How to find GOOD wheel alignment places?
Discussion
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’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.
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.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.
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
7 5 7 said:
I've only tried one garage listed on that site, but the one I did try was unsatisfactory.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
A Line Tyres
01384 671037
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RHAKNgC4T4vs8tQu9
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.
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.
Hey folks, thought I’d circle back here as after a couple of months of frustration I finally got things fixed.
After visiting no less than 3 different tyre shops to get alignment done, all of them just making the car wrong in a whole new way, I finally took the advice of one user here and visited Spires Technologies in Leamington Spa.
Turns out the rear beam was totally wonky. Every other place either didn’t notice or said it can’t be adjusted, mentioned that to Matt and he just said “well, that’s why you need to take it somewhere proper.”
So every time an alignment was done by the cheap places they were just avoiding the main issue and making it wrong in a new way each time.
It’s totally dead straight now and feels so good!
So thanks for the advice and let this be a lesson in the value of proper setup and geometry specialists. They may be like 3-4x the price of a basic alignment, but when you’ve got a non standard problem they’re a must!
After visiting no less than 3 different tyre shops to get alignment done, all of them just making the car wrong in a whole new way, I finally took the advice of one user here and visited Spires Technologies in Leamington Spa.
Turns out the rear beam was totally wonky. Every other place either didn’t notice or said it can’t be adjusted, mentioned that to Matt and he just said “well, that’s why you need to take it somewhere proper.”
So every time an alignment was done by the cheap places they were just avoiding the main issue and making it wrong in a new way each time.
It’s totally dead straight now and feels so good!
So thanks for the advice and let this be a lesson in the value of proper setup and geometry specialists. They may be like 3-4x the price of a basic alignment, but when you’ve got a non standard problem they’re a must!
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