UPDATE: Subaru alignment issue

"treesmakewater" (baym) 10/22/2014 at 18:19 • Filed to: dealer woes, Subaru, alignment

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i took the car to the dealer a fourth time, the sheet said that they checked and performed an alignment, but the service manager said that they never put it on the alignment rack. I then walked out (they were trying to get me to sign papers saying they aligned it), took my spare key and drove off. Once I got to my destination I called Subaru USA and told them everything. They told me to re schedule an appointment and that they would take it from there. I sent the car in and they lent me a 2015 legacy for the day (no pictures, sorry).

It took 5 tries, andservice techs saying that it drive straight, but its finally right.

Previous article and pictures below:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > treesmakewater 10/22/2014 at 18:24

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I notice the front toe is different as well. Rear toe shouldn't have had that big an effect, so I'm puzzled. Confusing the TCS, maybe?

treesmakewater > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/22/2014 at 18:26

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Possibly, it pulls slightly most of the time, but would pull HARD on occasion

HammerheadFistpunch > treesmakewater 10/22/2014 at 18:27

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any noise associated with it? My brother just took his LGT for the same issue...bad wheel bearing.

EL_ULY > treesmakewater 10/22/2014 at 18:36

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it's red, but from what I see, it's not too bad over all. Thrust angle is in specs. Not too bad before and after actually. Not trying to be mean, but if you came to my shop and I pulled those numbers, I would of made you pay for an alignment. Our warranty would kick something like this back and we'd have to eat it plus having to deal with a bad CSI score that will cost us way more.

Hell, I can align it perfect and tight.... driver around the block... and the numbers would change slightly.

Frank Grimes > treesmakewater 10/22/2014 at 19:04

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I once took my camaro to a tire shop for an alignment after getting new tires and wheels. I told them it pulled hard to the right. As in it would change lanes for you. After the first try it still did it. Taking it back again I told them it still pulled. Their idea was not to do it right but to tell me its because the car is rear wheel drive. I wanted to laugh in their faces. Also it has a posi rear end so yeah... I said no its not right and his final suggestion was to put more or less air in the tires on one side!

HOW DO YOU EVEN GET A JOB DOING PRECISION WORK LIKE ALIGNMENTS AND BE SO STUPID!!!???

I just gave up and took it to another shop.

Bytemite > treesmakewater 10/22/2014 at 19:24

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You have positive camber...lol

DoYouEvenShift > treesmakewater 10/22/2014 at 19:33

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Does it drive better now? It really wasnt that bad before. Looks like they set the rear toe. Set the steering wheel straight and reset the front toe. Probably set the air pressure too. Looks like they didnt do a caster sweep, but I dont think its adjustable anyways. If the caster is off, it will pull if its out far enough. Hit any big pot holes lately?

treesmakewater > EL_ULY 10/22/2014 at 19:37

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it was out of alignment since we bought it new, it has taken almost 4K miles for them to make it right. I would never complain about the alignment if the vehicle got out of alignment while we owned it.

treesmakewater > HammerheadFistpunch 10/22/2014 at 19:47

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not that I noticed

treesmakewater > DoYouEvenShift 10/22/2014 at 19:53

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nope, 0 pothioes, it was out of alignment when I bought it. I was able to switch lanes with my hands off the wheel. The alignment did fix it

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > treesmakewater 10/22/2014 at 23:11

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It's not that far off really, before or after, but your alignment guy can lick my balls. Positive camber? Really? Is this NASCAR? And your thrust angle is fighting the front camber, so they cancel each other out. Actually, if your thrust angle were the other direction your car would drive itself right (or left in this case) around Talladega. Why no caster sweep? That's important, too. Hell, I wouldn't even consider it a complete alignment without having at least checked caster, whether it's adjustable or not. If I were to submit that report to Mercedes for warranty they would kick it saying I didn't do the whole thing.

treesmakewater > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 10/22/2014 at 23:31

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Well i personally dont know much about alignment, but i do know that 5 trips to get it on the rack is way too many

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > treesmakewater 10/23/2014 at 00:54

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Yeah. Really how it is now is fine but I can tell the guy was pissy and half-assed it. "In the green" doesn't necessarily make for a good alignment. Maybe I just have higher standards than most. Meh, it's been a long day.

bob and john > treesmakewater 10/23/2014 at 01:14

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finally.

treesmakewater > bob and john 10/23/2014 at 10:12

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Yep, great sales team horrible service thechs

treesmakewater > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 10/23/2014 at 10:15

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I need a mechanic like you for my audi. I have yet to find a good euro mechanic.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > treesmakewater 10/23/2014 at 22:54

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Thanks. Too bad there isn't some "network of good mechanics" where I could call somebody up for you and your Audi.

treesmakewater > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 10/24/2014 at 08:28

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I almost found someone, BUT the day i came in to schedule my timing belt appointment (2 weeks after quote) the rate increased from $80/hr to $115/hr thats dealership prices there

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > treesmakewater 10/24/2014 at 09:51

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They should still honor the original quote. But that is a huge rate hike. You often get what you pay for though, not always of course. It may be easier to find someone good at a dealer. We're not all inherently evil. If you do, you can always request that only that person work on your car. I get those requests from customers all of the time, people I've never met before, usually a word of mouth situation. All shops and technicians make mistakes, but it's the good ones who own up and take responsibility, even if that means covering a $30k engine. I would rather pay more per hour and have piece of mind with a great parts and service warranty, than pay a low rate and wonder whether the guy who did the work was qualified and get an average warranty. I know you will probably wonder either way if the guy was any good but an extra year or two of parts and service warranty certainly helps. I've even had customers come in and basically interview me before allowing me to work on their car, not all techs or shops allow this though, but you could certainly try.

Sorry for writing a book, hope this helps.

treesmakewater > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 10/24/2014 at 11:12

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They said that the price hike will be their "normal rate". The shop opened about 2 months ago (the machanic " ase master tech" came from a very reputable BMW shop). When i spoke to mechanic for a quote he never said that the rate was promotional and i told him approximately how long it will be before i need the service.

I know that all dealerships aren't bad, but the dealership (besides my paranoia) is not my preferred option for the following reasons: 1. They told me that they would need about a week to 1.5 weeks for the service and would not give me a loaner car since I am 19 (my local dealership advertises free loaners on services over an hour).

2.They are quite pricey compared to a indie shop

That said, it looks like I have to drive to Columbia or Atlanta for a mechanic unless I go to the dealer.

Don't apologize for a book when it is a helpful book.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > treesmakewater 10/24/2014 at 15:57

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If he is not willing to honor his original quote, go elsewhere.

I wouldn't go to that dealer either, especially if it's the same one that had so much trouble with your alignment. Some dealers are comparable to the better indies.

Don't forget to account for the time and money spent traveling to a shop versus going to a local dealer or expensive indie.

treesmakewater > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 10/24/2014 at 17:24

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It's the same name in the same complex, but different techs. I travel to Columbia about once a month anyway so one extra trip won't change much.