tire kingdom employs the best

The same exact thing happend to me years ago when I first got my red Mark. I'll post the photo later when I find it.

I still had some more front end parts to put on the car, so I had to get it re aligned anyway.

I watched them do it, and the machine said it was in spec. I rember noticing that they had to adjust the strut rods a lot. I didn't notice the wheel was all the way back until a few days later. It steered fine.

I'm thinking they entered the wrong car (Continental) into the machine, and aligned it to the wrong specs. A lot of people think our Marks are still Continentals.

I didn't even take my car back there to complain, I didn't want them touching my car again.
 
Having been a service manager at a FLM dealership, I was interested in your experience Jamie. I have been on the other side of the desk for situations like you described. I could tell you stories...

But, there are two sides to every story! I'm not discounting your experiences at "tire condom" (we don't have that chain here!) at all.

I saw many situations occur where a technician just plain screwed up. Things turned out the best for everyone involved when the situation was discussed reasonably and resolved in the same way.

Just to throw a log on the discussion fire, would any of us have a vasectomy done by the doctor who advertises the cheapest price? Maybe...but the first thing I'd do is make sure that the doctor who advertised the lowest price offered the best quality service. If I had any doubts about getting quality work done, I'd go elsewhere and gladly pay more.
That comparison should give you some idea of how much I like my Mark!

Sometimes you get more when you pay more! Sometimes people who are not trained properly are set loose to work on cars. Sometimes this occurs in brand-name chain stores. Sometimes it happens at a dealership. Sometimes the guy at Home Depot gives bad advice.

Your reaction sure did leave you with a great story to tell, though. Imagine if it went like this: "I showed manager how angry I was by calmly walking to my car and safely accelerating to the posted speed limit."

That wouldn't have been as much fun to say over a couple of beers with friends!

p.s. please don't tase me, bro'

Ron
 
I'm with those that think that you could have solved this situation with less stress and confronation.

sure they messed up... but you also didn't need to throw a huge fight about when the manager was trying to make things right.

Either way glad you got your money back.
 
Here's what mine looked like:

caster.jpg
 
maxmk8 said:
I'm with those that think that you could have solved this situation with less stress and confronation.

sure they messed up... but you also didn't need to throw a huge fight about when the manager was trying to make things right.

Either way glad you got your money back.
Click to expand...

I think the problem is that they already tried. It was not a one time thing, they had two chances to align. The second time he was told that was all they could do.
 
thats exactly what happened to mine only mine is lowered so the tire is way closer to the top of the fender opening. and max, as far as how i acted, i should have been worse, the guys that were there when i went in for service obviously should not be working there and those were the words out of the day managers mouth, so why should i have acted more rational, BS my car is not a guinea pig, it should have been the right way after 1 try. and the manager agreed that my tire was way back to far and he tells me there is nothing they can do about it??? how is that trying to make it right, then the say they will pull it back in and try their best? try your best??? when i dropped the car off my front wheels were centered, then they touch it twice and you see my end result, but some of you think i should have been a little more civil, i dont think so, you guys wouldnt like me in person for sure, i dont take crap from no one and if i pay to have my car touched by a so called pro and end up with this result, i'm not shaking anyones hand and saying great job, they tried twice with totally bogus results, and im supposed to play it cool, yeah right, and i was easy on them too, i could be a whole hell of alot meaner. i'm sorry what anyone thinks but this is my car and i acted how those idiots needed to be treated. if you cant do the job at hand there is no reason to be working for a place like this, your customers are riding on your work, you step in my shoes and have them do something like this to your corvette and tell me you'll go in there all smiles and invite them to a cook out afterwards.
 
Yes, my photo was taken a long time ago, before I had a Module VIII to lower my car. Heck, I didn't even have my 20 spoke wheels then.:D

Since this has happened to at least three of us here, I'm curious to find out for sure what really happend.

Does anyone have the alignment specs for a 93 or 94 Continental?
 
Jamie,

I understand you run a business. I wonder if you are giving your potential customers a glimpse into what we might expect if they would ever have a disagreement or problem with something they purchased from you.

I know from personal experience that you are good to deal with when buying parts. I recommend that you stop giving people reason to think otherwise.

Ron
 
Did you read the entire thread Ron?

So if you had a car mis-aligned twice and TWICE told they did all they could and nothing could be done by the MANAGER and no refund would be given, thats ok? Is this how things were done as a FLM dealer?
 
everyone on here knows me, im not in the least worried of scaring off a customer, you obviously dont understand the situation here so i will not continue to argue about it, i resolved it myself and it took being a prick to get it resolved, i do not act like this everytime something in my life goes wrong, i do not deal with places like this , i do my own work, so i dont have to end up in this situation, but i had to this time because i'm not a millionaire with a huge shop and alignment racks. if someone buys something from us, and had a problem, we take care of it no questions asked, just look at our feedback, and if someone comes to me for work, and is unhappy with the end result, i dont tell them its the best i can do, live with it, what this was like to deal with at tire kingdom, was way below acceptable period. i am pleased with my results from ford. but i despise dealerships, dont try giving me the sweet dealer talk, i know the insides of a dealer and even big auto mechanic shops, they are all the same, crooked as hell, i wouldnt trust anyone from a dealer as far as i could throw them.
 
Last edited:
As someone that owns three businesses, I can tell you that in my opinion it is a good thing when someone complains. They are giving you a chance to rectify a situation and if handled properly can make them a customer for life.

A satisfied customer will sometimes refer your business to someone else. A customer that had a problem that was resolved above and beyond his expectations is much more likely to refer your business to someone else. On the other hand, a customer that has a problem and walks away is likely to tell people bad things about your business, and a customer who has a problem, complains, and then is not treated properly is likely to tell MANY people, just like what we have seen happen here.

If a business messes something up they hey, we are all human. Deal with it and be civil. If they mess something up twice, it's time to get concerned. If they mess something up twice and then tell you there's nothing wrong, or they can't fix it... then it's hard to fault anyone for getting heated over that.

Added: Incidentally, I think I would have been afraid to drive my car after seeing the wheels pushed back that far.
 
Last edited:
i was affraid i had to hold the wheel to the left to make it go straight if i let go of the wheel even for 2 seconds it would have ripped the car off the road. i gave them a second chance without a heated discussion but as it went further on in the parking lot and i was told they would pull it in for the 3rd time and try their best thats when i said its time to give me my keys back. i wasnt going for it a 3rd time, for what reason, to end up with the same reults or worse, what i should do is scan my spec sheet i got from ford and show you all tire kingdoms " so called alignment" compared to fords. its not even remotely within tolerance. the numbers are off astronomically.
 
If any of you Texas/Houston folks need an alignment..let me know.

one of the guys on "Crazy 8's Racing" team work/manages a firestone tire shop.

Granted I wouldn't normally suggest a "chain store", but this guy goes "above and beyond" in getting my tires pointed in the correct direction.

If I remember correct, I paid 68.00 for a 4 wheel alignment and when he was done, but car drove straight and true and the steering wheel was dead on straight.
 
here's the spec paper from ford, compare for yourself the first pic is before ford touched it then second pic is after the worked on it, tire kingdom was pretty close huh?
alignmentspecs001.jpg

alignmentspecs002.jpg



ford said the rear camber is still off but they said there is no more measurment to adjust its maxed out i guess, thats ok though the back is not as critical as the front and when i put the gears in, im actually taking out the entire rear end to weld up the cradle solid and put a whole new bushing kit in it so maybe by then they can get the rear end dead nuts.
 
Last edited:
thats what the service manager at ford said its possible. but he couldnt say it was deffinite. but he did says being lowered doesnt help, he also said for tire kingdom to blame their screw up on it being lowered is not right, he said, lowered or not, there is adjustment, thats why there is adjustment, he said the amount my car is lowered is not enough to make the alignment not possible to perform. but it drives like a dream now i love how quiet it is, how tight it is, and how it handles, this is the first mark VIII i have driven that can actually take some high speed curves without feeling like its gonna slide off the road, i have never had one that felt like aggresive on the road, im sure the wider tires help too, but man this thing is really fun to drive a little harder then normal!
 
jamies98lsc said:
here's the spec paper from ford, compare for yourself the first pic is before ford touched it then second pic is after the worked on it, tire kingdom was pretty close huh?
alignmentspecs001.jpg

alignmentspecs002.jpg



ford said the rear camber is still off but they said there is no more measurment to adjust its maxed out i guess, thats ok though the back is not as critical as the front and when i put the gears in, im actually taking out the entire rear end to weld up the cradle solid and put a whole new bushing kit in it so maybe by then they can get the rear end dead nuts.
Click to expand...

The negative thrust angle is actually illegal as well. You can report them to your state's transportation authority and/or DMV.

The cambor settings in the back would actually improve cornering, but at the cost of uneven tire wear.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top