Honda Car Forum

As much as I hate to admit it Costco is right. An alignment is to tell you
and the tire seller that your car is within specs and should not wear the
tires prematurely. If in 15000 miles you notice the tires have wear on the
inside edge and are now considered unsafe, then the seller may say too bad.
OTOH, if you can prove your car didn't wear out the tires, then your
challenging the tire manufactures mileage warranty.

Firestone offers a lifetime alignment, and using this I have seen several
customers get new tires at 20000 miles because the tires were suppose to
last 40000 AND because they were in every 6 month or so keeping up on the
alignment the ball was in there court (so to say)

For about 20$ Firestone offers a alignment check.


--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
ASE Automobile Advanced Engine Performance
ASE Undercar Specialist

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troub...l_obd_main.htm
http://www.troublecodes.net/technical/





"Tom Jackson" <Ark321@juno.com> wrote in message
news:1140470692.923948.278710@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> They did not refer me to any specific shop. There are no auto repair
> shops near this Costco location. There is no vibration in the steering
> wheel at all, car drives stratight as an arrow and the wear on the old
> tires looked normal.
>

Tom Jackson wrote:
> They did not refer me to any specific shop. There are no auto repair
> shops near this Costco location. There is no vibration in the steering
> wheel at all, car drives stratight as an arrow and the wear on the old
> tires looked normal.
>


skip the alignment. id chalk the talk up to an overeager young tire
monkey trying to sound more knowledgeable than he really is. he probably
drives a mustang that needs an alignment every year

On 2/20/06 12:48 PM, in article dtd2t5$jan$8@newsmaster.cc.columbia.edu,
"Alex Rodriguez" <adr5@columbia.edu> wrote:

> In article <1140409226.138559.265550@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups .com>,
> Ark321@juno.com says...
>
>> I bought 4 new BF Goodrich tires for my 98 Accord LX 5-speed with
>> 75,000 miles. The cars is very quiet now and very smooth. The guys at
>> Costco told me to get an alignment and they implied it would protect my
>> tire warranty. They said get an alignment every year. I think I have
>> had one alignment since new.
>> I am wondering if I really need one. There is zero vibration or shimmy
>> in the steering wheel.
>> If I take my hands off the wheel, (hold them an inch away from the
>> wheel & when no cars are around) the cars drives totally straight and
>> the wheel do not vibrate or anything.
>> The tires have a 60,000 mile warranty, 500 rating and Costco provides
>> free rotation, road hazard the works.
>
> sounds odd to me. Costco doesn't do alignments, so it's not like they are
> trying to sell you an unecessary service to make more money. Did they refer
> you to specific shop? Maybe they are getting a kick back? Unless you are
> getting abnormal wear of your tires or the car is pulling to one side, you
> don't need to get an alignment.
> --------------
> Alex
>

I think it must be part of Costco's normal advice. I bought tires there for
my Acura once and they told me I should get an alignment prior to ever
seeing the car. I think it is probably a safe assumption that the vast
majority of cars need an alignment by the time they need tires.

All tire shops should do this; it is to validate the tire manufactures
mileage warranty-- Don't do it and the tires wear out in 10000 miles, you
could eat the replacement cost; do it then you might get pro rated for the
amount of tires you worn away.



--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
ASE Automobile Advanced Engine Performance
ASE Undercar Specialist

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troub...l_obd_main.htm
http://www.troublecodes.net/technical/

"E Meyer" <epmeyer50@msn.com> wrote in message
news:C020872A.EFF78%epmeyer50@msn.com...
> On 2/20/06 12:48 PM, in article dtd2t5$jan$8@newsmaster.cc.columbia.edu,
> "Alex Rodriguez" <adr5@columbia.edu> wrote:
>
>> In article <1140409226.138559.265550@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups .com>,
>> Ark321@juno.com says...
>>
>>> I bought 4 new BF Goodrich tires for my 98 Accord LX 5-speed with
>>> 75,000 miles. The cars is very quiet now and very smooth. The guys at
>>> Costco told me to get an alignment and they implied it would protect my
>>> tire warranty. They said get an alignment every year. I think I have
>>> had one alignment since new.
>>> I am wondering if I really need one. There is zero vibration or shimmy
>>> in the steering wheel.
>>> If I take my hands off the wheel, (hold them an inch away from the
>>> wheel & when no cars are around) the cars drives totally straight and
>>> the wheel do not vibrate or anything.
>>> The tires have a 60,000 mile warranty, 500 rating and Costco provides
>>> free rotation, road hazard the works.
>>
>> sounds odd to me. Costco doesn't do alignments, so it's not like they
>> are
>> trying to sell you an unecessary service to make more money. Did they
>> refer
>> you to specific shop? Maybe they are getting a kick back? Unless you
>> are
>> getting abnormal wear of your tires or the car is pulling to one side,
>> you
>> don't need to get an alignment.
>> --------------
>> Alex
>>
>
> I think it must be part of Costco's normal advice. I bought tires there
> for
> my Acura once and they told me I should get an alignment prior to ever
> seeing the car. I think it is probably a safe assumption that the vast
> majority of cars need an alignment by the time they need tires.
>

In article <dFyKf.46768$id5.13445@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
hansensw@hotmail.com says...

>As much as I hate to admit it Costco is right. An alignment is to tell you
>and the tire seller that your car is within specs and should not wear the
>tires prematurely.

No they are not. Cars don't spontanteously go out of alignment. If your prior
set of tires wore evenly across the tread, there is no reason to believe you
need to get an alignment just because you bought new tires. It is a waste of
time and money.

>If in 15000 miles you notice the tires have wear on the
>inside edge and are now considered unsafe, then the seller may say too bad.

As it should be since uneven wear is usually caused by something other than a
defective tire.

>OTOH, if you can prove your car didn't wear out the tires, then your
>challenging the tire manufactures mileage warranty.

If you get an alignment when you buy the new tires, it doesn't prove anything
except that the car was properly aligned when you left the garage. You could
hit a pothole that throws your car out of alignment on the way home for the
mechanics.

>Firestone offers a lifetime alignment, and using this I have seen several
>customers get new tires at 20000 miles because the tires were suppose to
>last 40000 AND because they were in every 6 month or so keeping up on the
>alignment the ball was in there court (so to say)

Tires that wear out prematurely becuase of poor alignment are easy to spot
because the wear is uneven. So getting your alignment checked regularly
is not necessary. The lifetime alignment is used by some places to try to
sell you more services. When you bring your car in to get checked, they
always find something else that needs attention.
------------
Alex

In article <C020872A.EFF78%epmeyer50@msn.com>, epmeyer50@msn.com says...

>I think it must be part of Costco's normal advice. I bought tires there for
>my Acura once and they told me I should get an alignment prior to ever
>seeing the car. I think it is probably a safe assumption that the vast
>majority of cars need an alignment by the time they need tires.

Not true. I've owned cars that didn't need an alignment until suspension parts
were changed.
--------------
Alex

And I've seen cars out of alignment from the factory.


--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
ASE Automobile Advanced Engine Performance
ASE Undercar Specialist

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troub...l_obd_main.htm
http://www.troublecodes.net/technical/



"Alex Rodriguez" <adr5@columbia.edu> wrote in message
news:dtfj98$nr5$12@newsmaster.cc.columbia.edu...
> In article <C020872A.EFF78%epmeyer50@msn.com>, epmeyer50@msn.com says...
>
>>I think it must be part of Costco's normal advice. I bought tires there
>>for
>>my Acura once and they told me I should get an alignment prior to ever
>>seeing the car. I think it is probably a safe assumption that the vast
>>majority of cars need an alignment by the time they need tires.
>
> Not true. I've owned cars that didn't need an alignment until suspension
> parts
> were changed.
> --------------
> Alex
>

You miss the point... This alignment isn't about the car its about the
tires.

We have in our shop tires warranted to last 60000... We put them on your car
and in 30,000 miles they are worn out. You come back to the shop and scream
about the tires not living up to your expatiations "You promised they would
last longer" But if you toe was out just a bit and your camber was out just
a bit, then this caused the tires not to last.
You might be able to see on the old tires if there is an issue; but can you
prove it later? We have customers who don't rotate tires as suggested and
wonder why the tires are wearing funny, or why the fronts are bald and the
rears are not.
A week ago we repaired the wheel bearings and put new tires on a local
delivery car; on the test drive the wheel is offcenter and it pulled; he
declined the free alignment check; when he comes back with worn tires in 2
months sure enough it will be our fault.
The alignment is suggested to VALIDATE the tire warranty..
If you say "NO" then the mileage warranty is Void; the same as if you
decline the extended warranty on something you buy.


--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
ASE Automobile Advanced Engine Performance
ASE Undercar Specialist

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troub...l_obd_main.htm
http://www.troublecodes.net/technical/




"Alex Rodriguez" <adr5@columbia.edu> wrote in message
news:dtfj6r$nr5$11@newsmaster.cc.columbia.edu...
> In article <dFyKf.46768$id5.13445@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
> hansensw@hotmail.com says...
>
>>As much as I hate to admit it Costco is right. An alignment is to tell you
>>and the tire seller that your car is within specs and should not wear the
>>tires prematurely.
>
> No they are not. Cars don't spontanteously go out of alignment. If your
> prior
> set of tires wore evenly across the tread, there is no reason to believe
> you
> need to get an alignment just because you bought new tires. It is a waste
> of
> time and money.
>
>>If in 15000 miles you notice the tires have wear on the
>>inside edge and are now considered unsafe, then the seller may say too
>>bad.
>
> As it should be since uneven wear is usually caused by something other
> than a
> defective tire.
>
>>OTOH, if you can prove your car didn't wear out the tires, then your
>>challenging the tire manufactures mileage warranty.
>
> If you get an alignment when you buy the new tires, it doesn't prove
> anything
> except that the car was properly aligned when you left the garage. You
> could
> hit a pothole that throws your car out of alignment on the way home for
> the
> mechanics.
>
>>Firestone offers a lifetime alignment, and using this I have seen several
>>customers get new tires at 20000 miles because the tires were suppose to
>>last 40000 AND because they were in every 6 month or so keeping up on the
>>alignment the ball was in there court (so to say)
>
> Tires that wear out prematurely becuase of poor alignment are easy to spot
> because the wear is uneven. So getting your alignment checked regularly
> is not necessary. The lifetime alignment is used by some places to try to
> sell you more services. When you bring your car in to get checked, they
> always find something else that needs attention.
> ------------
> Alex
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

In article <1140453738.851927.153720@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
Ark321@juno.com says...

>BTW - is anyone here able to get more than 25,000 miles on a set of
>tires? I did once on a new 1984 VW Scirocco with excellent (French)
>Uniroyal HRs.

I have. These weren't crappy super hard cheapo rubber rim protector tires
you get at discount auto stores. These were Goodyear Eagle NCT's on a
Dodge Omni GLH Turbo. I got right around 40k miles out of the tires. I think
the long life is attributable to a light weight car, (~2200lbs) on relatively
wide (195mm) tires.
---------------
Alex

In article <QbLKf.440165$qk4.321389@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
hansensw@hotmail.com says...

>You miss the point... This alignment isn't about the car its about the
>tires.

It is about the car and the tires. A poorly aligned car will not handle
properly, which is dangerous.

>The alignment is suggested to VALIDATE the tire warranty..
>If you say "NO" then the mileage warranty is Void; the same as if you
>decline the extended warranty on something you buy.

If that is the case, then the tire warranty should clearly state it.


I never buy tires because of a wear warranty. Those types of tires tend to be
poor performers. So it is a non-issue for me.
--------------
Alex