As a vehicle owner, it’s good to learn about and understand some of the services that your car will need during its lifetime. You’re probably already familiar with things like oil changes and AC service.

But, what about wheel alignments? Do you know the difference between front-end and 4-wheel alignments? When is it necessary to schedule service? What exactly does it entail? Here, we’ll try to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about wheel alignments.

What is a wheel alignment?

The term ‘wheel alignment’ is actually a little misleading. In reality, a wheel alignment involves making minor adjustments to a vehicle’s suspension, not the tires or wheels themselves. The main purpose is to ensure that the tires make proper contact with the road. Specifically, they need to be at the right angle in order to maximize road contact and provide appropriate traction and safe handling.

A wheel alignment generally involves looking at and making adjustments to three components:

Camber – This is the angle of the tire as seen from the front of the vehicle.
Toe – This is the angle of the tire as seen from above – a ‘bird’s eye view’.
Caster – Lastly, this is the angle of the steering axis.

An expert mechanic will evaluate all of these factors and make adjustments as necessary to bring your vehicle back into alignment.

One way to avoid a turkey of a Thanksgiving road trip is to make sure the vehicle you will be driving is running well. A 10-minute pre-trip check is a quick and easy way to help avoid the inconvenience of a breakdown many miles away from home, says the non-profit Car Care Council.

The Car Care Council suggests the following pre-trip check to help ensure safety and reliability on the road:

Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering and brake and transmission, as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.

Check the hoses and belts that can become loose, cracked, brittle, frayed or showing signs of excessive wear. These are critical to the proper functioning of the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering and the cooling system.

Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.

These days, the internet is a treasure trove of information for Do-It-Yourself’ers. Just take a quick look at YouTube and you’re likely to find hundreds, or even thousands, of videos on any home or auto repair topic that you can imagine.

While online tutorials may be just fine for simple tasks like how to check your tire pressure, they’re not usually the right answer for more complex auto maintenance needs. The same holds true for DIY tools such as A/C recharging kits. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why you might just want to avoid A/C recharging kits altogether and leave your A/C repairs to a professional.

#1: A/C recharging kits may not fix the root of the problem.
If you’ve taken a look at your A/C system to try to determine why it’s not working properly, you may have noticed that it’s low on refrigerant. You might think – “Well, that’s just like my car’s engine using oil. All I have to do is top off the refrigerant and everything will be just fine. After all, most A/C recharging kits come with a can of refrigerant for this very purpose.”

This all sounds logical but it’s time to go a little deeper. The truth is that A/C systems do not ever userefrigerant. If it’s low, that means there is a leak. Simply topping off the refrigerant level may buy you some more time but it will not solve the problem. Additionally, using the stop leak sealer in the DIY kit does not always stop the leak and it rarely offers a long term solution.

ATLANTA, Nov. 18, 2020 -- Like most things in 2020, this year's holiday season will look and feel different in many ways – including how people will travel. According to a recent survey from Cox Automotive*, 86% of U.S. adults are planning to hit the road by car or RV this holiday season, versus flying. To make road trips a little warmer and help people drive in style, Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book created limited-edition "ugly" sweater light up face masks and steering wheel covers to spread cheer all season long.

Keeping the holiday spirit alive is more important than ever this year, and so is having the best car for holiday travel. Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, the trusted names for car buyers, instill confidence in shoppers when it comes to researching, purchasing and maintaining the best car to match their lifestyle and travel needs. With cars becoming more of an escape and safe haven, it is important to keep them looking their best, especially for the 7-in-10 consumers that are committed to purchasing accessories for their cars. And, with people anticipating 1-3 pit stops on their long holiday journeys, having a festive mask readily available will be key.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 18, 2020 --

Ram 1500 lineup earns the award and is the only pickup on this year's list

Car and Driver evaluates each contender versus its peers using a 100-point scale, basing each score on intended purpose, value and vehicle operation

Car and Driver has named the 2021 Ram 1500 to its "10Best vehicles for 2021" list for the third consecutive year. Previous winners were invited to defend their crown and the new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX was also submitted for evaluation. The award applies to the entire Ram 1500 lineup, the only pickup truck to secure a spot on this year's list.

Car and Driver evaluates each contender versus its peers using a 100-point scale, basing each score on how well it meets its intended purpose, how good a value it is and how compelling it is to operate. This award recognizes the smartest, most entertaining cars, trucks, SUVs and vans on sale today. Vehicles are judged with an emphasis on value, mission fulfillment and if they're fun to drive.

"We are incredibly humbled that Ram 1500 has earned a spot on Car and Driver's 10Best vehicle list for the third consecutive year and feel validated that we continue to build the best trucks available," said Mike Koval Jr., Head of Ram Brand. "We are honored that Car and Driver's recognition includes the all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, which sets the benchmark for extreme performance pickup trucks and clearly telegraphs the Ram Truck brand's leadership in the segment."

This is the third year in a row Ram 1500 – the most awarded light-duty truck in America – has been named to Car and Driver's 10Best.