4 Wheel Alignment Problems

[montez]

Just taken the car into have a 4 wheel alignment done as I changed the wheel size and changed the ball joints and trackrods. They have just phoned up and said that everything is seized on the car and it would take another two hours of work at £90PH + vat

Anyone else encountered this problem? I think they talking crap tbh!!

[Jamo]

They aren't, 2 hours is not a lot of time in comparison to others. When I 1st had my Coupe Aligned it was there from 9am to 6pm as everything was seized solid and some parts had to be removed.

This is common on the S2's Coupe and Avants alike, sorry mate

[AndyP]

Where did you take it that charges £90/hour?

[Jamo]

I totally didn't see the labour charges, is this at a main dealer?

[andy10v]

Sounds pretty reasonable, except I wouldn't pay somebody 90/h to free stuff off.

If you want to do it more cheaply then spend your own time freeing off all the adjusters and it should only cost about 1 hour labour + alignment charge. If they have to waste time freeing of the adjusters, which can be very seized, then of course they are going to charge you.

[andy10v]

And that rate per hour is not far of Audi, local stealer was £110+vat last time I checked.

[chezz]

Are we we not just being "had off" here. If it was me, I would tell them halt all work and then loosen everything up myself. 4wd alignement should only cost around £70

[montez]

Just got the car back, I reset the gauges before I left for the garage Had 5 miles on there and an average mpg of 26. When I got the car back it had 6.3 miles and an average mpg of 8.1 so instead of doing work decided to take the car out for a spin. It was £65inc VAT for the alignment but then they wanted £90ph + Vat it was a FORD main dealers though! they just had the best offer on alignment locally. The thing is pretty much everything has been replaced recently the only thing that has not was the rear track rods. Gonna go free them off now!

Aw well, at least I got a free print out!

[Error404]

WTF! you're ok with the fact that they they took YOUR car out, basically redlined it (probably from cold) for 1.3miles?

I'd be expecting free alignment and a letter of apology from the dealership and some spotty fitter to be out of a job :corey:

[montez]

Im not OK with it no, i was absolutely fuming, but how can i prove it?

[montez]

I don't even know what they were talking about, I have just easily undone the rear tie rod locking nut and adjustment with a pair of spanners with no oil or anything , they said that I would need replacement parts!

[Jamo]

Did you say you took it to a ford dealer??????

[Rusty]

Might have left it idling for a long time, that kills the mpg

[montez]

Its an independent dealer but they recently bought up ford, nissan and fiat. Has been going locally for about 100 years so I thought I would give it a go. Anyway got all the nuts undone now, a 5 year old could have undone the rears, the front rear lock nuts were a little ceased but came off with wd40 and a spanner. Maybe they did not realize that it is an opposite thread on the rear locknut ?

[skid]

Aren't all those red bits supposed to be green as well?