rotesAuto

my Benz dealer offers a 'no risk' alignment check, meaning they check, if it's out, you pay; if not, you don't.... maybe try asking for that....
never hurts to ask.....

Dr. No

Thats a very good point.

Macster

A couple of things... I have to point out the car has wide tires and even the best tires tend to tramline and the car can feel a little squirrely and twitchy even to experienced owners. (More than once I have pulled off the highway fearing a low tire (no TPMS) only to realize a particularly bad stretch of pavement coupled with an over active imagination had me fooled.)

So if you are not used to driving a car on wide high performance tires you could be experiencing this for the first time and it can feel weird. There is the rear engine aspect too which can be a bit strange to some drivers at first. (I went from good old front engine rear wheel drive cars (Mustang, Camaro) to mid-engine (Boxster) to rear engine (Turbo) so I kind of eased into this rear engine business. If you want whole hog...

Now new tires are a bit greasy as they have mold release on them and there's some scrubbing in required.

It doesn't help the new tires are a bit softer, more pliable, and have more tread. But mainly what I notice after having new tires fitted is the car is quieter and its road feel a bit softer.

Anyhow, some scrubbing in of the mild sort is required. Not much and I do nothing special other than just drive the car but I do keep in mind after new tires fitted not to push the car too hard. It is I'm sure plenty safe in an emergency stop or avoidance scenario I just don't go out in the twisties and throw the car about.

Now if the car doesn't want to a hold a line, no matter which road you are on, or exhibits other signs of steering/road feel. the alignment is suspect.

I'm sorry but I have not had good luck with any indy tire shop (save one) with any of my Porsches or other cars.

So you have the possibilty the alignment was not done right.

Often an alignment consists of just a front end toe setting when the car requires adjustment at all 4 corners and in doing this the settings of the front may have to be revisited to deal with effects the changes of rear settings had and vice versa. I've watched several of my Porsches being aligned and tech darts from one end of the car to the other end and one side of the car to other like a small dog on meth.

But I watch the computer display and the car's settings switch from red to yellow to green and the car leaves with a good road feel and tire life is exemplary.

As for what settings to use? With my stock cars with N-rated tires I just go along/accept the factory settings. These have over the years delivered consistent/confidence inspiring car feel and acceptable tire life.

The shop should be able to provide you with a print out of the settings it applied to the car. (I like in fact to get a before and after printout.)

Anyhow, make a PDF copy of the printout and post it for comment.

In the meantime if the car really feels unsafe you need to go back where you had the tires installed and have this sorted.

Or better yet have the car test driven by an experienced tech and let him advise you as to how the car feels. Ride along and so you can discuss this at the time and not afterwards.

Before you do this be sure the tires are the correct size, if unidirectional mounted in the right direction and so on. Rare but I have spotted over the years cars parked with tires mounted *** backwards.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Hella-Buggin'

I once made the mistake of using an Indy tire installer and swore that from that point on I would have the dealer install and check my alignment. Sure, it costs a little more but not only I the car worth not saving a buck on... My kids ride in it and I need to know that it's right.

I just had a set of Michelin pilot super spots put on and took it out to break in the tires the next day because I had a de even in two weeks and wanted to haze a few hundred miles on them for that. I coul feel the tires being a little spongy and greasy but it tracked like it was on rails.
Perhaps the Indy is used to doing car that don't require such detail in the alignment.

I'd take it to the dealer and have them check it. Confidence is worth the few hundred dollars.

woodyTPA

Thanks to everyone who has posted on my thread. Encouraging for a newbie! So 100 miles later, and some more measured driving, has yielded better results. I adjusted tire pressures with a quality guage to 33/37 after reading the manual more carefully about load. The car seems to be holding a line better under G in a turn above 60mph. I agree with Macster about the wide rear tires. I am realizing the "shift" that occurs to the outer rear wheel under G loading in a turn, and it is predictable but still uncertain feeling. The old narrow tread Michelins were instant and not squishy as the new S04's are. I am checking the car into Reeves in Tampa on 11-5 under CPO for some commonly written about issues in the forum. I have the pre/post alignment values to present to their senior Master Tech to get an opinion. The service advisor at the Indy tire store did in fact tell me the car may not need an aligment, however I opted for one since I was having new tread put on. The steering wheel is 1 spline off, telling me that indeed the extra $45 to have the dealer do it most likely would be worth it. The dealer also sponsers the local PCA club and events. Lesson learned to support those who support the sport. Hella Buggin brought up a great point about my daughter in the car as well. I have since made friends with a few instructors from a couple local Porsche clubs that autocross who offered some lessons on how to wring the most out of the car. I could not be happier about being involved in this culture. Wish I would have done it sooner. I will keep everyone posted on how the tires perform compared to the Michelins in my humble opinion!

sandwedge

+1. My dealer says I need an alignment every time i bring the car in no matter what the reason.

woodyTPA

So I have driven 350 miles on the Bridgestone S04's. I brought the car to Reeves in tampa for CPO checkin. apparently it is a "limited CPO" warranty which covers catastrophic problems only, of PNA's choosing most likely. Complained about a clunk when engaging and disengaging the clutch. They lubed a cable. Still clunks. The service manager is an instructor for the PCA at Sebring motor speedway, and said the alignment specs looked good from the Indy. At least my trip to the "specialists" was not in vein. I dunno man, if that is the job that I performed surgicating someone's animal, I would not have a business anymore. It seems that unless you make it clear that you want to be financially abused at the dealer, there is no hope for a complete job. Discouraging to say the most. The tires are tracking and behaving much better. A salesman and 996 owner at the dealer said he thought the PS2's performed the best on the 911. At this point, the S04's are working out ok, but once again I do not have many hours in the seat of this car. More to come.