Where should I get an alignment?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 26
From: Austin Texas
Local shop, preferably privately owned. If the shop is any good they will ask you your driving style and whatyou want from the alignment. You will get exact specs, no + or - like in the factory specs.
I put around a thousand miles on my car to let the suspension settle then had a 4 wheel alignment done at a local shop for $99.95.
I put around a thousand miles on my car to let the suspension settle then had a 4 wheel alignment done at a local shop for $99.95.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,896
Likes: 3
From: New Bern NC
I prefer a local shop where I can watch the guy work and see the changes being made. I hate the dealerships ( not all like this) where your car disappears behind an iron curtain not to be seen again until finished and no contact with any one except the new hire that writes the order.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 24,652
Likes: 298
From: NJ
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
Personally I would go to a local shop. I think you will get more from a shop that knows more about alignment versus a dealer that has to stay within GM specs.
As an example my street tires require at least -1.5 front camber which is outside of GM specs. I am not sure if I went to GM if they are allowed to go outside their specs.
As an example my street tires require at least -1.5 front camber which is outside of GM specs. I am not sure if I went to GM if they are allowed to go outside their specs.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,242
Likes: 8
When you say local shop, what kind? Is that a tire dealer, or are there places that specialize in alignments?
Anyone know of one by me?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,864
Likes: 0
From: Central Florida. Black Sheep Squadron Member. 465 rwhp & 477 rwtq
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Craig,
I took mine to a Firestone Complete Auto Care shop. It was recommended by a few people. You might want to ask around in the SE area so that you get a place where they've done vettes before.
I took mine to a Firestone Complete Auto Care shop. It was recommended by a few people. You might want to ask around in the SE area so that you get a place where they've done vettes before.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,089
Likes: 14
More important than who owns the shop is who is actually doing the work. I take my cars to a local shop where the guy doing the work has many years of experience with performance car alignment. He wants to talk to you about how you drive the car, what you want the car to do, etc before doing the alignment. Then he sets it up just the way you want it to be. The factory specs are quite loose. Most shops will just set the car to fall inside the specs and call it done. My guy won't. He wants it just right for what you do with the car.
