My girlfriend has a 2003 Neon. Its got approx. 26,000 miles on it. Most of the driving has been in town. Anyways, she got a flat tire fixed today. Her passenger rear tire was "wearing uneven and they said her car most likely needs realigned". They don't actually align at the place she took it so they obviously aren't trying to sell her something. I haven't had a chance to take a look, but if the tire is badly worn and it does need aligned would it make sense to just buy new tires. The place she would get the tires does free alignment with 4 new tires. Getting a car aligned cost $70 or $80 doesn't it? My thinking is it she needs it aligned and a new tire she is already half way to a new set of tires with it aligned.

 

It depends on the tread, if she's got 2 or 3/32nds on the tires and they are uneven then replace them if not then keep them and have it aligned with those tires.

 

Most shops won't warranty the tire if the car is out of alignment. If the car won't hold an alignment, there are worn suspension parts that will need to be replaced.

 

how do they align the rear tire?
unless this tire was originally on the front and thats where it wore unevenly

if they are the original goodyear eagle LS's change em anyways cus they are crappy tires

 

They use the rear lateral bars. If you look at them where they mount to the body, those hexagon shape pieces are used for the alignment.

 

dont the lat bars just adjust camber?
I'll stiil put my money on those tires wore funny on the front

 

Yeah, but camber is the most common alignment problem. It'll wear the crap out of the edges of the tires...

 

Toe is the big angle you want to watch for, I just had my car realigned today. It was .50in out of spec on the left rear toe. That's BIG and toe will chew your tires up like there is no tomorrow.

 

I got a 2005 srt inspired sxt used with 26k. The Goodyear Eagle LS tires looked fine, but when I drove on the interstate for about 20 minutes the front passenger tire exploded. I had the tire up to the recommended 32psig as it says in the door jam, the drive was mountainous so I slowed down uphill and went up to the speed limit down hill. Then going uphill about 65mph I heard a backfire-ish noise, and some nasty thumping, thought my head gasket was coming undone. I was lucky and the sidewall just tore up and there was just some loose tread left. I then dropped those tires like hot potatoes, I did not have any real choice at the time, but the Cooper CS4 touring tires have been pretty good. I will see if they make it to the recommended 60k miles that they suggest.

 

Just remember to rotate them every 6k miles and have it aligned about once a year and you should get that 60k.