Resolution on ongoing steering play/wandering issues

["Mike Klein" <klein@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some time back I posted a request for other possible experiences similar to
ours (see below).  The car in question is a new '98 323iC.  Although I
didn't get many responses from the list, the matter has resolved itself in a
way that might be of interest to owners of brand-new cars and possibly
others as well.

Relevant section of previous post:

> The front wheels don't
> respond to steering wheel input for roughly 3/4" of movement measured at
the
> outside of the steering wheel while going 50+ mph straight ahead, and the
> car seems to wander slightly while holding the wheel in one position,
> requiring frequent steering corrections.
..
> The dealer (Allison BMW, Mountain View CA) looked at the play while the
car
> was in for a stuck top (another story :-() and determined it was fine.
..
> The service advisor suggested that the front toe may be misadjusted, with
> possible toe-out.

The resolution was in fact an alignment to correct significant out-of-spec
settings!  It turns out that if you complain of an alignment related problem
in the first 2,000 miles of ownership (which we did) and the service
department confirms, an alignment will be covered under warranty.

3 of the 4 wheels had at least one setting out of spec, on a brand new car! 
After the alignment, the car feels substantially better.  There is far less
wandering on the road, much more like I'd expect a new BMW to feel!  The
play feels better; it is hard to relate that to a specific adjustment.  No
other suspension or steering components were adjusted, replaced, etc.
although a thorough inspection was done by one of the dealer's suspension
experts.

Here are the measured before-alignment settings vs. specs.  All the
out-of-spec setting were set within spec except the LF caster since it was
so close.

              LF           RF            Front Spec       Units   Out?
 =====================================================================
Camber       -1.1         -0.1           0.0 -> -1.0      deg     ***
Cross Camber   <-----0.9---->           -0.5 -> 0.5       deg     ***

Caster        4.3          4.2           3.2 -> 4.2       deg     ***
Cross Caster   <-----0.1---->           -0.5 -> 0.5       deg

Total Toe      <----0.38---->            0.17 -> 0.43     deg


              LR           RR            Rear Spec        Units   Out?
 =====================================================================
Camber       -2.4         -2.0           -1.4 -> -1.9     deg     ***
Toe          0.23          0.20          0.15 -> 0.25     deg


Hope this is useful to someone.  There are actually a number of additional
measurements made in a full alignment that I didn't list here.

                -Mike Klein
                klein@domain.elided
              
'98 323 iC, 2k miles
'87 911 Carrera, 85k
'91 Previa, 90k (for >4 people :-)

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