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[punchnpie]

I have a manual. And yes, I did look at it when I first got the car, but it was a bit over my head and put it away.

I'm starting to feel like some of y'all's students. : )

[pedanterast]

Yes, they can put on tires without doing an alignment. They shouldn't, and usually it's something you pay for when you get the tires, but they can.

I think you are confusing alignment with balancing.  Balancing should be done to all tires at time of purchase, and is often "free" or included in the price.  Alignment would not be free.  Now if you DO have an alignment problem, you don't want to get new tires before you get the alignment done, because mis-alignment makes the tires wear out unevenly and prematurely.  In fact, looking at the old tires would have told me or any tire guy whether you needed an alignment or not.  Letting go of your steering wheel at 70 mph will also tell you, although that can be tire pressure or suspension-related as well.  Basically an experienced driver, even one who's not a mechanic, would know by driving a car if it had a steering problem that could be alignment-related.  If it tracks straight, it doesn't need alignment.

BTW alignment does actually not make the wheels "straight"; it gives them an amount of caster and camber that is specific to the model of car.  So neither straight nor parallel.

[pedanterast]

Also, 25,500 miles doesn't seem like a lot to get out of a set of new tires.  You may not be checking the air pressure frequently.  Or, they may have scared you into replacing the tires rather early.  Were the wear bars showing?

[paultuttle]

When I had a Ford Focus, the dealership sent a guy from the repair area to see me in the waiting area with my car's air filter in hand. The message? I "had" to "replace" it because otherwise, it'd have an "extremely negative effect on my car's gas mileage."

I took the filter from him and--in front of everyone else waiting there--I turned it over and pointed out the "this is washable" imprint on the underside.

And then I said, putting on my best "innocent" face, "Curiously, Ford has ensured that the owner doesn't have to replace this part, but your shop is advocating replacement. Why is that?"

I might as well have said "busted," from the way the other customers laughed and applauded. Red-faced, the guy left.

The lesson I took from that: Sometimes you have to call people out on their scams so they know they can't take advantage of you. :big, wide, toothy grin:

[punchnpie]

Also, 25,500 miles doesn't seem like a lot to get out of a set of new tires.  You may not be checking the air pressure frequently.  Or, they may have scared you into replacing the tires rather early.  Were the wear bars showing?

The tires needed to go. My son has the same model, 1 year newer. He found out that the tires that came with this model aren't the best, especially for our weather and replaced his last year. I knew from the last review over the summer that I'd need to replace these in the fall. The new ones are all-weather. I had a few close calls last winter; I thought it was the breaks, but it was because snow was getting packed in the shallow treads. I don't have an issue with new tires considering our horrible winters.

[aandsdean]

Also, 25,500 miles doesn't seem like a lot to get out of a set of new tires.  You may not be checking the air pressure frequently.  Or, they may have scared you into replacing the tires rather early.  Were the wear bars showing?

The tires needed to go. My son has the same model, 1 year newer. He found out that the tires that came with this model aren't the best, especially for our weather and replaced his last year. I knew from the last review over the summer that I'd need to replace these in the fall. The new ones are all-weather. I had a few close calls last winter; I thought it was the breaks, but it was because snow was getting packed in the shallow treads. I don't have an issue with new tires considering our horrible winters.

The roads in Punchstate (where I live as well) are terrible.  And they sand them during the winter, which kills tires.  I've lived here, off and on, for about 14 years now, and the place is hell on tires compared to anyplace I've been elsewhere.

[infiniteloop]

Re-torquing wheels are needed, but given that your average grease monkey takes their 600 lb impact and goes nuts they don't come loose.  In fact they are more likely to break your wheel studs than anything else.  Sorry but I don't trust torque sticks or grease monkeys, then again I do all my car work myself.  Usually when I put wheels on I'll drive around for 30-40 miles and re-torque them.  

Also, tires are probably the single most overlooked item on a car.  They help you move, brake, steer, etc.  Your el-cheapo 11,000 tread wear Sams Club specials are exactly.  With adhesion and braking properties of a brick.  There are numerous online retailers where you can get quality tires for a fraction of the cost.  Many eons ago I used to run Walmart specials, after the 10th set started getting bubbles I decided I had enough. 

Next, once you install tires you generally don't need an alignment.  Unless they notice any cupping or uneven wear on your old tires.  Only at that juncture should they even remotely need an alignment.  You will notice alignment issues long before they will - wheel not keeping straight, strange gas mileage issues, differences in braking, etc.  Then again I align my cars 2x a year.  

The automotive service places are full of crooks.  I only trust two mechanic friends and both are 60 miles away from me, so I drive an hour if and when my own skills don't work.  Recently a friend needed exhaust work done, she took it to your typical Jiffy Monkey Lube and they quoted her $550.  I looked at the car, took it to one of the above mechanic friends since I didn't want to crawl under the car.  Two minutes and $0 later it was fixed.  The problem?  A loose bolt that I could have easily fixed had the weather not been a pain.