...is 17 mm or degrees (I can't remember which he used) for the wheel alinement to need fixing, just had two tyres changed and the guy said it need's doing. Now bear in mind I buy the cheapest tyres they have ( £28 ea), it's £26 to have the alinement fixed, is it worth getting done or is it a case of trying to tickle a bit more cash out of me ?

I'd go for the tickling option, but it's always worth getting the tracking done, especially with budget tyres as they tend to wear more quickly, and you don't want to fork out more in a few months for the sake of a few beers and a pack of fags, do you? You could always get a second opinion elsewhere?

Daisy,

I usually take mine to Watling Tyres in Rainham, just down from Tescos. They've always been very honest about whether things need to be done or not. If you flutter your eyes too, you never know what else they'll do for you ;)

Edited 6 July, 201214 yr by RainbowFore

Go for a few more 'opinions' before , n o t Kwik-Fit.

Tyres can wear Very quick otherwise.

It depends where he's measured it, really! It wouldn't be 17 degrees, and if it was 0.17 or 17 minutes then it's of no odds. But if it's way out, then it will make the car worse to drive - if it's toed out then it will be unstable, if it's toed in then it will be slow to turn (generally), but generally uneven tyre wear is the greatest issue (and therefore as you point out it becomes a financial choice). I would try to find a tyre place that will check it for you for free - the place that changes my rally tyres for me has checked both my road cars recently and told me they don't need doing, so there are honest people out there.

Thanks guys, the tyres were a little bit uneven, and when I pulled away from traffic lights the steering wheel would twitch to the left a little bit, really what I'm after is whether 17 (someone please tell me what it's measured in !), is this a lot or a little bit, what's the margin or acceptable amount, is it over some limit or am I okay as it is. I've no problem spending the money if it needs doing just don't want to if I can get away with it !!

And Rainbow, I NEVER flutter my eyelashes to get guys to help me with the car...............I bake them a cake instead.

Daisy - it depends on how it's measured - I know that's no help! The manufacturers usually specify it as an angle (in degrees) of toe in or out. However, a lot of people measure it as a distance, which will usually be the difference between the front and rear rims when measured across the car - if you imagine looking from above with wheels that are angled in, the front would be a few mm closer together than the rear would. BUT the distance can be measured at a different place, which can lead to confusion - if you changed wheel size, for instance, the measurement would change. That's why it's best (IMO to get the figure in degrees). If the figure you were given was 17, then it would be in mm, and that is a LOT. I don't have the usual Felicia figure to hand (rally cars are not set to manufacturer spec so I don't bother with it), but I don't think it would be that much - 3-4mm would be much more like it, at a guess.

Got it done this morning.......and the steering does feel a little bit lighter, thanks all.

If the steering feels lighter, then it sounds like the car was fighting itself......should find the economy creeps up slightly too

I don't know if it's the wheel alinement or the new tyres but it does feel that tiny bit nicer to drive, the twitching's gone too.

I remember when driving down the motorway my hands would literally go numb with wheel wobble. Took it to a friendly Sikh garage in Sheffield and my quality of life has improved ten-fold.

Had the tracking done whilst I was there. It was completely off the guage. Probably never been done in it's life til then I bet. Good thing I took it too 'cause it might have ruined my lovely new continentals... which were totally out of balance despite being done when the tyres were fitted... bloody cowboys.

Cost me £29-something in all.