Dealership vs Others

[leify01]

30K maint. is coming up and i need a few other things... break fluid flushed, 4 wheel allignment, wheels balanced... I called NTB for allignments.. they have a 179.00 5 yr allignment warrenty.. meaning if it ever needs to be done again they will do it.. and I feel on this car it's almost every year. My only concern is taking it to a place like that.. has anyone ever had any good or bad experiences taking it to a Franchise such as NTB? Is it worth the risk or do i take it to the dearlship and pay close to 400.00!

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Those are not your only two choices. I have mine aligned by a competant local race shop. IIRC, my shop last charged me $175, and the job was done right. They are much more experienced than a Dealer and more precise than the average Franchise. My experience has been that while the Franchise shops do OK with a Daily Driver, they are often lacking when it comes to a 4-wheel alignment, which you should have.

A proper Alignment has maybe more to do with the person, than with the shop, or even the machinery. The required turnover in the Franchise shops (maximizuing the $/Bay/day) can inhibit doing the job properly. Proper alignment makes the car safer and protects your investment in Tires and maximizes the life of the suspension components.

Check in your area, or contact the local PCA Chapter, they're sure to have a recommendation for you. Good Luck!...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[leify01]

Thanks a lot! I am surely going to look into that.