Thinking About Going To Sears For Four Wheel Alignment
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 0
From: pr, frederick md.
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
As a trained alignment guy (non-practicing), make sure you find someone who has good equipment, knows how to use it, and will take the time to do it right. If only I could find a shop that would rent me time on their rack to do my own alignment...
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Red, it definately isn't difficult, but it does take some practice to be comfortable with proper set-up of the equipment. It's been a while for me, and I know that I would need a few minutes to re-familiarize myself with the proper procedures, so that I was sure all measurements were accurate.
The only thing I miss about working for the aligner manufacturer is being able to pull my car into the test garage on my lunch break and align it myself.
The only thing I miss about working for the aligner manufacturer is being able to pull my car into the test garage on my lunch break and align it myself.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
From: Easton PA
Originally Posted by GDaina
Sears in my area wouldn't touch the vette, ended going to Good Year
My local sears wouldn't touch the vette. The tech I talked to originally told me to pull the car up. As I was doing that, the manager came out screaming to get that car out of here. They won't do it.
Took it to Goodyear. A young kid said he didn't know how, but if I would show him where the adjustments were, he'd hook up the machine and make adjustments. Charged me half price, and I got to help.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,269
Likes: 3
From: St. Charles IL
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8-9-11-12 Veteran
A CI-6 Car Show Winner
My local Car-X shop here in St. Charles, IL has the best alignment equipment in town, and some pretty good guys that know how to use it. My car drives great after the $100.00 job they did. Everything was new so they didn't have to beat on and heat things to make adjustments. These vettes rust real bad, especially where the trailing arm shims go, so be prepared to spend a little more if things are rusted together. I would suggest replacing all the parts that wear over time and then have it aligned.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,926
Likes: 739
From: Youngstown Ohio
Ask around...find someone who knows vettes...in my area I found that the Goodyear store here has an expert Corvette alignment guy who specializes in older vettes. He will even customize to your specs for racing if you wish with no extra price increase.......by all means find someone familiar with your car if you can.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 42,487
Likes: 47
SPARTAN
CI 3-4-5-6-8-9-10 Vet
CI-9 AutoX Winner
CI-3 Go Kart Champ
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
After those guys messed up a wheel stud and then messed up an ABS sensor replacingt he wheel stud, I will never go to Sears again for service. All I did was buy a set of tires for my Grand Prix!
My $$ for alignments goes to a local shop that's been around for a while. They do excellent work, align the car dead-nuts to spec, and they charge accordingly. I think a dead-nuts 4-wheel alignment ran me $130 a couple years ago. Well worth it.
There's probably a shop around you that can do a good job. A C3 is NOT easy to align and it shouldn't be cheap.
My $$ for alignments goes to a local shop that's been around for a while. They do excellent work, align the car dead-nuts to spec, and they charge accordingly. I think a dead-nuts 4-wheel alignment ran me $130 a couple years ago. Well worth it.
There's probably a shop around you that can do a good job. A C3 is NOT easy to align and it shouldn't be cheap.
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 432
Likes: 0
From: Manchvegas NH
I did a search for companies with the word "alignment" in their name using Yahoo Yellow Pages. There are 10 places within 20 miles, and I live in NH. Chances are you will have even more than that near you.
I would trust someone like that before I would let Sears near my car.
I would trust someone like that before I would let Sears near my car.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 0
From: pr, frederick md.
Originally Posted by ddecart
After those guys messed up a wheel stud and then messed up an ABS sensor replacingt he wheel stud, I will never go to Sears again for service. All I did was buy a set of tires for my Grand Prix!
My $$ for alignments goes to a local shop that's been around for a while. They do excellent work, align the car dead-nuts to spec, and they charge accordingly. I think a dead-nuts 4-wheel alignment ran me $130 a couple years ago. Well worth it.
There's probably a shop around you that can do a good job. A C3 is NOT easy to align and it shouldn't be cheap.
My $$ for alignments goes to a local shop that's been around for a while. They do excellent work, align the car dead-nuts to spec, and they charge accordingly. I think a dead-nuts 4-wheel alignment ran me $130 a couple years ago. Well worth it.
There's probably a shop around you that can do a good job. A C3 is NOT easy to align and it shouldn't be cheap.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
I second the recommendation to call the local vette shop or club for recommendation. For example, Van Steel in Clearwater, FL uses one shop for tire install and alignment; I can trust their recommendation. Also, I got lucky at a Sears Auto Center where a guy that had been aligning cars for over 30 years and well known to the folks at Van Steel happened to just have transferred over to my neck of the woods.
