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I have had issues with getting proper alignment for my 2002 EF2 despite getting alignments done at two different dealers, so I'm wondering if I should just save money and try an auto service shop, like Pep Boys or Firestone. Any reason I should try a dealer instead, like are the better equipped to properly align a car? I like the alignment data printout that you get but would an auto service shop be able to provide that also?

 
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any shop who does them should be fine, but I'd suggest asking around for good local shops.

 
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What kinda problems, specifically?

What is the car doing wrong?

What is out of whack?

Post the alignment printout?



The factory only provided adjustments for certain things, not every angle measured or shown on a printout is adjustable.

And finally, doing a great job has nothing to do with the shop or dealership, or to a certain extent the equipment used. It's all about the individual with the knowledge (or lack thereof) and the willingness to do a job to the best of their ability.

The alignment machines nowadays are set up so that ANY moron can 'follow the bouncing ball' and end up with a halfway decent outcome and a car that usually drives pretty straight when it's done. You don't have to actually know a damn thing about alignment principles at all.

But when the outcome isn't perfect, or the car still exhibits a problem even though the alignment machine tells him everything is golden..... that person is completely lost and you end up stuck with no resolution to the problem (and sometimes a lame excuse).

 
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Thanks, that sounds like what I'll probably do.

Thanks, yet again, for the detailed response. I had this car aligned at a Honda dealer around 2011 when I had an HFP suspension installed, but they couldn't get it perfectly aligned due to some rusted part (tie rod?). Around 2013 I went to a different dealer and had them replace the rusted part and they were able to get the aligment (where the printout shows all "green" values) done properly. The car drove straight and it was great, until it started to pull left again (always left), maybe 6 months later or so. I got an alignment done at yet another Honda dealer in 2014 but they were not able to get it perfectly aligned (some red values on the print out) and it still pulled to the left, although not as much. I didn't get the printout though and they apparently can't reprint them so I don't have the most recent alignment printout. I am thinking I'll probably take my car to Firestone near my work where they promise "lifetime" alignment readjustments.

 
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Left front tire needs air?
It can be perfectly acceptable with "red" numbers. All depends on what they are.

They will be the most expensive free alignments you ever saw in your life.

 
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Back in ~ 2005, I went to a Firestone in CA for a new set of Tires. During the sales pitch, the Sales Associate tried selling me on a Lifetime Alignment. At the time, the cost was 2.5 times the cost of a single alignment. After some negotiation, I was able to get the price to 2-times the cost of a single alignment. I think it was one of the best decisions I have made. Since 2005, I have gotten 1-2 alignments per year for "free." I even crossed state lines (now live in NC) and the Lifetime Alignment went with me. My little 2001 Civic has been absolutely accurate since then. However, last year, it started pulling to the right. I took it in 4 times this year for alignment and they assure me that it is dead-on. Finally, last week, I replaced the front two tires and it drives like new. Since purchasing the Lifetime Alignment, I have been to ~ 5 different Firestones in 2 states. All gladly honored the agreement and did a great job with the alignment. Based on my experience, I would not hesitate to do it again.

 
Rep Power: 518

^Your story is better than mine LOL

The firestone store down the road from us will set your car on a crooked rack to get screwy numbers in order to sell you the alignment. They did this on a 3 month old new car with 5000 miles on it.

If you buy the lifetime alignment, every time you go in you 'need' a bunch of new suspension parts before they will do the alignment.


A friend had a Sears lifetime alignment, they never once checked for worn out suspension parts (car was a dangerous mess of loose ball joints and destroyed bushings) and never checked caster according to the printouts I got to see. Toe-and-go is all they did...and it ate up tires like they were going out of style.

 
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I... had mixed experiences. Depend on the store and the techs they have at the time, really. Could be good or bad.

If you find a good one, use that. Went to 5 of them, one was worth for 10 years, but that started to change last year, unfortunately time to find another....

 
Rep Power: 208

Big O did four wheels for me for about $75.

 
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Thanks for all the great replies. I think I will actually try a Pep Boys closer to home where I have gotten a bunch of wheel/tire work done and I've always been satisfied with them and they are the cheapest as well. I may try the Firestone near work if that doesn't turn out well. My closest Honda dealer charges $99 for an alignment, so hopefully will cost a little less.

Is alignment a "minor" procedure? E.g. doesn't involve much, doesn't take long typically, etc.?

 
Rep Power: 518

Depends on what is right or wrong, and how much work anyone cares to do to it to change anything.
Is it 'within spec range' or is it ON spec? (dead on can be hard to hit with a sensitive machine)

Got rust?

I'd even mark each tire so you can tell if they moved them (swap or rotate) to correct a pull. Tires can cause pulls that cannot be corrected by alignment.

Get the printout.

 
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What are your caster readings? Even within spec, The car will pull towards the less positive side. Most cars are dialed in with more positive caster angle on the passenger side to compensate for the crown/sloping of the road. Caster, however, is not adjustable on our cars, stock anyways. As for camber, your car will pull toward the more positive side, but camber is adjustable. What are those readings? Again, they could be within spec, but not optimal for driving straight.

 
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As mentioned above, you need to align all four wheels. I once went to Bear Alingment. They used some tools to align just the front end. The car was driving side ways down the street. ..I found out when I was advised by these forms that one needs to align all 4 wheels. .look for a shop with an electronic alingment machine. ..lesson learned for me.