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So hey I just been reading over some recent threads and alot of people are talking about how they have thier civics dropped and get alignments 1 a month or even more frequently ... and their reasoning is because it saves their tires ???

Ok Question #1)
I had my car dropped in July, and got it aligned at the same time. I have yet to get it re-aligned ... Is there really a need ? Does the alignment go outta whack within a couple months or something ?

Question #2)
If these people are getting an alignment monthly, or even bi-monthly ... with the rationale to save their tires from any excess wear. To be this doesn't make sense, Dollar wise.

For instance, for my Z rated Falken tires it costs me $229 Cdn per tire.
To get an alignment done it costs me $70 +tax (but we'll just use $70)

So lets say I can get 2 seasons out of my Z rated tires. That would cost me $916 dollars/2 years or $458/per year.

Compare that figure with getting a monthly alignment to "save tire wear" ... that would be $70 X 7 months (since I only drive the Z rated from Apr to Nov) = $490 per year of only alignments. Or 2 seasons worth of alignments for $980.

So in other words in 2 seasons of alignments I would have spent enough $$$ to buy a whole new set of tires ... even if I was bad to them and let them wear out unevenly.
Not to mention that even getting the alignments done, those tires still incur tire wear. So even if you get 1 more year of tire wear outta them you'd still have to buy a whole new set of tires after that third year.

Cost comparison 1 alignment

$916 - for the set of tires (balanced and installed)
+ $70 - for the first alignment
= $986 Total for 2 seasons of driving on them
(estimating that 2 seasons on a Z rated is all you can get)

Now since, by that time I'm estimating that you'd have to buy a new set of Z rated tires (just by tire wear etc etc)

$986 Total
+ $916 - for new set of Z rated (balanced and installed)
= $1902 Total

Cost comparison of alignment monthly

$916 - for the set of tires
+ $490 - for the monthly alignment costs (for 1st year)
+ $490 - for the monthly alignment costs (for the 2nd year)
= $1896 Total for 2 seasons of driving on them

So lets say you get another year summer season out of the tires simply due to the alignments

$1896
+ $490 - for the monthly alignment costs (for the 3rd year)
= $2386 Total, before needing to buy a new set


Difference

$2386 - $1902 = $484

Flush that idea

 
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Some people paid for "lifetime" alignments, so they can go as often as they want. Honestly its not necessary to get your car aligned every time you hit a pothole, but if its free, I guess it doesnt matter. You need to do it once or twice a year.

 
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Ahhh .. whack ... wonder if we got "lifetime alignments" here in Canada at any shops ... Anyone ???

 
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what shops do lifetime alignments?

 
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Firestone.

 
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how much is it at firestone?

 
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To answer your first question, you could get your alignment one day and the next it could go out just by hitting a curb.

Now your next question, I have lifetime alignments, and basically like rob said, I can go whenever and get free alignments, but I dont do it cause I am dropped, but I do it because it saves the hell out of my tires. I have over 25k on my ze-512 and they show no tire wear whatsoever. And I drive pretty hard.

And yes even with getting alignments, the tires do wear, but not as fast.

Now you did all those calculations, but I only paid $90 for my lifetime alignments, and I dont spend anymore. But you also have to find a shop who will offer it for dropped cars.

 
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Yeah most shops here are pretty chill with dropped cars ... as long as they not scraping the ground. But lifetime alignments .. thats something I never seen hear yet ?

 
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NTB offers it nationally...$90 for a year of unlimited alignments, $125 for 2 years, and $150 for 5 years. If you buy it at NTB and save the receipt then you can get it at any Sears autoshop as well if you keep the receipt.

 
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NTB ??? what is that ?

 
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National tire and battery. They are everywhere.

 
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Cause they are "National"

 
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LOL

 
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National Tire and Battery .. ok never heard of them but I will check

 
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one alignment a year.. good enough for me.

 
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I get lifetime rotations and alignments cuz I bought my rims/tires from discount tire. Plus 4 warranty's on tires, for anything but bald tires or racing/my fault.

Discount tire does it, BTW

 
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hmm. what if the place scratches your rim? ... T_T;;;;

 
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then they should repair or replace it.