[Mpy18]

Pull into the shop, talk to the guy, drop the car off and go to work. I get a phone call saying my front tie rods are frozen and would be $50-$100 in labor. Then they try telling me the $60 dollar alignment would be $75.

I told them not to do the front, but the alignment for just the two wheels will still be the same price.

In the end, $60 alignment and $55 to release the tie rods and do the front.

So much for shopping around for the cheapest wheel alignments...

[SS e93]

There is always a reason things are cheap. A cheap shop will always try to find something to upsell.
I had a similar situation getting my alignment done. Front tie rods were seized. 4 wheel alignment went from a .5-1 hour job into a 2.5 hour job. Luckily since they are a great shop they just busted their ass to get the alignment done without having to replace any parts, and I did not get charged anything extra.
That is the difference between a cheap shop, and a shop that watches out for your best interest.

Frozen tierods? Guess that comes from living in the easy coast.

[Mpy18]

Originally Posted by index1489

Frozen tierods? Guess that comes from living in the easy coast.

I never even heard of that before, when he first told me I said, frozen? It's June ! And he just answers with ..what?

So stupid though, I feel I'm getting robbed. Can't wait til I go and pay see what they try to charge me.

[chumley]

Not that I would defend their slimy behavior but..... (adjusted for inflation of course) an alignment on an ox-cart in the middle ages was more than $60 so you shouldn't be that surprised.

[cultr3]

.

[SharkBait]

$115? For anything on a BMW? That is not even close to getting robbed.

[Envuks]

The last time I got an alignment my tierods were nearly frozen. They had to use a huge extension to loosen them to adjust. but it still worked. I figured I'll be replacing all my suspension linkage sometime in the not to distant future.... I'm not really sure what you're complaining about here. This sounds cheep for an alignment.

[bumere90]

There are places that do free alignment check and will tell you what suspension parts you need.
That's what I usually do, I go get a free check and estimate of what needs to be done. Buy parts online, replace them myself and take it to the BMW dealer for the alignment.

[07lilredwagon]

Tie rod nuts get pretty abused by road salt and water, dirt and more water and road salt, etc...they are going to get crusty and become difficult and argumentative.

its fairly common, especially here in the East with the 4 seasons thing going on.

Its a reasonable price for an alignment, considering that our cars have more links and suspension parts than some or even most cars.

JP

[f30er]

Originally Posted by Mpy18

Pull into the shop, talk to the guy, drop the car off and go to work. I get a phone call saying my front tie rods are frozen and would be $50-$100 in labor. Then they try telling me the $60 dollar alignment would be $75.

I told them not to do the front, but the alignment for just the two wheels will still be the same price.

In the end, $60 alignment and $55 to release the tie rods and do the front.

So much for shopping around for the cheapest wheel alignments...

Where did u take ur car? I've lived in SI for 3 years and gave up using any shop there.

[Mpy18]

Originally Posted by e92er

Where did u take ur car? I've lived in SI for 3 years and gave up using any shop there.

There's a shop right next to the Outerbridge

[f30er]

After a few bad experiences, I went with maximum psi over in Linden, they put my faith back in independent mechanics...

[yarviinn]

Got a lifetime alignment at firestones for $180. Cheap.

[Das_Stig]

ya same here, not a fan or trusting of staten island..

[3s4u2]

Frozen tie rods, I would love to see that!

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by icyhot e92

There is always a reason things are cheap. A cheap shop will always try to find something to upsell.
I had a similar situation getting my alignment done. Front tie rods were seized. 4 wheel alignment went from a .5-1 hour job into a 2.5 hour job. Luckily since they are a great shop they just busted their ass to get the alignment done without having to replace any parts, and I did not get charged anything extra.
That is the difference between a cheap shop, and a shop that watches out for your best interest.

Name the shop! I'm not anywhere near there, but might as well give them the love.

[eogintz]

Free alignment check is also a scam. I never knew anyone who went for a FREE alignment check and walked out without being told that they need an alignment and who knows what else.

Ed

[jzxi]

Frozen=seized due to corrosion. It is slang/jargon, not literal.

[Mpy18]

Originally Posted by jzxi

Frozen=seized due to corrosion. It is slang/jargon, not literal.

Yeah, we have that established now.

Figured nothing is frozen solid in June.

[John 070]

Did they give you a report so you can see how the alignment changed? I'd rather just pay the dealer $160 and maybe use a 20% coupon which is in the same ballpark. There are too many teaser prices with small print saying this car and that car not included....

[Mpy18]

Originally Posted by John 070

Did they give you a report so you can see how the alignment changed? I'd rather just pay the dealer $160 and maybe use a 20% coupon which is in the same ballpark. There are too many teaser prices with small print saying this car and that car not included....

Yeah I got all the specs as to what was changed