Are you trying to find a place to align the wheels on your car and you are looking to do that on the cheap? $40 wheel alignment would probably be your best bet. Luckily there are a ton of places that will do this work for this price and we are going to cover everything you need to know when it comes to doing a wheel alignment.
Aligning the wheels on your car is something really important. Why I’m saying this? This is the case because performing a wheel alignment is a security for you that you will drive safely on the road.
If your car is not aligned well, it means that it is completely out of balance and each wheel is pointing in different directions. Although you cannot see this, you will feel it. The symptoms of bad alignment are many and we are going to cover them in this article in depth so you have a clear perspective of what you should expect.
Also, the price for this is also important. Not everyone is made of money and can allow spending so much money on their cars. Sometimes you need to find good deals, like a $40 wheel alignment. And this is a killer deal, but where you can find it? We will elaborate.
In this article, first, we will learn what is wheel alignment and what are the symptoms of bad wheel alignment. Then we will discuss the places where you can get a $40 wheel alignment and then we will answer some common questions concerning this work. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.
What Is Wheel Alignment?
So what is wheel alignment? A wheel alignment is a procedure that is taken by mechanics and with the help of which, your wheels are aligned properly. Which in other words means that your car is driving perfectly.
Back in the day, there was no computerized wheel alignment, which resulted in poor performance by the vehicles. Mechanics adjusted the suspension based on their experience and how the car felt by driving.
They performed a test drive across the block and saw how the car performed and then they adjusted it. Then they tested it again and then they adjusted the suspension again until the car drove perfectly normal.
But even the car drove pretty much ok, this didn’t mean that the car’s suspension was perfect by any means. Not until computerized wheel alignment was introduced back in the ’90s.
This computerized wheel alignment was the perfect way to make the car much safer at high speeds. And since then cars evolved immensely and become real speed machines. You cannot compare a car from the ’80s with misaligned wheels and a modern car that is driving like it’s on rails. There is no comparison, to be honest.
If you want to have a good handling vehicle, wheel alignment should be one of your top priorities, if not, you will be dealing with the symptoms of bad wheel alignment.
So, doing an alignment even if it’s a $40 wheel alignment is important. But what are the aspects that are improved with wheel alignment? Well, that’s what we are going to learn next.
Why Wheel Alignment Is Essential?
So, why wheel alignment is essential to be done on your car? As you know, we don’t live like back in the day when cars were slow and couldn’t move fast.
Now we live in a fast world where everything is fast-paced and so is driving. You cannot allow yourself to drive a slow car on the roads or a car that doesn’t drive straight.
You are risking your life if you are not performing a wheel alignment. Imagine that the steering wheel is not straight. In this situation, you will have to make constant adjustments to keep the car on the road. If a distraction happens, I don’t even want to think about what could happen.
That’s why learning where you can get a $40 wheel alignment is essential in solving this problem and making your car a lot safer than it really is.
In addition to this, is the component wear, components will wear down prematurely if the alignment is bad and you will have to pay a ton of money on possible repairs that have to be performed if you want to return your car to OEM spec and make it drivable once again.
Every component in your suspension is affecting other components and makes them wear. So, get your appointment for your $40 wheel alignment and make your life easier. Where you can do that we are going to answer at the end where we will discuss prices.
How To Know When You Need A Wheel Alignment?
So, how do you know that you are needing a $40 wheel alignment? Well, this can be tricky to answer because there could be many signs. But we shall start from the beginning and discuss all of the options. So, let’s get into the topic.
The most probable situation is in case you are having some of the suspension components replaced. So why is this the case?
This is the case because whenever you replace some of the components in your car, your car is losing alignment. The wheels are not aligned properly anymore whenever you replace a control arm, tie rod, strut tower, or even a ball joint or a bushing. Even insignificant things like these will make your car lose the alignment and will require a $40 wheel alignment.
Another sign that your car needs alignment is if it doesn’t drive as it should. Imagine that you are driving on the road and the car is pulling to one side. This is a clear indication that your car desperately needs a $40 wheel alignment.
So, whenever you are running your car like this. Be aware because it could easily get you into an accident. Sometimes these accidents can be fatal, and considering that it is for a $40 wheel alignment, I think it doesn’t worth it.
The last aspect is if your car was in an accident. Let’s say that you hit a rock and all got messed up. This also means that your suspension needs alignment.
Other symptoms indicate that your car needs an alignment and we are going to cover them in the following chapters.
Symptoms Of Bad Wheel Alignment?
We briefly hinted at some of the symptoms of bad wheel alignment above. Now it’s time to discuss them in great detail for you to learn how to recognize when your car desperately needs that $40 wheel alignment.
After learning the symptoms, you will be able to tell whether your car is ready to take it to a shop and make an alignment on your wheels. So, let’s get into covering the symptoms.
1. Uneven Tread Wear
Uneven tread wear is one of the first symptoms that you are going to notice when you are having a bad alignment. That’s why checking the condition of your tires is of great importance for you. Because if you don’t check them, you can get a puncture that could even cost your life if you are driving at high speed when this puncture happens.
Inspect your tires carefully, if you just purchased the vehicle. Perform a quick inspection and see their condition. If they are dry and have cracked it means that they are really old and have to be replaced as soon as possible.
Also what is important here is the thread wear. Tires should wear evenly. By evenly we mean from end to end the tire should have the same meat level. Evenly worn tires are a sign of a good wheel alignment.
If the tires wear on the inside or the outside, then you know that you need an urgent alignment. But before you do your alignment. You need to replace the tires with new ones. Unevenly worn tires are trash and you should find a good brand of tires and replace them with new ones. Even if the new ones are cheaper are far safer than these unevenly worn expensive tires.
Then you can head up to your closest shop that works on the cheap and get a $40 wheel alignment. The quicker you do this step, the better will be for your own safety. More on these places we are going to discuss later where we will cover the costs of doing a wheel alignment. Now let’s move on to the next symptom.
2. Steering Wheel Not Straight Or Car Pulls On One Side
Another symptom that can be a clear indication that you are having problems with your alignment is the steering wheel not being straight issue.
Imagine you are driving on the highway and the steering wheel suddenly tries to pull on one side. This can be a dangerous situation if you are not aware of this problem and you do not correct the steering wheel on time.
If there is a car next to you, you could easily end up damaging that car. And if you don’t have insurance you will end up in a big problem. Because these fixes are not cheap.
But what is worse is that you can end up on the side of the road, or even in a ditch in some cases. Driving with a steering wheel like this is not a smart idea and getting a $40 wheel alignment should be your best bet when it comes to tackling this problem effectively.
Another situation when the alignment is bad will be when the wheels will drive straight but the wheel will slightly be turned to the right or the left.
This is bad information for you. Because you will try to correct the steering wheel and unknowingly drive your car where you are not supposed to go.
Whenever you are having some of these problems. The alignment is one of the most probable causes for it. The important thing for you, in this case, is to learn where you can find a $40 wheel alignment. Of course that you don’t want to pay a fortune for something this simple. More on the places where you can get this alignment, later in the article.
3. Increased Wear On Suspension Components
Another symptom that is closely connected with bad alignment is the increased wear of the suspension components. Why is this the case?
Well, this is the case because misaligned components can prematurely wear because they are not running on their optimum performance. Many of these components are connected to other suspension components.
And as we know, everything inside of the suspension is in contact and constantly moves. There are a ton of vibrations that are felt as well. All these aspects are greatly affecting the suspension and make the components wear off prematurely.
So, if you have a bad alignment, you will replace the tires in most of the cases because of the uneven thread wear, that is almost certain.
Then there are other components closely connected to how the car drives and that are ball joints, control arm bushings, and other important bits and pieces that also have to be replaced if you want to return your suspension in perfectly working condition as it came from the factory.
If there are too many components that are problematic because of this bad alignment, will mean that you will end up in a money pit full of problems if you need to replace all the tires ball joints, and other bits and pieces. Not the end of the world. But still, a big problem that has to be sorted if you want to have a perfectly working suspension and no headaches.
That’s why you need to arrange your $40 wheel alignment and make sure that your car drives perfectly straight. More on that after we cover the last symptom of bad wheel alignment.
4. Increased Fuel Consumption Caused By Bad Wheel Alignment
The last symptom would be the increased fuel consumption that you will notice if your alignment is not good enough. So, why is this the case?
This is the case because when the alignment is bad, your car will not roll freely and the tires will not stick evenly. Resulting in a bigger load to the engine. And bigger load in the engine means that you will press on the gas pedal far more frequently than you used to when the alignment was okay.
So, your fuel consumption will take its toll. With a bad wheel alignment, you could end up losing up to 5 mpg of fuel consumption. And 5 mpg on the course of 20,000 miles is quite a lot, to be honest.
This bad wheel alignment will make a hole through your wallet and make you regret that you didn’t do that $40 wheel alignment that we are discussing in this article.
Keeping everything in check will result in a ton of money saved in the long run. Many people don’t have that way of thinking and they usually see the short-term rewards and benefits instead of the benefits in the long run. And frankly, when it comes to cars, everything gets back in the long run when it comes to repairs and avoiding possible problems that cost a fortune to fix.
So, make your $40 wheel alignment appointment and make sure that your car drives straight. More on that in a bit.
Are Repairs Needed Before $40 Wheel Alignment?
Repairs will be needed before you make a wheel alignment. Why is this the case? Well, this is the case because the suspension components have to be in good condition before you do an alignment.
If your tires are unevenly worn, your alignment would be for nothing. Why would you need alignment with tires like that? Another thing is to inspect the ball joints, bushings, tie rods. All these components have to be replaced if the time has come to replace them.
Again if you do an alignment and your suspension is broken would be all for nothing. Everything has to be sorted before you decide to spend your money and do a $40 wheel alignment.
These components that have to be changed also cost some money. In most cases even more than the $40 wheel alignment. But that will be something that you will have to live with if you want to get your car in perfect running order and the wheels to drive straight like an arrow.
For this, you will consult with your mechanic to tell you what you need to replace to make the alignment perfect and not to worry about dealing with suspension issues in the next 30,000 miles or so.
Wheel Alignment Cost?
And now we came to the important bit and that is the wheel alignment cost. Cost is an important thing that you need to consider before you do anything, even before you buy a car you need to know the possible expenses on repairs that could pop up here and there and to have a budget for these expenditures.
When it comes to the prices, it is worth noting that tire alignment often costs between $65 to $100. When it comes to big chains of stores, it is relatively difficult to find something cheaper than this.
If you want to go on the more expensive route, some of the chains like Walmart, Firestone, Mr. Tire are offering great deals.
For example, you can align the tires at Walmart for about $50. Mr.Tire offers also wheel alignments on average for about $50. Firestone is offering -40$ of the charge if you buy 4 Bridgestone tires.
But I want a $40 wheel alignment, where can I find a $40 wheel alignment? Well, that’s what we are going to cover next.
Finding A $40 Wheel Alignment By Using Groupon?
Finding a $40 wheel alignment is rather difficult. Not that there are no places that offer $40 wheel alignment but finding them is really hard. But we are going to help you out.
To make this work, you need to head up to groupon.com. There you will have to create an account and enter your location. Then you just search for “wheel alignment” and you will get the best deals for your location.
There are a ton of great deals and you need to use some of them. We would be very happy to pinpoint a place that does $40 wheel alignment, but it is relatively hard to find one unless you are looking for coupons and other promos. So, go on Groupon and find your best deal.
Can I Keep Driving Without Wheel Alignment?
Yes, you can keep driving with bad wheel alignment. Doing alignment is not mandatory. But you are risking a lot of things by driving like this.
The car will not be happy and wear and tear will be increased to the components of your car. And also your fuel mileage.
Not to mention that vibrations, the steering wheel to pull on one side as well as getting a puncture because of that uneven wear and tear can be a really big problem.
These are the things that you don’t need to save money on. You are maneuvering with a vehicle that is not road-worthy and is a potential danger for you as well as your occupants or pedestrians. So, you need to consider these things and find the best solution for this problem with the bad wheel alignment.
Go on Groupon and find the best deal when it comes to $40 wheel alignment and drive safely.
Facts: Need-to-Know Knowledge About Wheel Alignments
- A wheel alignment is a maintenance service that involves adjusting a vehicle’s wheels to manufacturer specifications to ensure even weight distribution among tires and reduce tire wear and tear.
- Signs that you may need a wheel alignment include noisy steering, pulling to one side, squealing tires, crooked steering wheel, and uneven tire wear.
- A wheel alignment typically costs between $50 and $75, although some companies offer $40 deals or bundle the service with other services like tire rotation and balancing.
- Companies that offer $40 wheel alignments include Low Country Auto Sales & Service and Elite Automotive & Tire Center, but prices and deals are subject to change, and discounts can be found on company Facebook pages or through internet searches.
- Driving a car with bad wheel alignment can cause premature tire wear, requiring more frequent tire replacements and increasing the risk of accidents on the road.
- Even a small misalignment can shorten tire life by thousands of miles, and a major misalignment can wear out tires in a few hundred miles.
- It is recommended to get a wheel alignment once a year, but frequency depends on driving habits, road conditions, and construction.
- Proper wheel alignment can also help increase fuel efficiency and save money on gas, in addition to reducing wear and tear on tires, avoiding expensive auto repairs, and ensuring safer driving.
Conclusion
In this article, we learned what is a wheel alignment and why it is so essential. Then we learned when you should consider a wheel alignment.
As we can recall, you need to perform a wheel alignment whenever you replace an important component in your suspension. As well as feeling one of the symptoms that we elaborated on in detail in this article. The most common ones are uneven thread wear, steering wheel pulling on one side, vibrations, and increased wear and tear in the suspension.
Lastly, we covered the prices when it comes to wheel alignment. We discussed the average cost as well as the $40 wheel alignment. You can find one of these services on the website that we covered. Then after doing the alignment, you can return to driving and enjoy life even more.
