Is it reasonable to have a "warranty" on a car alignment (AAA Automark)?

About 10 months ago, I took my car into the AAA Automark Car Care Center in
Raleigh NC for a four wheel alignment. The repair order says that their
warranty is 12 months or 12,000 miles which ever comes first. It's also
stated at http://www.aaacarolinas.com/AutoMark...philosophy.htm. I
stopped by at the service center earlier today since my mechanic had advised
me to check the alignment the vehicle. The first "adviser" I talked with
asked me how many miles I had put on and when I said about 13,000 he said it
had exceeded the 12,000 and they wouldn't be able to do anything under
"warranty". Then another advisor showed up (may have been the previous
guy's manager). He said that things like alignment were not covered by
warranty as one could drive into a pot-hole and throw the car out of
alignment. Anyway, since they had no openings today I left. Basically,
I've gotten two different stories from two people at the desk as to coverage
for an alignment. I thought I'd be able to find a copy of their warranty
on-line but have not been successful. So, I'm curious - would something like
an alignment be covered or is it like the second guy said (something I
should not expect any reasonable shop to cover by a warranty for any
extended mileage period).

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Russell

I think the 1st question here is why do you think the alignment is out.
Today's cars/trucks ordinarily do not go out of alignment without something
being bent or steering/suspension parts wearing, but if the shop has a
posted 12/12 warranty, then even with that at 13k you would be over.
"Russell" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> About 10 months ago, I took my car into the AAA Automark Car Care Center
> in Raleigh NC for a four wheel alignment. The repair order says that
> their warranty is 12 months or 12,000 miles which ever comes first. It's
> also stated at http://www.aaacarolinas.com/AutoMark...philosophy.htm.
> I stopped by at the service center earlier today since my mechanic had
> advised me to check the alignment the vehicle. The first "adviser" I
> talked with asked me how many miles I had put on and when I said about
> 13,000 he said it had exceeded the 12,000 and they wouldn't be able to do
> anything under "warranty". Then another advisor showed up (may have been
> the previous guy's manager). He said that things like alignment were not
> covered by warranty as one could drive into a pot-hole and throw the car
> out of alignment. Anyway, since they had no openings today I left.
> Basically, I've gotten two different stories from two people at the desk
> as to coverage for an alignment. I thought I'd be able to find a copy of
> their warranty on-line but have not been successful. So, I'm curious -
> would something like an alignment be covered or is it like the second guy
> said (something I should not expect any reasonable shop to cover by a
> warranty for any extended mileage period).
>
> Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Russell
>
>



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Russell wrote:

> have not been successful. So, I'm curious - would something like an
> alignment be covered or is it like the second guy said (something I
> should not expect any reasonable shop to cover by a warranty for any
> extended mileage period).

I know that GM allows only a small window of opportunity for
warranty alignments on their brand new vehicles. They won't do
anything for the first 2-3K kilometers and then they will do an
alignment for any possible factory problem up until about 12K klms.
After that, alignments are only done under warranty as a result of
some other part failing, or if something like a subframe has to be
removed to perform engine/trans work.

I can't see any other shop giving you much more then a printout
and the assurance that it was set up right when they finished with
it. Do you still have the printout from the alignment they did? If
so, you could go to another shop, get an alignment check done,
and see if anything has changed....etc.

Ian

Shep, Thanks for responding. However, I think you've missed my point.
Perhaps I was not clear enough? I was trying to determine whether it was
reasonable to expect an alignment to be warrantied 12/12 (which the shop and
receipt claimed in vague general terms - as shown by their link below) in
the absence of reliable information about their warranties. I was not
asking if at 13k I'd be over or not - the answer to that is obvious.

Russell

"Shep" > wrote in message
...
>I think the 1st question here is why do you think the alignment is out.
>Today's cars/trucks ordinarily do not go out of alignment without something
>being bent or steering/suspension parts wearing, but if the shop has a
>posted 12/12 warranty, then even with that at 13k you would be over.
> "Russell" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>> About 10 months ago, I took my car into the AAA Automark Car Care Center
>> in Raleigh NC for a four wheel alignment. The repair order says that
>> their warranty is 12 months or 12,000 miles which ever comes first. It's
>> also stated at http://www.aaacarolinas.com/AutoMark...philosophy.htm.
>> I stopped by at the service center earlier today since my mechanic had
>> advised me to check the alignment the vehicle. The first "adviser" I
>> talked with asked me how many miles I had put on and when I said about
>> 13,000 he said it had exceeded the 12,000 and they wouldn't be able to do
>> anything under "warranty". Then another advisor showed up (may have been
>> the previous guy's manager). He said that things like alignment were not
>> covered by warranty as one could drive into a pot-hole and throw the car
>> out of alignment. Anyway, since they had no openings today I left.
>> Basically, I've gotten two different stories from two people at the desk
>> as to coverage for an alignment. I thought I'd be able to find a copy of
>> their warranty on-line but have not been successful. So, I'm curious -
>> would something like an alignment be covered or is it like the second guy
>> said (something I should not expect any reasonable shop to cover by a
>> warranty for any extended mileage period).
>>
>> Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Russell
>>
>>
>
>
>
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"shiden_kai" > wrote in message
news:Oge8e.1039536$6l.910537@pd7tw2no...
> Russell wrote:
>
>> have not been successful. So, I'm curious - would something like an
>> alignment be covered or is it like the second guy said (something I
>> should not expect any reasonable shop to cover by a warranty for any
>> extended mileage period).
>
> I know that GM allows only a small window of opportunity for
> warranty alignments on their brand new vehicles. They won't do
> anything for the first 2-3K kilometers and then they will do an
> alignment for any possible factory problem up until about 12K klms.
> After that, alignments are only done under warranty as a result of
> some other part failing, or if something like a subframe has to be
> removed to perform engine/trans work.
>
> I can't see any other shop giving you much more then a printout
> and the assurance that it was set up right when they finished with
> it. Do you still have the printout from the alignment they did? If
> so, you could go to another shop, get an alignment check done,
> and see if anything has changed....etc.
>
> Ian
>

Ian, thanks for responding to my question. I have the repair order but
there is nothing technical about it - nothing like what you've described in
your last paragraph. So I guess I should conclude that it's not reasonable
for a shop to warrant an alignment after a certain amount of driving is
done?

Thanks,

Russell

Shep, my mechanic feels there is more wear on the outside of some of the
tires.

Russell

"Shep" > wrote in message
...
>I think the 1st question here is why do you think the alignment is out.
>Today's cars/trucks ordinarily do not go out of alignment without something
>being bent or steering/suspension parts wearing, but if the shop has a
>posted 12/12 warranty, then even with that at 13k you would be over.
> "Russell" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>> About 10 months ago, I took my car into the AAA Automark Car Care Center
>> in Raleigh NC for a four wheel alignment. The repair order says that
>> their warranty is 12 months or 12,000 miles which ever comes first. It's
>> also stated at http://www.aaacarolinas.com/AutoMark...philosophy.htm.
>> I stopped by at the service center earlier today since my mechanic had
>> advised me to check the alignment the vehicle. The first "adviser" I
>> talked with asked me how many miles I had put on and when I said about
>> 13,000 he said it had exceeded the 12,000 and they wouldn't be able to do
>> anything under "warranty". Then another advisor showed up (may have been
>> the previous guy's manager). He said that things like alignment were not
>> covered by warranty as one could drive into a pot-hole and throw the car
>> out of alignment. Anyway, since they had no openings today I left.
>> Basically, I've gotten two different stories from two people at the desk
>> as to coverage for an alignment. I thought I'd be able to find a copy of
>> their warranty on-line but have not been successful. So, I'm curious -
>> would something like an alignment be covered or is it like the second guy
>> said (something I should not expect any reasonable shop to cover by a
>> warranty for any extended mileage period).
>>
>> Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Russell
>>
>>
>
>
>
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On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 22:46:34 GMT, "Russell"
> wrote:

>Shep, Thanks for responding. However, I think you've missed my point.
>Perhaps I was not clear enough? I was trying to determine whether it was
>reasonable to expect an alignment to be warrantied 12/12 (which the shop and
>receipt claimed in vague general terms - as shown by their link below) in
>the absence of reliable information about their warranties. I was not
>asking if at 13k I'd be over or not - the answer to that is obvious.
>
>Russell

That depends on the shop and their policy. Technically the only way
an alignment will get off is if you hit something (like a pot hole)
with the car or the suspension is worn/failing neither of which is the
shops fault. Most places do give you some sort of warranty though.

Sears used to sell a "lifetime alignment" as did other tire places.
Don't know if they still do or not. On those they just marked it up
enough to hedge their bets.

I would say if your reciept said you had a 12/12 warranty then you had
a 12/12 warranty. I one jackass didn't want to honor it you could
just find another one or call the corporate office.

Steve B.

Russell wrote:

> Shep, Thanks for responding. However, I think you've missed my point.
> Perhaps I was not clear enough? I was trying to determine whether it was
> reasonable to expect an alignment to be warrantied 12/12 (which the shop and
> receipt claimed in vague general terms - as shown by their link below) in
> the absence of reliable information about their warranties. I was not
> asking if at 13k I'd be over or not - the answer to that is obvious.
>
> Russell

The reason why consumers want warranties is for some degree of
protection against the unforeseen - not the foreseen. An insurance
policy so to speak. The reason companies offer them is to give some
credibility to their business and their work or product.

In your case, the "you could hit a pothole" analogy is a classic
example. Some outfits will use every eventuality possible somewhere in
the fine print to wiggle out of what they are representing. Their
alignment work shouldn't fall out of spec at 12 months/12,000 miles in
the first place so that number is arbitrary and more likely was selected
by the marketing people than some actuarial table of how long it is
before needing another alignment.
Other outfits doing the same work may be a little more upfront with the
customer rather than proving to him that he was foolish to select their
product believing in their warranty, obliging him to never come back.

So, no. Its not unreasonable at all for an outfit to offer a solid
warranty instead of just blowing people off with "hmm, you must have hit
a pothole so your warranty is no good".

_BM

All they can warranty is their own work.

If it looks later as if their work was at fault, then they would have an
obligation to fix it.

If some other external cause resulted in misalignment, that would not be their
problem unless the warranty very clearly stated that they would do as many
alignments as were needed during the period, even if they were necssary because
of shocks or damage that occured for any reason.

Steve B. wrote:

> On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 22:46:34 GMT, "Russell"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Shep, Thanks for responding. However, I think you've missed my point.
>>Perhaps I was not clear enough? I was trying to determine whether it was
>>reasonable to expect an alignment to be warrantied 12/12 (which the shop and
>>receipt claimed in vague general terms - as shown by their link below) in
>>the absence of reliable information about their warranties. I was not
>>asking if at 13k I'd be over or not - the answer to that is obvious.
>>
>>Russell
>
>
> That depends on the shop and their policy. Technically the only way
> an alignment will get off is if you hit something (like a pot hole)
> with the car or the suspension is worn/failing neither of which is the
> shops fault. Most places do give you some sort of warranty though.
>
> Sears used to sell a "lifetime alignment" as did other tire places.
> Don't know if they still do or not. On those they just marked it up
> enough to hedge their bets.

I got my lifetime alignment at a Firestone shop for $160. I took
my new car in at under 1000 miles, and it was already way out of
alignment. Since then I've gotten a one realignment after I bought
new tires elsewhere. For my previous lifetime alignment, I got
maybe 6 of them, and I was never asked to have "services" performed
except a recommendation when my tires were obviously near bald.

> I would say if your reciept said you had a 12/12 warranty then you had
> a 12/12 warranty. I one jackass didn't want to honor it you could
> just find another one or call the corporate office.

I think 12 months is perfectly reasonable. There are just too many
external factors (potholes, curbs, steel plates) to expect a non-
lifetime alignment to be longer than that.