DrMcPho

iTrader: (1)

160 is absurd. I paid 100 at a tire shop, if you can, just ask around your area or people you know and see where they go.

Kris9884

iTrader: (7)

Depends. I paid Firestone $160 and I now have lifetime alignments for as long as I own the car.. If you are just going once it shouldn't be over $100 unless maybe if they are picky about asking for specific settings or something.

1A1

Depends on the shop. Hi performance shops will charge more if you want a custom alignment. I personally don't mind paying a bit more for a job well done.

Steve

Equalizir

Wow thanks for all the input. I'm definitely going to shop around. The car is currently lowered an inch. Putting coilovers on later this month but the most I'll go is 2" total. Just trying to minimize the fender gap. Don't have the car right now cuz it's currently getting painted. I'll be able to pick it up this coming Monday. But thanks guys again for the info.

net4n6

iTrader: (1)

I paid around $125 6 years ago for lifetime alignment at Firestone for my lifted 4runner. I went offroad a lot so it worth it for me. I am still using it.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

I'm guessing you got lucky with a promotion? The price I paid a couple months ago for my SC was within a couple bucks of what I paid 10 and 20 years ago for the other two cars' lifetime alignment deals there, as I recall. All in Oregon (two different shops in two different cities), though, so maybe rates differ by area.

grumpi300

iTrader: (1)

be careful with firestone lifetime alignments though. I work at one, and the one I work at only does toe and go. doesn't touch camber or caster even if its super easy. only reason they did mine is cause I work there and watched my mentor do it. (I don't feel comfortable doing alignments yet.) but yeah if you get the lifetime alignment at firestone, depending on the shop, they only do toe.

Equalizir

Wow that's good to know. Thanks!

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

I would really hope that's specific to your shop. How would they meet factory specs?? And if they aren't, then wouldn't they be open to huge liability issues? The Firestone shop here gives a detailed printout of all the factory specs and how close they were able to come to each one.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

its not specific to any shop if you encounter a place that is "too busy" to give you the printout that means they probably didn't do the job right. ask for the printout up front before the job is even started. that way they wont even try the excuse on you later.

the only reasonable excuse that the tech can give on a printout is that the before numbers are not the starting numbers because they change the settings a few times before they get it right, but you should be able to see you have the final numbers you want. if you get the numbers you want on the final it doesn't matter much what they did to get there (unless it was nothing.. lol).
That is what you can look out for as a potential customer. And some places can still mess it up even when all the numbers are in spec cause the specs have such a wide margin at least you will know it when you see the printout and I usually try and get the lance alignment done. if the shop can't handle specific alignment numbers then its probably not the place you are looking for long term.