Dealer = WEAK

[equate975]

Ok, so I got my new suspension and tires on the jetta. Toss it up on the alignment rack to get her straight. I then find out I need some special VW tool to adjust the front camber. To make a long story short I said fuck it, I will just get it aligned at the dealer. I went there because I didn't want some crap shop to charge me $60 to set the toe and let it go. The other $40 was worth it.

So I get the car back, and ask for the alignment sheet. The rear toe was out about 1 degree on the rear (which I already knew), they pulled the rear toes in and equalized them out, they are still off about .1 deg from spec, but still even.

Then I look at the front camber, they didn't even touch it.... -.36 FL -.52 FR

I assume they know something I don't, because its in spec, but still .16 deg difference... I ask them about it, and he told me the tech drove it and its fine. I'm like whatever and take it. Well the fucking thing pulls left. Not very bad at all, its real damn close, but it consistently will pull left. This was last thursday.

Well I FINALLY get a hold of the head VW guy, tell him I am not happy and it goes left. He tells me "it must be your tires, they are probably bad." Fucking incompetent. I'm like, well thats strange, because I had new tires put on about 12 hours before I brought it to you, thats really weird how they would be totally bad within that time frame (very sarcastically). I proceed to tell them how they didn't even touch the front camber, and how that was 1/2 the reason I went to them. Then he brings up how its in spec, well yeah but... its a huge gap between to two.... Since FL is more positive, and it pulls left, theres a pretty good chance the reason is because they are not close... so fix it. After bickering a lot he agrees to get me in tomorrow.

Wtf honestly, they always try to trick me like I am some idiot. When I was looking over the sheet the first time, I pointed that out, and he told me camber doesn't do anything and it doesn't matter at all, all that matters is the toe....

Why do dealers have to suck so bad. I just paid $100 for an alignment and it doesn't even go straight. Not even that but I have to argue to have them fix my car. Fucking worthless.

[Turf1600]

The good news is they are fixing it.

[delatlanta1281]

Hold on, I thought that if a car pulls to one side alingment usually isn't the culprit... anyone want to chime in?
Have you paosted this on vortex, what kind of Jetta is it?

[Julien]

Hold on, I thought that if a car pulls to one side alingment usually isn't the culprit... anyone want to chime in?
Have you paosted this on vortex, what kind of Jetta is it?

Unless you have terrible TOE in you will rarely have your car pull but badly calibrated camber, however will make a car pull to one side... i'm guessing here though.

Julien

[delatlanta1281]

Ahh ok.

Btw

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=72878&highlight=Jetta+alternator

Don't mind the bickering between Permit and I. I also just paid $675 for the cv axle on my Jetta. Not parts and labor mind you, but COST! And I had to replace the alternator which was a year and a month old. The 120 amp was $350.... Imagine If I had trusted a vw tech to do it!

[dirty30]

.20 +/- degrees camber will do absolutely nothing for pulling either direction... If I could get my e30 within .20 degrees of spec I'd be happy

[1991 318is]

It could be the thrust angle. If the rear toe settings are off emough they can steer the back of the car. It can feel as if it's pulling left but the rear is going off to the right.

[equate975]

It could be the thrust angle. If the rear toe settings are off emough they can steer the back of the car. It can feel as if it's pulling left but the rear is going off to the right.

Thats what I was afraid of when I was originally driving it, the thrust angle is perfectly fine though.

The car BARELY pulls to the left, you have to let go of the wheel for a good 5 seconds before she goes. So its nothing drastic at all, I still think its the camber. Evey thing else is equalized out real well.

[equate975]

.20 +/- degrees camber will do absolutely nothing for pulling either direction... If I could get my e30 within .20 degrees of spec I'd be happy

I can agree somewhat with that, if thats all you can get it to then thats as good as its going to get. But it bothers me that they didn't even attempt to try and change it at all. Like I said, its not a very hard pull, I could easily drive on it. But I spent $100 on a stupid alignment and I want it done right.

When I am doing anything and everything plays out right, I try to get .05 difference if I can. Obviously it can't happen all the time, shit sags over the miles. Unless its a new car, its going to be impossible to get it all perfect.

[kellie]

"Blah, blah, I hate dealers, blah, blah."

:roll:

ONE dealer didn't do something to your standards one time. Stop generalizing. I think automotive techs (especially dealer techs) are the second most unappreciated profession. Cops are number one.

[Brew]

Camber is the really the only adjustable alignment angle that can cause a 'pull', but I highly, highly doubt 0.20 degree difference would do anything remotely noticeable. Typical 'in-spec' range on a Hunter alignment rack is 0.5 degree difference in camber.

Was 1.0 degree the final camber difference on the rear? If so, there's a good chance thats your problem.

By the way, if I was the shop foreman at this place I'd tell you to take a fucking hike.

[ethree]

I also just paid $675 for the cv axle on my Jetta. Not parts and labor mind you, but COST! And I had to replace the alternator which was a year and a month old. The 120 amp was $350.... Imagine If I had trusted a vw tech to do it!

I just paid $19 for an oil filter.
I usually order them online but I wanted to get it done today so I bit the bullett. At least they have hot chicks working at the dealer to which I frequently go.

[1991 318is]

It may also be torque steer. Does it pull the other way when you accelerate? I have a Honda that has very slight torque steer but it is noticeable if you look for it. To the right oin the gas and to the left when you let off. Accelerating hard in a low gear and letting off quickly while holding in the lower gear will emphasize it.

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

nga E30s aren't FWD

[mikeedler]

in specs is in specs- finished/ over. whats with all the crying. if it is within VW specs, then face it, your car is a piece of crap on non VW suspension, and something else is wrong. and $100 for allignment is a steal, you dont want to even come to my work then.

if it does pull, and it is really an allignment thing, then ok. but otherwise they did the job they were paid to do.