For many drivers in Albuquerque, wheel alignment is often thought of as something that should be done only on extremely rare occasions. In fact, there are several problems that are avoided when your wheel alignment is done properly. Understanding the benefits of vehicle alignment is helpful in recognizing when your car needs this service conducted. At Advantage Auto Repair, we want our customers to know for themselves when their vehicle would benefit from this service, rather than allowing their vehicle to slowly degrade over time. Keeping a watchful eye for these classic indicators of poor wheel alignment can let you know when it’s time to have your alignment corrected. When you catch these problems early, you prolong the life of your vehicle, and save bundles of cash in the process.

Premature tire wear – poor alignment essentially forces your tires to wear in specific areas first. The reason for this is the angle at which your tires are making contact with the road. Rather than wearing slowly and evenly across the tire, specific wear patterns begin to manifest. This is one of the primary indicators that your vehicle is due for an alignment correction.

Steering drift – as you are driving, you should not be required to constantly compensate for the vehicle attempting to pull to one direction. In fact continued driving with this kind of active compensation has an effect on other portions of your vehicle such as power steering and suspension. If you feel your vehicle trying to drift, it is important to get this problem solved.

Fuel efficiency – though it may be difficult to detect in your daily driving, pool alignment does have an effect on your vehicles fuel economy. The reason for this is that when your wheels are not pointing straight ahead, your engine must work harder to move. In turn, your vehicle uses more fuel to move the same distance. When push comes to shove, the cost of wheel alignment is insignificant to the costs incurred when it is ignored.

By keeping an eye out for the classic signals of improper wheel alignment, you can save yourself a considerable amount of money over the life of your vehicle. The direct benefits of wheel alignment make your vehicle safer, easier to control, maximize fuel economy and help your tires last as long as possible.

One piece of information that most drivers are unaware of is the fact that your tire warranty can be voided if damage consistent with poor alignment is detected. This is why tire alignment is so important when it comes to decreasing the total cost of driving over the course of your vehicles life. We invite you to contact us if you have any questions regarding what we can do for your vehicle. Our staff is on hand to make sure that your questions are answered and your concerns are addressed.