How you will save money with properly aligned wheels
Saffron Autos have been caring for motorists and their cars in and around Saffron Walden for years. We like to listen to your questions and comments and always offer great value. It’s with this in mind, we decided to share the tips and benefits of having your wheels properly aligned.
There are many benefits of having the correct wheel alignment on your car. When you know what the benefits are, having regular alignment checks will become an obvious choice.
Save on Tyres
First and foremost, properly aligned wheels mean a reduction in tyre wear. Misalignment is one of the major causes of premature tyre wear. Over time, a car whose wheels are properly aligned will add thousands of miles to that car’s tyre life.
Because misalignment also results in more drag on a car’s tyres – known in the trade as rolling resistance – anyone who drives with wheels out of kilter will suffer an increase in fuel consumption.
When your vehicle has the correct wheel alignment as well as the right tyre pressures, rolling resistance is minimised and fuel consumption automatically improves.
Saves on Fuel
When you have your wheel alignment regularly checked you will be preventing any premature tyre wear, extending the time before you will need replacements, and improving your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
As a result, proper wheel alignment means you’ll not only be spending less on new tyres and fuel, you will also be reducing the CO2 that your car emits. This means that as well as having more money in your wallet, purse or pocket, you will be helping the environment too!
Improved handling
In addition, good wheel alignment means that you will enjoy improved handling. This is because many of the handling problems we encounter when we drive can be corrected by four-wheel alignment.
Correct wheel alignment also maximises your car’s handling and stability. This is crucial in situations when you are forced into taking emergency or evasive action. Uneven tyre wear caused by any misalignment can have a negative effect on the distance it takes you to brake.
A tyre and suspension inspection should be part of an alignment check which potentially enables any worn parts to be identified before they are allowed to cause more costly problems.
When should wheel alignment be checked?
Unfortunately, misalignment issues are not always obvious but there are clear symptoms to look out for. These include:
- Uneven tyre wear where one side of the tyre seems more worn than the other. In addition to a visual check, it’s important to run your hand over the tyre’s surface to feel if the rubber has worn excessively on any of the inside or outside edges. But be careful, as when there is excessive wear, fine wire could protrude from the rubber casing.
- Drifting. If, when driving along a straight road, you notice the car drifting or requiring compensation by steering to keep the car driving in a straight line, is a classic sign that alignment is out. If the car pulls to the left or the right when braking, this also indicates a possible alignment issue.
- A steering wheel that appears crooked. The steering wheel should be straight when the wheels are in a neutral position for driving in a straight line.
The best way of taking advantages of the many benefits of having the correct wheel alignment on your car is to have a regular alignment check.
It’s worth keeping in mind that the cost of keeping your wheels correctly aligned is bound to be far less than the cost of replacing four tyres that wear out too soon. In our book prevention is always better than cure 🙂
At Saffron Autos we have the very latest training and technology to ensure that your wheel alignment is correct. This not only saves you money but ensures your safety.
