If you're looking to get a wheel alignment in Covington, LA there are some things you should know before you decide, especially if you own a Subaru.

Subaru owners are some of the most loyal auto aficionados on the planet. The official Dear Subaru page says it all with fan testimonials on every car topic under the sun.

And you’re no exception. You bought a Subaru because you love its ruggedness, practicality, and reliability. So, it only makes sense to treat that investment right.

The Car Care Council says neglecting car maintenance causes thousands of accidents every year. The cost of these wrecks exceeds $2 billion annually.

Along those lines, proper wheel alignment is a critical and overlooked part of car maintenance. People just don’t understand why car wheels need to be aligned and don’t give this area the attention it deserves.

But think on this for a moment. Without wheels, your car is just a pricey paperweight. And paperweights can’t get you anywhere you need to go.

That’s obvious, but it’s worth stressing just how important it is to keep your wheels aligned.

So, let’s talk about the upsides of proper wheel alignment, the risks associated with letting it slide, and how to ensure your wheels are aligned properly.

 

First, How Can You Tell If You Even Need a Wheel Alignment?

If you feel your car pulling to the right or left when you’re driving straight, chances are you need an alignment. Steering wheel vibration is another indicator that something is off with your wheels.

Wheels can go out of alignment due to average vehicle wear and tear. But incidents like hitting curbs when turning or driving over gaping potholes degrade alignment much faster. And accidents, no matter how small, can cause the same problems too.

What does it take to realign your wheels? The parts that hold the wheels in place must be adjusted to make the wheels run parallel to each other and perpendicular to the road.

Since many people don’t know how critical wheel alignment is in making your car hum, let’s talk about that. We’ll start with the positives.

How Does Wheel Alignment Help You and Your Car?

Saving Fuel

Having your wheels aligned helps your car run more smoothly and efficiently, so you’ll use less gas in the long run.

Especially if your car has a large gas tank or is not fuel efficient, proper wheel alignment means fewer trips to the pump and more dollars you get to keep.

From car payments to insurance to general car maintenance, owning a car isn’t cheap! So, you’ve got to nab those savings where you can.

Extending Tire Life

Tire rotation keeps wearing even between front and rear tires. But proper wheel alignment ensures the inside and outside of your tires wear at the same rate too.

Have you purchased new tires recently? If so, you know that’s a big investment. Having your wheels aligned will help you hang onto those tires longer.

Barring a flat that isn’t patchable, having properly aligned tires helps you replace all tires at the same time since they wear at the same rate. It’s better to replace all tires, or at least two tires, at once than to make a one-off tire replacement.

Helping the Environment

Consider that by saving fuel and prolonging the life of your tires, you’re helping to make the planet a little greener. And that should make you feel great.

By now we know the impact that fossil fuels have on the environment. If everyone consumed less gas because their cars ran more efficiently, think of the impact over time?

Tires are also a problem area for the environment. Close to 300 million tires are discarded in the U.S. annually! Due to their size and durability, tires take up a lot of space in landfills too.

Though most of these tires do get recycled, that’s still a process that consumes energy. So, stay on top of wheel alignment to extend the life of your tires.

Reducing Wear and Tear on Your Subaru

In addition to saving fuel and your tires, wheel alignment protects your suspension and the rest of your Subaru’s parts for the long haul.

When your wheels roll smoothly, this reduces friction making other parts of your car are less likely to break down. That means fewer repair bills and less potential for accidents due to mechanical failures.

Providing Peace of Mind

Think back to the last time you knew something was wrong with your car. Maybe your engine was making a rattling noise or your breaks were grinding.

How did that make you feel? Not safe. You probably didn’t venture far beyond a couple miles down the road until you got your car to the shop.

Problems with your wheel alignment should be taken just as seriously. Addressing those issues will help you feel safe each time you take to the road.

What Can Go Wrong When Your Wheels Aren't Aligned?

Oh boy, where to start? Here's a breakdown.

Uneven Tire Wear

When your wheels are not aligned, one effect is that they’re either angled too far inward or outward at the top or bottom of the tire.

This causes the tire treads to wear unevenly and at odd angles, making them eventually misshapen.

As we mentioned earlier, new tires are not cheap. So, if your wheels are misaligned after your new tires are installed, you’ll degrade your investment quite fast.

Dollars Wasted

Not only will your tires wear quickly, other car parts will break down given the excessive vibration and jarring that misalignment brings.

Take your car’s suspension, for instance. This is a complex ecosystem of parts. Aside from perhaps the engine or transmission, a suspension is one of the more expensive systems to fix in your car.

Compromised Safety

Losing money is one thing, but safety is the most important reason to keep your wheels aligned.

When you’re driving at highway speeds, that makes it even more difficult to steer a car that’s pulling hard to the left or right.

Now add rain, ice, or snow to the mix. Even when your car is in peak condition, navigating those conditions can be terrifying. Imagine how much harder it is to drive in snow when your wheels are not aligned.

In addition to problem steering, improper alignment affects how your car handles when you step on the brakes. Lack of alignment prevents the brake shaft from working at its best.

If you’ve ever had a car accident, the moment right before the crash is the scariest. Don’t complicate that critical moment even further.

How to Get Your Wheels Aligned Right

For starters, get your wheel alignment checked once a year or every 12,000 miles per the Car Care Council's service schedule.

Obviously, you don’t need to know how to do an alignment. But it doesn’t hurt to understand the basic principles so you can communicate well with your mechanic and understand the repair that's happening.

Mechanics can assess up to three wheel positions during a re-alignment: camber, toe, and caster.

Camber is a wheel’s angle when you look at it from the front. Toe is the direction your front wheels point (inward or outward). Caster is a term that describes how the steering axis of a wheel tilts relative to a 90-degree angle.

A mechanic will know the proper settings in all three cases, which brings us to where to take your car for the alignment. To service your Subaru properly, always go to a certified Subaru repair shop.

You’ll be tempted to “save money” by going to a cheaper mechanic. Please don’t. You may shell out less cash in the short term, but you’ll pay for that decision down the road (pun intended).

Certified Subaru repair shops are held to a high standard. Their mechanics are experts in Subaru vehicles and factory trained to work on them. These shops also use specialized tools for diagnosis and repair.

Of equal importance, certified Subaru repair shops use genuine Subaru parts. So, you’ll get the continued durability and quality you’ve come to rely on from your Subaru.

Know that other shops won’t go to these lengths to service your Subaru right.

Another thing to look for? A shop that offers convenience like scheduling Subaru service online. Any shop you choose should make your experience as easy and pleasurable as possible.

Summing It Up

You love your Subaru, but you love your friends and family even more. Treat all of them right by staying on a regular maintenance schedule.

And don’t trust your service needs to just anyone. A certified Subaru repair shop is the only way to go.

Now that you know the good, the bad, and the ugly on wheel alignment, do you think your car needs some work?

Then don’t delay. As you’ve learned, the longer you wait, the more dangerous your car becomes to drive. And the costlier your repair bills get down the line.

The good news? Alignments aren’t that expensive relative to other services for your car. Even better news? We’ve got a coupon for that!

Check out our specials page for awesome deals and call us today at (888) 454-3035. We look forward to seeing you soon!