tire/align shop recommendations San Jose CA area?

hcoles · 06-13-2011, 07:38 AM

Performance Art is NLA. What small tire/align shops are people finding that seem to have considerable knowledge and experience? Even good relationships with some Wheel Works shops have been OK over the years, but I want to take a new looK.

Tony V · 06-13-2011, 08:02 AM

Performance Art has become Borelli Motor Sports. They have a beautiful facility at Club Auto Sport at:
521 Charcot Ave. 95131 (408) 770 1220. Talk to Addison. Their alignment/ tire tech is from Custom Alignment in Mountain View, another great choice for all things related to Porsche suspensions.
Tony

Mahler9th · 06-13-2011, 10:15 AM

Depends.... what type of Porsche and what type of application. I strongly recommend against Custom Alignment though. I took my 993 to them a few years back and they were arrogant and not customer focused. I did not have them do any work on the car as a result. Instead I took it to Rector Porsche in Burlingame, and my friend and fellow racer Peter Smith did the work. He is the PCA national tech committee chair. I have also heard negative things from guys with other types of cars regarding Custom Alignment.

In Mountain View I can recommend Steve Casaletto at TrackStar Racing. He is meticulous, experienced, knowledgable, honest, fair priced and technically sharp. He is a PCA member, a BMW CCA member and has tracked and raced both BMWs and Porsches. He keeps his alignment rack in tip top condition.

He can do straight up street car specs, performance street, AX, track, whatever you want. And he has scales for corner balancing.

For a track/race application further south there is always Jerry Woods Enterprises. They do a meticulous job.

kugelfischer · 06-13-2011, 01:24 PM

My 0.02
Check out
Roger Kraus Racing Ent., Inc.- Castro Valley, CA.
They are very friendly and can set up your car per your driving habits. They will also do a full corner balance if you like (like to pay extra that is). I had my car done by Kraus as well as many of my friends. They do a great job and know their stuff.

K

Tony V · 06-13-2011, 04:52 PM

Normally I wouldn't respond but I've had nothing but good experiences at Custom Alignment. Joe Silva, the owner, has come in on weekends to host PCA tech sessions and has always been very customer focused. Sorry you had a different experience. Sometimes it's the chemistry I guess.
Tony
Custom Alignment cheerleader.

AirKuhl · 06-13-2011, 07:44 PM

Are you in Saratoga? If so Jerry Woods is almost walking distance. Can't think of a better or more highly regarded shop.

Mahler9th · 06-13-2011, 08:22 PM

+1 on Roger Krause Racing, but it is far from San Jose. I have known Roger and his son for more than 15 years and have had many alignments and corner balances done there. I have also sent them many customers... and all have been more than satisfied.

By the way, I am very aware of the previous reputation of Custom Alignment. Many of my fellow PCA racers and friends recommended them. So I went in with my 993. The 993 alignment specs at the time were a little confusing, and if the cars are set up improperly, they eat rear tires. I researched the specs using my many connections in the PCA.

When I visited Custom Alignment, I asked the counter person what specs they would use, or if they would use specs I provided. Silva was not there. The person at the counter refused to answer my questions and was very rude, indicating that they knew what they were doing (they being the techs). I identified myself as a PCA member and explained that I was there based on recommendations from friends, and was very polite and humble, but the guy was very rude and disrespectful and would not let me speak to anyone else.

It was very frustrating as I saw pictures of friends race cars on the wall there. It seemed like the counter person took a look at me and made some kind of judgement. He may not have, but that is how he made me feel. I have not felt that way often in my life... just a few times that I can remember.

Having been in the PCA for nearly 25 years and being very active, I encounter lots of people asking for recommendations for various things. It pains me to not be able to support a business that has been previously recommended by people I respect. But in this case, I must give them a big thumbs down based on how I was treated.

AirKuhl · 06-13-2011, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mahler9th

+1 on Roger Krause Racing, but it is far from San Jose. I have known Roger and his son for more than 15 years and have had many alignments and corner balances done there. I have also sent them many customers... and all have been more than satisfied.

By the way, I am very aware of the previous reputation of Custom Alignment. Many of my fellow PCA racers and friends recommended them. So I went in with my 993. The 993 alignment specs at the time were a little confusing, and if the cars are set up improperly, they eat rear tires. I researched the specs using my many connections in the PCA.

When I visited Custom Alignment, I asked the counter person what specs they would use, or if they would use specs I provided. Silva was not there. The person at the counter refused to answer my questions and was very rude, indicating that they knew what they were doing (they being the techs). I identified myself as a PCA member and explained that I was there based on recommendations from friends, and was very polite and humble, but the guy was very rude and disrespectful and would not let me speak to anyone else.

It was very frustrating as I saw pictures of friends race cars on the wall there. It seemed like the counter person took a look at me and made some kind of judgement. He may not have, but that is how he made me feel. I have not felt that way often in my life... just a few times that I can remember.

Having been in the PCA for nearly 25 years and being very active, I encounter lots of people asking for recommendations for various things. It pains me to not be able to support a business that has been previously recommended by people I respect. But in this case, I must give them a big thumbs down based on how I was treated.

That's definitely a bummer to hear. I haven't used them in a few years but I had nothing but good experiences there, including great track setup on my 993 with aftermarket wheels and PSS9's. They took me in once while very busy to emergency fix a tire with a screw in it, and they always let me in back to watch them work on my car. Hopefully it was just one douchebag employee, I hate to see a good company go downhill.