Does NCM "Prep" Include Alignment?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
From: Peachtree City GA
Does NCM "Prep" Include Alignment?
Picking up my MR Coupe Tuesday, 1/31 at the Museum and am wondering about this. I've read several posts about new 'vettes having lousy alignments as delivered by dealers. Does anybody know if the NCM checks or adjusts alignment before delivery. I have to drive 350 miles to get mine home, so it won't be too bad if I have to get it aligned first thing, but I'd like to know ahead of time so I can make an appointment.
Thanks! These last few days waiting are awful...
Thanks! These last few days waiting are awful...
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 14,109
Likes: 127
From: www.ncminsurance.com Bowling Green KY Home of the Corvette!
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
St. Jude Donor '07-'08
NCM Sinkhole Donor
We do not have any alignment equipment. So the answer is no...The plant does set the car up for a full alignment before it leaves. You should see this when you to the plant.
Adam
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 0
From: Springfield VA,
Originally Posted by FAA-ATC
Picking up my MR Coupe Tuesday, 1/31 at the Museum and am wondering about this. I've read several posts about new 'vettes having lousy alignments as delivered by dealers. Does anybody know if the NCM checks or adjusts alignment before delivery. I have to drive 350 miles to get mine home, so it won't be too bad if I have to get it aligned first thing, but I'd like to know ahead of time so I can make an appointment.
Thanks! These last few days waiting are awful...
Thanks! These last few days waiting are awful...
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
No. When I picked mine up I explained to the dealer what my concern was with the alignment and asked if they would do it for me. Amazingly, the owner of the dealership came over and thanked me for my business and said no problem.
They couldn't fine the specs so I handed them the copy I printed from this forum. I have 14K miles and need new tires but the wear on them has been perfect.
They couldn't fine the specs so I handed them the copy I printed from this forum. I have 14K miles and need new tires but the wear on them has been perfect.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
From: Peachtree City GA
Here's the most blatant one I found. There are others when I searched, but this is one example. My question has been answered, so I'll schedule to have mine checked when I get home. I'm not sure how to post this, so I just copied the entire URL of this posting...
Here
Anybody else had alignment problems on new deliveries?
Thanks all...
Here
Anybody else had alignment problems on new deliveries?
Thanks all...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,813
Likes: 287
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
The factory does not do an accurate alignment. The production environment is built for speed not accuracy. Your tires are very expensive and the cost for a precision alignment is money well spent.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by b4i4getit
The factory does not do an accurate alignment. The production environment is built for speed not accuracy. Your tires are very expensive and the cost for a precision alignment is money well spent.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,074
Likes: 296
From: San Francisco CA
Dealership tech told me that up to so many miles perhaps it is 500 miles I can't remember the alignment will be free of charge because cars do need alignment after driving it and breaking it in.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,757
Likes: 484
From: Portland Oregon
All Corvettes are checked for proper alignment at the end of the assembly line. When I took the factory tour with Kevin when my car was being built they let me drive the car over to the alignment area where it is checked by workers in a pit under the car. Kevin explained that the alignement is set as the car goes down the line and then a final check is made at the end of the line to make sure everything is still in spec. Granted they do this check in about 5 minutes, but then they also bolt the body of the car to the drivetrain in about 3 minutes (4 guys one at each corner of the car... an amazing thing to watch)... So far with 6,500 miles no alignment problems as of yet.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,074
Likes: 296
From: San Francisco CA
Originally Posted by heisnuts
All Corvettes are checked for proper alignment at the end of the assembly line. When I took the factory tour with Kevin when my car was being built they let me drive the car over to the alignment area where it is checked by workers in a pit under the car. Kevin explained that the alignement is set as the car goes down the line and then a final check is made at the end of the line to make sure everything is still in spec. Granted they do this check in about 5 minutes, but then they also bolt the body of the car to the drivetrain in about 3 minutes (4 guys one at each corner of the car... an amazing thing to watch)... So far with 6,500 miles no alignment problems as of yet.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
Factory alignments are set to very broad + or - dimensions. As long as all the settings are within their broad tolerences they consider it aligned.
If you want a true alignment take your car to an independant shop that does competition alignments and have it set exactly on the factory recommended settings (or to whatever settings you want), no + or -.
If you want a true alignment take your car to an independant shop that does competition alignments and have it set exactly on the factory recommended settings (or to whatever settings you want), no + or -.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,375
Likes: 1
From: Northern CA
Originally Posted by haljensen
If you want a true alignment take your car to an independant shop that does competition alignments and have it set exactly on the factory recommended settings (or to whatever settings you want), no + or -.
If you go to a really good shop, you can get them to tweak the steering a bit towards the type of response you want. They will check it to see what it is then adjust it to make it more like you want it. You can change the feel of a car quite a bit and still be in spec. You don't even need to stay in spec if you know what you are doing.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 469
Likes: 4
From: Myersville MD
My C6 Z51 came from the factory out of alignment. The wheel was angled to the left about 20 degrees to the left while maintaing a straight ahead course driving down a level road. It also felt a little skittish.
I had it aligned at a local Corvette shop (Tony's Corvettes here in MD) and it has been perfect ever since.
Gary
I had it aligned at a local Corvette shop (Tony's Corvettes here in MD) and it has been perfect ever since.
Gary
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Adam, I just ordered my car and am waiting for GM to accept my order and all that goes with NCM delivery, here's my question. I'm buying the facory interior dash trim pieces in body color. Can I ask the NCM folks to install these prior to my delivery? My wife saw these and went GA GA, I'd like to surprise her.
Thanks
Tom
Thanks
Tom
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 914
Likes: 1
From: Plant City Florida
Originally Posted by FAA-ATC
Picking up my MR Coupe Tuesday, 1/31 at the Museum and am wondering about this. I've read several posts about new 'vettes having lousy alignments as delivered by dealers. Does anybody know if the NCM checks or adjusts alignment before delivery. I have to drive 350 miles to get mine home, so it won't be too bad if I have to get it aligned first thing, but I'd like to know ahead of time so I can make an appointment.
Thanks! These last few days waiting are awful...
Thanks! These last few days waiting are awful...