4ocious

I'm ordering four new Michelin PSS's. According to my local Porsche "stealer" I should also get an alignment at the same time (agree) which they say requires special TT alignment technical knowledge due to the track qualities of the car. Of course they want a lot of $$$ to do this. I've called around to several good indys who say they can align my car for a lot less. I'm inclined to believe my TT doesn't require "special knowledge" and can be aligned by any good alignment shop. True or false? Thanks.

No HTwo O

True. Your dealership's GM is just probably building a new deck or summer house this year.

Ask here for a recommendation for an indy to do your alignment. We'd need your location, though.

Smart to do an alignment after the new tires, too.

4ocious

Manassas, VA

Macster

The steps to align these cars are a bit tricky. I watched a tech align my 03 Turbo and as he adjusted one setting this moved other settings out.

I had the benefit of being able to watch the tech under the car and the alignment rack computer display screen with its large graphics of the various settings simultaneously. When I first looked some settings were green and one or two were in the red.

As I watched the red ones turned green and then at least one of the green settings turned red.

The tech had to go from one setting to the other to bring all into the green.

But they know this, how to do this. It would a real task for someone who doesn't do these cars every day or is just capable of setting front wheel toe in (one indy shop where I took another (not a Porsche) car couldn't even get this right...) to do a proper alignment.

You can always decline the special track alignment and ask for the factory settings. Unless you are going to take the car to the track and have the talent of Jackie Stewart chances are the factory settings will be just fine and deliver a very satisfactory drive and long tire life.

Also, you can always ask for a discount on the alignment. Whenever I get all 4 tires renewed and the car shows signs of needing an alignment I ask for and often get a discount on the alignment. And more than once, but not often, the SM offers an alignment at a discounted rate without my having to ask for one.

Being a PCA member helps.

Sincerely,

Macster.

phillipj

You shouldn't have to pay more than $250 for an alignment. Agree with Macster. It's not an easy job.. My indie charges $195.. Agree also that an alignment a good idea with 4 new tires..

4ocious

The lowest I've found is $160.00 to mount and balance four tires plus $159.00 for the alignment at an exclusive reputable BMW/Audi/Porsche sales and service indie. They worked on my former M-cars so I know they are good and reliable. My stealer wanted $280 for the tires and $320 for the alignment, $600.00 blew me away!

No HTwo O

All those prices seem right. That's what I'd expect to see. Confirm that the indy shop does dynamic road force balancing.

512bb

The indie better have a lot of experience with aligning these cars as they are not easy to align. Also, the more experience they have the better they will be able to take into account alignment with the driver in the seat. My car does not have a factory alignment, but the shops that I use know what numbers to run so that the alignment is dead on when I am in the car - thus on the print out the numbers are a bit off on the left side. I also hope that you are not running 20" wheels/tires as those are next to impossible to align correctly. Last point is to make sure that the tires have the correct pressure in them.

Also, I think Macster means front wheel toe out - the rears have toe in though.

Macster

What I was referring to was when I took my 06 GTO in to an indy tire store to have the alignment done.

I got the car back and after some miles of driving found the inside edges of the front tires wearing like crazy.

They were not doing this *before* I took the car in.

I had to replace the front tires then take the car to the Pontiac dealer to have the car properly aligned.

For the Turbo (and the Boxster) front toe and rear toe have to be set just so along with a number of other settings so the car delivers an acceptable steering feel and tire life is maximized.

I've had the cars aligned where ballast was used -- I guess either placed on the driver's seat or on the floor in front of the driver's seat -- and was not used, and in either case I never notice any difference. As near as I could tell, the car couldn't either.

Sincerely,

Macster.

4ocious

When I spoke to my Porsche SA he said the gas tank should also be full. Since I'm replacing four tires with MPSS's the presssure should be set to factory specs and cold (I also use nitrogen). I will watch them during the replacment process. However, I am concerned that my indie of choice DOES not have enough Porsche experience to do the job correctly. BTW, I'm buying my tires from Amazon with free shipping. Amazon's price meets/beats Tire Rack's.

Macster

Yes, the gas tank wants to be full, the car empty of any dead weight, and the spare tire and tool kit in the car and installed correctly.

I would never let an indy alignment shop build up Turbo experience using my car.

Did you observe if the tech when he lifted the car he protected the underneath of the car -- the lift points -- with a rubber pad like the dealer tech does when he lifts one of these cars?

Did you ensure the tire tech lifted the car at the right spots? Some will shove the floor jack any old place to lift the car.

Did you make sure the tech didn't use hammer on weights to balance the wheels? (I had one indy tire shop tech do this when I wasn't paying attention.)

Frankly, I just do not bother with indy tire/alignment shops, save one but which is too far away to use. I prefer to take the car to a place I don't have to stand guard to make sure everything is done right.

Take the car to a dealer service department or indy shop whichever one has the best rep for doing the job right and that means more than just getting the black round rubber things on the silver round metal things.

Sincerely,

Macster.

4ocious

Thanks Macster for your advice and comments. I will watch every move they make and ensure they follow your guidelines. I just ordered the tires which should arrive on August 1st. They are being drop-shipped to my indie. I'm not sure my car requires an alignment so I'll have them check that first.

speed21

Agree 100%. I can't answer for how it is over your way but there would be very few non Porsche Service centres in Aus that would come close to possessing the necessary level of knowledge and experience to properly align one of these cars. A proper alignment can take 4 hours or more. This is not just your average wheel align.

E55AMG

If you're anywhere near Jessup MD go to TPC Racing. They actually race these cars.

phillipj

Originally Posted by Macster
I would never let an indy alignment shop build up Turbo experience using my car.

I have to disagree.. My Porsche indie has 8 years experience at Porsche and so do his techs. I have had my car aligned twice and it has been perfect each time. Yes it is an "all day" job..

A good, well trained Porsche indie with the proper equipment can do just as good of an alignment as anyone else.. Of course if you are tracking the car and want special parameters that is a different story.

Most TT owners drive their cars on weekends and never push them to their limits or track them. Yet they think they need a race shop to align their cars??? Does that make sense? No it doesn't..

Unless it makes you feel better to dish out more cash..

Just my 2 cents. Now feel free to flame me..