"Recommended" (but not covered) Wheel Alignment at 15K mile service?

[SilverSurfer]

I don’t see a reason to give the dealers grief for being stealers. It’s expected, right? They have a bad stereotype for a reason. Do a Nancy Regan and just say no.

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[TacoFreak]

Good Point. I'd tell the dealer to put it in writing that Toyota "Requires" Alignment at 15K for warranty coverage .... Of course they will not ..

Several times I have been at my former Toyota dealer and overheard them recommending service that I know did not need done. One lady had no idea and decided to trust them and let them replace the brake fluid in a 18 month old Camry. She had asked them to check something and after telling her it was normal, he said but to be safe you really need to replace the brake fluid. I almost stepped in and said "Ignore this creep - he is just taking advantage."

 

[Miqie]

I live a few miles from Hunter Engineering. They used to give free alignments so they could train techs on various vehicles. They stopped doing it, unfortunately. I did it a few times.

 

[TacoFreak]

It is starting to sound like an alignment might be a good idea, although this will be the first Toyota that I have had to get aligned so early. If 4th gens are out of alignment at low miles it seems like they were probably built that way. If so, why isn't the alignment covered by our warranty?

 

[OldOre]

Update: I went back for 20K service, no mention of alignment, but the service rep was terrible.

 

[izzy]

To be honest, it's not much of an upsell. Even if the alignment is done at the factory, there's no way it's still dialed in 5000 miles later.

Every single bushing and suspension part has to settle and break in. All new vehicles are probably way off by 5k miles until their first alignment. If you care about your OEM tires I'd say get it done at 10k or sooner before you can do some real wear on the tires... if you don't care about the tires just get an alignment with the next set of four.

Your steer ahead can be dialed in but your toe or camber could be way off (probably why TH / Pros are chewing up tires) until your first alignment.

I come from the car/tuner world where after you get coils installed you get an alignment immediately, and then again when the coils settle, a month later. A brand new vehicle isn't much different.

 

[trailhunger]

To be honest, it's not much of an upsell. Even if the alignment is done at the factory, there's no way it's still dialed in 5000 miles later.

Every single bushing and suspension part has to settle and break in. All new vehicles are probably way off by 5k miles until their first alignment. If you care about your OEM tires I'd say get it done at 10k or sooner before you can do some real wear on the tires... if you don't care about the tires just get an alignment with the next set of four.

Your steer ahead can be dialed in but your toe or camber could be way off (probably why TH / Pros are chewing up tires) until your first alignment.

I come from the car/tuner world where after you get coils installed you get an alignment immediately, and then again when the coils settle, a month later. A brand new vehicle isn't much different.

that pertain to only front coils? I'm set to upgrade my rear coils in a few months for heavier constant load...

 

[izzy]

that pertain to only front coils? I'm set to upgrade my rear coils in a few months for heavier constant load...

Springs of any kind will settle, usually it takes about 500 miles/2 weeks of regular driving. The change in ride height is what makes the alignment go all wonky. Usually you get toe out when a vehicle ride height gets lower (new springs settling in).

If you're having a shop do the rear coil install maybe see if you can't make a deal with them for an initial 2 wheel rear alignment then a second 4 wheel one 1000 miles later.

To the op, when you buy a brand new truck/vehicle, it's probably sat on the lot for a while so maybe it's half broken in, but the alignment changing in the first few thousand miles wouldn't surprise me at all.

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