How much you paid to get your front tracking done?
How much you paid to get your front tracking done?
Author
Discussion

CoolHands

Original Poster:

22,023 posts

217 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
I need to get my front tracking done today. Not rear. Not 4-wheel alignment BS. So I'm going to go round a couple of places and ask how much. If you've had it done, how much we talking?
ta

jagnet

4,373 posts

224 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
Took mine to ATS the other week as the tyre wear was showing signs of excessive toe out. Initial check was free and then £39.99 to have it adjusted if needs be.

StottyZr

6,860 posts

185 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
I've paid £15 before.

CoolHands

Original Poster:

22,023 posts

217 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
jagnet said:
Took mine to ATS the other week as the tyre wear was showing signs of excessive toe out. Initial check was free and then £39.99 to have it adjusted if needs be.
wow that's more than I expected

jagnet

4,373 posts

224 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
I'm sure you can get cheaper if you phone around first and have any independent garages near you offering alignment services.

Even at £40, it's still cheap compared to the cost of new tyres and higher fuel consumption if your alignment is out.

Dog Star

17,241 posts

190 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
Tracking is a load of old bks - having it done by the likes your local fast fit chain even more so. Do these places take a look at the alignment from front to rear? Your camber and toe?

Get a proper 4 wheel alignment done on a Hunter or Beissbarth (spel?) machine. Won't cost much more than the £39 mentioned above normally and it really alters the whole feel of the car.

jon-

16,534 posts

238 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
STS tyre pros mostly use the top of the range hunters... doesn't mean the guy using it knows how to set it up right tho hehe

Snowboy

8,028 posts

173 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
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Without telling you how to suck eggs.

If it's a rwd performance job I'd go for 4 wheels tracking.
Actually, if it's a halfway decent FWD car I'd do that too – it shouldn’t cost much more than just the fronts.

If it's a cheap shed that's just pulling to the right a bit then £20-40 at the local Kwick Fit will see you right.

Moley RUFC

3,661 posts

211 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
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£30 from Midland VW in Cannock. Superb garage with plenty of car taken with your wheels too.

Evangelion

8,308 posts

200 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
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£45 + vat per end near me, but they do everything not just the toe.

LuS1fer

43,122 posts

267 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
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About £78 for tracking and camber/castor after spring replacement (by me). Ripped off.

notallthere

35 posts

184 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
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nope

Chuck328

1,626 posts

189 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
£100!

Included sorting the camber that the previous owner had at a ridiculous angle (inner of the fronts worn away).

Still felt that was a bit steep!

CoolHands

Original Poster:

22,023 posts

217 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
well two places I rang: one was £42; but the other (target tyres in northolt) was £30. So I'm off to target tyres smile

supersingle

3,205 posts

241 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
Two spanners and a tape measure.

Job's a good 'un!

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

268 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
It's more important to get it done properly than to get it done cheaply.

NHK244V

3,358 posts

194 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
Any backstreet tyre shop will set the tracking to zero for a tenna to get it set to the correct setting your looking at £25 pluss.

Astra Dan

1,835 posts

206 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
Does a Golf even have anything other than front toe adjustment anyway?

I borrow a pair of old school tracking gauges if I'm really worried, or I've even just looked at the state of the tyres over a long time and adjust by eye and it's been fine. Doesn't keep the steering wheel 100% true, mind.
One method that should is the two bricks and a bit of string method, fancy trying that out.

Richard A

181 posts

198 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
It's more important to get it done properly than to get it done cheaply.
First sensible comment on this thread.

CoolHands

Original Poster:

22,023 posts

217 months

Tuesday 6th December 2011
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
It's more important to get it done properly than to get it done cheaply.
Idiotic comment more like. Why pay someone 12 quid more to do the same job? I've just come back and the ones I used (the cheapest shock horror) were really good. Laser alignment on all four wheels to get the fronts squared with the back. Got it all spot-on. Anyway, you get your cheque-book out if it keeps you happy. I'll spend mine on a couple of bottles of wine.