Alignment at Break-In Service?

[RobC2]

Did anybody get an alignment at their 1200 mi. service? Did the car need it? Any other thoughts or opinions? I still have some miles to go before mine is due, but I am thinking about at least having it checked.

For:
1)Not familiar enough with the car to know if it is needed, but a good alignment done right never hurts. May increase steering feel.
2)Tires are expensive, good to catch early if it is off.
3)Car is already at the dealer and I will already be in a loaner, so minimal hassle.
4)May be covered under warranty (not sure on this, but my Corvette was when it was off).

Against:
1)Cost if not covered under warranty.
2)More "interaction" with dealer staff and equipment, increasing possibility of mishaps.
3)Might actually make something worse by messing with it (I have had this happen several times where alignment may be fixed, but now steering wheel is cocked, etc.).

[TurboM]

Originally Posted by RobC2

Did anybody get an alignment at their 1200 mi. service? Did the car need it? Any other thoughts or opinions? I still have some miles to go before mine is due, but I am thinking about at least having it checked.

For:
1)Not familiar enough with the car to know if it is needed, but a good alignment done right never hurts. May increase steering feel.
2)Tires are expensive, good to catch early if it is off.
3)Car is already at the dealer and I will already be in a loaner, so minimal hassle.
4)May be covered under warranty (not sure on this, but my Corvette was when it was off).

Against:
1)Cost if not covered under warranty.
2)More "interaction" with dealer staff and equipment, increasing possibility of mishaps.
3)Might actually make something worse by messing with it (I have had this happen several times where alignment may be fixed, but now steering wheel is cocked, etc.).

It should be aligned perfectly from the factory. If you think its off let the dealer know asap and ask if its ok if they check it during your 1200 miles service. There is only so long you can drive the car before they say the alignment is no longer covered under warranty, although I don't know how long that is off hand.

[F80Dreamer]

I actually just dropped my car off for an alignment and found out that it is complementary as long as the car is under 2k miles. They did find something was off (as my car was pulling to the right more than it should have, beyond normal road crown stuff) and they are installing the new parts and doing a full alignment. I would go ahead and get it checked for peace of mind.

[mrmoua2u]

It is not perfectly align from the factory, at least mine wasn't. At approximately 1500 miles, I noticed my alignment was off, including the steering wheel. No, I baby my car and did not go off road or hit pot holes. I avoid them at all cost. Took mine in and was told $185 for an alignment. I have read in here before that before 2k miles, its free. I raised hell and bitch about how a new car can be off so much. Sure enough, it was done free and rides straight with no issues now.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by TurboM

It should be aligned perfectly from the factory.

This is not true at all. It should be aligned "within specs" from the factory. The spec range is huge to allow the cars to keep moving down the assembly line without having to fiddle with the alignment too much. Further, if one side of the car has is toe-out near the spec limit and the other is toe-in near the limit, the total toe will be right on the spec, but your steering behavior will not be right. This is the situation I typically find when I do my first alignments on my cars at 1000-2000 miles.

By 1200 miles, toe is quite often near the limits or out of spec. A 1200 mile alignment set to the center of the stock tolerance band is always a good idea if you want to make sure you're getting every last bit of steering performance and tire life. This is true even if your car doesn't exhibit a pull to one side.

Expect to pay for this alignment unless you car has an obvious problem.

Source: Worked at an OEM, did lots of steering and handling testing using different alignment settings.

[***M4***]

Originally Posted by TurboM

It should be aligned perfectly from the factory. If you think its off let the dealer know asap and ask if its ok if they check it during your 1200 miles service. There is only so long you can drive the car before they say the alignment is no longer covered under warranty, although I don't know how long that is off hand.

I had my winter rims and tires put on the day after I picked up my car 80 miles and the alignment was off enough to be out of spec so the car could come from the factory needing an alignment.

[MadZarBMR]

I regret not having my alignment checked before 2K miles. Especially with the history I had on my F30. Definitely get your alignment checked before 2K miles even if you have to pay for it. If you do not trust your local BMW center, take it to a performance shop that specializes in suspensions and can tell you if your front camber is off. The F chassis no longer has front camber adjustment so the only fix is to replace one or both of the front steering knuckles. This will cost you $450+ per knuckle for parts alone plus labor. You can read my story here.