My car tilts to the drivers side a fair amount, as in, when viewing the car from the back you can see that the car is slanted towards the drivers side. I know the car was in an accident on the rear passenger quarter panel. So I took it to Duxler for a wheel alignment and they said there is no frame damage. They told me it must be the body bushings...I've never heard of these what are they??? Are they expensive? will labor kill me? Or could Duxler be wrong and it is actually frame damage?

 

help me out on this one guys but...

I'm pretty sure our cars don't have "body bushings" like a body on frame car. we've got spot welded subframes. you're alignment guy is smoking some kind of controlled substance most likely. I'd say you could have sagging springs (or a broken spring at one corner) or possibly something else. I wouldn't trust them that there is no frame dammage since they don't know what they're talking about witht the bushing thing. (still makes you feel good to hear it though ).

Clem

 

Oh no...that's not at all what I wanted to hear!! I just bought the car and...*sigh* think I got ripped off. It's an 88 GTA, and I've owned it for 3 weeks. So far I've fixed/replaced: Heater core(Took forever!!!), some hoses in engine bay, heater valve, rear stabilizer bar bushings, drivers headlight, and had a 4 wheel alignment. Now there is possible frame damage? Oh man... Oh, I also suspect odometer fraud, the guy who sold it to me had several GTA's, and I suspect he may have swapped a couple PROMs around.... And I paid WAAAY too much.. ($5500)

But on the other hand it has headers and 3" flowmaster catback, w/ hollowed out cat. One owner, from florida so very little rust (although there are some spots which are very rusty...suspicious) and the digital dash reads 76k miles.

Please guys...tell me I didn't overpay too bad...tell me your horror stories, anything to make me feel better

 

Ok wait, I just reread your post and you say you think it's the springs and not frame damage...Still, springs are a pain and I can't do it myself (or can I...?) I still feel like a moron for buying such a thing...and paying so much.

Try and make me feel better...plz!!

 

Removing the back springs is not very difficult to do,, if you can get the car off the ground in the back & have some jack stands to sit the car on. One the rear suspension is fully extended the spring easily yank off their perches on the rear axle. You might try swapping the springs left to right to see if that either shifts the lean the other way or might get lucky & balance it out. Maybe a really heavy person used to drive the car ?

If you know of a frame alignment shop around your area,, that would be a better place to have it checked for twisting or anything being bent,, usually to have a car twisted back into shape is usually fairly cheap (depending on where you go and if they want to screw you over). Most every car I've had pulled was under $200 (minor bend,, usually in the front)

Also just a note for next time,, unless you have aftermarket rear suspension part (adjustable track bar or other parts),, Having a 4 wheel alignment is a waste since the rear cannot be adjusted.


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The rear springs ARE easy

I've pulled them in the junkyards (safely, mind you) by using only the jack I found in the back of the car! Definitely take it to a Reputable body shop to take a look at your car.

Clem

 

Thanks Clem...just what I wanted to hear WHEW! Ok...I'll have a shop take a look, and hopefully it's nothing serious...

-Matt