take a look at some of the negative consequences that misalignment of your vehicle could cause:
- Your tires could completely become unsafe to drive on as a result of them being way overused.
- Your vehicle could become a fuel-expensive drag as it will force you to expend more resources than usual.
- Your steering system will not allow you to swiftly stop the vehicle in an emergency which can jeopardize your safety in so many ways.
While these factors may not matter much to you in the beginning, driving a car with bad alignment will begin to impact you in a multitude of ways. If you actively ensure that these inconveniences do not arise, it is advised that you pay the wheel alignment cost to have them taken care of.
Is it advisable to get a wheel alignment done right after purchasing new tires?
Most people tend to replace tires when there are signs of poor alignment because they assume that the misalignment will go away after the new tires are fitted.
It will, to a certain extent, but even with new wheels on the vehicle, concerns for wheel alignment are still a must. Most experts would recommend performing a wheel alignment whenever a new set of tires is fitted onto a vehicle.
Why is this the case? Well, a wheel alignment ensures that all four tires are mounted on the vehicle at the correct angles and positioned accurately. This will markedly improve the lifespan of the wheels and will minimize the need for constant replacements.
With this, you will also be assisted on when to have an alignment in the future. Pacing the need for a wheel alignment with tire installation makes the most sense.
How Much Does Wheel Alignment Cost?
Given how critical it is to carry out the alignment on a car, the price for the service might seem exorbitant.
As surprising as it might sound, the cost of doing a wheel alignment is cheaper than most other car maintenance services. Usually, it costs anywhere between $65 and $100.
It is notable to mention that this figure can shift for some reasons. Your cost of wheel alignment might be lower or higher than the average, depending on:
- The make and model of your car
- The age of your car
- The type of tires on your car
- The condition of your car
- The mechanic who works on your car
It makes sense that gathering a few estimates would be beneficial before going in for scheduling a car wheel alignment. One mechanic may offer significant savings over others when it comes to alignment service, which can make a big difference financially.
But like any other service, don’t allow yourself to change the other strategies you have set up to incur the wheel alignment expense should be secondary. It is a task that should be given immediate and prioritized attention.
In addition to location, there are a number of factors that affect how much you’ll pay to get your vehicle’s wheels aligned.
| City | State | KBB Fair Repair Estimate |
| Katy | Texas | $70 – $84 |
| Corona (Queens) | New York | $89 – $108 |
| Los Angeles | California | $77 – $93 |
| Chicago | Illinois | $89 – $108 |
| Lakewood | New Jersey | $89 – $108 |
| Antioch | Tennessee | $87 – $105 |
| Lawrenceville | Georgia | $82 – $99 |
| San Juan | Puerto Rico | $81 – $98 |
| Summerville | South Carolina | $83 – $101 |
| Dale City | Virginia | $88 – $107 |
Should You Do Wheel Alignment Yourself or Involve Professional Help?
Conceptually, wheel alignment comes across as a tiresome but achievable assignment as it involves making sure the car wheels are straight with respect to the centerline and one another. It is as simple as aligning the wheels correctly, but on the contrary, lots of experience and the right tools are essential to making it uncomplicated!
Trying to align the wheels of your car without the requisite skills and equipment could lead to majorly setbacks in terms of progress.
Negligence of details could lead you to suffer a great amount of damage to your rims. Aside from your rims, various other peripherals, such as your automobile’s braking system, could also be adversely affected. Ultimately, once all the damages done come to light, you are bound to face exorbitant amounts of expenses related to fixing your vehicle.
Reaching out to professionals for help while seeking to align the wheels is a far less tedious undertaking. There is no denying the increased cost of wheel alignment.
But a mechanic will trust their experience and the tools available in their garage to perform a flawless alignment. After the work is done, you will feel completely confident in your car’s wheels as you get them back, but that is not going to be the case if you try to work on your car yourself.
How long does wheel alignment take?
One of the other reasons why you should avoid doing the alignment yourself is that a good mechanic will be able to finish working on the issue in no time.
If you try to do a wheel alignment on your own, the process will likely take multiple hours at the very least, if not more. On the other hand, that is not the case when a mechanic works on your car.
A standard wheel alignment takes a qualified mechanic about thirty minutes to one hour. This is highly appropriate for customers who prefer staying at the garage while their alignment is being done.
That also makes the wheel alignment cost a pretty reasonable value compared to other auto repair jobs. With just a little bit of money, you will save a ton of time while getting proper wheel alignment.
One thing that I have noted, however, is the possibility of your mechanic taking more time to complete the alignment because certain issues could arise during the alignment that would require further diagnosis.
These complications could also greatly increase the cost of your wheel alignment. If a mechanic compromises on your ball joints, track rod, or even the suspension system, you might be charged more than the usual cost for your wheels to be aligned.
Is Wheel Alignment Worth the Cost?
As I stated before, the average cost of wheel alignment sits at $100 and a few cents. From a consumer perspective, this is an affordable sum for safeguarding the tires of the vehicle.
If you do incur the expense of aligning the car’s wheels, you will be reimbursed in terms of prolonging the life of the vehicle’s tires.