HELP: Results of second Alignment at Axelrod Tire, Middletown, CT

[Ice Cat ^. .^ ~]

I called and explained to Axelrod Tire that I thought the front end
alignment wasn't quite handling right and was wondering if since I
bought a complete set of great tires they would want to make this
right.   After some nastiness the buy called me back and assured me
that they would.

His whole demeanor and tone when I got there was totally defensive
and cold!   The manager said that they were working a lot of O.T. to
redo the shop, but he gave me so much psychological b.s. later that
it was a very unpleasant experience.

I am not sure how to read these printouts and my husband says that
after the explanation the guy gave him, he doesn't either.

These numbers don't seem to match the they type of numbers used in
Bentley, I guess like comparing apples and oranges as they say.

WE did take a copy of Bentley specs in with us the second time around
and gave them to the mechanic.

(1.) ***
Here is the reading after the FIRST alignment (when I took it back
the second time) but before the second alignment readout:

Camber:
Left:  -0.5º      Right:   -0.5º

Caster:
.07º     .07º

Toe:
0.16º     0.12º                         !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The last section was shaded in which my husband said means it was out
of alignment.
No wonder the front felt like it was each wheel was fighting the other.

(2.) ***
Here is the second reading after the second alignment:

Camber:
-.04º     -0.5º

Caster:
0.08     0.08                              !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   odd
numbers given the other two

Toe:
-0.01º     -0.02º

(3.) ***
They said they ran yet another reading just to double check:

Camber:
-0.4º     -0.5º

Caster
0.8º     0.8º

Toe:
-0.01º     -0.01º

(4.) ***
Another issue:

Now I told them that the steering wheel sat cock-eyed the first time
I brought it in, they said it was adjusted the second time, and when
I drove it home, the told me they had adjusted it.  So after two
trips there the steering wheel is not level when I go down a straight
level road.   They told me the car had been in an accident and the
frame was probably bent.

The service manager also gave me some b.s. about how it was "in my
head now and if they did fix it I would be still looking for
problems."    I made some comments about the more preferred choice of
how they might have presented the limitations of the work they had
performed for me.

Now the car does drive somewhat better as the front doesn't feel like
it is pulling.    We have replaced the struts and they said that the
tie-rods are not bent, etc.

What is the reason after pointing out the steering wheel does not
match a correct alignment that the wheel would not ride level?

Are they just too lazy to do it right or could there really be a parts problem?

(5.) ****
I do not trust them any more than I can pick my Audi up and toss it.

Would you, after putting $500 worth of tires on YOUR car, take it
someplace else and have the alignment re-checked???

Thanks!
Fay

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