Alignment Rant

[facepalm]

So I go to a local shop this morning to have a couple of tires mounted and inquire about an alignment. The guy at the counter tells me that their cost is $89, which is about normal for the Austin area, but I was trying to keep it in a small shop's pocket. He told me he'd have to get with his shop manager since they didn't have to beam benders and all they could perform was the toe in. Well, he calls me to tell me that my wheels and tires were complete, and that the foreman says the alignment will be $200 to start with. I went to the back and talked with him, with a ton of attitude he told me the specs for the alignment are not available, he wasn't going to do a bad job, and it takes multiple test drives to align an old vehicle. I told him I knew they didn't have the beam bending equipment and the only adjustments he could make was to the Toe, he looked a bit confused. It gets better. I told him I didn't need the Caster or Camber adjusted, because I am on drop beams and airbags, he then told me it would be an additional $130 because it was lowered and it would take additional time.... I left!

Lowered or not, airbags or not, they are non factory beams and CAN'T be bent.... To change the Toe is (2) clamps and a few twists, hardly a $330 job.

I called a friend of mine who owns a shop, but doesn't do alignments, he told me to take it to Firestone. I called Firestone and they told me, "No problem, we'll even adjust the air in your bags to put it in spec so you know the optimum drive height and air pressure." All this for $85, so I am saving $4! I'm taking it in in the morning.

Moral of the story; some people just don't want your money!

[jamesdfo]

Well, it's a heck of a commute, but here's a shop that might be able to get you squared away.

See fourth post.....

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=24343

[facepalm]

Well, it's a heck of a commute, but here's a shop that might be able to get you squared away.

See fourth post.....

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=24343

You got that heck of a commute right. I talked to my Uncle in Arrrrr-Kansas, he told me to do it myself. I bought the plates and a camber level, so I'll give it a shot. We'll see how it works, Castor and Camber will be adjusted by the air bag level, so that's a given. The toe I'll set once I get the optimum ride height figured out.