How can you know if/when you need an alignment?

First, it isn't "easy" to mess up alignment. You have to hit something you wouldn't normally want to hit. Like a curb. At speed.

If the tires wear unevenly, make unusually loud noise, or the car constantly pulls in one direction (on different roads), you need an alignment.
Short of that, the only way to tell is to take the car to an alignment shop.

For $75 I'd say it's worth it. But if you feel you can't trust those guys find another alignment shop.

 

It's easy, alignment shops mess up alignments all the time


Oh, that isn't what you meant?

 

I personally like to bring my car in for alignment on regular intervals of 15k miles. Practically, I'd say only do it if you see decreases in gas mileage or your car pulls to one side. Be aware taht a a fully through alignment inlcudes using a Toyota techstream laptop to reset the yaw sensors on the car (which most places don't have, and it's been reported here that even some dealerships don't bother to do).

A few of my (non prius-owning, lowered-tuner-car) friends do the Firestone all-you-can-eat alignments package where you give them $125 (around here) and you can bring your car for unlimited alignments for life. Just an option.

 

Which items do they actually check and what to they actually adjust and by how much at 15k intervals?

 

I don't necessarily go into Toyota - I get my alignment checked to make sure it's up to spec and adjusted if needed every 15k miles. What Toyota service does in actually checking is a good question that I can't answer. My past experiences with Toyota has the bar set low: I'm just happy when my car leaves the service department in at least equal shape as when I brought it in.

 

I think the only thing they are adjusting at 15k mile intervals is your credit card balance.

 

If you get an alignment check (or adjustment) they should provide a printed copy of the settings before and after any adjustment. That will tell you if you actually needed adjustment or not.

Of course, if the shop is unethical they can fake the alignment printout like my dealer did, so you should try to use a shop that is ethical if possible. :madgrin:

 

Wow how did you find out about the faking?

 

I had it rechecked at an independent shop because the service manager at the dealer could not explain how they fixed the rear toe in on my car. Also, the readings were "too perfect". They did not fix it, they just faked the printout.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...2007-model-alignment-issues-4.html#post448086

 

Honestly, I bring all my cars into a local alignment shop known for working on race cars every ~15k miles because I want to, not because Toyota or anyone else has some sort of ridiculous alignment schedule to squeeze money out of me. I have only gotten one alignment done at a dealer service department (because they all seem dead-set on vampring money from customers, from my own past experiences).

Practically speaking, my own "alignment maintenance schedule" effectively means I get the car up on an alignment rack once or twice a year. For $80 a pop, I figure it's worth it (for me).

That does not surprise me in the least.

 

If you haven't hit a curb, bad pothole, or road debris, and the car doesn't pull to the right or left while braking, or test on level ground-65-70mph a short distance with out hands on the steering wheel and no drift or pull, an alignment isn't needed. If your mpg's are consistant, if I were you I wouldn't waste your money.

Honestly, 287,000 miles on my 2001 Honda Insight, 174,000 miles on my other Insight, and 80,000 on our 2006 Prius and none of these cars have had any alignments. I rotate the tires every 7,500 miles and all is just fine. Wear on the tires is consistently even.

 

Did the old tires show uneven wear? If not then you're probably OK. But most tire places will check it for free, show you the printout and let you decide what to do. Armed with that printout, if you doubt one shop, go to another for a 2nd check and compare the two.

- D

 

I just got my Prius an alignment. There was some uneven wear in the front tires but my car didn't pull to one side or brake unevenly.

In the last 6 months I have made two road trips to NY and the roads in the area are very bad. I did hit a lot of big potholes on the interstates as well as local roads so I think it was ready for an alignment. (It got so I was more watching the road for potholes than watching other cars!)

At $70 I wouldn't get one done unless I noticed the need for it as other posters have mentioned. After all, $70 will buy one tire!

I have had cars that have never had alignments and really never had any problems. In reality I probably would not have had an alignment on my Prius unless it was pointed out to me I need one and my personal knowledge of having driven at high speeds on some bad roads.

So get down and check your tread wear and see if the car pulls while braking. If the roads you generally drive are in good shape (assuming you haven't hit a curb) and there is neither indicator, just put it off and save the money.

 

I've used the lifetime Firestone alignment in my previous cars (and found it worth it). Is an alignment something that Firestone can't do (beacuse of sepeciialized equipment needed that only a dealer would have or specialized car needs)?

 

C'mon, I can't see a Toyota dealer committing a criminal offense (which is what you are describing).

 

I don't know if there is a law against faking an alignment report, but I still have the dated alignment report that was done 13 days after the dealer that shows that the rear alignment was not "perfect"; it was still out of spec and I was able to correct it by adding shims to bring it into spec.