Where should I get my i3 alignments done?

BMW i3 Forum

Help Support BMW i3 Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

richs

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2020
Messages
64
I took my 2017 i3 into the dealership for its last free REx oil change a couple months ago and my local BMW dealership, which seems to know the i3 pretty well, strongly suggested that I get an alignment once per year. Based on what I've read here, it sounds like they were being honest with me on that point. Since I was already there I just let them do it. As I expected, they charged a lot for a one-time alignment ($200).

I think that my local Firestone place charges $200 for a lifetime alignment, or maybe half that for a 12-month alignment. Should I just trust Firestone to do it right or should I keep taking to the BMW dealership? I understand that there's nothing especially unusual about the suspension of an i3, so I'm tempted to trust Firestone to do this, but I'd like to hear some other opinions. Thanks!
 
Get it done at the dealership . Their machine calculates the weight on each wheel and adjust the alignment accordingly . I'm not sure if other places with alignment machines can do that . This i was told by my dealership and I trust they told the truth . It may be more money but it's worth it . I don't know about yearly alignment though . I've never been told that by any garage . Only when I get new tires .
 
Telltale signs of needing an alignment requires both a visual inspection and a careful observation of how the vehicle drives along with being religious about keeping your tire pressure correct. An obvious pull, or change in how the steering wheel is oriented while trying to go straight, or it pulling to one side or the other is a red flag to check things as is uneven wear on the tires.

IMHO, if the car is driving straight without pull, the steering wheel's straight ahead position hasn't changed, and the tires are wearing evenly, an alignment may not buy you much of anything. The first part of that should be maybe more obvious, as tire wear can take some time to become noticeable.
 
Thanks for the responses. I think I'll ignore the dealership's advice about a yearly alignment and have it done when it pulls or the tires wear unevenly, just like every other car I've ever owned.
 
I just got a 2018 i3s BEV. It was pulling slightly to the right and the steering behaved in a way where it was every so slightly easier to turn right than left if that makes sense...from off-center. The steering naturally settled a bit to the right..every so.

I got it re-aligned by the dealer. In the streets...it feels centered now...on the highway...it still pulls to the right. The alignment report shows everything is in spec...so I don't understand why it's pulling. Pressures are nominal and correct.
 
everything is in spec...so I don't understand why it's pulling.

I've been told that by design the suspension in right-hand drive cars is set up to have a slight pull to the left, while left-hand drive cars are set up to pull slightly to the right. Idea being that if a driver is inattentive or dozes off the car will naturally drift toward the side of the road, instead of into oncoming traffic. If the pull is pronounced, then a more in-depth check of wheel bearings, suspension, and brake components is in order.
 
Get it done at the dealership . Their machine calculates the weight on each wheel and adjust the alignment accordingly . I'm not sure if other places with alignment machines can do that .

BMW Dealers use either the Kinematics or the Hawkeye Elite wheel alignment system - Firestone and most other good independent repair shops use the Hawkeye, as it is considered one of the best. The Dealer doesn't do anything that the other shops don't do - it's all computerized - you pick the car on the alignment jig from a menu in the systems computer which stores alignment data provided by the manufacturer - and it does the rest - laser measuring, and telling the tech what adjustments to make.

https://www.autoserviceworld.com/carsmagazine/bmw-approves-hunters-hawkeye-elite-alignment-system-quickgrip-adaptors/
 
Here are the results btw:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kwKTxKrdpJVTG1Et7
 
Just had new tires installed. The old one wore unevenly despite me watching the pressure. The car always drove straight. They still lasted 21k miles, which seems fairly typical.
 
gt1 said:
Just had new tires installed. The old one wore unevenly despite me watching the pressure. The car always drove straight. They still lasted 21k miles, which seems fairly typical.

Yeah I think so. It is what it is. After a certain point, the time spent dealing with it and thinking about it is counterproductive. I did call a few external alignment shops but I'm convinced that dealing with these types of places is a complete waste of time. The crappy attitudes, the piss-poor facilities, etc. I'd not trust any of them to do work on my car. At least at the dealership I know the work is covered and warrantied for a specific period of time.
 
Older BMWs (late '90s and early '00s) didn't have suspension adjustments in the rear. The only possible alignment options for them are a two-wheel (front) service.

I have a stack of dealer service invoices from the BMWs I owned back then that continued to recommend four-wheel alignments! [facepalm]

My recommendation would be to find a tire shop (not a BMW dealer) near you that caters to autocrossers and track enthusiasts. It took me a few years to find the right one in my area but once I did, my BMWs always drove true.

I ended up knowing the alignment technician by name and he'd always ask me to sit in the car when he had it on the alignment rack – as the driver, your weight changes your suspension's position!
 
Back
Top