Alignment issue

[mikea128]

Took my car (98 m3/4) to the stealer for an alignment and picked it up today. Ignoring the extra $20 hidden charge that they didn't tell me about, I've got an issue with the alignment itself. According to the printout from their alignment machine, the front camber is set at -0.8 deg on both sides. This is how it was before and after they adjusted things. Now, this is out of their specified range (-2.5 to -1.5), although it's within the range that another shop gave me (they didn't have the right tools to align the car, but did give me a printout of where it stood). The same goes for the rear camber, which is at -1.8/-1.7 L/R (specified -2.9 to -2.5).

Unfortunately the tech who worked on the car isn't there today, so I'll have to wait until Monday for his explanation. But anyone have any idea what's going on here? Or even what the correct range is? According to the sheet from the first alignment shop I went to, these are both within the correct range.

-Mike

PS - I knew i should have gone to one of the shops recommended on here, but the dealer already had the car and was able to get it done sooner.

[///Mink]

According to Bentley, the stock front camber spec is -.75 degrees, +- .5 degrees, so you're within "stock" spec. However, the toe is the only thing that's adjustable on the stock front suspension anyway.

Stock rear camber is -1.75, +- .15.

[mikea128]

tmink - ahh i see. I keep saying that I'm going to pick up a Bentley, but just never get around to it. Would you mind listing all the specs from the Bentley, just so I can be sure every thing else is adjusted properly.

Weird that the machine would print out different specs, but when in doubt, go with the Bentley.

[///Mink]

The specs are given in minutes, so you have to divide by 60 to get decimal equivalents:

Front
Toe: 0 degrees 10' +- 5'
Camber: -0 degrees 46' +- 30'
Caster @10 deg wheel lock: 9 degrees 35' +- 30'
Caster @20 deg wheel lock: 7 degrees 50' +- 30'

Rear
Toe: 0 degrees 30' +- 6'
Camber: -1 degree 45' +-10'
Max allowable deviation between sides: 0 degrees, 3'

HTH.

[mikea128]

tmink - thanks once again for the info. Looks like my alignment is mostly good, although my rear toe is slightly off - 0.29 deg on mine vs 0.5 +- 0.1 deg according to the Bentley. Worth fighting for? I'm not sure. They'll point to their spec sheet which says 0.21-0.29.

Hard to believe these adjustments are all to the tenth of a degree!

[M3 Pete]

actually, 0.00 is a HUNDREDTH of a degree.

My shop, Stokes Tire in Santa Monica, gave the following camber specs for my "M3 Standard Suspension"

Front: -1.42 to -0.42
Rear: -2.00 to -1.50

Unfortunately, they said they maxed out the rear at -1.21 and -1.31, left and right, and cannot get any more. Probably needs control arms, bushings may be preventing further adjustment. It came in at -1.0 on each side, so the extra few tenths will help.

Here are the toe specs Stokes gave me:

Front: 0.05 to 0.12
Rear: 0.21 to 0.29

And while I'm here, the front caster specs:
6.13 to 7.13