Why did I take my car to the dealer for an alignment?
#1
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Why did I take my car to the dealer for an alignment?
Yeah, I made the mistake. Dropped off the stang yesterday after doing suspension over the weekend. We installed Steeda HD strut mounts, Koni STR.Ts, Steeda Sports and a BMR panhard bar. I tell Larry, the service manager, what I've done and that I don't just want camber in spec, but at -.75 on both sides. I then explain the purpose of the adjustable strut mounts and panhard bar, just in case he wasn't aware. So, he writes it down and tells me he'll call me tomorrow when it's ready. I get the call and head over to pick up my car. When I get there, I find out the tech didn't adjust camber because it was within spec at -1.5 and -1.4. I knew I was probably going to be in spec with only a 1-inch drop but I got the HD mounts to give me a little bit of cornering capability and maintain tire life. After letting Steve know I'm not happy (Larry had left for the day) he tells me Larry will give me a call tomorrow to rectify the situation.
I really don't want to go back. Should I give them a chance to make it right, if it's even offered to me? Or should I just chalk it up as a lesson learned and take it to a performance shop that's familiar with adjustable strut mounts and pay another 90 bucks?
I really don't want to go back. Should I give them a chance to make it right, if it's even offered to me? Or should I just chalk it up as a lesson learned and take it to a performance shop that's familiar with adjustable strut mounts and pay another 90 bucks?
#2
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Go to a Performance shop that will do the work you ask and do it right.
In 07 I bought a new Z71 and had a fee oil change. I cracked the factory plastic skid plate one day. After I had a service manager tell me he had to take the skid plate off to change the oil filter and the cracked plate wouldn't go back on so I had to get a replacement plate that would be $200; I walked over to the rack and took off the oil filter myself by reaching around the skid plate I laughed at him and swore he would never touch my truck again.
In 07 I bought a new Z71 and had a fee oil change. I cracked the factory plastic skid plate one day. After I had a service manager tell me he had to take the skid plate off to change the oil filter and the cracked plate wouldn't go back on so I had to get a replacement plate that would be $200; I walked over to the rack and took off the oil filter myself by reaching around the skid plate I laughed at him and swore he would never touch my truck again.
#3
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Don't pay another 90 bucks! Also check to see how and what they are doing to your rims when they mount those dealieos to your wheels for the alignment
Last edited by Glenn; 4/28/11 at 08:35 PM.
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Good to know, man. Thanks. I feel like such a rookie, trusting the dealer to make an adjustment on a part they're probably not trained to work on. I guess I took a chance and ended up on the short end of the stick.
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Personally I'd just leave the camber where its at, assuming they got the toe set properly. -1.4° to -1.5° camber in front is a nice compromise between tire wear and better handling IMHO. I'm currently at around -2.5° of camber in front, but I don't put a ton of miles on my Mustang, and am more concerned with handling than tire wear. FWIW my Mustang was at -.75° camber in front when I bought it new. It would be a shame to put all those parts on your Mustang to improve handling, than have a partial handicap due to too little negative camber in front.
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But what else can you do ! They have to mount them directly on the wheel and not put anything between the wheel and the dealieos so as not to change the readings.
Unless there are some new ways of doing this, i think that's the only way to do it.
I use to bring my older 5.0's to this shop where they would align everything from underneath the car. But how much of a spec alignment was i getting !
Unless there are some new ways of doing this, i think that's the only way to do it.
I use to bring my older 5.0's to this shop where they would align everything from underneath the car. But how much of a spec alignment was i getting !
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