[AlexD744]

Personally I find the encoders a more reliable way of making an autonomous algorithm. You simply drive until you hit a certain number of encoder counts. Then you move your manipulator. Then you drive some more. Then you place. Then you reverse.
If you're using the Iterative Robot template, the easiest way to do this is do create different state machines for the drive and each of your mechanisms. Then you create a main state machine that simply feeds these other machines values and waits for the drive or manipulator to be in place. Once the structure was created, fine tuning the numbers only took a few hours, and now we can place on any of the high pegs and the middle second level pegs reliably (as long as we're using a fresh battery that is).