THIS why I hate taking my car anywhere!

"E92M3" (E46M3) 09/05/2014 at 11:29 • Filed to: None

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It's still under "free maintenance", but they always try to add bogus services that aren't covered. The service advisor just tried to sell me an alignment for $150. Alignments are THE BIGGEST MYTH in the car repair industry people. No car should be out of alignment unless you hit a curb and bent something in the suspension OR you have worn out bushings, tie rods, or ball joints. In which case it would not hold an alignment anyway until you replace them. With only 14k miles there's no way these parts are worn out, and if they were it wouldn't do me any good to get an alignment anyway. Just give me my free oil change.

On the plus side they do have a female porter with a full arm sleeve.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 11:39

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The local Mini dealer wanted to do a full 4 wheel alignment and wheel balance at 8K miles (first oil service demanded by the computer)

My response is that if the car cannot hold an alignment for 8K miles, it's going to cost far more in maintenance than it should, and I might as well sell it now and get most of my money back out of it.

That shut him up.

Shankems > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 11:40

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My car goes out of alignment quickly and the difference between in and out is huge. But most alignments are a total ripoff. I always ask for the printout of before and after and have sent them back to do a proper job at times.

Bad Idea Hat > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 11:40

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From what you're describing, alignment isn't the problem. You need your ball bearings replaced.

It's all ball bearings nowadays.

jariten1781 > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 11:45

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Due to our potholed moonscape around here, alignments are far from a myth...I typically get them done yearly and they're almost always out. Firestone does lifetime for around 150$ (6k miles minimum between visits) and they'll set it to your specs if you don't like the factory ones. They use the same Hunter machines as pretty much everyone else. Only car I've had poor luck with them was a Prelude with 4ws and they gave me a full refund without questions when I was unhappy after a couple goes.

Bad Idea Hat > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/05/2014 at 11:46

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I love how cars these days actually can tell you when your car needs something. Because it opens cars up to being party in a scene from American Psycho.

EL_ULY > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 11:47

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Front end specialist here... I can align a car perfectly, go drive it around the block, and I promise you on my 13 years of experience that things will move a little bit. It will NOT be as you left it BUUUUT!!! it won't all jacked up enough to were you have to perform and alignment. The tech must have seen some irregular wear (all cars have some type of wear normally) and he asked to adviser to tell you. Why? mostly because it is very offten customers come in wondering about tire wear then bitch that we didn't offer an alignment sooner.

MonkeePuzzle > jariten1781 09/05/2014 at 11:48

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have the firestone lifetime, used it three times before they attempted to tell me I can't have it because I have a lowered modified car. still using it, its nice

jariten1781 > MonkeePuzzle 09/05/2014 at 11:51

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Really? I've taken tons of lowered cars (well 3) to them and they've never given me any grief. One time I had to take one to a different Firestone across town because the first one said it was too low to get on their ramps, but the second shop had no problem.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 11:52

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My FiST is slightly out of alignment (or the electric rack is anyways) straight from the show room. I'll get them to fix it when I go in for my first service, for now it is barely noticeable.

Tohru > Bad Idea Hat 09/05/2014 at 11:56

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^ Pictured: In-dash CRT from an Aston Martin Lagonda.

MonkeePuzzle > jariten1781 09/05/2014 at 11:57

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well, they gave me verbal grief, but they always did the alignment

Bad Idea Hat > Tohru 09/05/2014 at 11:57

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Man, from what I've read, that car probably would have asked for a stray cat straight up.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Tohru 09/05/2014 at 12:11

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False: It is known that the In Dash CRTs from the Lagondas never worked.

Source: Joseph Lucas

deekster_caddy > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 12:11

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Most of my cars go well over 100K without needing an alignment. I only need an alignment after some kind of suspension work (tie rod replacement etc). Unless I see unusual tire wear on something, then I'll have an alignment done (which should start with a full suspension check anyway).

It's also very common for me to go back very soon after for a re-do because nearly every alignment I have done pulls afterwards. I expect to be able to let go of the steering wheel on the highway and go straight (yeah I know only on FLAT sections). If that doesn't happen, I'm bringing it back.

Tohru > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/05/2014 at 12:23

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Citation needed there, man. I mean what, next thing you'll tell me is the touch screen in a Reatta never worked, or that the digi-dash in a C4 'Vette never worked - and I can prove you wrong on the last one bucko.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Tohru 09/05/2014 at 12:26

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Also, the Buick touchscreen never worked in the Reatta. It worked, however, in the Rivera circa 1989.

Tohru > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/05/2014 at 12:28

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I was not being serious. And I mixed the two Buicks up. There is one of those on the local buy-sell-trade for $750. Naturally, the touch screen doesn't work.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Tohru 09/05/2014 at 12:32

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It was well known that the Buick touchscreens only worked because they had to be refilled with touch fluid. My grandparents had one, but naturally since they never used the radio or anything, it never ran out of touch fluid.

Naturally, it was discovered that in a previous life, one of the AC Delco engineers who designed the system worked for Lucas and was just trying to introduce the following Service Part (Genuine Lucas) to the US Market.

Tohru > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/05/2014 at 12:33

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Ah, Lucas electronics. You know when you need to replace stuff when the magic smoke comes out.

E92M3 > EL_ULY 09/05/2014 at 13:03

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It does have slightly uneven wear from doing a trackday last month.

E92M3 > jariten1781 09/05/2014 at 13:07

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Most new cars don't have adjustment for camber period. It's built into the part, and it has zero adjustment. My car for example has 1.5 degrees built in up front. The shocks are in a fixed position, the upper control arms are 1 piece with no adjustment either. The only way to change the camber is to buy camber plates to replace the top shock mount. The only thing that can be altered is the toe in/toe out. That can only be done with 2 wrenches. Hitting a bump can in no way can adjust the length of the steering arm unless it is bent. You would have to rotate the arm with a wrench after losening the locking nut that locks it into poistion at the tie rod.

jariten1781 > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 13:29

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Interesting. Everything I've owned without a solid rear or torsion bar has had at least rear camber adjustments available.

EL_ULY > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 13:45

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That little bit of inner feathering of course is normal on all cars of similar geometry and capability. The tech must have just thought it was a bit early and was just recommending it. Not 100% necessary of course but it was more to tweak than adjusting to a big problem. No biggie but I would recommend maybe doing it a little further down the road if you are a semi agressive driver or go to more events. I used to autoX my little 3 liter heater e36 M3 and after a couple events, I would have to do some adjustments. Not because of a pull or steering wheel was of, but more for the fitting of new components.

George McNally > E92M3 09/05/2014 at 18:38

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I bought a 2014 Hyundai Elantra back in March.....unless it gets recalled for something or need warranty work- I'll never go to their service dept.

There might have an excellent service dept, but I have a mechanic that I trust that's been working on our family vehicles for 30 years.