How much should an alignment cost? What have you folks paid?

 

I pay about $125 for mine but then again it is absolute top of the line equipment and on top of that he field tests new machines for Hunter.

The car is always perfect when he is done. He explains everything to the people that have never seen it done and shows them exactly what he is doing and explains why it is done that way.

There are some shops around that will do it for about $60.00 but they have bottom of the line equipment and I would be willing to be that the machines themselves are not set up correctly or worn out.

 

How much should a tooth filling cost?

Finding a good alignment guy is like finding a good dentist.

1. GOOD is subjective

2. GOOD covers a lot of different points.

dentist - cost vs pain or maybe anxiety and not having the filling fall out

alignment - hmmmmm, same thing? 'cept the fall out?

great equipment can be operated poorly
poor equipment in the hands of an "ol' hand" can yeild great results....

I travel 50 miles to get my 10" classic wheels balanced on a machine a guy bought at a salvage sale as new machines won't register 10" wheels

When I find the good ones I hang on to them - and pass on the word to the ones I love....

 

Around here, last time I got one at the dealer it was $125.

From a good shop, around $95. From a cheap shop or a chain, $60-70.

 

4 wheel alignment with dead-weight loads in the front seats at my dealer around $130

 

Around this area, it costs about $75-80 for a normal four wheel alignment. Since I routinely run 125 mph plus on the track I use a shop that does a great alignment and that cost $125-$130. He does not have fancy equipment but I can tell from the smoothness and turn in. Even my mini mechanic asked me where I got the alignment done which surprised me.

 

Paid $80.00 for a four wheel alignment from a very experienced independent alignment shop. Dealer quoted a sale price of $140.00.

 

I paid $60 from a very experienced local shop that does a lot of body work/adjustments in addition to mechanical work, so they have all of the proper equipment. Great job and a great price.

 

--Any suggestions for alignment shops in or near Burlington, Vermont? How do I know if the shop is up to snuff to align my Cooper S? What kind of equipment is the best/worst?

Should I take it to the nearest BMW dealer for an alignment? There are no MINI dealerships in Vermont.

Is there anything special that needs to be done to align a MINI's suspension?

Anyone taken a MINI to Automaster(bmw) or Girlington Garage? I've heard good and bad about both. I am considering taking my MINI to Heritage(Toyota) as they have a pretty decent reputation.

Thanks one and all in advance!

~p

 

Haha I think my dealer quoted me $299. I said no thank you.

 

Can't help with the Vermont question, but if you can find someone who does race car prep, they may have a better understanding of the whys and whats and give you a better job.

I paid $99 at the local NTB, but I have to admit even tho the car is not showing any undue signs of tire wear, it just doesn't feel as "planted" as it did before, and seems more sensitive to cross winds. I did mine as part of having new tires installed....

 

Our alignment shop that does a perfect job for $125

 

I know, that's why I had to ask. I thought this required some sort of "special" alignment almost like the synthetic blinker fluid our cars need.


Rick

 

Yeah that's what I was wondering too. Either way though, I wasn't about to drop $300 for an alignment that's for sure. Anyone have a good place in So Cal that they can recommend?

 

--Ok so I found out that not just ANY shop can do an alignment on a MINI or a BMW for that matter.

Turns out that two special weights have to be placed in the front seats, and a special BMW reverse hex socket needs to be used to do the alignment.

When I took it to Heritage this week they told me that their computer actually told them they were missing special tools. So they couldn't do it for me.

I have since learned that as an alternative to Automaster, Tire Kingdom has the tools to do the job. I called and asked, and with Tire Kingdom he went back to check on the procedures and tools needed and he knew exactly what I needed.

I made an appointment with Automaster, but I have yet to find out what they charge. Will report back soon.

~p

 

Les Schwab, a NW tire store, does four wheel alignments fo $85. It's not rocket science when you have the equipment.
A friend's dad had a shop. I read the instruction manuals for the equipment and did alignments on my own cars after hours.

Dave

 

--So surprise surprise, I learned why Automaster is not even preferred by other BMW owners. I called a day before my appointment and was told both by their operator, and their service department that they "weren't sure they could do MINI's" I told them, huh that's funny because it's the same tools that you need to do an alignment on a three series. All Tire Kingdom AND Heritage had to do was punch it up in the computer and it told you what tools you needed. The Automaster guy was too lazy to do that. On top of that their online service appointment system lost my appointment. Then the clincher.

They charge $159 for a 4 wheel alignment.

If this was the BMW dealership in Honolulu, which IS MINI certified I might have paid it. But not with these jokers. I told them if they find my appointment to cancel it, and that I would not trust my MINI to them.

Immediately after that call I made an appointment with Tire Kingdom.

~p

 

For a good shop in SoCal you may want to look on www.yelp.com. Their ratings are consumer generated and inclusive of customer comments.

Good Luck

 

THE best shop in SoCal is Dave's Frame and Alignment in Huntington Beach. He's old school - uses older equipment, charges way too little (last time I used him, which was probably 10 years ago) - but is THE go-to guy and most respected by all the race guys and import repair shops.