Quote:
Originally Posted by 530iDriver
I don't necessarily see it that way.
To me alignments should be part of the vehicle's maintenance arsenal and more so if you happen to drive on poorly maintained roads.
But then again, I purchase to own. I don't lease.
In my case, I had the rear right tire with a nail and the thread was very near 3/32 or close to replacement. Since I have the BMW Tire & Wheel insurance they went ahead and replaced the tire. I was also pleased to see that they also picked up the tab and replaced the rear left tire also near 3/32 thread left but no otherwise no punctures. My total cash outlay for 2 new tires mounted and balanced was $50. Paid $900 for the insurance and still have 3 years of coverage left.
Since I was getting new rubber put in the rear I requested also to have the BMW KDS alignment done $179. Made sense for 2 reasons:
Car is 2 years old, never done an alignment and putting new tires.
The printed alignment report uncovered some measures a bit outside of spec including the steering wheel thrust angle.
The car tracked straight and true with no pulling but the KDS report revealed key measurements a bit off spec. The car post alignment drives much better.
I believe it is up to the vehicle to decide if the BWM KDS alignment is worth the money. In my experience it is. On the past I had issues with alignments done at reputable independents. BMWs don't align well outside of the BMW KDS Hunter alignment equipment. Of course it also depends on the training and experience of the tech performing said alignment.
A car that doesn't align properly is often an indication of prior accident repair. Was your CPO Mercedes verified as being free from prior severe damage?
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My MB had no prior accident history, but was a loaner so there is room for there to be prior damage that wasn't reported. It always tracked to the right a bit. There was lots of discussion on the MB forums with some saying MB always do that a bit (I don't buy it). But I never had tire wear issues and it was a minor problem in the grand scheme of things. The car drove well and, as I mentioned, had no tire wear issues just a tiny pull. All alignments were done purely at MB using MB equipment and dealer confirmed it was all in spec. MB didn't recommend additional alignments and I think I did maybe 2 in the 5 years I owned the car and both were in the early stages.
I also don't lease and only own. My MB was my first car and picked up CPO, but my 530e is my first new car.
I'd disagree that an alignment should be needed as a routine maintenance item though. If the car is pulling or if the tires show wear signs that suggest alignment is out sure, but otherwise I wouldn't bother. Steering angle is one of those things they can easily play around a bit with on an alignment report. They are supposed to make sure the wheel is centered on the rack, but sometimes they'll pull it a bit off center to throw it in the report. If the steering is truly off center you should see that as your car would only track straight when the steering wheel is off center.