Price of Firestone Lifetime Alignment Plan?

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: moving2
bigmike, dkryan, others- A lot of people here are mentioning tire rotation and balancing along with the alignment- is any of this included in the Firestone deal? If not, how much extra do you pay to have the rotation / balancing done?

I bought one of these lifetime plans a few years ago- I think it was around $129 when I got it.


I purchased the lifetime balance/rotation with the Duelers. It isn't part of the lifetime alignment plan. I'd have to go receipt hunting to tell you what the cost was per tire.

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
If that is the case, just pay their going price and buy what you think would help your mom.

I am still not convinced that the shop will treat your mom like they treat you. If she needs alignment, you should take the car in.

- Vikas

P.S. When I take the vehicle in, I put on the mechanics gloves and hang around it too ...


I agree with this advice. It might be a good idea for someone knowledgeable to handle the service.

I would also suggest making them print out a "before and after" from the computer. They've always done this for me. I ask for it up front when I turn over the keys and when it's done, they give me the 2 printed copies.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Spector
I had one once, swear that every time I brought the car back for alignment they never even put it on the machine. Never solved the problem. Just a gimmick to get you coming back for more repairs they try to find when you bring it in. Find a good independent alignment shop



This is true. There are plenty of techs who will just put it on the machine and walk off for half an hour. Not saying they all do this, but the lifetime ones are not really worth it. He's getting NO money when you come back to claim on their lifetime deal so he really doesn't care about working on the car.


This is NOT true.

I asked this question to my local Firestone manager and he told me the techs typically fight over an alignment because they do get paid for them, regardless if it is under their lifetime plan.


I'd say you're both right and both wrong. It totally depends upon the shop involved. There are some in my area I'd consider trusting with a lifetime plan, and some I wouldn't trust to install a valve stem cap. Buyer beware.

 

[ClarkB]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
Originally Posted By: moving2
bigmike, dkryan, others- A lot of people here are mentioning tire rotation and balancing along with the alignment- is any of this included in the Firestone deal? If not, how much extra do you pay to have the rotation / balancing done?

I bought one of these lifetime plans a few years ago- I think it was around $129 when I got it.


I purchased the lifetime balance/rotation with the Duelers. It isn't part of the lifetime alignment plan. I'd have to go receipt hunting to tell you what the cost was per tire.


With Firestone the rotations are free for the life of the tires if they were bought at Firestone. I don't know about balancing. Obviously it's done for the initial installation but after that I don't know if they include it in the rotation or not and if not I don't know if you could pay for that plan or not. The Lifetime Alignment is for the life of the car, not just the tires.

Clark

 

[ludey]

No adjusting camber and caster even, if it can be adjusted. I had lifetime alignment on 3 cars all at the same time but, only one car got maybe two alignments and had to wait 3hrs. If you get lifetime alignment from Firestone. I hope you have a lot of time on your hands. You will be the last vehicle serviced. Never buy into that again.

 

[Scimmia]

I paid $130 for mine, and have gotten far more than my money's worth out of it. I've never had a problem with timing or with the work not being done correctly. Sure they've tried to upsell me a time or two, but that's to be expected. I just tell them I'll check it out.

I do all of my own work on a fairly high mileage car. I dropped the subframe to replace the transmission, took it in for an alignment. Replace the struts, take it in for an alignment. Replace a tie rod end, take it in for an alignment. All totaled, I've probably been in there 6-7 times, and plan on plenty more.

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Spector
I had one once, swear that every time I brought the car back for alignment they never even put it on the machine. Never solved the problem. Just a gimmick to get you coming back for more repairs they try to find when you bring it in. Find a good independent alignment shop



This is true. There are plenty of techs who will just put it on the machine and walk off for half an hour. Not saying they all do this, but the lifetime ones are not really worth it. He's getting NO money when you come back to claim on their lifetime deal so he really doesn't care about working on the car.


This is NOT true.

I asked this question to my local Firestone manager and he told me the techs typically fight over an alignment because they do get paid for them, regardless if it is under their lifetime plan.



Actually, this IS true. Read it yourself from an ex-firestone manager.

ripoff report

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: lairdwd
Originally Posted By: bigmike
Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Spector
I had one once, swear that every time I brought the car back for alignment they never even put it on the machine. Never solved the problem. Just a gimmick to get you coming back for more repairs they try to find when you bring it in. Find a good independent alignment shop



This is true. There are plenty of techs who will just put it on the machine and walk off for half an hour. Not saying they all do this, but the lifetime ones are not really worth it. He's getting NO money when you come back to claim on their lifetime deal so he really doesn't care about working on the car.


This is NOT true.

I asked this question to my local Firestone manager and he told me the techs typically fight over an alignment because they do get paid for them, regardless if it is under their lifetime plan.



Actually, this IS true. Read it yourself from an ex-firestone manager.

ripoff report


That complaint was filed on Wednesday, August 22, 2001.

 

[PRND3L]

Originally Posted By: bigmike

That complaint was filed on Wednesday, August 22, 2001.


And was followed up with a detailed "me too" from another ex-employee in the same district April 2010.

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted By: PRND3L
Originally Posted By: bigmike

That complaint was filed on Wednesday, August 22, 2001.


And was followed up with a detailed "me too" from another ex-employee in the same district April 2010.


Has anything really changed though? I was contemplating this lifetime alignment, but decided against it. There is enough chatter on the net to lead me to believe what they say is true. Upsell of unneeded parts/work happens at most national chains/dealerships has been my experience. I expect that much. It's the other stuff that is most alarming:

a) wait 4 hours each time (kept at the back of the queue)
b) car brought into lift area, but the work never actually gets done
c) you get some other runaround that is meant to discourage you from getting a re-alignment again

 

[Vikas]

Bottomline:-

Unless proven otherwise, automotive repair business in general is shady. If you find a honest shop, stick with it.

- Vikas

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: lairdwd
Originally Posted By: PRND3L
Originally Posted By: bigmike

That complaint was filed on Wednesday, August 22, 2001.


And was followed up with a detailed "me too" from another ex-employee in the same district April 2010.


Has anything really changed though? I was contemplating this lifetime alignment, but decided against it. There is enough chatter on the net to lead me to believe what they say is true. Upsell of unneeded parts/work happens at most national chains/dealerships has been my experience. I expect that much. It's the other stuff that is most alarming:

a) wait 4 hours each time (kept at the back of the queue)
b) car brought into lift area, but the work never actually gets done
c) you get some other runaround that is meant to discourage you from getting a re-alignment again


My local Firestone manager did tell me that subsequent alignments under the lifetime alignment plan do not pay the technician, and the purpose is to look for potential work that can be sold to the customer. Fair enough, I guess.

 

[Spector]

So, if the technician is receiving no compensation on follow up alignments one can imagine the level of attention your vehicle will get.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Spector
So, if the technician is receiving no compensation on follow up alignments one can imagine the level of attention your vehicle will get.

That's what tips are for.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

I would like to see every manager of Firestone,Goodyear,Tire Kingdom, Tech Master [Tech Master is big in Florida] and some other places put behind bars for their rest of their life...What they do is really a crime plus as they Rip off people everyday of the week...When you refuse their service [down here in Miami-Lauderdale] they sabotage the car for you as they have done this to several people I know.

If the manager knows you on a first name basis [at one of these Rip off places] you are setting yourself up for a big time hosing.

I get a sense of relief when I ride by and see one of those Rip off places out of businesses.

As bad as the stealership is [and yes they Rip you off also big time] they generally do not sabotage the car when you refuse service like the others do.

 

[mongo161]

My last set of Tires I purchased from Tire Kingdom. Had an alignment done with the new tires. The alignment was no good. I had to go back twice to let them know that they have to align the steering wheel along with the 4 tires on a proper alignment. The last visit to get the alignment fixed I made sure to pick up his "business card" in front of him and ask him to verify his name. Then I looked him straight in the eye and put the card in my wallet.

Low and behold....I got a proper alignment. However, it took 2 return visits for a job that should have been done right to begin with.

 

[PRND3L]

Add Tires Plus to your list.

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: PRND3L
Originally Posted By: bigmike

That complaint was filed on Wednesday, August 22, 2001.


And was followed up with a detailed "me too" from another ex-employee in the same district April 2010.


I guess it's a good thing I don't frequent Pennsylvania.

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: lairdwd
Originally Posted By: PRND3L
Originally Posted By: bigmike

That complaint was filed on Wednesday, August 22, 2001.


And was followed up with a detailed "me too" from another ex-employee in the same district April 2010.


Has anything really changed though? I was contemplating this lifetime alignment, but decided against it. There is enough chatter on the net to lead me to believe what they say is true. Upsell of unneeded parts/work happens at most national chains/dealerships has been my experience. I expect that much. It's the other stuff that is most alarming:

a) wait 4 hours each time (kept at the back of the queue)
b) car brought into lift area, but the work never actually gets done
c) you get some other runaround that is meant to discourage you from getting a re-alignment again


All I can tell you is my experience, which some here apparently doubt. I don't work for a tire shop and have no monetary dealings with Firestone, except I buy Bridgestone tires there and have lifetime alignment/rotation/balancing.

I've never had any problems, work was always done, I met the technician that did the work, explained and received a print out of each before/after specs, and wait times were relevant to standard wait times I've had at other shops.

I do watch, either from inside the store through the window, or outside the bay doors. That's normal for me, though, no matter where I take my vehicle. I try to be friendly towards the technician as well.

I've been to plenty of tire shops and most of them are pretty bad. I don't doubt Firestone has plenty of those too. I had a good friend that was a manager at Tire Kingdom for several years and he really didn't like it. Unfortunately for me he moved but he is at his own independent shop now in Arizona, which is great for him. I've seen and heard too much go on in these kinds of places, so I know what bad shops are like. I don't need to read reviews of fired ex-managers to tell me that.

 

[dkryan]

Originally Posted By: bigmike

All I can tell you is my experience, which some here apparently doubt. I don't work for a tire shop and have no monetary dealings with Firestone, except I buy Bridgestone tires there and have lifetime alignment/rotation/balancing.

I've never had any problems, work was always done, I met the technician that did the work, explained and received a print out of each before/after specs, and wait times were relevant to standard wait times I've had at other shops.

I do watch, either from inside the store through the window, or outside the bay doors. That's normal for me, though, no matter where I take my vehicle. I try to be friendly towards the technician as well.



My experience has been identical.

I just purchased a new set of Bridgestone Turanza Serenity tires for my 2005 Accord yesterday (7/27). It was 75 minutes for them to break down the old tires, install the new tires with new valve stems, balance and mount the tires. Then they performed a four-way alignment and provided the printout to me.

I've used them previously for new Dueler Alenzas on the Highlander, along with a lifetime alignment. I've had no issues with the quality of their service and no issue with them "finding" work that needs to be performed outside of what I've asked for.

Either the geographical area some of you are living in is rife with people of low business morals or maybe you should find a quality independent tire store.

Speaking of which, if Tires Plus, Tire Kingdom, Firestone, et al, are all rip-offs in your area, just who DO you use for tire and suspension work?