4kq alignment. 7:30 am. Sears.

[WAUFX at aol.com]

Lister folk-

I couldn't sleep tonight at my usual bedtime of 5-7 am so, being the smart
person I am, I decided to be the first one to get my alignment redone at my
local Sears.

Time: 7:30 am.

Now before you release the hounds on me for going to Sears, hear me out. I
originally had it done at NTB in Portsmouth, NH, but then changed a bad front
tie rod end after, and obviously needed a realignment. Although I've heard
some horror stories from Sears alignments in the past (even told some
myself!), I figured what the hell. Sears warranties NTB's alignments and I
don't have anything better to do at 7:30 am on a Thursday when I can't sleep
so...

I fire up the old 4kq and off we go into the strange January rain. I get
there and wait for the techs who are late to show up.. : )

I'm waiting and waiting for them to get to my car, and they finally do. So I
park it in the lounge and start reading...the front desk guy that I chatted
with a bit briefly comes in and asks me if I have a *preference* as to what
PSI my tires are set to! I asked them to check the pressure, but I was
impressed!

I also asked to see what the measurements were once the heads were on, but
after a while of sitting and reading and waiting, I realized that it doesn't
take *that* long to put alignment heads on...so I look through the big
"observation" window and see two techs wielding what appear to be c-clamps
and long prybars. I also notice that the heads are off of the wheels and that
my brake lights are no longer on, indicating the steering wheel is not locked
against the brake pedal (I had asked that they get the wheel straight, it was
off).

I begin to panic. I don't really trust mechanics (no offense to any mechanics
here, I feel for you, it's a hard job), and I really didn't trust Sears
mechanics, so I go to talk to the same guy I talked with before (PSI guy) at
the main desk to ask what's going on. He gets a funny look on his face and
darts real quick-like out to the work area...

Lo and behold...

They were adjusting my exhaust! Now, normally this would be cause for
alarm...BUT.

I had asked if *I* could get under the lift while they were doing the
alignment and adjust it myself. I had just put a new exhaust on (with car on
stands and suspension in air) and the exhaust rattled when I was done. I was
dreading having to drag out stands and freeze my bum off again trying to
readjust the notoriously intolerant 4kq stock exhaust. I explained that I
understood if they couldn''t let me, liability-wise, but I figured it was
worth a shot. They, of course, said that I coulnd't, which I completely
understood.

But what a wonderful surprise to have them fix my exhaust *and* get the
steering wheel dead on and and reset the front toe. The really amazing part
is that that particular Sears didn't make any money off of it, they were
doing another store's warranty (Sears and NTB are the same company, they
warranty each other's alignments).

So now I have a silent, non-rattling exhaust, an aligned 4kq, and a straight
steering wheel, thanks to Dave the alignment man at Sears in South
Burlington, VT. On Dorset Street, near the University Mall.

What more could a girl ask for? : D

Megan

Oh, I finally got a custom plate for my 90q! I put a picture of it in the
registry...

<A HREF="http://www.audifans.com/registry/view.php?action=viewCar&carid=610">
http://www.audifans.com/registry/view.php?action=viewCar&carid=610</A>

and here is a more detailed shot

<A HREF="http://www.uvm.edu/~mkbigelo/ubel1.JPG">
http://www.uvm.edu/~mkbigelo/ubel1.JPG</A>