Wife needs help! Just to start out I'm your typical girl when it comes to my Husband's Lancer. Although he bought it for me as a wedding gift, I truly know it was for himself. He has taught me a lot about the tuner world and I love learning everything BUT he is currently deployed and I need help… 2008 Lancer GTS 23,000ish miles, bought in June 2007. I had the oil changed & tires rotated here in Vegas beginning of Nov 08, everything was fine. Drove to central FL and had the oil changed and looked over again everything was fine. Mid-Dec drove back to Vegas, again oil change and tire rotation. Only this time they wouldn't rotate the tries because the 2 rear had worn only on the inside tread only. The service writer was rude to me when I asked if he would check the alignment. He said it wouldn't matter he knew it was off so he told me to get new tires and then he would fix it. I get new tires & have them put on, at another place, and the service writer and mechanic both tell me the camber on the alignment was off and that they can't do anything about it I have to take it back to the dealership. They also show me that the front tires are wearing down the same way, inside only. They say they think the struts are off & printed out the alignment specs for me to show the dealership. From what I understand I shouldn't have to put 4 new tires & replace struts after a little over 23,000 miles I'm just looking for someone's opinion and/or advice on how to get the dealership to not screw me over. Thanks in advance! Jessica
First why where they unable to fix the alignment? Are these aftermarket wheels and have you lowered the car or anything like that? If it is all stock suspension and wheels then that does sound abnormal wear. How do the tires look towards the outside? Alot of thread left?
Basically it comes down to I was cutting into lunch time so he was rude to me and said he didn't even want to check to see how far off the alignment was until I had new tires. He told me it would be pointless to fix until I had new tires. Also, everything with the wheels, tires, and suspension is stock. driver passenger
Replacing it with new tires won't solve the problem with the alignment. If the problem isn't corrected then you will end up with tires that do the same exact thing. First I would take it to another shop since it sounds like the guy helping you was not every helpful at all and do not have the equipment to do this kind of work even though they gave you the report that tells how much off you are. The thread seems pretty worn out and IMO need to be changed anyway. This is just a guess though since the pictures you posted are straight at the thread. If you can take a picture of a quarter in one of the grooves and pictured kind of sideways I can get a better estimate on how much thread you have there. The drivers need to be changed though... you are about to reach metal. You have two options... 1. Replace the tires and wheels and get an alignment done. Just make sure you go to a shop that can do it all. You do not need to go to a stealership for this kind of work. You might be able to get a deal for a complete package and I am sure when your hubby comes back home he will be happy to see you have a new set of wheels. Just make sure you choose a style you like since it is "your" car. 2. Replace all four with stock tires just make sure you go to a shop that will do the alignment too. Getting new tires and not getting that done. It will just happen again...
The dealership is the ones that I had issues with. I went to the local Goodyear for the 2 rear tires and alignment today. They bent over backwards to help get the tires I wanted and to explain everything they were doing. While there they noticed the fronts are wearing the same but the alignment is fine on the fronts. They recommended going back to the dealership to have the struts looked at (since that should be under warranty) and also to get 2 more tires for the front. Plus with looking at the alignment the camber is off and "the manufacturer does not specify a rear camber adjustment." Goodyear store did an alignment but couldn't fix the camber. I'm just stressed because this was an unexpected cost and I keep getting the run around. Thanks! PS: I can't get different pics of the rear since they put on the new tires today.
i am selling my rrm camber kit for $70 if you would like (unused and 95 bucks or so MSRP). They only produce camber kits for the front so this will save your fronts. i highly suggest you get a camber kit. PM if you want pictures.
Jessica, As explained by a couple of the other guys on the forum, the problem with your front tires is actually a known manufacturing fault (at least with the Lancer 2008 here in Singapore) that the camber is set incorrectly from the factory and cannot be changed without the installation of adjustable camber bolts for the front suspension. As a result of changing the front camber bolts this may reduce the wear on the rear tires, but probably not by much. If I was you, I would get a set of adjustable camber bolts, either second hand from this forum, or new from RoadRaceMotorsports (http://www.roadracemotorsports.com, and head to a garage locally that specialises in 4 Wheel Computerised Alignment. Make sure you save all the receipts. Once you can find a garage that can do the 4 Wheel Computerised Alignment get them to provide you with a print out of the current alignment, then get them to change the camber bolts and re-align the suspension as best they can. Also ask for a print out afterwards. Armed with the above information, head back to the dealership you purchased the vehicle from (it sounds like its still under warranty) and demand to speak to the head of the dealership. Explain the problem and show the receipts. Ask for a refund and see how you get on. This would not work here in Singapore, but you have far better consumer rights in the US, so I see no reason why you should not be refunded.
Last May I bought a 09 GTS, the car pulled left from the beginning. I am a retired auto instructor and I specialised in teaching alignment and suspensions. I knew using a spirit level that the camber on the front was to far positive on the left front wheel . That will cause the steering to pull if camber is unequal from one side to the other. If you have to much negative camber that will cause excess tread wear on the inside edge. Looking at the photos it looks like you have excess negative camber. I took car to dealer- but they cannot adjust camber as it is fixed. (Not adjustable). Many of these Lancers are out of camber specs from the factory.. Mitsu knows this but are stonewalling. This can be fixed as the last post says. I bought a set of adjustable camber bolts from RRM and had a former student of mine, he runs and alignment shop, install and adjust the front camber to within the spec. I have no more pull and no tire wear on the edges. So order a set of these bolts go to a good alignment shop and have them installed and I think your problem can be solved. In addition you MUST rotate the tires religously every 5000 miles, in this sequence. RR TO LF, LR TO RF, RF TO RR AND LF TO LR. Front wheel drive cars wear the front tires 2/3 faster because they pull , steer and do 70% of the braking, while the rear tires just follow along.
