Quick update:

Above alignment specs worked wonderfully with Yoko A032R race tires... Super controllable. Over/Under steer at will, fully controllable 4-wheel drifts, what fun!

 

Does anyone else think that we should be able to have dealers confirm and/or reset alignments to spec under warrantee? Of course, there would have to be some stipulation on number of miles tolerated. But to think that pfb's car was that much out of alignment since new (assumed) seems wrong.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by vmb
[B]Does anyone else think that we should be able to have dealers confirm and/or reset alignments to spec under warrantee?

 

vmb- I totally agree with having the dealer check this under warranty without a fee to the customer.

bbsilver- I also agree that this ought to be one of the things checked by the dealer before the car goes off the lot.

This is one of the best threads I have yet to read. Thanks to all those involved!

My '02 S2 is on order so I have a while before I have to deal with it, but I will mention it to the dealer where I am buying the car and post you with the reply. I have been very happy so far.

If they decide to not do, I will take the car to the other dealer where my service will be done, have them check it and adjust as needed. I will pay the bill and then I will raise a big stink with the district service manager, with luck it will not come to that.

 

Here's another report:

My friend and I had our cars aligned at EF Auto Service Center, Pompano Beach, FL. The tech was very informative and helpful regarding our setup for a balance of street and track/autocross use. Interestingly, BOTH cars were misaligned in a similar manner with slightly low front camber and about double the correct rear toe-in. Our final alignment settings were similar, here is the data from my sheet:

Front Left Camber -0.8 deg.
Front Right Camber -0.8 deg.
Front Left Caster +5.7 deg.
Front Right Caster +6.4 deg.
Front Left Toe +0.00 deg.
Front Right Toe 0.02 deg.
Total front toe +0.02 deg

Rear Left Camber -2.0 deg.
Rear Right Camber -2.0 deg.
Rear Left Toe +0.17 deg.
Rear Right Toe +0.20 deg
Total Rear Toe +0.36 deg.

Since the cars are daily drivers, we increased front and rear camber to the high end of spec., so it's not as aggressive as some. We'll have to wait and see what the effect is on street tire wear. When pushed, the car feels much improved on turn-in and balance, but I'm still fighting oversteer. I attribute that to my technique (or lack thereof) and my track tires - Kumho V700s 225/50 up front and 245/45 in the rear. A new, front bar may be in the picture for next season.

 

I've run with -1 deg. (f)/-2 deg.

 

what is the best alignment setting for everyday drive or set as factory setting do you guy have a factory alignment setting tahnk you

 

I think what you are asking is "what alignment would you recommend for my car? My car is a daily driver."

Check out the first post, and I would recommend the "As Aligned" settings of:
[QUOTE]
Front Camber:

 

The steering felt different as well after I got the Spoon wheels with their lower offsets. I now notice that the inside half of the tires show more wear than the outer, though I have put on much more highway miles than the twisties recently. I'll try to find what my car's settings are currently before I decide on new settings.

 

To answer some recent alignment questions...