Did I get ripped off???

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by iluvspl

... I wouldnt be near as mad if the car was actually aligned lol.

J: the 132 wheel/tire combo run fine!

Joe at Regal, (Robert did the work), is a pisser from NJ! It was like being back in metro NY bs'ing with him. Thanks for the tip.

GL on your Aling fix...doncha just love the fookin Stlrs?!
BR,md

[iluvspl]

Exactly if the alignment was perfect when i picked it up I would think, yeah maybe a little high. Problem is the alignment is worse than when i brought it to them, and i brought it to them with new front springs installed with no alignment adjustments done before they got the car. I mean i have to hold the steering wheels turned towards the left to get it to go straight, that is pretty bad i would say.

[Quicksilver]

I don't know what the Rates in Florida are but I just Called A local BMW dealership and ask what the cost for an alignment would be and I was told that it starts at $255.00 for all 3.5.7 series. 4 wheel alignment I would guess would be more. Call around a couple more dealerships and ask.

[alpac]

Got 4 wheels alignment done last month on my X for $140 at an independent garage specialized in German cars.

[YankeeBimmer]

It's $180 at my dealer!

[Thunder22]

Any GoodYear shope can do a 4 wheel alignment and it costs anywhere from $59-$89. It's by no means a difficult procedure, the machine tells the tech everything. You might want to call GoodYear in your area and get a quote to show your $tealer.

[JCL]

The machine may tell the tech everything, but that isn't necessarily the same as setting everything. Shops can correctly call their offering a four wheel alignment when they are measuring four wheels but just adjusting the front wheels (and compensating for errors on the rear wheels by adjusting the front). There are also various levels of completeness to what is termed a four wheel alignment, depending on how many items are checked. The BMW warranty allowance (what BMW pays the dealer) is listed at 2.6 hours on the web. That is likely to be a more complete procedure than anything Goodyear or other shops are doing for less than $100. Anything less than 1.5 hours sounds like a check, not an alignment.

I am not suggesting that everyone needs a complete alignment. I do think, though, that there are real differences in the actual services being described in this thread.

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by JCL

The machine may tell the tech everything, but that isn't necessarily the same as setting everything. Shops can correctly call their offering a four wheel alignment when they are measuring four wheels but just adjusting the front wheels (and compensating for errors on the rear wheels by adjusting the front). There are also various levels of completeness to what is termed a four wheel alignment, depending on how many items are checked. The BMW warranty allowance (what BMW pays the dealer) is listed at 2.6 hours on the web. That is likely to be a more complete procedure than anything Goodyear or other shops are doing for less than $100. Anything less than 1.5 hours sounds like a check, not an alignment.

I am not suggesting that everyone needs a complete alignment. I do think, though, that there are real differences in the actual services being described in this thread.

The point I was making was that the alignment wasn't an analog procedure where 2 chimps with wiffle ball bats squint through 1 eye to see if "the wheels look ok"..... the alignment rack is computerized and very accurate. The 4 wheel alignment that I had done at GY took about 1.5 hours on my other car that will remain nameless in fear of starting another "discussion" A 4 wheel alignment is not rocket science and just because BMW charges an arm and a leg for it (and everything else for that matter) and allocates 2.5 hours of labor doesn't make it right or any better than any place else. (obviously a place like GY could hire some chimp who could screw up your car, but as with anything automotive, you have to find a place that you trust with a good mechanic)

[motordavid]

I think J/iluvspl woulda put up with the $300 pricey
"alingment", if the sumbitch ran down the road properly
following that fine "service" by the Stlr.

Wonder if the lowering job had an effect?

Most of us here don't necessarily seek out $20 oil changes or,
$100 tune ups, and most of us don't mind paying some dough
for good work; it's when the "fix" is worse than the orig condition
that PO's me and, I suspect, most here.
My2Cts.
BR,md

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by motordavid

I think J/iluvspl woulda put up with the $300 pricey
"alingment", if the sumbitch ran down the road properly
following that fine "service" by the Stlr.

Wonder if the lowering job had an effect?

Most of us here don't necessarily seek out $20 oil changes or,
$100 tune ups, and most of us don't mind paying some dough
for good work; it's when the "fix" is worse than the orig condition
that PO's me and, I suspect, most here.
My2Cts.
BR,md

Lowering any car will definitely throw off the alignment.