Wheel alignment costs
Discussion
bimsb6 said:
The Dictator said:
The place I use in Milton Keynes charges £20 to check it and if no adjustment needed, that's it.
It's £50 if they need to make adjustments. I can also watch them do it, which is always a nice opportunity to have a poke about underneath.
Whereabouts mate , i’m near hockliffe so just south of mk .It's £50 if they need to make adjustments. I can also watch them do it, which is always a nice opportunity to have a poke about underneath.
Both similar places, very small with a Hunter and someone that knows what they're doing!
kambites said:
blade7 said:
Someone lent me a camber gauge, so I used that and string before I took the car to Center Gravity. Was surprisingly close. Didn't fancy trying to measure to 1 degree or less with a plumb line.
It's not really any harder than measuring 1 degree of toe - you just need a set of vernier callipers, a very steady hand. I reckon I can get the top to bottom of wheel displacement within about a quarter of a mm. I find fishing line much better than string though.
blade7 said:
You must have a very good level/flat floor.
Judging by the way water pools (or rather doesn't) when I wash it, I'd say it's within a couple of mm over the width of the car. Not sure if that's particularly good for a concrete slab garage floor or not but it seems close enough to get the car feeling "right". Bit off topic anyway. I'm guessing the OP doesn't want to do his own. I only do mine because it seems to need doing every ten minutes on my car; it's amazing how quickly it gets knocked out of whack and by how much.
Edited by kambites on Monday 4th May 19:55
https://www.alignmycar.co.uk/
I found a great local place through this site, been taking my car(s) RWD & FWD there for years now, always done Hunter 4 wheel.
I found a great local place through this site, been taking my car(s) RWD & FWD there for years now, always done Hunter 4 wheel.
Please forgive me if my opinion is stupid, I know very little about cars but was hoping for some advice as I feel a bit aggrieved!
Just been to Kwikfit to have a 'free alignment check' as I had a new set of tyres fitted Tuesday. The mechanic who served me told me that after running it on the Hunter machine that the front wheels needed adjusting and it would cost £65. However after he done it he printed off the results and I paid up.
Now I didn't take any notice of the results until I got home and had a read, and that's where I've got a concern.
The printout shows the front has been done (although the right front seems a bit off still?), however it shows the rear hasn't been done and there's obviously some camber/toe issues, so I don't know why this wasn't mentioned to me at the time?? Is it worth going back and raising the issue?
Just been to Kwikfit to have a 'free alignment check' as I had a new set of tyres fitted Tuesday. The mechanic who served me told me that after running it on the Hunter machine that the front wheels needed adjusting and it would cost £65. However after he done it he printed off the results and I paid up.
Now I didn't take any notice of the results until I got home and had a read, and that's where I've got a concern.
The printout shows the front has been done (although the right front seems a bit off still?), however it shows the rear hasn't been done and there's obviously some camber/toe issues, so I don't know why this wasn't mentioned to me at the time?? Is it worth going back and raising the issue?
Are those measurements before or after adjustment? The printouts I’ve had from Hunter machines usually show both. I’d be returning if I’d paid £65 and had been left with a camber difference like that on the front. But it’s possible that that’s the printout from your free check?
Not all cars can be adjusted at the rear, I’m not sure if a Leon can? Regardless of what the arrows suggest the rear does at least look consistent. Most tyre fitting places charge more for a four wheel alignment over a two, so maybe he decided it wasn’t worth it - possibly doing you a favour at KwikFit prices!
Not all cars can be adjusted at the rear, I’m not sure if a Leon can? Regardless of what the arrows suggest the rear does at least look consistent. Most tyre fitting places charge more for a four wheel alignment over a two, so maybe he decided it wasn’t worth it - possibly doing you a favour at KwikFit prices!
If he said "the fronts need doing and it'll be £65", it doesn't seem unreasonable that he only did the fronts. Those rears are out but probably not by enough for them to consider it an issue and I'm sure most customers wouldn't have wanted to pay another £65 to sort out such a minor discrepancy.
The front toe should probably be in the better than that, but assuming he's loaded the correct profile into the machine it does appear to be within manufacturer tollerences so they may well just say "it's good enough".
The front toe should probably be in the better than that, but assuming he's loaded the correct profile into the machine it does appear to be within manufacturer tollerences so they may well just say "it's good enough".
Yes it's a 2010 Leon FR so fits the given profile.
I believe the printout is for after they done the work as he only told that the fronts were out, I naively took the mechanic's word and let him crack on.
In your opinion then would there be a sufficient cause to make a complaint and ask for a realignment of the front wheels?
I believe the printout is for after they done the work as he only told that the fronts were out, I naively took the mechanic's word and let him crack on.
In your opinion then would there be a sufficient cause to make a complaint and ask for a realignment of the front wheels?
DavidT1992 said:
Yes it's a 2010 Leon FR so fits the given profile.
I believe the printout is for after they done the work as he only told that the fronts were out, I naively took the mechanic's word and let him crack on.
In your opinion then would there be a sufficient cause to make a complaint and ask for a realignment of the front wheels?
No, because the fronts are fine. Only the toe is adjustable on the front, and its bang on.I believe the printout is for after they done the work as he only told that the fronts were out, I naively took the mechanic's word and let him crack on.
In your opinion then would there be a sufficient cause to make a complaint and ask for a realignment of the front wheels?
Dunno what general consensus would be but might be worth checking out that rear right if it’s the only one out and unadjustable.
Last time I had an alignment done the guy was great and got everything bang on (he sets up race cars) but he couldn’t get one one the measurements at the front the same on both sides and this meant that one of my lower arms was bent, which maybe did tie in with an almighty pot hole I hit a while back.
You haven’t walloped a kerb or pothole or anything with the back right?
Last time I had an alignment done the guy was great and got everything bang on (he sets up race cars) but he couldn’t get one one the measurements at the front the same on both sides and this meant that one of my lower arms was bent, which maybe did tie in with an almighty pot hole I hit a while back.
You haven’t walloped a kerb or pothole or anything with the back right?
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