Stealer, tire shop, or indy mech for alignment?
- Thread starter dwcopple
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Depends what you need aligned. A basic front end alignment (just the wheel toe) is generally really cheap and easy.
That being said, some places even with quality equipment, seem to screw it up horribly, just because whoever running the equipment has no idea what they're up to.
A tire shop however would likely be pretty equipped for the job, and they'd be knowledgeble about it all, given that bad alignment tire wear is what they'll see day in, day out.
That being said, some places even with quality equipment, seem to screw it up horribly, just because whoever running the equipment has no idea what they're up to.
A tire shop however would likely be pretty equipped for the job, and they'd be knowledgeble about it all, given that bad alignment tire wear is what they'll see day in, day out.
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
I know stealers should have the most up to date equipment, but who would you use? They all seem to be around $45.
If you plan to keep the car for a long time, consider the lifetime alignment at Firestone - its expensive now, but free every time after that. I've used mine at least 8 times since I bought it in 2005.
I know stealers should have the most up to date equipment, but who would you use? They all seem to be around $45.
If you plan to keep the car for a long time, consider the lifetime alignment at Firestone - its expensive now, but free every time after that. I've used mine at least 8 times since I bought it in 2005.
I'd go to an indy. There's a guy here who hung out a shingle, simply "Paul's Alignment". He's very very good.
I worked part time at a tire shop and was doing alignments after a couple weeks. My sole training was in how to attach the gizmos to the wheels; they let me figure out all the hardware in the car on my own.
From the master tech on down, the attitude was "it's not adjustable". Sure it is, if you feel like grinding or buying cam bolts. So we were a "toe and go" operation.
I worked part time at a tire shop and was doing alignments after a couple weeks. My sole training was in how to attach the gizmos to the wheels; they let me figure out all the hardware in the car on my own.
From the master tech on down, the attitude was "it's not adjustable". Sure it is, if you feel like grinding or buying cam bolts. So we were a "toe and go" operation.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
I'd go to an indy. There's a guy here who hung out a shingle, simply "Paul's Alignment". He's very very good.
I worked part time at a tire shop and was doing alignments after a couple weeks. My sole training was in how to attach the gizmos to the wheels; they let me figure out all the hardware in the car on my own.
From the master tech on down, the attitude was "it's not adjustable". Sure it is, if you feel like grinding or buying cam bolts. So we were a "toe and go" operation.
And therein lies the problem. The guy who has his name on the sign tends to do the best job. I found Mike's Front End shop twenty years ago. The guy is a real pro. Others I've recommended him to were all impressed. The problem is that he's getting close to retirement age!
I'd go to an indy. There's a guy here who hung out a shingle, simply "Paul's Alignment". He's very very good.
I worked part time at a tire shop and was doing alignments after a couple weeks. My sole training was in how to attach the gizmos to the wheels; they let me figure out all the hardware in the car on my own.
From the master tech on down, the attitude was "it's not adjustable". Sure it is, if you feel like grinding or buying cam bolts. So we were a "toe and go" operation.
And therein lies the problem. The guy who has his name on the sign tends to do the best job. I found Mike's Front End shop twenty years ago. The guy is a real pro. Others I've recommended him to were all impressed. The problem is that he's getting close to retirement age!
Wow, I wish they only charged $45 around here. I pay ~ $100 to have it done at a stealer.
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
I know dealers should have the most up to date equipment, but who would you use? They all seem to be around $45.
Equipment is meaningless. Dealer, chain, indy, all meaningless. No matter how sophisticated, the equipment only presents information to the man with the wrench; if he's no good, the equipment's information won't result in a proper alignment.
Unfortunately, since this is very much a seat-of-the-pants thing, you just have to KNOW somebody. My local Acura dealer is not very good with this at all. But there is a chain store near me that has an excellent tech who has been there for a long time. This guy knows his stuff. So I go to this chain store for my alignments, and specify that this particular guy should perform the service. Funny tire-wear always disappears after he does his thing. His problem is that, working for a chain store, the Service Writer is a barrier to information transfer, so I need to ask to speak to him personally so he can tell me if he found anything I ought to know about.
I know dealers should have the most up to date equipment, but who would you use? They all seem to be around $45.
Equipment is meaningless. Dealer, chain, indy, all meaningless. No matter how sophisticated, the equipment only presents information to the man with the wrench; if he's no good, the equipment's information won't result in a proper alignment.
Unfortunately, since this is very much a seat-of-the-pants thing, you just have to KNOW somebody. My local Acura dealer is not very good with this at all. But there is a chain store near me that has an excellent tech who has been there for a long time. This guy knows his stuff. So I go to this chain store for my alignments, and specify that this particular guy should perform the service. Funny tire-wear always disappears after he does his thing. His problem is that, working for a chain store, the Service Writer is a barrier to information transfer, so I need to ask to speak to him personally so he can tell me if he found anything I ought to know about.
Originally Posted By: PeterGreen
Wow, I wish they only charged $45 around here. I pay ~ $100 to have it done at a stealer.
ouch.
Originally Posted By: tightwad
Originally Posted By: eljefino
I'd go to an indy. There's a guy here who hung out a shingle, simply "Paul's Alignment". He's very very good.
And therein lies the problem. The guy who has his name on the sign tends to do the best job. I found Mike's Front End shop twenty years ago. The guy is a real pro. Others I've recommended him to were all impressed. The problem is that he's getting close to retirement age!
We also have a local place in town called Earp's frame and alignment. They have been around since the 40's and straighten frames and do alignments, bearings, and true axles.
Wow, I wish they only charged $45 around here. I pay ~ $100 to have it done at a stealer.
ouch.
Originally Posted By: tightwad
Originally Posted By: eljefino
I'd go to an indy. There's a guy here who hung out a shingle, simply "Paul's Alignment". He's very very good.
And therein lies the problem. The guy who has his name on the sign tends to do the best job. I found Mike's Front End shop twenty years ago. The guy is a real pro. Others I've recommended him to were all impressed. The problem is that he's getting close to retirement age!
We also have a local place in town called Earp's frame and alignment. They have been around since the 40's and straighten frames and do alignments, bearings, and true axles.
I started going to an independent alignment shop [Bill's Alignment and Brake in Manteca] about two years ago [how I met him is that took it to a shop in town before him that said my pull was due to tires, the shop crossed the fronts, still had the problem and an even more un-level steering wheel after the alignment. This is the type of shop that said to me "well, its all green sir, so it's not the alignment" and I was not going to trust my car to bring it back to them to correct. Just because it's green doesn't mean it's good].
When I first went to him, I kept on asking myself why I didn't know about him ten years ago. He understands suspension geometry, applies it correctly to the vehicle and it's dynamics [FWD, RWD, AWD etc] and I've been using him for my own vehicles and friends family ever since. If there is one thing I learned when taking a brakes and suspension class at the local city college, alignments are a science, an art even, and it takes a full understanding of suspension geometry to do an alignment right versus anyone being shown how to 'use the machine etc.'.
When I first went to him, I kept on asking myself why I didn't know about him ten years ago. He understands suspension geometry, applies it correctly to the vehicle and it's dynamics [FWD, RWD, AWD etc] and I've been using him for my own vehicles and friends family ever since. If there is one thing I learned when taking a brakes and suspension class at the local city college, alignments are a science, an art even, and it takes a full understanding of suspension geometry to do an alignment right versus anyone being shown how to 'use the machine etc.'.
Too bad finding that really wise old guy who could do a four wheel alignment with a piece of string and a pencil is gonna be a real feat these days 
New equipment or old doesn't matter. It's the mechanic that matters! Once your alignment is set correctly you should not have to do it over and over again. I haven't aligned any of my vehicles in 15 or 20 years and my tires always wear perfectly. The best shop in San Diego used to be Clarence Browns. They had the oldest equipment around but Clarence (RIP) taught all his mechanics how to do them right and they knew their stuff. Very fair prices too. If all you needed was the toe set...no charge.
All this angst about aligning a newer car. You should have seen my Polara getting aligned on Sunday after they were given MY specs. One place, two weeks before that I have gotten tires from and happy, let me down. Tech didn't even pay attention to my specs and when they proudly said it did well I told them you missed the caster and camber completely. Had to tear up their invoice and said mistakes happen sometimes. Wrong thing to say to me since if I make a mistake it could cost me $200,000 and up in a law suit. Cost them a good customer with eight cars.
A second place I called the manager didn't like the questions I was asking and said if you don't trust us then I don't think we want to do the car. Fine, and by the way I have to earn a person's trust and so should you.
Last place, have dealt with them in the past, said they were confident they could do it. Granted it is not an easy car to do when it comes to camber and caster. They spent 2:20 hours on the car going back and forth. I asked 1/16" toe-in, 0.0 to -0.25 camber and +1.5-2.0 caster. Got +1.6 caster, 0.0 camber and it wasn't easy while nailing the toe-in. The car now handles the way I expect. Drives in a straight line and needs no steering input to keep it in a straight line as before. Cost was $90 and a 12 month warranty.
A second place I called the manager didn't like the questions I was asking and said if you don't trust us then I don't think we want to do the car. Fine, and by the way I have to earn a person's trust and so should you.
Last place, have dealt with them in the past, said they were confident they could do it. Granted it is not an easy car to do when it comes to camber and caster. They spent 2:20 hours on the car going back and forth. I asked 1/16" toe-in, 0.0 to -0.25 camber and +1.5-2.0 caster. Got +1.6 caster, 0.0 camber and it wasn't easy while nailing the toe-in. The car now handles the way I expect. Drives in a straight line and needs no steering input to keep it in a straight line as before. Cost was $90 and a 12 month warranty.
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