Dealer doesn't perform alignments on TRD Tacomas?

Agreed but the competitor would also have to be able to do everything else I can do.

IMO - when it comes to alignments, go to people who do that all day/every day. They do it better and you get better results. Some specialization is good in the industry and alignments is one of those areas.

We had specialists in our shop and would rotate them to RO's based on what was needed but we were probably a bit unique in that regard too. Some places - 1 RO, 1 tech and it's hard to find a guy good at "everything".

 

There is defiantly a niche for real alignment shops, and there you won't find a lifetime plan that costs less than a real alignment or a coopin' in the junk mail.

 

And then you would be talking to a desk.

 

Ha Ha Ha.
That’s a good one……
Need to put that in my black book under Dumbass. ( it’s a very big section)
All Bull
The ONLY THING that can stop a alignment is the heads are unable to clamp properly on
The rims for proper setup.

 

I foolishly got talked into the lifetime free oil changes when I bought the truck, but opt to get every 3rd oil change serviced by my trusted local shop. When they had it jacked up, they pointed out some oil possibly coming from the rear main seal or transmission output seal, but insisted I bring it to the dealership because the engine is still under warranty. The dealership said "it was just a sloppy oil change", and because I'm not paying for the service, I shouldn't be surprised that it's done poorly. Suffice to say, I'll be keeping an eye on the undercarriage before and after each dealership service.

 

And my barber won't cut ginger's hair.

 

Idiocracy becomes more and more real by the day.

 

You ever notice that everyone in the sales department has clothing two sizes too small?

 

Understandable. My gramma was a redhead, makes me a quarter red, shows up in my beard. They always be giving me the look though. “Don’t know if you should be in here or not”.

 

Especially if they are required to wear the dealer issued polo shirts.

 

Excessively long and pointy super shiny shoes.

 

Look like the Soldatos from Breaking Bad.

 

This

 

"Wearing your little cousins shirt today are ya?"

 

Why go to the dealer for that? Go to Firestone. Get $169.99 lifetime alignment warranty.

 

Or go to a shop that knows what they are doing.

 

A good shop does this. The pin in the rear leafs is not a precision fit and the thrust angle can be off on the rear axle. The rear axle can be shifted forward and back a surprising amount.

A good alignment shop is not afraid of loosening off the rear U-bolts and making the rear axle perfect/square. The dealer will not do this.

 

Usually they require a thrust plate. So you're saying the Taco's rear end is sloppy?

 

I've found the reverse to be true, especially with cars with more dynamic suspensions. Several times now I've had professional shops do alignments for me only to have the driving dynamics of the car ruined; in each case I took the car to the dealership, paid twice what the professional shop charged me, and came away with perfect driving dynamics once again.

 

I have never heard of a dealer turning away $150 alignments. Dealers always trying to figure out ways to make money. This is a first for me.