My personal experience has been that tire/alignment places seem to half *** the job. It's really dependent on who has the shift that day, even if they have quality equipment. I've had to take a car back numerous times because the alignment was so off. A lot of those places don't hire real career-type technicians.

It's happened enough that I almost exclusively go to a dealer now because they at least seem to do it right the first time. Its not worth my time or frustration to have to go back.

Maybe also just call a few Toyota dealers as well and compare their prices.

Also, my theory on alignments is don't fix it if it's not broken. Unless the car is badly pulling to one side, you have wear on your tires that indicates the alignment is off or just did something like change your tie rods, I'd leave it alone.

 

For the guys buying lifetime alignments, are you getting print outs? Sometimes these only include toe adjustments and they charge extra for the caster/camber.

 

I was given a print out and it included camber, toe and the more difficult caster adjustments. Definitely do some research to find a highly recommended shop. The first shop I took the truck, where i've been going for 20+ years told me that caster was not adjustable...DOH!

 

You're right about inconsistency result from those alignment shops. Nothing's wrong with the GX at the moment and the tires are wearing good. I just have a habit of getting an alignment done every 2 years or so on most of my car. I probably just hold off until I get new tires then.

 

I usually do every couple years myself... GX is tracking straight down the road, no pull either way and tires wearing nicely so I will wait.

I have a BF Goodrich shop I usually goto. They seem to have one of these machines described above as lots of laser's, mirrors and detailed vehicle specific print-outs about everything front and rear on the alignment before and after. I've never had to take a car back so I can't complain.

 

 

I would personally hold off, just don't think alignments need to be done that often but the roads in my area aren't bad. I've gone really long stretches without getting alignments and haven't had a problem.

I'm all for preventative maintenance, but I honestly think its far more likely for a shop to get it wrong than when it came in than just leaving it as is if everything seems fine.

You would think with modern equipment an alignment would be pretty idiot proof, but I've brought a car in several different times and it came out far worse.

 

 

Same here. I take all my vehicles for alignment check on every second rotation. That is 10k miles. I am putting 22 k /year on my GX and 35k/ yr on my LS. Firestone lifetime alignment is awesome . I would be buying the same package for my LX once it crosses 20k

 

 

If you are still under factory warranty or CPO warranty then yes. I had something similar when new and it was due to the 'rotation of the tires'. They needed to be rotated back to front. After another 5k miles another front to back. After that normal rotation was utilized and it is just fine. Personally I think the tires sucked, but YMMV

 

@BigRick82 Do you have a part number for these bushings? For anyone else reading this, the rear does not have any adjustment points (on factory suspension).

 

I don't own a GX yet, but I test drove a 2012 one today (my first time behind the wheel of a GX). I also noticed it was pulling to the right on its own. I did another test by braking with my hands off the steering wheel and it still veered to the right (doesn't brake straight). I thought it was my imagination, but now I am reading this thread I think my observations were correct.

 

I've test drove 6 GX460s in the last month and almost all had same issue. The one I finally got also had similar issue, but obviously dealer blamed it on uneven roads.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Must have been the same dealer I went to today. He blamed it on an uneven roads too.
Makes me wonder, why didn't he just admit it's a problem with the vehicle, or just stay quiet if he doesn't know the cause.
What a bunch of low-life liars!! They just want to sell cars!!