With one of the wildest winters in years in much of North America, many roads are in pretty rough shape. They say that in Toronto there have been 165,000 pot holes recorded so far this year and it will take until July before they can all be repaired. Those potholes are literally everywhere and are wreaking havoc with your tires, wheels and suspension components. The scary thing is that your alignment can be out of whack without you even noticing a difference behind the wheel.

So why should you have an alignment? Here are ten reasons:

1. You have just installed or are about to install new tires
2. You notice uneven tire wear
3. Your steering wheel is off center
4. Your vehicle pulls to the left or right

5. Your vehicle drifts to the left or right
6. You have any unusual handling or vibration*
7. You’ve made contact with a curb or pothole
8. Your mechanic finds worn suspension components during routine service
9. Part of your routine seasonal service
10. You live in an area with rough roads, like gravel roads or an urban setting with streetcars

* note that wheel alignment will not cure a vibration, but it may have caused uneven tire wear that is actually causing the vibration. In this case, you may need wheel balance or even replacement of a tire/s.