Alignment by dealer vs others ?
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 707
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From: Denver, CO, USA
Alignment by dealer vs others ?
My 2 year old front tires wore very heavily on the insides despite getting a four wheel alignment at time of install and then another 4 wheel alignment a year later by Brakes Plus. A manager at Big O tire said he has seen plenty of high end cars that needed alignments done by the dealer for extra settings that were not generally disclosed. Dealer here charges $178 for that.
What have all of you found?
What have all of you found?
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,075
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From: Raleigh, NC
We're currently shaking down my wife's 2006 XK8 after it spent five weeks undergoing repairs after she was hit by an inattentive driver back on May 27th. The last stage of repair was a four-wheel alignment. I insisted on a dealership alignment because I think it gives me a better chance of getting it properly within specs compared to Crazy Al's Alignment Shop and Tattoo Parlor just down the street from the body shop....
Proper alignment is as much an art as it is a science. Too many of these chain stores just do not see enough of these high-end cars to know how to get them right. I'm sure there are some who can, but you need to shop around, ask plenty of questions, and do your research before you hand your keys over for the job....
Proper alignment is as much an art as it is a science. Too many of these chain stores just do not see enough of these high-end cars to know how to get them right. I'm sure there are some who can, but you need to shop around, ask plenty of questions, and do your research before you hand your keys over for the job....
Last edited by Jon89; Jul 9, 2014 at 12:13 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 568
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From: Jacksonville
Check out my post #5 here https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...gnment-112061/ for my input. And search for posts by Brutal regarding alignment. As I mentioned in my linked post, half decent alignment techs that are willing to listen to me and not just blindly go by the specs can do it. If not, yes, try the dealership, but don't just assume the guy there is well trained and experienced just because he works at the dealership.
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Joined: Feb 2012
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From: Waco, Texas, US
The dealers certainly have some qualified mechanics and many do good work. However just like in school, half the class is below average by default. Dealers don't always get the cream of the crop either.
Find a good indie shop. If they can't do it, they should be able to recommend someone.
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