Navigation

Tag Archives | alignment

Why is my steering wheel crooked?

By on July 30, 2018 in Automotive Maintenance

“Why is my steering wheel crooked or off center?” When was the last time you had a certified mechanic inspect your suspension for worn parts?  When you bring your vehicle in for any type of service we always inspect your vehicle’s suspension and steering parts.  If everything is fine and there are no parts issues, we would then recommend having an alignment done.  This would straighten out your steering wheel, and also prevent uneven wear on your tires, which would mean replacing them sooner than necessary.  It always very important to get your vehicle aligned after purchasing new tires.  If you have any questions and are in the Woodinville area, please stop by or give us a call at 425-481-1739 and we will be happy to help you.

 

When should I get an alignment?

By on September 27, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

When customers want to know “when should I get an alignment”?   We ask them these questions:  Is your vehicle pulling to the left or right?  Do you have uneven tire wear? Or is your steering wheel off center?  These are the tell tale signs that your alignment is off and needs to be adjusted.  If you are buying new tires, and your old ones wore unevenly, you should always get and alignment so that your new tires will last longer.  If you hit a curb hard…probably should get it checked.  Tires are an expense, so keeping your car aligned is very important.  We just purchased a new alignment rack that makes doing alignments a snap.  So if you are having any of the symptoms listed above, give us a call, we will get you in and running straight in no time!!

 

Can I hurt my car if I hit a curb?

By on June 5, 2017 in Auto Repair

It happens all the time in parking lots, people hitting the curbs with their vehicles.  Most of the time, this doesn’t cause a huge issue, although you should get your car aligned so that you don’t incur uneven tire wear, and have to replace them sooner than you had planned.  But sometimes you can cause real damage.  We had a customer just last week that brought her car in because she wanted us to check her alignment because she had hit a curb.  When we went to bring into the shop, there was a pop, and the two front tire went in opposite direction.  We had to push it into the shop….she had broken her tie rod.  She was so lucky to get it to the shop when she did, if she would have been driving and it had let go, it could have been very dangerous.  So if you do hit a curb, and you hit it hard, it might just be a good idea to call a tow truck and get it to the nearest shop, just to be on the safe side.

 

How much does an alignment cost?

By on April 24, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

How much does an alignment cost?  Great question, that we get asked almost daily.  Once again, it depends on the year, make and model of your vehicle.  Sometimes an alignment is just a two wheel adjustment, sometimes it needs a 4 wheel adjustment.  Some vehicles just take longer than others.  The good news here at Long’s is that we just purchase a new alignment machine, which is going to make it easier for our technicians, which means they will be done quicker, and be more economical for our customers.  If you are noticing a weird wear pattern on your tires, or you have hit a curb, your steering wheel is of center, or your vehicle is pulling to one side…bring your vehicle in and we will get aligned for you!