Do You Periodically Get Your Vehicle Aligned ?

[Texas Jim]

On a Cadillac forum, I was just reading about a gentleman who got ripped off pretty good for front end work that he probably didn't need.

That got me to thinking........

My question is... why does almost everyone have their vehicle aligned periodically ???


My car has over 131,000 miles on it and it has NEVER had an alignment.
I have had it checked a few times at my dealer... but it has never needed alignment.

A lady friend of ours got ripped off for almost $1,000 bucks a couple of years ago at an alignment shop for work that ( I feel ) didn't need to be done.

Shortly after that, I had my car in for an oil change and checkup at my dealer.
I "SPECIFICALLY" asked them to check the front end and the alignment to make sure everything was all ok.
I was fixing to make a 6,000 mile road trip and didn't want any problems while I was far away from home.

They said that all mechanical parts were fine and gave me a pretty color printout of where they checked the alignment and it was well within specs...

Now... "The Rest Of The Story"...

Over the next few days I went to "SIX" alignment places that advertise free alignment checks...
EVERY ONE OF THEM found things wrong with my car...

Estimates ranged from $250 dollars to over $1,200 dollars...

Remember .. I had just had it at my Cadillac Dealer and they said NOTHING was wrong with it.

So that brings me back to me original question...
If it drives good...
If the tires wear evenly...
If it doesn't ROAD WALK...
If it doesn't pull one way or the other...
If it will stay in your lane for several hundred yards while going down the freeway with your hands just slightly off of the steering wheel...

WHY take it in for periodic alignments ???

Please give me your opinions...
Maybe I am missing something important about having one aligned...

 

[Draenor]

Most people are not mechanically smart and these shops and yes dealerships know this. They play them and take their money. Also, I see the way most people treat their vehicles. Some don't know how to change their oil or even know how much air to put in a tire.

I have a good shop I go to here that doesn't BS me and by overhearing the customers and employees, they are pretty honest. Maybe why they do ALOT of business.

As for me, my tires are cupping on the inside bad. I regularly rotate them and keep good air pressure. The shop even does this for free. I even had the shop put it on the rack to check the alignment. All in spec. They printed out the specs and stated nothing is wrong. I'll have to go back to get some advice on why its happening.

Honest and good service goes along way and gets repeat business.


Sent from my overly sofisticated electronic device.

 

[Texas Jim]

Most people are not mechanically smart and these shops and yes dealerships know this. They play them and take their money. Also, I see the way most people treat their vehicles. Some don't know how to change their oil or even know how much air to put in a tire.

I have a good shop I go to here that doesn't BS me and by overhearing the customers and employees, they are pretty honest. Maybe why they do ALOT of business.

As for me, my tires are cupping on the inside bad. I regularly rotate them and keep good air pressure. The shop even does this for free. I even had the shop put it on the rack to check the alignment. All in spec. They printed out the specs and stated nothing is wrong. I'll have to go back to get some advice on why its happening.

Honest and good service goes along way and gets repeat business.

That's for sure...

 

[txab]

Not periodically. Only if I suspect a problem or when I rebuild front ends

 

[ScottyBoy]

Depends on several factors. Driving style, the streets its driven on, has the vehicle hit anything such as a curb or pothole? Sometimes alignments are required fairly often. I know due to the streets in New Orleans, most vehicles there need an alignment every 2-3 years. I bought my Suburban in 2006 and I have never had an alignment. I have no problems with pulling, it drives straight on the highway, and I have no abnormal tire wear, so I see no reason to get an alignment.
If I ever replace any suspension parts like bushings, ball joints or tie rods then I will sure get an alignment.

 

[Nick The Great]

It's obvious your Caddy dealer is careless and missed something

I'm solidly in the camp of not doing it unless I'm given a reason by the tires or driving or something

 

[Draenor]

It's obvious your Caddy dealer is careless and missed something

I'm solidly in the camp of not doing it unless I'm given a reason by the tires or driving or something

Them Caddy owners are some RODB.

Depends on several factors. Driving style, the streets its driven on, has the vehicle hit anything such as a curb or pothole? Sometimes alignments are required fairly often. I know due to the streets in New Orleans, most vehicles there need an alignment every 2-3 years. I bought my Suburban in 2006 and I have never had an alignment. I have no problems with pulling, it drives straight on the highway, and I have no abnormal tire wear, so I see no reason to get an alignment.
If I ever replace any suspension parts like bushings, ball joints or tie rods then I will sure get an alignment.

Acadia parish has more potholes than pavement. Being in a 3/4 ton don't help either. There is one spot on hwy 35 that dips so much if I do 70 I can get the tires off the ground.



Sent from my overly sofisticated electronic device.

 

[Texas Jim]

It's obvious your Caddy dealer is careless and missed something

I'm solidly in the camp of not doing it unless I'm given a reason by the tires or driving or something

 

[Zembonez]

I can count on one hand the number of times I have had a car aligned... and never once have I had it done "for maintenance". Unless you have steering issues or odd tire wear, it is a waste of time and money.

Contrary to what shops will tell you, your vehicle does not get out of alignment simply by driving it.

 

[Kennyray]

I have only had alignments done when front end work was done.