How to find GOOD wheel alignment places?

How to find GOOD wheel alignment places?

Author
Discussion

RGDfleet

Original Poster:

15 posts

11 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Hey folks,

I’ve had some alignment issues lately on my mk7 Fiesta ST (bloody potholes…). Tried to cheap out on the re-alignment job by getting it done at a Phillip’s Tyres - my local one are typically great for simple stuff and have the full Hunter kit - but they seem to have made it even worse.

Lesson learned.

Part of the reason I went for the cheap option is that I couldn’t find somewhere more specialised. So hence the title - I’m keen for some advice on how to find some alignment specialists.

I live in Oxford, in case anyone has any specific recommendations. But otherwise, I kinda just want to know what to look for! Googling it just brings up endless lists of generic tyre and wheel garages.

119

6,296 posts

36 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Take it a Ford dealer.

LennyM1984

638 posts

68 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
RGDfleet said:
Hey folks,

I’ve had some alignment issues lately on my mk7 Fiesta ST (bloody potholes…). Tried to cheap out on the re-alignment job by getting it done at a Phillip’s Tyres - my local one are typically great for simple stuff and have the full Hunter kit - but they seem to have made it even worse.

Lesson learned.

Part of the reason I went for the cheap option is that I couldn’t find somewhere more specialised. So hence the title - I’m keen for some advice on how to find some alignment specialists.

I live in Oxford, in case anyone has any specific recommendations. But otherwise, I kinda just want to know what to look for! Googling it just brings up endless lists of generic tyre and wheel garages.
I couldn't find any decent reliable places in Oxfordshire when I was having issues with my Porsche alignment and so eventually took it to center gravity an hour or so away.


DirktheDaring

315 posts

12 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Same issue with my lowered T6 on 20" wheels, 3 different places and then The Wheel Alignment Centre who made it worse than Pro Tyre.

Took it to Bognor Motors in Chichester who finally made it 100%, not sure if they are near you at all?

PositronicRay

27,025 posts

183 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
119 said:
Take it a Ford dealer.
Try Jacksons Ford, Henley-In-Arden. Hunters kit, not your usual Ford dealer.

RGDfleet

Original Poster:

15 posts

11 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
LennyM1984 said:
I couldn't find any decent reliable places in Oxfordshire when I was having issues with my Porsche alignment and so eventually took it to center gravity an hour or so away.
That’s fine to be honest, I really don’t mind travelling for somewhere that’ll do it right. I travel almost two hours for my fave MX5 specialist…

That said - if anyone knows somewhere good, closer, I won’t say no :P


nikaiyo2

4,736 posts

195 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Black boots in Chesham used to be brilliant.

7 5 7

3,179 posts

111 months

swisstoni

17,000 posts

279 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
nikaiyo2 said:
Black boots in Chesham used to be brilliant.
I still take my cars there for careful treatment of alloys and general expertise. I’m sure a few of the ex Wheels in Motion staff are still there.

Either way, they are a very good tyre place.

trevalvole

1,004 posts

33 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
7 5 7 said:
I've only tried one garage listed on that site, but the one I did try was unsatisfactory.

Robertb

1,445 posts

238 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
I’d always thought that the Hunter kit was pretty much infallible if you just want factory settings.

That said, my last visit to ProTyre in Newbury resulted in my X5s 4wd system developing a fault (I imagine something needs resetting)

ATM

18,290 posts

219 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
I take all my cars here and nowhere else. 6 years ago I moved 100 miles and that makes this place quite far. So I tried to get a local Porsche specialist to geo my car but they said it was too low and that meant no room for adjustment and therefore they couldn't do it. So I got on the motorway to my old faithful. Typically I go on a Saturday morning because the deal is you just arrive and there is a form of queuing system. No need to book. Anyway when it's my turn the car goes on the ramp and away they go. No discussion about it being too low or any nonsense. When I go to pay I look up and on the wall behind the cash register, there is a big picture of a 911 race car on their ramp being aligned. Cars always feel great and never had a problem. Have been recommending them to anyone who will listen for years. Anyone who I know who has been has always been happy with the result.



A Line Tyres
01384 671037
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RHAKNgC4T4vs8tQu9

brillomaster

1,257 posts

170 months

Sunday 3rd March
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Could try spires tuning in Leamington Spa, sets up a lot of racecars, have taken bmws and porsches to him and have been great.

mcg_

1,445 posts

92 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Depends if you've got the time, but Northampton Motorsport do it. I imagine they're your best chance of a good job.

gamefreaks

1,964 posts

187 months

Thursday 7th March
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Not cheap but I can't fault Centre Gravity in Atherstone.

I took my TVR there. Completely transformed the car.

Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,454 posts

223 months

Sunday 10th March
quotequote all
the only person in town to use is Chris at All Square Race and Road. www.chassis-setup.co.uk
He is mobile and will come to you ( so long as you have some hard standing/fairly level ground to work on)
He is a mechanic by trade, and worked for a lot of race teams but now does wheel alignment and other suspension set up work.

He will get your car aligned as you want it, factory spec, or track spec etc etc

Only downside, is that he is busy, so expect a 3 months lead time, he's also not cheap. (although not ludicrously expensive either) But you get what you pay for.

rev-erend

21,415 posts

284 months

Sunday 10th March
quotequote all
Why not just take it back and tell them of your issues!