How much does a re-alignment go for? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

blinkwatt · 10-22-2005, 09:48 PM

How much does a realignment for a 2.5L Boxster go for?

RandallNeighbour · 10-23-2005, 08:01 AM

A four wheel alignment (not sure what you mean by re-alignment) can be had for less than a hundred bucks. Firestone has a laser alignment system and for $125 (here in Houston, anyway) it's a lifetime thing and you can take it back any time for free after the first one. Not a bad buy.

deliriousga · 10-23-2005, 08:45 AM

Don't get it aligned at the same time you get new tires or a balance job. Make sure they do not lift the car before aligning it. It takes up to 25 miles to get back down to ride height so your new alignment will be worthless. Even if they tell you they'll align it first then balance them, don't do it.

By the way, be careful at Firestone. A friend of mine used to own one and he said they taught them every way in the book to try and rip you off. Things like telling my wife we needed new brake pads and rotors, until I walked in and let them know I had just changed both the week before.

blinkwatt · 10-23-2005, 10:12 AM

Does anyone know of a nice steering re-alignment center near Sacramento? I do not really feel like driving a hour to Niello Porsche in Rocklin.

larez2 · 10-23-2005, 10:35 AM

I have a 99' 2.5. The local dealership here charges $189 and they say to give it to them with a full tank of gas.

I ended up going to a place that BruceLee recommended for $110. The guy told me there is an issue with early year boxster caster arms. I couldn't find any tsb's about it. The result was he could not adjust caster - not an issue for tire wear, but for optimal handling. The cost for that fix was $1500 for new adjustable lower caster arms.

If you go to an independent alignment shop, remember, Boxsters are supposed to have negative camber (where the tops of the tires slant slightly inward)

Good luck,
Larez2

Biz-z Z · 10-23-2005, 01:50 PM

On my other cars, I have got the lifetime alignment from Firestone that Randall mentioned below. It's a pretty good deal especially when you stop to figure the cost of the program is less than the cost of 2 aligments. I am good for an alignment at least once a year, more depending on how often my wife drives the box.

Ooops! Sorry Dear!

deliriousga · 10-23-2005, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larez2

If you go to an independent alignment shop, remember, Boxsters are supposed to have negative camber (where the tops of the tires slant slightly inward)
Larez2

If you go somewhere besides a dealer, it's best to get the actual settings and tell them to align it to that. Several shops won't have the settings and will just set it to what they think is right.