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03-13-2009, 11:10 AM | #1 |
Drives: 08 sedan at Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: long island
Posts: 313
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Should i go get a "Free" wheel alignment
so i see that wheel alignments are covered via warranty for the first year. My vehicle warranty 'started' in july.
Thinking about going to the dealer and complain my car can't drive straight on the highway, so i can bag a 'free' alignment what u guys think? |
03-13-2009, 11:24 AM | #2 |
Drives: . Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: .
Posts: 1,828
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do it
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03-13-2009, 01:16 PM | #3 |
Drives: Scion FRS RS2, ‘21 Crosstrek Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,729
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Personally, unless you need an alignment, I'd stay as far from the stealership as possible.
Perhaps is just bad luck, but strange, and often expensive things always happen to my vehicles shortly after visiting a shop. There's no dought that once they have your car as hostege the $ signs start flashing in their eyes. This is why dealerships often offer dirt cheap oil changes. "Oh, by the way sir, we noticed that XXXX also needs attention. We should do that now as well".
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03-13-2009, 02:43 PM | #4 |
DWEED
Drives: 3DR 2008 Metorite Metalic Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,161
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If you put a value on your time, just to get a wheel alignment because it's free will cost you hours of your life that you will never get back. If you were going to the dealership for other work you might want it done.
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Making a decision without following it with an action is still a fantasy. |
03-13-2009, 03:07 PM | #5 |
Joey
Drives: '14 Scion xD 5-speed Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: El Monte, Ca
Posts: 3,529
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+1. If you're gonna be stuck there all day for other services, then you might as well get the free alignment. Otherwise, don't bother
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Formerly owned Met-Met. '07 Yaris LB 5-speed. A forum post should be like a skirt: Long enough to cover the subject but short enough to keep things interesting. "I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem." -Hank Hill |
03-13-2009, 03:13 PM | #6 |
Steals terrorist's lunch
Drives: 2007 Yaris Liftback Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Reno, Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,299
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I subscribe to the "If it isn't broke don't fix it." philosophy.
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03-13-2009, 03:46 PM | #7 |
Is about to 'SeaYa' later
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Only if your car is actually hard to keep straight on the highway. Otherwise, save it just in case you do screw up your alignment in the next few months.
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03-13-2009, 03:51 PM | #8 |
good tech will take car out on highway to confirm your complaint......
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EVERYBODY EVENTUALLY COMES BACK TO YARISWORLD...... |
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03-13-2009, 04:17 PM | #9 | |
Start another Oil Thread!
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take some camber bolts when you go and turn your "free" alignment into a "custom" alignment
i say do it.
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03-13-2009, 04:35 PM | #10 |
Super Moderator
Drives: Yaris 2DR LB 07, MT, Abs. Red Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,155
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03-13-2009, 05:23 PM | #11 |
What?
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
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They'll just put it on the rack, see that it's within the (wide) factory tolerances and say it's fine. Not worth your time.
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03-13-2009, 06:24 PM | #12 |
Drives: 08 sedan at Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: long island
Posts: 313
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03-14-2009, 04:51 AM | #13 |
03-14-2009, 09:52 AM | #14 | ||
Start another Oil Thread!
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Quote:
a custom alignment doesn't take any more time than a regular alignment, really.
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03-14-2009, 10:06 AM | #15 | |
What?
Drives: 2007 Yaris LB Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Safety Harbor, FL
Posts: 1,006
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Quote:
Sadly, most alignment techs understand very little other than the alignment machine showing them that the car is "in the green". On the flip side, I had GREAT service from the Saturn shop when I was in Wichita. Their shop foreman was a racer, knew the gig, and was thrilled when someone who knew what they wanted came in and asked for something specific. He didn't mind spending the extra time to dial in a perfect alignment if he knew that the driver was going to appreciate it. So, it IS possible that you can get a good alignment tech... even at a dealer shop. |
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03-14-2009, 10:59 AM | #16 | ||
Start another Oil Thread!
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Quote:
another trick i've done in the past is to visit a few "tire" shops in my area, like tires plus, tire kingdom, etc. before i went inside i went and spoke to the alignment tech, got to know him a bit. then i went inside and purchased a 3year alignment.... since they were a chain, i'd get the car aligned every 3 months or so, depending on how much autocrossing i'd been doing, and never hit the same shop more than once a year. the 3year alignment paid for itself in 9 months. and the techs were perfectly fine giving me the alignment i wanted.
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03-14-2009, 11:39 AM | #17 |
resident senior
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If you drive in a pothole ridden environmet , your car may actually be out of alignment , then free would be good .
I notice that after driving 3-4 months of the year on mostly dirt roads , the tow seems to wander out . Last year my 07 LB was just within the green area Loren mentioned . This year it was out . Although the roads I drove this year were full of long sandy "rumple strips" along with giant potholes and I must add there are no speed limits on those roads If your gonna walk "around back" , befriend a mechanic . They know how to align and more . Who knows that mechanic may own their own shop one day .
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09-13-2009, 10:13 PM | #18 |
Reluctantly Crouched...
Drives: 2008 Yaris HB M/T Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: DFW, TX
Posts: 867
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I went ahead and asked that my alignment be done before the 1 year expired while I had it in for some other service. I mentioned that it seemed to pull a little bit. Nothing more was asked.
They did a comprehensive 4 wheel alignment on a very fancy machine, and printed out a before/after set of specs. It did improve some, even though ti was basically fine before. I think they often don't do any significant alignment when they come into the port, much like a bicycle shop doesn't really true wheels on new bikes out of the box. Its amazing what a little extra attention can do. I don't think you'll have much luck getting camber bolts installed, and make sure you have your oem wheels on the car, or they probably won't do it at all. I pulled my 17's and put the stockers back on, since they needed balancing anyway (I used my oem's for autocross before buying some r-comps) |
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