Ok... sooo um called the service manager today to schedule a time to bring in my car. Need to have my summer tires put on (i have one set of rims so they will need to be mounted and balanced.. no big deal) the service manager was trying to tell me that i "need" an alignment when doing this type of service too. Now keep in mind I have been getting my tires done at this place for 2 years now and this is the first they have mentioned this to me... Any thoughs on wether this is legit or not?
There might be a little "padding the bill" going on there, since I don't think you necessarily "need" an alignment when you are just swapping out your tires. Our local Lexus dealer (that also has the Porsche franchise) wants to do a $200 alignment everytime they rotate the tires on my wife's car ( "Ummm, no thanks").
On the other hand, if you have never had an alignment, you might want to get one done . . . I bought my car used at 14K miles, but as far as I know, it never had an alignment done until last week at 20K miles. The print-out below shows how cockeyed it was before the alignment.
I agree with KS-CS. I had my first alignment on a new '06 CS at about 2k miles and it was out of specs in several places. Normally an alignment isn't needed just for switching from winters to summers, or for tire rotation (like we get to do that). I must be an alignment freak, as I get one about twice a year because I autocross and track the car.
KS-CS: Is the alignment spec sheet you posted supposed to be for a 987? The 987 spec sheets I have don't show the same alignment ranges that your spec sheet does. I wish I could get that -1.5 degrees of front camber your sheet shows.
Sorry, I should have asked where those specs came from - I just assumed they pulled them up on their computer or whatever reference they use. Maybe Porsche "allows" up to -1.5 camber on the front (even though you can't get there with the stock set-up). I gave them beez's recommended specs for a street/track compromise (-1.0 front), and even moving the upper strut mounts all the way in, -0.8 was the best the tech could do.
If your tire wear is fairly even and you don't feel any pulling, then you probably don't need an alignment. An exception to this might be if you want to track the car - then it's good to try to squeeze-out more negative camber.
I have the same basic question so I'll just post in this exsisting thread. I've been meaning to get an alignment forever but just haven't had the chance. My 2006 CS has never had an alignment. My CS is a daily driver and only car that gets to do AX every once in a while. I would DE if there ever was one during a weekend I have off. My car has 11,000 miles on it and the tires look great (like I could easily more then double that milage before they wear) except that the outside edges are pretty heavily worn.
Problem is I just had a flat last weekend so had to get 2 new back tires. At best I may do 2 more AX's this year. Should I get the alignment or now that I mostly have new tires just wait until a new season starts?
Personally, I would just go do it but the only shop I've found in my area that appears to be good at (and willing to do) racing alignments on a Porsche with 18 inch wheels wants $337 for the alignment which sounds too high to me.
$337 for an alignment sounds about twice too high to me. There should be several good alignment places that will do it much cheaper in the DC area. Even my Porsche dealer does them for less than $200; an independent shop nearby does them for $150; both with fairly new Hunter machines.
Since the outside edges are more worn, ask for more negative camber. They may need to move the bolts at the top of the struts as far toward the center of the chassis in their slots as they can get them. Don't expect more than -1.0 degree, however.
