G6 alignment issue, belle tire complaint.

FlyLike

FlyLike

Club Member
So I had my G6 (2007 v6 model, 56k miles) at belle tire today (southfield location because it's so close to my house, otherwise I would have gone to Jenga or RyeLou) to have a wheel replaced because the car had slid into a rock in the snow the other day. Obviously I wanted an alignment done as well once the wheel was replaced. They come back and tell me that they can't do an alignment because the front, passenger side, lower control arm ball joint has play, and they quote me some astronomical number to replace it.

I told them to forget about it and I'll figure it out later. Well, I leave, and my steering is now off. The car drives completely straight but the steering wheel is turned about 10 degrees left.

I take it back and tell them to fix it because when I showed up it was fine. So I wait forever, and they come back and tell me there's nothing they can do.

So now I'm stuck with a car with a steering wheel that is turned about 10 degrees to the left. I'm fucking pissed at belle tire and the clowns that work at that location. Nobody there gave me a definitive answer or sounded like had any idea what was going on, nor did they prioritize me as a customer that was the first in the door at 8am. (ended up leaving there at 3pm, un-fucking believable)

Does anyone know if this even sounds legit, or are these guys trying to scam me into buying some part I don't need?

Regardless, I need to get a second opinion (or better yet, fixed) from a credible, professional, and certified shop I can trust.
 
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i would say that something is tweaked/bent if you hit a rock hard enough to mess up a wheel. second, mounting a tire/wheel is not going to change your steering wheel. did they have it on the alignment rack and hook it to the sensors?
 
riche said:
i would say that something is tweaked/bent if you hit a rock hard enough to mess up a wheel. second, mounting a tire/wheel is not going to change your steering wheel. did they have it on the alignment rack and hook it to the sensors?
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The wheel that I hit was driver side rear, so the accident has nothing to do with this steering issue. They said they had it on the alignment rack, but can't do anything on the rack because of this ball joint (inherintly, control arm).
 
you need to find out what was done to your car for them to locate the bad ball joint. you were there for quite a while so something had to be done for them to mess up your steering like that. i know from doing alignments at my tec class, you always have to check to make sure the steering wheel is straight when messing with any steering components. perhaps they failed to do that, or dont know how to use their own equipment. i say take it elsewhere and have them look at it. and let them know about your experience with belle tire. maybe if you can get it fixed elsewhere you can take it back to them and they could own up to their mistake, and you could get a discount from them or something...
 
my sister recently had the run arounds at 3 belle tire locations, the one on ford road between telegraph and wayne, then the one on allen road, and then the one on wayen road at wayne.... ford and tele told her she needed ball joints and tie rod ends (she was going for allignments at all of these locations) so she left, brought it over just to find out both her wheel bearings were loose, then she went to the one on allen on her way home from work, and they told her she needed a new rack, and quoted her something like 750 bucks, didnt give any reason for it, and really hadnt had a reason at all..... and finally the last belle tire, after telling them the story from the last one, the guy behind the counter tells her... "i have no idea what they were talking about, but you need a camber kit for 300!" she left went to harlow, and was back home in a couple of hours, with a allignemnt and clean bill of health. belle tire is not belle mechanic.
 
normally what they alignment tech does, is finds some marginally questionable part and tries to upsell it.. also they will loosen one tie rod to and adjust to throw off Center Point Steering so all the numbers are "in the red" and it shows you need an alignment.

a new wheel and tire will not affect your CPS

on a side note, vehicles with adjustable rear suspension, camber/toe must be in spec first because front toes and CPS are set to the geometry of the rear. for instance if i adjust front toe and its all in the "green" then go adjust rear toe and remeasure. the front will then be out of spec and need to be re adjusted.


**ALSO** always request a printout of the before and after of the alignment. if they are using the Hunter DSP9600, which almost everyone is, they all have printers. if they tell you they cant, ask to see the screen to make sure everything is good to go.
 
If its driving straight, but steering wheel is off. All angles are good excpet toe (tie rod adjustment). Either It got thrown off from the sliding into the rock, or they at belle tire delibratly moved it to sell you more parts
 
82bird said:
If its driving straight, but steering wheel is off. All angles are good excpet toe (tie rod adjustment). Either It got thrown off from the sliding into the rock, or they at belle tire delibratly moved it to sell you more parts
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this is what it sounds like to me.

I just spoke with Jenga on the phone and I'm taking it to him after work today.
 
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Took it to Jenga's store after work today. Simply walked in and asked for an alignment. 20 minutes later they're done with no issues, big surprise!!!!!

Completely unnaceptable business practices coming out of that southfield belle tire.
 
FlyLike said:
Took it to Jenga's store after work today. Simply walked in and asked for an alignment. 20 minutes later they're done with no issues, big surprise!!!!!

Completely unnaceptable business practices coming out of that southfield belle tire.
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the Lincoln Park store(Dix-Toledo Rd., between southfield rd. and I75) does the same, so while it may not be company wide, it is not uncommon
 
FlyLike said:
Took it to Jenga's store after work today. Simply walked in and asked for an alignment. 20 minutes later they're done with no issues, big surprise!!!!!

Completely unnaceptable business practices coming out of that southfield belle tire.
Click to expand...

I've had issues with that location as well and am never going back.
 
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