I have placed on Michelin Primacy MXV4 on my GS 18 inch rim 245/45/18 (bigger than the standard 245/40/18 size tires). The car is driving straight but slightly to the left at high speed and there is some pull on uneven surface. I had this problem before when I switched tires but it is not as bad. I have not done an alignment since this February. Should I get it checked out and pay out to do another alignment again? I have 40,000 miles on my 2006 GS and I feel that the steering column is a bit loose. I head that some people in the 2nd gen forum of the older GS said that you should have the dealer do a full maintenace on the steering rack and do some tightening of the bolts and steering pretension bolts, etc to make the steering feel more solid, etc. The roads are bad in Michigan and I think its time to do a proper servicing. Let me know what I should do and how much it could be. I know alignment is around 200 dollars and I usually do not do full servicing and just oil changes. So how much is to pay for full steering column,and steering rack and chassis bolt tightening, etc.?

 

I recommend alignment when you put a new set of tire. You may feel the pulls due to road crown at ,but that's normal. Your new tires are a little bit taller and a little bit wider from 245/40/18 to 245/45/18.

The steering pretensioner from the 1998 GS is not apply to the newer GS since 2000. They update the steering rack. Most of the complaints from the 2GS owners are due to they replace the factory wheel with bigger wheels and most of those wheels are not designed for the car. Some of them feel the shimmy when raining due to the water in center of the wheels. Your 2006 GS 300 AWD is all wheel drive,so your steering set up is not the same like those 2GS anyway. Don't read the forum and figure that the problem that fixed another car will fix your car.

 

$200 for an alignment?

You should be able to find a reputable shop to do it for under $100, and I'm really thinking closer to $70...