So I was calling around today to inquire about an alignment for the vette after lowering it on stock bolts. One of the local shops told me they could get it done for $99 and there are some "special" adjustments they have to do on the vette. The special part sent my radar and red flag warning off. Now as far as I know there is nothing "special" about getting an alignment done. Who can tell me I am wrong?? Seems like "special" means corvette tax to me.

 

The shop I went to charged $89.95 for a four wheel alignment two years ago. The independent rear suspension might be considered "special".

By the way, find a shop that still uses a pit to avoid using boards and risk of damage to the front fascia on a drive on alignment rack.

 

Why not ask them what the special adjustments are?

Bill

 

Other than aligning all FOUR wheels,,, (most cars have four wheels to align now) the C5 and C6 requires NOTHING different or SPECIAL. Each wheel has an alignment cam and strut rod/tie rod and is able to be adjusted individually.

I went to Goodyear once and the alignment tech told me that he would have to install a camber plate to adjust the camber

I told him this is a Corvette NOT a friggen Honda. You better brush up on your C5/C6 alignment procedures.

I decided NOT to use that alignment center.

Best to find a more knowledgeable service center.

 

I agree. I get an alignment once a year and there is never anything special, unless you want to consider custom specs as "special."

 

I agree w/ Hot wheels. Find an allignment shop that has a pit & are well familiar w/ alligning the C/5's. I usuall pay around $70 for a 4 wheel allignment.

 

Just what I figured boys, thanks for the input. I dont know of anyone locally with a pit style alignment. Seems they have the racks around here.

 

I had to drive around 30 miles for allignment.

 

I take mine to Firestone the owner has a C6 and a huge Vette lover he may be on the board actually. I got the lifetime for $125 last summer and brought the car in 5 times just to try differnt settings(road course) and no issues with them. I get a print out everytime they don't mind because when I come in I order the shop food. Point being find a great place that will take of you and show you exactly what they are doing. Shop around also talk to your local vette club and ask the members where may be a good place.

 

$99.00 isn't bad for them doing the lowering and alignment.

 

No....I already lowered it. What I was concerned about was the "special" adjustment for the vette alignment.....which is basically a premium charge for vette owners. Needless to say I am shopping around

 

Believe it or not, I took mine to the Chevy dealer, $79 + tax ..........

They did such a good job I then took the Solstice to the same dealer, same price all four wheels. Both cars are lowered.............

 

I got a 4 wheel alignment from the most reputable shop in OKC and I think it was $90.00.

 

The price is about right. I paid $89. at the dealer last time.

 

If your car is lowered, the geomotries are all changed. I have a set of Pfadt Coilovers on my car. Pfat provides a custom set of settings to be used with their coilovers. My shop did mine for $89, and used the Pfadt settings instead of the factory numbers.

 

My experience with independent shops is poor. I have found that either the tech doesn't know what they are doing, don't install the wheel attachments properly, and/or have an out of calibration alignment machine. Next time you get an alignment ask when they last calibrated their equipment!

I do my own know. Takes a while but it seems to work.

 

Have any of you ever heard of the phrase, "set the toe and go"
That is what you get for $99. Alignment machines are made for the masses, what I mean by this is they load a program that has your factory setting, then they set the car up on the rack, depending on what sensors they use they set those. Then they red light green light the alignment. When it is within spec it gets a green light and they lock it down. The alignment machine costs a hundred ground for one of those new ones you see in a Firestone, they do not spend much time on your car for $99, maybe an hour if that. Look at there labor rate for 1 hour, this is probably what you are paying.
I also have a Hunter alignment machine, and when we do an alignment we put the number on it, I don't even have the green light, red light gauge, I set by the alignment number we are shooting for. When you make a change on the left side of the car it can change the right side, so in the end you end spending allot of time to get it correct.
Find yourself a good shop that understand this method, you are going to pay about $250 because of the amount of time spent on the car, but you will notice a huge difference in the way the car drives going straight, turning etc.
Justin

 

If you have the proper equipment, Not a alignment machine"
but a way to get the car level and then string the car. You can't beat what you are doing, that is the way most multi million dollar race cars are aligned. I have special alignment blocks for my car so I can sit my car on the ground with this blocks bolted to where they wheels go and do my alignment. It makes it super easy to do it at the track or in the shop. If it is at home I will use the string method and it is perfect every time.
Justin

 

I dont think thats the case with every shop especially the dealer. My guy is a Corvette trained tech and even went through the training for the LT5 ZR-1 back in the day.

When he does my alignments he gives me the print out of before and after for each wheel. Camber, caster, toe in & toe out numbers are all included. Its $89.

 

After john l sullivans aligned my car THREE times and didn't tighten it back up each time, I decided to go to a speciality shop.

I pay about $200 to a local Corvette shop that takes their time with it. I'm happy with the work they do.