UCrazyKid

I can't believe how cheap labor rates are in other areas of the country.

Here in the San Francisco bay area an aligment cannot be had for less than $200. Most places (dealer, race prep shop, etc) are $230-240. (alignment only, not ride height adjustment or corner balancing, ie. PSS9 alignment)

I'm going to a Porsche independent with a "spring special" of $199.

Everyone tells me it is a minimum of 2 hours. This is on a new Hunter rack.

Porsche labor here is about $115-$120 an hour.

Andy

evansaero

IMO

If it is hard to drive with one hand then get an alignment.

rcg412

thats a good rule of thumb actually.

AndyK

At some points, it feels like taking a hand off the wheel would be too risky!

Alignment!? Even if the car isn't pulling one way or the other (on level ground)?

CosmosC4S

Personally I don't think it's alignment.
I think it sounds like normal tramlining, and tires might have some effect on how much it tramlines.

Mine tramlines a lot on groved and bad roads, my alignment's good.
My other cars with wide tires tramlines.
On good surfaces they run straight and perfect.

But of course, an alignment for a new car you just bought, wouldn't hurt.

ElTorrente

It isn't JUST an alignment that is going to cause or cure tramlining.

Tires have a big impact on tramlining, and I'm surprised how many people here quickly discount the tires as being part of this equation. Each tread pattern responds to the grooves in the road differently, and tires alone can make a huge difference. One of the reasons I bought my Goodyears is because they don't tramline so readily (look for reviews that cover this subject) - unlike my old Michelins that followed every crack and crevice. I didn't get a new alignment, just tires, and it was night and day.

evansaero

Andy

Let us know what you do and how it works out.

C4CRNA

What was the outside temperature?Summer tires get squirley at lower temperatures!!

BruceP

Totally agree. Have seen big changes, even on my previous car - a roadster - with tire changes. A:B comparisons on the same cars, including my C2. Tread design, maybe. Sidewall stiffness. Even age.

Ranger

This used to happen to me on the Autobahn in an old dearly departed Beemer. I had to get all my suspension bushings replaced. Was pricey but it fixed the problem.

Re. Alignment. A local tire shop has one of the optic systems. Am not sure that laser is exactly correct, even if the tire shop does use the word. Have a long, exceedingly positive, relationship with them. An alignment (4 wheel of course) costs $100. They will happily let me stand there and watch the LCD screens as the mechanic does the alignment. They'll even put one of the guys in the driver's seat to properly weight the car. And they'll happily set it to whatever settings I want.

Don't have that positive of a relationship with the local Porsche dealer. Their senior mechanic may be the best Porsche guy in a couple hundred miles, but it's the junior dealer mechanic that does alignments and their gear isn't nearly as sophisticated.

AndyK

Well, I met Ross (RCG412) tonight, and he drove my car (over 100 mph), and he agreed that there is something not right with my steering/front suspension, or something. The car pulls to the left all of a sudden, then, rides straight, then, pulls again. It just doesn't feel right. His car is more rock solid. If I have to hold onto the wheel with both hands, fearing the car will leap all over the road--something's gotta be loose. Ball joints? Tie rod ends? Wheel bearings? Something that should have been picked up on the PPI at least.

I have to wait till my warranty kicks in (the check is in the mail), then let my mechanic put the car on a lift and check the front end out. My warranty covers front suspension, so I should be OK. But it's not a good feeling to think something's not right with my car!

Stay tuned!

redridge

thats sounds like multiple problems, alignment, corner balance, wheels, tires, pressure, thread pattern...check them all...GL

JimB

Andy, can you describe the tramlining in more detail? What precisely are you doing when the car wanders? What happens under heavy braking, heavy acceleration. Light braking, light acceleration. etc.

If you are driving straight and lift off the throttle, does the car jump to one side or the other?
Jim

p.s. don't be driving 100 mph until you figure this out.

evansaero

Alignment

JimB

It may be alignment. You really can't adjust caster but the toe could be way off. Front or rear or both. But it could just as easily be a worn rear tie rod (very common) or some other suspension part.