Helpful and money saving tips
 

This might not be new, but I think it would be good to list ways we have saved time and money. I have two to start:

Free 4 wheel alignments (after the first)
Firestone (no flames!) offers lifetime alignments for $150. Whether this is a good deal or not depends on the quality of the Firestone store you visit. I'm lucky. My local guy is a M3 owner, understands Z's, and really does things right. He even HPDE's on Pacific Raceways. I went there Saturday to get my all weather tires swapped out for the stock Potenza's. He discovered slight uneven tire wear and suggested the alignment. From the printout, he was right. I was a bit out of spec. Now I can go for alignment anytime I hit a bump or get ready for a track day. It's free as long as I own the Z.

Free database for service records
Nissan (nissanusa.com) has an "owners" area. Go to the home page and you will see the link at the very top of the page. Once you register your Z, you can access "service records". Unfortunately, unlike Toyota who has a similar service, you can't see dealer entries, but you can put your own in. It's a simple, free way to maintain maintenance records. It's easy to print out and keep a copy in the car.

Please add your tips.

Thanks for these. My car is still a few weeks away from me. Waiting for some service(oil cooler, rear fog etc) and then shipping to Germany. I will add some later!

Yeah I plan on getting the Firestone lifetime alignment too. The store in Spanaway has a new on the ground touchless alignment setup too.

Which Firestone do you go to?

Thanks for the tips buddy. Love this forum.

This got moved to a weird category..brakes and suspension? What about other people's tips to save time and money?

Issaquah on Gilman Blvd.

Stopped buying shoes with lead as the main material used in the soles. I find this saved a lot on the amount of money I spent on gas.

:driving:

Great tips! I have a firestone right down the road. Time to start lookin up reviews :tup:

There is some truth to the saying 'you get what you pay for'. I've had firestone massively f up alignment on two cars. Could just be the particular
Store I went to, but I don't patronize firestone since.

Repped. Thanks for the info.

My friend has the firestone lifetime alignment and he has had problems with the one he goes to which is in Woddland Hills California. From what he has told me, you have to purchase the alignment BEFORE your Z is lowered. They will not give you the lifetime alignments if your car is already lowered. He bought the package before he put his kw v2s on and then when he went to go get an alignment the shop said they would not do it for him because his Z was lowered. He had to call the main office and spent half an hour arguing with the techs untill corporate called and told them to honor the package. I'm not sure if its different anywhere else but just thought i would give you guys a heads up before you do it. You might just want to ask your local firestone and see what they say, who knows it might be different or my friend just went to a crappy shop.

Firestone techs know almost nothing about doing a proper alignment.

I see so many bad alignments here locally from Tire Discounters/Firestone/Pep Boys/Sears that it makes me sick. So many people shop on price to get a strait steering wheel not a proper alignment.

I personally am going to say stay away from such shops with a 10ft pole. Find someone who really understands car setup even for your street car. If your going to put thousands of dollars into a suspension don't skimp on what is essentially the most important part.

NTB has a 3- and 5-year alignment deal. I think the 5-year is around $200, and considering one trip will cost $100, seems pretty easy to get your money's worth. I have a five-year contract, am about 20 months in, and have used it twice already :tup: