Another dealership trick on front end alignment

[Arc]

Of course an before and after alignment sheet is usually provided. Are those faked too?

The conspiracies theories on this board are out of whack..........

Just another day on here.

I replaced everything under the front end of my truck and took it in for an alignment a few months back. I stood right next to the machine and watched to make sure it was all good and yet it was still off when I drove it. Lasers or not there is something wrong with some of these machines or the operators. Could also be that they have bad info on the vehicles recommended setup.

 

[Fattylocks]

I replaced everything under the front end of my truck and took it in for an alignment a few months back. I stood right next to the machine and watched to make sure it was all good and yet it was still off when I drove it. Lasers or not there is something wrong with some of these machines or the operators. Could also be that they have bad info on the vehicles recommended setup.

Sure you don't have a bad tire?

 

[Fattylocks]

The $125.00 is actually a decent price for an alignment if one needs it................

Maybe for a four wheel alignment . Last shop that had my Nissan on rack charged $60.
Actually they didn't charge me anything. The tech flagged me to the back and showed me it was in spec.

 

[CKN]

Maybe for a four wheel alignment . Last shop that had my Nissan on rack charged $60.
Actually they didn't charge me anything. The tech flagged me to the back and showed me it was in spec.

Is this in the South?

 

[The_Jeff]

Honestly, I personally have this policy on PCM updates. If you're happy with how it runs, don't let them update anything.

It's nearly impossible to avoid it, though, unless you avoid the dealer. If they plug in a dealer-level scan tool, odds are they'll flash any updates as SOP.

Exceptions might be updates that truly have a good chance of increasing engine or transmission life. ~15 years ago this would sound absurd but now manufacturers have convinced themselves they can fix faulty hard parts with software updates.

Not just this, but they could compromise your power and or MPG if they got caught cheating at emissions, so to placate the overlords they might reflash your computer so they get off the hook.

They can also limit power in certain gears or during certain transitory events. They sure aren't going to give you more free power after you already signed the papers.

No thanks, I want the car I test drove. Tesla upgrading firmware over the cell network also doesn't bring me joy.

 

[The_Jeff]

Dealerships are in a tight spot right now because an ever increasing percentage of their work is warranty only, which doesn’t pay as well. Consumers arent bringing their cars in for profitable repairs due to aging fleet (more likely to go to independent) and high parts prices. Expect the hard sell. Think how many mouths that labor rate at the dealership is having to feed. Service writers, porters, washers, loaner fleet, OEM required upgrades to facility, and the tech (who isn’t doing an easy job). Add to that the mandatory OEM part$ usage and its hard for them to compete.

Here I am playing the world's smallest fiddle.

 

[SShooterZ]

This isn't just a dealership issue. Had a local Firestone shop tell my wife she needed a complete front end on her then 3 yr old Envoy Denali with 35K miles on it. Took it to my buddy and he was like, what are they talking about? This front end looks like new still. Never went back to that shop. Crazy how bad they try and get you at times.

 

[CleanSump]

Because so many aftermarket struts now are junk or rebranded junk.

Not a problem @ Thurston's shop.
He'll tell you if you ask for something crappy.

 

[Fifth87]

Another trick is they keep a filthy cabin and engine air filter around and show it to you claiming it's yours. $200 later your barely dirty filters are replaced.

In the instance my wife goes to the dealership, I have signed both the engine and cabin air filters on the edge when I replaced them. She knows I did that and I have instructed her to pay attention to the filters she is shown.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Another trick is they keep a filthy cabin and engine air filter around and show it to you claiming it's yours. $200 later your barely dirty filters are replaced.

Or not, and you’re charged for it anyways. Who checks if the dealer actually changed it?

 

[Fattylocks]

Is this in the South?

Sort of. Mid South. Or proudly referred to as fly over country.

 

[CKN]

Sort of. Mid South. Or proudly referred to as fly over country.

The reason I asked is because cheap prices are often quoted for that part of the country.

 

[Mainia]

I had a before and after alignment sheet shown to me. -0.01* camber on one side and the wanted me to agree to get the alignment. I said golly gee whiz shucks bless your heart no thanks.. I actually said something the mods won't let appear on this board but you get the point.. lol.

I have a high performance alignment shop that will set your car to the exact specs you want. OEM specs and the deviation of that setting is so so so vast in the normal automotive world it is basically a joke it is so broad. I am very picky on my alignments, and have a custom to my spec special settings, in no way does even .1 deviation of camber bother me one bit if it is out of my spec. . And they throw a .01 figure. Yet most alignments at the dealer and common automotive shops will only end up adjusting "just the front toe" in most alignments, as the "inside of allowable specs" is so broad. They get $80- $130 for an alignment these days and most will not touch your car, because your "out of alignment car IS within an over broad allowable spec., or just do a toe adjustment. My place charges $105 plus I always give him a tip. It is not as much of an issue for these tire/alignment places as the guy doing the alignment is/are also guys who have high performance cars. They go through this process on most cars so he has not become a "lazy toe only alignment guys", not wanting to lift a finger to do the customer right.

 

[Bailey28]

The amount of time it takes to set up your car just to see if it needs an alignment is probably 30 or so minutes, maybe more. Shop labor rate is 150-200 an hour. If they sell you an alignment and see that they don't have to touch anything they barely made anything. If an alignment is $150 they want it gone within that hour.

"Set the toe and let it go" is the motto around here. One shop I went to for my old Z28 didn't even have the J tool for the lower control arm to adjust caster and camber. $75 to set the toe and that was all they said they could do.

 

[MyWifesBoyfriend]

I see a lot of "quick check" systems at dealerships now. No idea how accurate they actually are and all the marketing materials push upsells

https://www.hunter.com/en-ca/vehicle-inspection/quick-check/#overview

 

[panthermike]

I see a lot of "quick check" systems at dealerships now. No idea how accurate they actually are and all the marketing materials push upsells



https://www.hunter.com/en-ca/vehicle-inspection/quick-check/#overview

Not sure what my Mazda dealership uses but perhaps this or similar. They have told me twice now that the "specs on the report are in perfect range" but the car still pulls to the right! I tried explaining that in spec is fine on a spec sheet, but the tech needs to DRIVE the car and adjust from there. Oh well, on the hunt for a shop that knows how to do an alignment properly.