Fred wrote:
"andyv" wrote in message
...
I got a new tyre for my series 1 BMW, cost about £100+VAT. As this is
a run flat tyre the price seemed OK and this included a free tracking
check. They next produced an elaborate print out showing all my wheels
out of alignment, and I agreed reluctantly for them to carry out the
necessary at a cost of £85+VAT.

They had a computerised display in the waiting area where you could
see each of the wheels being realigned. This took about 20 minutes and
involved no parts.

On reflection the labour charge seems enormous, and I can see they
must attract customers going in for what seems a reasonably priced
job, then charging over the odds for extras. Carpet shops seem to do
the same with underlay and grippers.

Was I unfairly charged?

I'm looking at buying a decent alignment system and you don't get any change
from £10k , you could pay someone £20 to track it with a good old Dunlop
gauge.



How do you align rear wheels? Surely they are fixed?

Dick gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

How do you align rear wheels? Surely they are fixed?

Depends on the vehicle. On most, yes. On some more complex suspension
setups, there may be adjustment - usually through shimming, sometimes
through a similar threaded component to track-rods.

Or you just get a bit of scaf pole and "persuade" the ****er.

On 11 Mar 2010 18:46:51 GMT, Adrian wrote:

Peter Hill gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying:

Was I unfairly charged?

Often depends on how many adjustments they made.

Very, very few cars have adjustment to anything but front wheel toe.

Just goes to show they is crap, made for the undemanding and
undeserving. Get a proper car.

From '89 200SX had front toe, rear camber and toe. Early ones, if
sketches of front camber bolt in workshop manual are to be believed
had front camber too, may have been to sort prod tolerances out or for
"production" Japanese motor race series.

My RWD '82 Celica had front and rear toe. Rear toe was an eccentric
bolt with graduated washer at inner end of semi trailing arm.

I'm pretty sure the OP's BMW multilink setup will have lots of
adjustable bolts. A quick google shows E36 have front toe, rear toe
and camber and some hits that suggest the 130i has too.

Nissan's FWD cars has adjustment on rear multilink setup.
--
Peter Hill
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Can of worms - what every fisherman wants.
Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

Derek C wrote:
On 9 Mar, 10:22, andyv wrote:
I got a new tyre for my series 1 BMW, cost about £100+VAT. As this is
a run flat tyre the price seemed OK and this included a free tracking
check. They next produced an elaborate print out showing all my wheels
out of alignment, and I agreed reluctantly for them to carry out the
necessary at a cost of £85+VAT.

They had a computerised display in the waiting area where you could
see each of the wheels being realigned. This took about 20 minutes and
involved no parts.

On reflection the labour charge seems enormous, and I can see they
must attract customers going in for what seems a reasonably priced
job, then charging over the odds for extras. Carpet shops seem to do
the same with underlay and grippers.

Was I unfairly charged?

I got the same service for £25 including VAT from STS Tyre Pro in
Hemel Hempstead, using similar high tech equipment. Perhaps your tyre
dealers ripped you off because you have a BMW and they thought they
could get away with it.

Any chance of naming names, so I can avoid them?

Derek C

Derek Molehusband

--


Nige,

Land Rover 90
Yamaha R1
Range Rover Vogue