Why Wheel Alignment Matters More Than You Think (And How It's Costing You Money)

Most people don't think about wheel alignment until their car starts pulling to one side or their tyres wear out way too quickly. By then, they've already wasted hundreds of pounds. Let's fix that.

What Wheel Alignment Actually Is

First, let's clear up a common misconception. Wheel alignment—also called tracking—isn't about adjusting your wheels or tyres. It's about adjusting your suspension, the system that connects your car to its wheels.

Think of it this way: your wheels need to point in exactly the right direction and sit at exactly the right angle to make proper contact with the road. When they don't, everything suffers—your tyres, your fuel economy, your safety, and ultimately your wallet.

There are three main angles we're talking about: camber (the inward or outward tilt of the wheel when you look at it from the front), toe (whether the wheels point inward or outward when viewed from above), and caster (the steering axis angle, which affects stability and steering feel). When these angles are off—even by a small amount—the consequences add up fast.

How to Know Your Alignment's Off

Your car will tell you when something's wrong. You just need to know what to listen for.

The most obvious sign is your car pulling to one side. If you're constantly correcting the steering to drive straight, your alignment is off. Sometimes people blame this on road camber (roads slope slightly for drainage), but if it's consistent and strong, it's alignment.

Uneven or rapid tyre wear is another dead giveaway. If one side of your tyre is wearing faster than the other, or if your tyres are wearing out in half the time they should, misalignment is almost certainly the culprit. We see this all the time—people come in needing new tyres, and when we check the alignment, it's way out. Fix the alignment first, or you'll just burn through the new tyres too.

An off-center steering wheel when driving straight is a clear sign. If you're on a level road, driving straight, and your steering wheel isn't centered, your alignment needs attention.

Steering wheel vibration can indicate alignment issues, though it can also point to balance problems or suspension wear. Either way, get it checked.

Squealing tyres when you're cornering at normal speeds—not racing around roundabouts, just regular driving—often means your tyres are being dragged sideways because the alignment's off.

The Real Cost of Ignoring It

Here's where it gets expensive. Misalignment doesn't just make your car annoying to drive. It actively costs you money in multiple ways.

Your Tyres Wear Out Twice as Fast

This is the big one. A set of tyres that should last 30,000 miles might only last 15,000 if your alignment is off. With decent tyres costing £50 to £200 each, that's £200 to £800 you're throwing away unnecessarily.

And it's not just about the money. Prematurely worn tyres are less safe—they don't grip as well, especially in wet weather, and they're more prone to punctures and blowouts.

Your Fuel Economy Drops

When your wheels aren't aligned properly, they create resistance. Your engine has to work harder to push the car forward, which means it burns more fuel. Studies show that poor alignment can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 10%.

Let's put that in real terms. If you're spending £150 a month on fuel, that's £15 a month—£180 a year—wasted because your wheels aren't pointing straight. Over the life of your car, that's thousands of pounds.

Your Safety Is Compromised

This matters more than the money. Poor alignment affects your car's handling, particularly in emergency situations. If your car pulls to one side, your reaction time is slower because you're fighting the steering. In a split-second situation—a child running into the road, a car braking suddenly in front of you—that delay could be the difference between stopping safely and causing an accident.

Uneven tyre wear from misalignment also reduces your grip, especially in the wet. You might not notice it in normal driving, but when you need to brake hard or swerve to avoid something, you'll feel it. And by then, it's too late.

Other Components Wear Out Faster

Misalignment puts extra stress on your suspension system, steering components, and wheel bearings. Over time, this leads to expensive repairs that far exceed the cost of regular alignment checks. We're talking about hundreds or even thousands of pounds in parts and labor.

What Knocks Your Alignment Out

Alignment doesn't usually go wrong on its own. Something causes it. Understanding what can knock your wheels out of alignment helps you know when to get it checked.

Potholes are the biggest culprit. Hit a deep pothole hard enough, and you can instantly knock your alignment off. London roads being what they are, this is a constant issue. If you hit a bad pothole, get your alignment checked. Don't wait for symptoms to appear.

Kerbs are another common cause. Scrape your wheel against a kerb—or worse, mount it—and you can bend suspension components or knock things out of alignment.

Worn suspension components gradually affect alignment over time. Springs sag, bushings perish, and ball joints wear. As these parts deteriorate, your alignment drifts out of specification.

Even minor accidents—a small bump in a car park, a gentle tap from behind—can affect alignment. The forces involved might seem trivial, but suspension geometry is precise. It doesn't take much to throw it off.

Normal wear also plays a role. Even without hitting anything, alignment can drift slightly over time as components settle and wear. That's why regular checks are important.

Two-Wheel vs. Four-Wheel Alignment

Not all alignment services are the same. Understanding the difference helps you know what you need.

Two-wheel alignment (also called front-wheel alignment) adjusts only the front wheels. This is suitable for vehicles with a solid rear axle—typically older cars and some vans. The rear axle is fixed, so there's nothing to adjust. This is the more affordable option and perfectly adequate for vehicles designed this way.

Four-wheel alignment adjusts all four wheels and is necessary for vehicles with independent rear suspension—which is most modern cars. All four wheels need to be properly positioned relative to each other and the road. If you only align the front wheels on a car that needs four-wheel alignment, you're only solving half the problem.

How do you know which you need? Check your car's manual, or just ask us. We'll tell you honestly what your car requires.

The Hunter HawkEye Difference

At IQ Tyres, we use the Hunter HawkEye Elite alignment system. This isn't marketing fluff—it genuinely makes a difference.

Older alignment systems use sensors attached to your wheels, which can be knocked or calibrated incorrectly. The HawkEye system uses high-definition cameras and advanced imaging to measure your wheel positions with incredible accuracy. We're talking about precision down to hundredths of a degree.

This matters because modern cars have tight tolerances. The difference between "in spec" and "out of spec" can be tiny, but the effects on tyre wear and handling are significant. The HawkEye system catches issues that older equipment might miss.

It also gives us a detailed before-and-after report, so you can see exactly what was wrong and what we've corrected. No guesswork, no "it should be fine now." You get hard data.

How Often Should You Get It Checked?

As a general rule, get your alignment checked once a year as part of regular maintenance. It's cheap insurance against expensive tyre replacement and other problems.

You should also get it checked when you buy new tyres. There's no point fitting fresh tyres to a car with poor alignment—you'll just wear them out prematurely.

If you hit a significant pothole or kerb, get it checked. Don't wait to see if problems develop. By the time you notice symptoms, you've already done damage.

Any time you notice the warning signs we discussed earlier—pulling, uneven wear, off-center steering—get it checked immediately.

And after any suspension work or repairs, alignment should be checked and adjusted as needed. Replacing suspension components often requires realignment.

What Happens During an Alignment

An alignment typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your car and what needs adjusting. Here's what we do.

We start with an initial inspection, checking your tyre condition and suspension components. If your suspension is worn or damaged, we'll tell you. There's no point aligning wheels if the suspension can't hold the adjustment.

Then we measure your current alignment using the HawkEye system. This gives us precise readings of all the relevant angles—camber, toe, and caster for each wheel.

Next comes the adjustment phase. We make the necessary changes to bring everything into the manufacturer's specifications. Some adjustments are straightforward; others require more work, depending on your car's design and what's out of spec.

After adjustments, we take you for a test drive to verify the car drives straight and true. This is important—the numbers on the screen matter, but so does how the car actually feels on the road.

Finally, we provide a detailed report showing the before and after measurements. You can see exactly what was wrong and what we've corrected.

The Bottom Line

Wheel alignment isn't optional maintenance you can skip to save money. Skipping it costs you more in the long run through premature tyre wear, higher fuel consumption, and potential safety issues.

Get it checked regularly, address problems promptly, and you'll save money while keeping your car safer and more pleasant to drive. It's genuinely one of the best investments you can make in your vehicle's maintenance.