The wheel alignment is an inexpensive but rather important element of preventative maintenance that is recommended for all cars from time to time.
Why Is It Necessary?
An expedient alignment increases the performance and durability of tires as well as improves the driving experience by providing a smooth ride without excessive vibrations or pulling to either side of the road. It also means safer ride.
What Is It?
Wheel alignment is the adjustment of direction and angle in which the tires point while sitting on the road.
The Alignment Cost
Firstly, you should know that there are two types of alignment: a four-wheel alignment and a front-wheel alignment. The latter is less expensive but it is not as effective as the former. In general, it is recommended to perform the four-wheel alignment.
Some major automotive service providers like Firestone, Sears and NTB charge as low as $80-90 for a one-time four-wheel alignment with a free suspension check. The price, however, varies from company to company and from vehicle to vehicle. The four-wheel alignment for pickup trucks, for instance, costs more ($105-120) because they are bigger and require more effort from mechanics.
The one-time front-wheel alignment costs around $50.
Better Safe Than Sorry
It is not wise to ignore minor problems such as an untuned wheel alignment because if left untreated it can cost you way more. Driving the car attentively and performing its maintenance regularly means your and your family’s safety on the road.
Photo in the header: McLaren P1 © Ben/CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo in the text: Tire © stock.tookapic.com/CC0 1.0