To align or not to align?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
From: Miramar, FL
2012 E350 Sport, P1, AMG Wheels, Multi-contour seats
To align or not to align?
I am finally replacing the OE tires on my '12 E350 Sport at 37k miles. I have always had an alignment performed with previous vehicles each time I replaced tires. I was recently talking to my brother and he said he has never had an alignment done with any of his cars through multiple tire changes. No, he doesn't drive gingerly - 2 of those cars were Porsche which he drove quite aggressively.
There is no uneven wear on the tires I am replacing, and I am now wondering if doing an alignment would be a waste of money. I am curious if anyone has regretted not doing an alignment with new tires, even though the old tires were evenly worn.
There is no uneven wear on the tires I am replacing, and I am now wondering if doing an alignment would be a waste of money. I am curious if anyone has regretted not doing an alignment with new tires, even though the old tires were evenly worn.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 584
Likes: 147
From: Bay Area, CA
2010 E550
I align mine when I get new tires installed. I never check them for uneven wear, I just assume they're fine, heh. I don't know if they do this everywhere but at a Mercedes dealership they'll print out a little diagram of all the changes they made, so it's not like they're not doing anything.
Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 79
Likes: 6
From: Canada
MB E550 2010
No alignment only if really needed
I will not do wheel alignment only if the car pulls. My old Honda, every time I did the alignment I ended up with steering wheel not quite at the center, always off a bit to the right or to the left (cannot tolerate that). I had to re-visit the shop multiple times to get it fixed, and that happened three time during the time I owned the car.
No alignment only if really needed.
No alignment only if really needed.
Trending Topics
Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 206
Likes: 38
From: Southern
2014 E-350
I will not do wheel alignment only if the car pulls. My old Honda, every time I did the alignment I ended up with steering wheel not quite at the center, always off a bit to the right or to the left (cannot tolerate that). I had to re-visit the shop multiple times to get it fixed, and that happened three time during the time I owned the car.
No alignment only if really needed.
No alignment only if really needed.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Dubai Tuner Gives the Mercedes G-Class An Entirely New Look
Verdad Gallardo
Six Gift Ideas Your AMG Loving Dad or Grad Will Cherish
7 Craziest Things AMG Gas Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
It's the potholes that will do it. I've hit some good ones and the steering wheel was a little off afterwards which told me that it needed an alignment, toe was usually out.
The firestone lifetime alignment is good deal, but someone else mentioned that they don't do Mercedes. I'd check your local one. Goodyear also does a 3 year alignment for around $160 or so, but they offer $25 off $50 every once in a while.
The firestone lifetime alignment is good deal, but someone else mentioned that they don't do Mercedes. I'd check your local one. Goodyear also does a 3 year alignment for around $160 or so, but they offer $25 off $50 every once in a while.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 293
2019 E300
It's the potholes that will do it. I've hit some good ones and the steering wheel was a little off afterwards which told me that it needed an alignment, toe was usually out.
The firestone lifetime alignment is good deal, but someone else mentioned that they don't do Mercedes. I'd check your local one. Goodyear also does a 3 year alignment for around $160 or so, but they offer $25 off $50 every once in a while.
The firestone lifetime alignment is good deal, but someone else mentioned that they don't do Mercedes. I'd check your local one. Goodyear also does a 3 year alignment for around $160 or so, but they offer $25 off $50 every once in a while.
I got the lifetime alignment from Sullivan tire a few years ago for $120. The funny thing is that when I didn't have the lifetime alignment, everytime I bring my car in, the alignment was off. When I had the lifetime alignment, everytime I brought it in, the alignment check out fine.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 748
Likes: 27
From: Zion
W212 E550 4M P2
For the record, I'm a serial aligner because I want to prolong my tires AND find it crazy annoying when my car pulls to one side or the other. What's the worst that can happen? It checks out fine, you're out a bit of dough. On the other hand, it might be out of adjustment.
I'm a big proponent of Firestone's lifetime alignment. It's exceedingly cost-effective. It removes the "why pay for an alignment if the car isn't pulling" argument.
Unfortunately, every one of my local tire / alignment shops won't align my 4Matic sedan. They won't take my $ and say I have to visit the stealer. Anyone else have a similar experience?
I'm a big proponent of Firestone's lifetime alignment. It's exceedingly cost-effective. It removes the "why pay for an alignment if the car isn't pulling" argument.
Unfortunately, every one of my local tire / alignment shops won't align my 4Matic sedan. They won't take my $ and say I have to visit the stealer. Anyone else have a similar experience?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Well as I mentioned earlier, Goodyear will do it. NTB also has a 3 and 5 year alignment warranty, but I haven't tried them yet. Not sure why they won't do 4matic, I think they can basically just do toe adjustments, camber requires special MB bolts.
The only annoying thing with lifetime or 3 year warranties is that they may try to upsell you on repairs that you might not need or are marginal.
The only annoying thing with lifetime or 3 year warranties is that they may try to upsell you on repairs that you might not need or are marginal.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,142
Likes: 1,295
From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
I got the lifetime alignment from Sullivan tire a few years ago for $120. The funny thing is that when I didn't have the lifetime alignment, everytime I bring my car in, the alignment was off. When I had the lifetime alignment, everytime I brought it in, the alignment check out fine.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,142
Likes: 1,295
From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
I am finally replacing the OE tires on my '12 E350 Sport at 37k miles. I have always had an alignment performed with previous vehicles each time I replaced tires. I was recently talking to my brother and he said he has never had an alignment done with any of his cars through multiple tire changes. No, he doesn't drive gingerly - 2 of those cars were Porsche which he drove quite aggressively.
There is no uneven wear on the tires I am replacing, and I am now wondering if doing an alignment would be a waste of money. I am curious if anyone has regretted not doing an alignment with new tires, even though the old tires were evenly worn.
There is no uneven wear on the tires I am replacing, and I am now wondering if doing an alignment would be a waste of money. I am curious if anyone has regretted not doing an alignment with new tires, even though the old tires were evenly worn.
Don't ever touch alignment if you don't need to.
Need to means the car pulls left or right or your tires wear shows misalignment.
I have gone thru 3 sets of tires under my car and never saw anything on the tires indicating need for alignment so alignment was never done to my car.
Tire / alignment shops can recommend this service as it is their business for making money. If your car wears tires perfectly evenly and you take it for alignment then the shop must put the car in misaligned state to show you that they changed / did something to get to charge you for the job.
Tires tell you how it is and if the tires are fine so is the alignment.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,854
Likes: 197
From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
