What is a wheel alignment and how do I know I need one?
A wheel alignment makes sure all 4 tires are perfectly moving in the same direction. The most common reason for investing in an alignment is to make your tires last as long as possible. Good tires can go 60k miles if your alignment is strait but with an alignment out of spec those tires could wear out in less than 10,000 miles. We recommend an alignment *once a year* or anytime you buy new tires. Think about all of the bumps and potholes you hit every single day and imagine that abuse happening over a year! Yep, time for an alignment!
Your car pulling to the side or your steering wheel being off center is another good sign that an alignment is due. By that time the alignment is severely out of spec and probably causing major tire wear issues as well as handling concerns. Even if your wheel is straight and the car isn’t pulling there’s still a chance the alignment could be off causing premature tire wear. Next time you’re in for service just ask for out *Free Alignment Check* and we’ll make sure everything is in order.
My steering wheel is shaking, is it time for an alignment?
We get this question a lot and in most cases when there is a vibration, shake, or rattle it is not caused by the alignment. When your steering wheel shakes or you feel your car shaking the problem is typically related to wheel balance, a suspension failure, or even a misfire. These can be inspected during our free courtesy inspection that we perform every time we see your car.
3 TYPES OF ALIGNMENTS, ALL FAIRLY PRICED.
TOE AND GO
Our first and most affordable alignment is called the “Toe and Go”
A toe and go typically means just set the front toe and send it! We take that a step further here and our “Toe and Go” Includes a complete front end alignment (including camber adjustment) and sometimes even minor adjustments in the rear of the car. This alignment is designed to fit our budget friendly customers or a very basic car. Basic cars like Honda Civic Alignments, Scion Alignments, Toyota Alignments, and Kia’s typically do not need a complete alignment so this basic and affordable alignment is the way to go!
4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Our most common alignment we perform is called the “4 wheel alignment”
This type of alignment is what most dealerships and reputable repair shops perform on most cars. It’s a complete alignment of the front and rear including camber, caster, and toe. This ensures the car drives straight and does not wear through your tires. Some tires can last up to 60k miles with a strait alignment so don’t waste your money on buying tires when you don’t need to!
PREMIUM ALIGNMENT
We offer 2 types of premium alignments – The “Luxury Alignment” and “Performance Alignment”
These two alignments are grouped together because they’re about the same price, require about the same amount of work, but have 2 very different outcomes. This is the alignment the dealers should be doing on your nice cars but it’s typically not happening. This is the most precise alignment and requires a full tank of gas as the OEM manual says. We cover your seats with plastic covers followed by durable mats then place the appropriate amount of weight in the car. This simulates the occupants of the car and the result is a perfect alignment performed as the car usually operates. For our luxury car owners like BMW 5 series alignment and BMW 7 series alignment this means an effortless drive performing as the car did new. For our performance car owners like BMW M5 Alignment and BMW M3 Alignment this means an aggressive peak handling alignment to zoom around corners, change lanes without your blinker, and through the starbucks drive through as fast as possible!