# Did I need a wheel alignment? Or was I scammed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 28, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530 "2023-08-28T18:07:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/1 "2023-08-28T18:07:41Z")
Guys I went in for a “free“ wheel alignment inspection. They showed me this print out and said I needed a slight adjustment but did I really need it? It looks like that one wheel was off by only 0.1 degree. Other wheels are off by more than that and the system shows it green within the tolerance. Can they fake these tests so it shows red and that alignment is off and needed? Or were they honest with me? ![IMG20230828103443](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/9/f/9fa34c74c0803945d0ee7801d46ba9cc26e8102e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/2 "2023-08-28T18:11:58Z")
Yes you needed an alignment. 0.1 degree is significant. Your tires will wear faster if not corrected. No you most likely did not get scammed. Is is possible but unlikely. But on that topic… don’t do business with shops you don’t trust. ---
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/3 "2023-08-28T18:15:21Z")
Cool, thanks for the quick reply. BTW why are those other measurements off by more that 0.1 and still show up as green within tolerance? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/4 "2023-08-28T18:17:57Z")
The old one was 0.3 degrees off, not 0.1 degrees. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/5 "2023-08-28T18:18:24Z")
If you notice, the left side front toe was also adjusted 0.1 deg so both front tires have some toe and match each other and that helps the car track properly, which is all good. ---
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/6 "2023-08-28T18:22:17Z")
Oh, I see guys it was -0.2. How about Camber there is a difference of 0.45 between the sides. Isn’t that a big difference? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/7 "2023-08-28T18:27:15Z")
Each of those numbers has an acceptable range, the camber readings must have been within that range. Usually the report will list the range, this one didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/8 "2023-08-28T18:36:15Z")
You guys are the best!.. THE BEST! Thank you so much for your quick help! ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/9 "2023-08-28T18:37:25Z")
> [@Erikmarko72\_186627](#): > > difference of 0.45 between the sides. Isn’t that a big difference That difference compensates for the crown built into every road surface. It makes the front lead a little left when the road leans right. And you sit in the left side of the car so the camber will grow just a bit with you in the car. And it isn’t adjustable without additional parts at additional cost. ---
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 6:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/10 "2023-08-28T18:40:50Z")
Cool, I just learned something new! Thanks 😀 👍 ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 12:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/11 "2023-08-29T00:59:25Z")
Another way to explain it is to dumb it down a little… Green Good, Red Bad… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/12 "2023-08-29T03:50:44Z")
The toe is the most important of all. It should not be out of adjustment by very much without causing some wear. Caster has to be really out to make any difference. Camber can be anywhere within range and be OK. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/13 "2023-08-29T20:36:22Z")
You were all in the green so technically you did not need and alignment. BUT, if that machine was properly calibrated and the readout is accurate, then they may have saved you quite a bit of money. For a set of premium touring tires, barely within specs could mean the tires would last 50-60k miles, dead on could mean that 100k miles would not be out of the realm of possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/14 "2023-08-29T20:39:08Z")
Keith, right front was in red. After they did the adjustment it’s all green within the specs. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/15 "2023-08-29T21:02:34Z")
I prefer Camber and Caster to be within a quarter degree of each other side to, no compensating for anything! Suppose a vehicle is shipped to a country where driving is on the opposite side of the road: UK to U.S., or, Germany to Hong Kong? I live in a right-hand driving country(U.S.) and am tired of fighting recent car models’ tendency to drift, or outright pull, leftward, because of this crown compensation. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/16 "2023-08-29T21:07:48Z")
I also prefer 1/4 degree but I am picky. Most people are not so picky. And this wasn’t built into the car it just is the way it is and the alignment guys left it alone. You need to know your audience. Often using the slop in the bolt holes can compensate for this but that takes time. More time than most are willing to pay for. I do my own alignments so I’ll take the time. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/17 "2023-08-29T21:12:18Z")
The toe adjustment seems good for you, your car, and your tires. Suggest however in the future to avoid shops having a clear conflict of interest, where they offer a free service but benefit financially if they find something wrong. Instead ask your own local shop staff for recommendations who does the most accurate wheel alignment job in town, and go there, mentioning that your shop recommended them. As mentioned above, the right front toe was adjusted from negative 0.2 deg to positive 0.1 deg, a 0.3 deg improvement, a benefit that is nothing to sneeze at. It appears the left front toe was adjusted a little as well, although seems possible that might be just a side-effect of adjusting the right front. Toe adjustment is usually pretty easy, doesn’t take much time. Was the fee pretty reasonable? ---
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/18 "2023-08-29T21:31:28Z")
I was supposed to pay $136 Canadian dollars plus tax but they changed me only $100 because there was not much to adjust they said. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/19 "2023-08-29T21:34:15Z")
> [@keith](#): > > You were all in the green I think you just looked at the sheet and didn’t read it sense most alignment sheets show camber top then caster and then toe… The OP’s shows Toe top then camber and then caster, so at 1st glance it looks like the right front camber is out not the toe… ---
**Author:** ![Erikmarko72\_186627](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Erikmarko72\_186627](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Erikmarko72_186627)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530/20 "2023-08-29T22:16:48Z")
Keith, I’m not understanding what you are saying… But it clearly shows toe “before” in red. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/did-i-need-a-wheel-alignment-or-was-i-scammed/192530.md?page=2)