Alignment shop BS?

[YOTAGUY93]

So I just did a huge suspension over haul on my 4runner and it obviously needs alignment done. I went to my local firestone and asked for an alignment. I also asked for the lifetime alignment option. The service writer looked at my truck and asked if I was going to lift it. Without thinking about it I told him I was. He then declined to give me the lifetime alignment option because he says it voids the warranty. Is this BS? Should I just go to another firestone and try again? Or... should I just look into another shop or chain... Has anyone else experienced this issue?

 

[gamefreakgc]

Voids what warranty? The lifetime alignment or the 4Runner's manufacturer's warranty? We are loooong past the manufacturer's warranty lol.

If he means the lifetime alignment, plenty of people on here with lifted rigs have had theirs aligned successfully at Firestone. It does make it more difficult so maybe their service writer doesn't want to deal with and just wants quick in-and-out jobs.

 

[amalik]

Voids what warranty? The lifetime alignment or the 4Runner's manufacturer's warranty? We are loooong past the manufacturer's warranty lol.

If he means the lifetime alignment, plenty of people on here with lifted rigs have had theirs aligned successfully at Firestone. It does make it more difficult so maybe their service writer doesn't want to deal with and just wants quick in-and-out jobs.

It seems like a half and half type of deal. Half of them seem to do it; half dont.

 

[curryT4R]

So I just did a huge suspension over haul on my 4runner and it obviously needs alignment done. I went to my local firestone and asked for an alignment. I also asked for the lifetime alignment option. The service writer looked at my truck and asked if I was going to lift it. Without thinking about it I told him I was. He then declined to give me the lifetime alignment option because he says it voids the warranty. Is this BS? Should I just go to another firestone and try again? Or... should I just look into another shop or chain... Has anyone else experienced this issue?

It makes sense to me that they wouldn't want do the lifetime alignment.

Essentially you are saying, "I want to pay for lifetime alignments now, and in the future I plan on intentionally screwing with the alignment, and come back for a free one once it's lifted."

I would tell you no also. Maybe lift the truck and THEN see if they will do the lifetime alignment, instead of the other way around.

 

[YOTAGUY93]

Voids what warranty? The lifetime alignment or the 4Runner's manufacturer's warranty? We are loooong past the manufacturer's warranty lol.

If he means the lifetime alignment, plenty of people on here with lifted rigs have had theirs aligned successfully at Firestone. It does make it more difficult so maybe their service writer doesn't want to deal with and just wants quick in-and-out jobs.

my 4runner still falls under manufacturer warranty...
nah, he meant the alignment warranty would be void if i modify the truck and it is no longer within OE specs

It seems like a half and half type of deal. Half of them seem to do it; half dont.

probably true i asked someone and they told me a firestone in another city does it.

It makes sense to me that they wouldn't want do the lifetime alignment.

Essentially you are saying, "I want to pay for lifetime alignments now, and in the future I plan on intentionally screwing with the alignment, and come back for a free one once it's lifted."

I would tell you no also. Maybe lift the truck and THEN see if they will do the lifetime alignment, instead of the other way around.

well technically that's the reason why you're paying for these lifetime warranties. would make no sense otherwise... but i can see that angle as well. He was more "concerned" with not being able to align it to OE specs because of the lift:blah:. Personally i think he didn't want to deal with a 20 year old truck that would take long to align (there was a long wait for service today).

 

[curryT4R]

well technically that's the reason why you're paying for these lifetime warranties. would make no sense otherwise... but i can see that angle as well. He was more "concerned" with not being able to align it to OE specs because of the lift:blah:. Personally i think he didn't want to deal with a 20 year old truck that would take long to align (there was a long wait for service today).

I can see both sides, but from a former technican's side, it's one thing to have a lifetime alignment and you get new tires, or hit a pothole and it just needs some slight adjustment. However, when you lift a vehicle everything will need to be adjusted quite a bit and I can see not wanting to do that "for free" in a sense.

You could definitely try a different location though and see what they say!

 

[amalik]

I can see both sides, but from a former technican's side, it's one thing to have a lifetime alignment and you get new tires, or hit a pothole and it just needs some slight adjustment. However, when you lift a vehicle everything will need to be adjusted quite a bit and I can see not wanting to do that "for free" in a sense.

You could definitely try a different location though and see what they say!

If I ran a Firestone, for sure I wouldn't accept a customer with a lifted vehicle.

Have you seen the alignment threads on T4R when guys are lifted? I'm not sure if I'm reading a T4R post or a freaking how-to on brain surgery.

 

[T4R2014]

If I ran a Firestone, for sure I wouldn't accept a customer with a lifted vehicle.

Pretty much this. There's bound to be some moron that keeps returning in his 300k mile 4Runner that never aligns correctly because he installed a lift on old bushings and ball joints. You can't make money on these people.

 

[amalik]

Pretty much this. There's bound to be some moron that keeps returning in his 300k mile 4Runner that never aligns correctly because he installed a lift on old bushings and ball joints. You can't make money on these people.

Didn't you hear? 400k is the new 300k :eyebrows:

 

[KingPrat]

my 4runner still falls under manufacturer warranty...

Umm. For what?? :wow: