Tracking and alignment

dubdemand · 08-22-2016, 02:47 PM

So after a year of driving on the UK's less than perfect roads and my tracking was slightly out on my F31. Not a problem, I'll get it done next time it's in for a warranty item I thought...

I dropped it off and noticed the price was down for £180 on the service sheet... Now, it's been a few years since I had to pay for it but it was never that much - £80 at the most!!!

Are they having my trousers down or does £180 seem reasonable to you?

Watsey · 08-22-2016, 02:56 PM

If that price is just for tracking then it's very expensive. If it's a full 4 wheel laser alignment then it's not too bad. I paid about £160 at a local specialist for a 4 wheel Hunter alignment around a year ago.

EDIT - memory check, it was around £110.

dubdemand · 08-22-2016, 03:21 PM

Fair play, I think it is lazer alignment so maybe it's not that bad then. Hopefully the car will feel better as a result!

TodmordenLad · 08-22-2016, 03:48 PM

I used Black Boots/Wheels-In Motion based on forum recommendations. Paid around £80 from memory. Very competent.

BGM · 08-22-2016, 05:41 PM

not much help to you i know, but i drop mine in to my local tyre shop that also happens to have a hunter system, and they charge me about £35 once a year to check it, and tweak it if required.

If the "before" print-out shows all green, then it's free!

Little and often, little and often

Tux · 08-22-2016, 06:20 PM

That's not bad if it was at the dealers. I was quoted couple years back for £300 full "KDS" wheel alignment albeit not a lower series bimmer.

simon. · 08-22-2016, 11:59 PM

Do a search for the nearest Hunter alignment centre, should pay £100ish all in

330Stevie · 08-23-2016, 01:43 AM

Indie hunter system here in Bristol is about £60. So sounds v expensive

Watsey · 08-23-2016, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TodmordenLad

I used Black Boots/Wheels-In Motion based on forum recommendations. Paid around £80 from memory. Very competent.

Yep, that's who I used. Very friendly and professional - will definitely use again.

teaston · 08-23-2016, 05:25 AM

Cooper Norwich charged me £150 a couple of years ago.

teaston · 08-23-2016, 05:28 AM

If it's just that you steering wheel isn't straight then it's pretty easy to adjust the front toe yourself, I did a guide here:

Adjusting front steering toe yourself http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1177440

Coopers couldn't actually get the steering wheel straight (long story

) so I ended up doing it myself!

JNW1 · 08-23-2016, 05:55 AM

Had laser alignment checks and adjustment done on a couple of my cars including the F31 when I changed all the tyres in January this year; from memory the cost was around £75 so £180 sounds a tad on the high side.....

XK140 · 08-23-2016, 07:06 AM

The previous car,Lexus IS250,wandered all over the place until I had the alignments sorted.
It was done at the local Ford dealer,on a Hunter machine,and I was amazed at the price...a touch over £30!!
I would also add that the tyres had worn unevenly and it was not until these were replaced that the car felt 100% right.

Postcab · 08-23-2016, 08:08 AM

That seems quite a lot, and I'd want to see a full print out of before and after to see what they did. And its a bit like going to a GP for a specialist operation.

A couple of years ago Tony at Wheels in Motion did a full 'Fast Road' set up on my MX5 and that was about £100. The car was transformed.

flintymutt · 08-23-2016, 10:05 AM

Just been quoted 60 plus VAT for an f31 x drive

SkyJawa · 08-31-2016, 04:05 AM

http://www.merrow-tyres.co.uk/

Based in Farnham have a very good rep and I've used them a few times. They were a lot less than £180!

moonshine · 08-31-2016, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon.

Do a search for the nearest Hunter alignment centre, should pay £100ish all in

my full Hunter alignment was £110

snipnoob86 · 08-31-2016, 09:21 AM

I paid £130 for hunter alignment in manchester about a month ago. the car was only slightly out so I felt a bit overcharged but hey at least it's spot on now. well worth it if your running expensive tyres

08-22-2016, 02:47 PM	#1
dubdemand Captain 416 Rep 941 Posts Drives: F80 Individual Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Hampshire, UK iTrader: (2)	Tracking and alignment - expensive?? So after a year of driving on the UK's less than perfect roads and my tracking was slightly out on my F31. Not a problem, I'll get it done next time it's in for a warranty item I thought... I dropped it off and noticed the price was down for £180 on the service sheet... Now, it's been a few years since I had to pay for it but it was never that much - £80 at the most!!! Are they having my trousers down or does £180 seem reasonable to you? __________________ Individual SY F80 / insta:@dubdemand
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08-22-2016, 02:56 PM	#2
Watsey Major General 6414 Rep 8,498 Posts Drives: F31 330D sDrive M Sport Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: On sabbatical. iTrader: (1)	If that price is just for tracking then it's very expensive. If it's a full 4 wheel laser alignment then it's not too bad. I paid about £160 at a local specialist for a 4 wheel Hunter alignment around a year ago. EDIT - memory check, it was around £110. __________________ Current : F31 330sD, remapped, Ohlins Road & Track, Millway camber plates, Quaife LSD, Stoptech brakes + Pagid RSL1 pads all round, Weichers front strut brace, Eibach front & rear anti-roll bars, Michelin MP4S. Last edited by Watsey; 08-22-2016 at 03:57 PM.. Reason: Updated cost.
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08-22-2016, 03:21 PM	#3
dubdemand Captain 416 Rep 941 Posts Drives: F80 Individual Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Hampshire, UK iTrader: (2)	Fair play, I think it is lazer alignment so maybe it's not that bad then. Hopefully the car will feel better as a result! __________________ Individual SY F80 / insta:@dubdemand
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08-22-2016, 03:48 PM	#4
TodmordenLad Brigadier General 2876 Rep 3,966 Posts Drives: Audi A4 Avant Join Date: May 2015 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	I used Black Boots/Wheels-In Motion based on forum recommendations. Paid around £80 from memory. Very competent. __________________ Owned: 440i GC LCI with MPPSK, F31 330D M Sport with MPPK, F11 530D SE, F11 520D SE, E61 530D M Sport, E36 325i plus many MB's, Audi's & Volvo's
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08-22-2016, 05:41 PM	#5
BGM Colonel 58 Rep 2,398 Posts Drives: F20 M140i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Farnborough, UK iTrader: (0)	not much help to you i know, but i drop mine in to my local tyre shop that also happens to have a hunter system, and they charge me about £35 once a year to check it, and tweak it if required. If the "before" print-out shows all green, then it's free! Little and often, little and often __________________ Now: F20 M140i Prev: F21 118d, E92 325d
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08-22-2016, 06:20 PM	#6
Tux Private First Class 23 Rep 130 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: England iTrader: (0)	That's not bad if it was at the dealers. I was quoted couple years back for £300 full "KDS" wheel alignment albeit not a lower series bimmer.
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08-22-2016, 11:59 PM	#7
simon. Colonel 922 Rep 2,559 Posts Drives: F48 25D mSport Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Milton Keynes iTrader: (0)	Do a search for the nearest Hunter alignment centre, should pay £100ish all in
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08-23-2016, 01:43 AM	#8
330Stevie Captain 300 Rep 820 Posts Drives: G20 M340i xdrive Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: U.K. iTrader: (0)	Indie hunter system here in Bristol is about £60. So sounds v expensive
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08-23-2016, 05:25 AM	#10
teaston Banned 10995 Rep 32,881 Posts Drives: X3 M40d Join Date: May 2012 Location: The High Seas iTrader: (1)	Cooper Norwich charged me £150 a couple of years ago.
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08-23-2016, 05:28 AM	#11
teaston Banned 10995 Rep 32,881 Posts Drives: X3 M40d Join Date: May 2012 Location: The High Seas iTrader: (1)	If it's just that you steering wheel isn't straight then it's pretty easy to adjust the front toe yourself, I did a guide here: Adjusting front steering toe yourself http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1177440 Coopers couldn't actually get the steering wheel straight (long story ) so I ended up doing it myself!
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08-23-2016, 05:55 AM	#12
JNW1 Major General 3122 Rep 5,681 Posts Drives: F56 Mini Cooper S Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: North Yorkshire iTrader: (0)	Had laser alignment checks and adjustment done on a couple of my cars including the F31 when I changed all the tyres in January this year; from memory the cost was around £75 so £180 sounds a tad on the high side.....
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08-23-2016, 07:06 AM	#13
XK140 First Lieutenant 130 Rep 358 Posts Drives: SEAT Leon Cupra Carbon/GT86 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Chesterfield iTrader: (0)	The previous car,Lexus IS250,wandered all over the place until I had the alignments sorted. It was done at the local Ford dealer,on a Hunter machine,and I was amazed at the price...a touch over £30!! I would also add that the tyres had worn unevenly and it was not until these were replaced that the car felt 100% right.
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08-23-2016, 08:08 AM	#14
Postcab Lieutenant 121 Rep 419 Posts Drives: Jag XE Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: London iTrader: (0)	That seems quite a lot, and I'd want to see a full print out of before and after to see what they did. And its a bit like going to a GP for a specialist operation. A couple of years ago Tony at Wheels in Motion did a full 'Fast Road' set up on my MX5 and that was about £100. The car was transformed.
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08-23-2016, 10:05 AM	#15
flintymutt Private 40 Rep 96 Posts Drives: 335d X-Drive Touring Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Bournemouth iTrader: (0)	Just been quoted 60 plus VAT for an f31 x drive
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08-31-2016, 04:05 AM	#16
SkyJawa Major General 3719 Rep 8,636 Posts Drives: F10 530d Join Date: May 2014 Location: Hampshire iTrader: (1)	http://www.merrow-tyres.co.uk/ Based in Farnham have a very good rep and I've used them a few times. They were a lot less than £180!
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08-31-2016, 09:21 AM	#18
snipnoob86 Major 288 Rep 1,201 Posts Drives: 335D Saloon Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Manchester iTrader: (0)	I paid £130 for hunter alignment in manchester about a month ago. the car was only slightly out so I felt a bit overcharged but hey at least it's spot on now. well worth it if your running expensive tyres
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