Firestone

[winterset]

About 2 years ago, I purchased new Michelin Symmetry tires at Costco - free lifetime balancing and flat fix. I also purchased a lifetime balance at Firestone for $109.00. I tend to keep my cars for a long time, and I am about to go back & get another alignment. Anyone else take advantage of this Firestone deal? - any comments? - anything special that needs to be done specific to the car that Firestone will not do/know about? Front end seems solid, and I am not required to have work performed @ firestone if an issue is found, and warranty is not void if I do work myself/elsehwere.

Dave

[brmurph]

I also have the lifetime warranty, so far very happy with it. When I bring my tires in for a balance and rotate they ask me if I want them to check the alignment as well.

[Bill K]

I got a much needed road force balance in Fl. at Goodyear last year. It is good forever & includes tire rotation. The second time I used the free bal. & rot. I heard the tech., when my back was turned, ask the Mgr. "Parts?" That was all I heard. When I came back to pick up the car they said tie rods or something was worn. I said I couldnt take the time now but would be back. I then went to my trusted mechanic and he said nothing was wrong.

They give you free stuff hopeing to sell you other stuff. Needed or not. Second opinions are easy and well worth the time to obtain.

[Scotty]

As Bill referred to, there is NO free lunch

With this deal they will cross sell you, goodyear, firestone are notorious for this trick and the average owner will go for it. I recently was a goodyear for an alignment and made sure he knew that I just rebuilt me rear suspension, in spite of that they wrote that I needed wipers and a power steering flush on my receipt.. Be prepared for the blood sucking

[JasonA]

As an aside, I brought my parents' car to a Goodyear shop (Gemini auto maybe?? it's a chain) for an oil change. When they were done they ran up a $600 estimate for stuff that "should" be done, like REPLACING the oil pan itself (and gasket) for a bit of dampness on the bottom of it, replacing the serpentine belt and tensioner (the belt was fine), flushing the A/C system, etc.

I've never gone to a Goodyear store since.

[Ranger]

On the subject of lifetime warranties, I recently called Merlin Muffler to check out their "lifetime warranty" on tires (if they ever wear out, they replace them for free ). Like Scotty said, there is no free lunch. You must have them rotated every 6k and aligned every year. Alignment and rotation is not included. You pay for that each time to keep the warranty in force, hence you pay for the new set of tires on an installment plan up front. Just thought I'd mention this incase anyone heard the ads and was thinking about it.

[CBOYLE15]

If they tell you that you need something like Ball Joint, Struts, Bushing ect. and you do not have them do the work, they will tell you that the Alignment will not hold and your Lifetime warranty is void.

Been their Done that!

Charlie

[JasonA]

I actually have an interesting parallel to this story that I just remembered. We recently bought new tires for our Grand Caravan, at Sears (actually, this was last winter). I knew that a free alignment CHECK was included with the purchase of tires, so I had 'em put it on the rack.

Lo' and behold, an alignment was required! I said I'd "think about it" and get back with them. The manager who tried to sell me on the alignment said that the treadwear warranty on the tires isn't good if the alignment's bad. Okay, ma'am, Michelin warrants the treadlife, not you...but anyway.

Upon further inspection of the alignment sheet the computer printed out, the left toe was WAY out. I mean WAY out. Like, a full degree or something (I don't remember which). The right toe, oddly, was WAY in. I mean WAY in. Again, like a full degree. Interestingly, the amount the left toe was out and the right toe was in was the SAME amount. The "total toe" on the front end was dead on spec.

Okay, if the van was really like that, either A) the steering wheel would be mad crooked, or , the van would pull to the left something fierce. By golly, it just drives straight as an arrow down the road! After almost a year and 10,000 miles, tire wear has been even, and only about 1/32" (went from 10/32" new down to about 9/32" now). Hmm...could it be that the Sears technician "accidentally" pulled the van on the rack and had the steering wheel turned when he shot the alignment?