Packing the car for a family day out is enough of a job on its own, without adding wheel alignment to the list of things to think about. Between sorting snacks, packing bags, and getting everyone strapped in without a meltdown, it’s understandably not the first thing on anyone’s mind before setting off. But it’s one of those small issues that quietly builds into a much bigger problem, especially with the school holidays here and the roads busier than usual.
Summer brings longer drives, fuller cars, and more time spent behind the wheel than most of the year combined, which puts more pressure on parts of the car that often go unchecked. Wheel alignment is one of them, and while it rarely causes an obvious problem straight away, it has a habit of catching up at the worst possible moment, usually somewhere in the middle of a long journey rather than before it’s even started.
Wheel alignment issues don’t stay isolated to handling, they can carry over into braking and overall control – get in touch with the DAT Tyres team for your next wheel alignment appointment, and here’s why it’s worth sorting before setting off this summer.
1. Summer roads take more of a battering than people think
It’s easy to assume potholes are a winter problem, but hot spells can be just as hard on the roads. Baked, dry surfaces crack more easily, and once the odd summer downpour hits, those cracks turn into potholes fast. Hit enough of them on the school run or the motorway, and wheel alignment can quietly slip out without any obvious sign.
2. A packed car changes how it handles
A boot full of holiday bags, a car seat or two, and the kids bickering in the back all add weight the car isn’t carrying the rest of the year. If the wheel alignment is already slightly off, that extra weight makes the car feel less predictable exactly when it needs to be at its steadiest – pulling out of a busy junction, merging onto a motorway, or braking suddenly in traffic.
3. Uneven tyre wear sneaks up on you
Tyres wear unevenly when wheel alignment isn’t quite right, and it’s no always something you’d notice just by glancing at them. It’s usually only picked up when someone checks – which is exactly the kind of thing that’s easy to put off when there’s a hundred other things on the to-do list before a trip.
4. It affects how far a tank of fuel gets you
Nobody wants an extra stop at the petrol station with three tired kids in the back. Poor wheel alignment makes the engine work harder than it needs to, which means burning through fuel faster – not ideal on a longer summer drive to see family or head to the coast.
5. It’s about peace of mind as much as anything else
Long drives with children in the car come with enough on the mind already – snack stops, entertainment, arguments over whose turn it is to pick the music. Knowing the basics have been checked, including wheel alignment, means one less thing to think about while everyone’s trying to enjoy the actual holiday.
6. It doesn’t take long to sort
The good news is that checking wheel alignment isn’t a big job, and it’s far easier to deal with before a long trip than mid-journey with a car full of kids and a satnav insisting there’s a diversion. A quick check beforehand means starting the holidays properly, rather than crossing fingers the whole way there.
Sorting it out now, before the car’s loaded up and the kids are counting down the days, means one less thing to worry about when the only thing that should matter is enjoying the trip itself.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
