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My Acura dealer says complimentary alignment check on every service. I know this is BS because on my last set of tires they wore unevenly without them ever saying a word. If I noticed it (too late by the way) they should have noticed it because the car had been in several times. I agree we as car owners should check, but dont tell me your going to check stuff and dont over several times and then things get messed up.
I'd ask them how they check it...because the only way to do it is to put it on the rack and at that point, might as well fix it. Poor soccer moms...getting the shaft at every angle.
The Honda dealership I used to visit began using the Hawkeye alignment tool to show results while in the waiting bay area. They actually look like 12" sub-woofers that hang on each of the wheels.
I had just left a Firestone (old Expert Tire) that I have lifetime alignments at and I swung by the Honda dealership to request the service salesman to check it real quick for me. It showed I was slightly out of spec.
This was the same dealership that performed a supposed alignment at least twice while the rear toe adjustment bolts were seized...and rounded.
These techs can make any alignment spec sheet say whatever they want. The "Hawkeye" is quickly put on like your in a fast food drive-thru. I've no doubt some "techs" just lean on a wheel to get it into spec rather than actually do work and when they can't "un-seize" a bolt, or after they've stripped it.
I'm now left with the option to get another lifetime alignment deal in the very near future at a redeeming smaller company in the area that seems to treat their customers with priority. This company also re-balanced my tires (dynamic) which Firestone also did a terrible job mounting (static), totally ignoring the yellow dots even after requesting they please pay attention to them. Instead I left with about a total of thirty weights on a set of new tires and wheels. Fuck Firestone.
The guys I'm going to trust going forward is called Free Service Tire Company, the below makes me look forward to returning:
How many times do you get "techs" rolling their eyes at you when you mention the lug nut torque? Free Professional Hand Torquing...getting my summer tires from these guys.
I also just learned they can fabricate exhaust and do custom work...yea me!
If I could correctly perform an alignment on my own and properly mount and balance my own tires...I would. No joke, I was looking at the price of one of the Hunter machines. Hardly anyone cares about YOUR car out there folks.
Last edited by MonkeyTrucker; Dec 13, 2015 at 08:17 PM.
Dude, this is why I ONLY go to Acura of Pembroke Pines...
I literally have watched them torque each wheel with those sockets that bend at a certain ft/lb...
in addition, they don't squawk over a lowered car and have an in ground lift...their alignments always get checked before and after...
and they were the ONLY place to balance a set of tires on my previous wheels properly to NOT vibrate!
That's the only place I trust with either of my babies.
There is a major problem with the Firestone lifetime alignment. Unless you go to a company owned facility, you can only get the lifetime alignments at the place where you originally purchase it. Most of the Firestone's are franchised. I found this out when i wanted to get an alignment done in Illinois a few weeks prior to me leaving for Virginia.
I go to "Big Johns" locally. They love aftermarket cars. Raised trucks, lowered cars, they advertise it all. I hear you cant work there without a truck raised a foot or a car/truck an inch from the ground.
When I had my integra, I took it in for an alignment after I lowered it and the tech mentioned my camber was out. Before telling me what "needs" to happen he asked if I knew how much camber I had. Told him should be around -3 and he just smirked and crossed off where he suggested I get a camber kit. LOL
The key is to find a shop and specific guys that know how to do alignments properly. I no longer believe in lifetime alignment crap.
I had a lifetime alignment at NTB and the alignment would come out worse than when the car went in. I cancelled the alignment agreement with those clowns and found a speed shop where all guys drive dumped Civics, now those guys know exactly how to perform a dead on alignment. I rather pay the $99 with these guys each year than a "lifetime" one for $350 for 5 years where monkeys don't know how to do alignment properly.
Did you notice those front brake ducts...freaking genius!
I do my own alignments on my Integra since I play with the setup and I thought it would be something cool to figure out how to do. I also did the alignment on my father's '68 Corvette, he didn't want to take it to an alignment shop. The '68 alignment specs were crap , they wanted positive camber up front! You would be amazed at how nice of an alignment you can get with simple tools and a little creativity.
I have a set-up similar to a smart string set up, but it's a DIY version for setting toe. I also have a camber gauge, that's pretty much all you need to do a nice alignment. I use a water bucket, tube and jack to level my garage floor. Leveling the floor makes a huge difference! The smart stings are nice because the stay on the car and you can roll and bounce the car with out needing to reset your reference strings.
Poor soccer moms...getting the shaft at every angle.
, they wanted positive camber up front! 
You would be amazed at how nice of an alignment you can get with simple tools and a little creativity. 