Sand bags?
 

I called a local PCA sponsor to schedule an alignment for my Boxster since I just installed the RoW 030 suspension on it. Here is how the conversation went;

PCA Sponsor- 'O.K. Tire & Automotive how can I help you?'
me- 'Hi,I'm calling for an estimate for an alignment on a 99' Boxster.'
PCA Sponsor - 'Can you hold?'
me- 'Sure.'
(comes back like 30 seconds later)
PCA Sponsor- 'we need your V.I.N. and tire widths to see if we can do it.'
me- 'My V.I.N.? Can't I just give you the tire widths?'
PCA Sponsor- '........,my service manager informed me that we can't do it because we would have to use sandbags on the seats.'
me- 'o.k. thanks anyways.'
(click)

What in the world? My V.I.N.? Did someone try to scam me?

Now, I only learned this by reading the threads on this forum, but I am pretty sure they need the sandbags to simulate your weight for the alignment. That way the car is set up perfectly to you. Pretty cool, IMHO. ;)

Interesting, The porsche dealer here in Torrance ca, claims they dont use sand bags at all, only thing they might do is put a 40lb weight in the front trunk if the cause isnt full of gas.

use
 

lots of sand bags for me

I do not know why they would need your VIN, perhaps to verify the make/model. I would assume the sandbags are for ballasting the car. There are many purists that will absolutely insist that you ballast the car for your weight when having an alignment performed, I am not one who subscribes to this. I'm not bragging but I do not weight much and the change in camber due to me being in the car I expect is quite minimal and I would never be able to tell the difference.

So after they asked for your vin did they ask you your weight?!

Sandbags? I know I'm kind of simple but couldn't one of them just sit in the car if they didn't have any?

I've certainly heard of the better, typically more track oriented shops wanting to simulate driver weight in the car, but as to why they would want your VIN I'm completely lost.

Patrick

Car History
 

I believe they can tell the history of your car at the dealership. All mods and work done on the car is recorded. I imagine if your car has been highly modified it might affect their willingness to work on the car. Just a theory.

AKL

you gave the right response in saying goodbye.

I think if you would have asked for pre and post alignment numbers on a print out, the service manager's head would have exploded.

Whenever you have one of those types of conversations, jump into your car and immediately drive far away.

I went to a suspension tech session at one of the local Porsche shops a year or so ago, and one of the topics was corner-weighting.
The shop used big plastic bottles filled with water so simulate driver, passenger, etc. Then they went through changing this and adjusting that to get the corner weights right (or close). I suggested it might be easier just to move the bottles around in the car until the weights were right, but they didn't seem to want to do it that way.

My alignment guy will just let me sit in the driver's seat with a quarter tank of fuel while he does the alignment.

Yes, I know this is not how Porsche specs the alignment.

I also sat in the car when getting aligned so it is correct.

I wonder how you could balance the corner weight on a 986 since there are not any adjustments as there are in a 911.

I went back to my alignment shop and had them do it over with me inside the car, they didnt have any weights as heavey as me... or any weights for that matter, good thing i went cause the passenger front wheel was toe-ing out of spec when put back on the alignment machine. Now the steering wheel is straight!

Without installing coilovers you cannot corner balance a 986.

Even a standard 993/996/997 chassis 911 doesn't have the adjustment capability to be cornerweighted. I believe the GT2/GT3 cars do, and the torsion bar cars do as well, correct?

JV