If you have symptoms of misaligned wheels, check out the price rates of the service among auto shops.
Wheel Alignment
The wheel alignment price may start from Php 1,500 and above based on package offers of auto shops. I had this service on the 3rd year which I think is a standard.
Wheel Balancing
The price of wheel balancing in auto shops starts from Php 250 to Php 350 per tire. Remember that these are two different services. Some can offer as low as Php 200 during promotions.
Is tire balancing and alignment the same? No, these are two different processes but you may avail them both at the same time.
- Balancing service is a process of adjusting the weight of the tires so they have equal distribution.
- Alignment involves a process of adjusting the suspension of the vehicle so that the car does not veer to the left or right.
While I had mine done at a shop in Quezon City, I found that even gas stations also offer the service.
| Location | Auto Shop |
|---|---|
| Caloocan | Goodyear Autocare Caloocan (Grace Park) Rapide Zabarte Seaoil Zabarte |
| Marikina | Motech Marikina (Golden Valley) |
| Quezon City | Entire Car Care Center (Sta. Mesa) Servitek Quezon Avenue Motech Fairview |
| Makati | Tire Masters Auto Care Metropolitan Avenue Goodyear Autocare – Evangelista Makati |
| Mandaluyong | Rapide Shaw |
| Manila | Mega Motion Work Quirino Avenue |
| Pasay | Yokohama Pasay |
Aside from auto shops, you may also inquire from dedicated service centers of Motech, Servitek and Rapide. They also have computerized alignment equipment for accurate balance reading.
On the other hand, gas stations with service bays can also offer the service procedures. They have computerized machines to accurately position the tires up to the last millimeter. Check out the service bays of Shell, Petron, Caltex and Seaoil.
Do I need to have this service if the car is new? Apparently, the mechanisms of the tires and the steering wheel will not have problems during the first few years. In this case, the service may not be necessary for new cars.
Do you need to align all four tires at the same time? For optimum results, it may be beneficial to balance all the tires in a single session. Some shops will have discounted rates for all four tires.
Most of the reputable auto shops and gas station service bays use computerized systems with lasers to align the wheels. This is important because they can measure up to the last millimeter for optimum results.
The computerized wheel service usually takes about 1 hour. However, there is a shorter waiting time if few clients are looking for a service. In my case, I only waited for about 40 minutes from start to finish.
Some mechanics told me that the wiggling part or the imbalanced body of the car may be due to misaligned tires. When I had the service, the problem persisted. Later, I discovered that the tires are due for replacement.
They have been serving me for 3 years and the threads are gone. I had to research tire replacement prices and prepare a budget. After a month, I had all the tires replaced with a Thai brand which is more affordable.
References: Firestone