Alignment

[drz]

I am a fierce believer that the dealership will overcharge most of the time. I will need an alignment done on my 328 after I replace a broken lower control arm (hopefully I'll get that done this week). Can I just take it to Sears or some place like that? Anything different in this respect on these cars?

[victorgallas]

Originally posted by drz328i@Jan 24 2005, 02:04 AM
I am a fierce believer that the dealership will overcharge most of the time. I will need an alignment done on my 328 after I replace a broken lower control arm (hopefully I'll get that done this week). Can I just take it to Sears or some place like that? Anything different in this respect on these cars?

[snapback]277962[/snapback]

i totally agree with you dealers are stelaers..

anyway , take it any place, that has good aligment machines, like hunter machines.

sears is a good place, they have good equiptment.
make sure you ask them to give the paper that tells what was your aligment values before and after, just to make sure you check on them...

but yeah an aligment can be easily done anyware as liong ad they have computarised aligment machines./

have a good one.

[Cruzin 323is]

i just got a new front suspension... and needed to do an alignment...
i paid 75 bucks..

i don't think u need to bring it to the dealership... bring it to any mechanic and u'll be allright!

[loftygoals]

Just make sure the shop weights the car to specs before doing the alignment:

150 lbs in the drivers seat
150 lbs in the passenger seat
150 lbs across the back seat
40 lbs in the trunk


-bj

[drz]

Thanks everyone. I wanted to make sure.

Originally posted by loftygoals@Jan 24 2005, 12:13 PM
Just make sure the shop weights the car to specs before doing the alignment:

150 lbs in the drivers seat
150 lbs in the passenger seat
150 lbs across the back seat
40 lbs in the trunk


-bj

[snapback]278090[/snapback]

Can you explain to me alittle bit more about the weights mentioned above?

[victorgallas]

Originally posted by drz328i+Jan 24 2005, 12:31 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(drz328i @ Jan 24 2005, 12:31 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Thanks everyone. I wanted to make sure.

<!--QuoteBegin-loftygoals@Jan 24 2005, 12:13 PM
Just make sure the shop weights the car to specs before doing the alignment:

150 lbs in the drivers seat
150 lbs in the passenger seat
150 lbs across the back seat
40 lbs in the trunk


-bj

[snapback]278090[/snapback]

Can you explain to me alittle bit more about the weights mentioned above?

[snapback]278109[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]


those weights are to simulate normal driving conditions on wich there are people in the car..
on BMW TIS they mention this..
but honestly, nobody does it...

i've work on a shop for siummer and i asket them about this and he said to me that this is done in order to get precision aligment.. but on everyday driving this will hardly affect it..

and honestly, i doubht the dealer does the weights. im pretty sure they just put ut there make sure its all under the specs with regard to aligment geometry and thats it..

[drz]

Thanks!

[pcy]

I usually don't like to go to dealer unless there's a good reason.

In Chicagoland area, I have checked couple of non-dealer places. They charge $99 for 4 wheel alignment for BMW. I called the BMW dealer. They charge $99 as well. So, I had the alignment done at the dealer recently. If the price is same, I would go to the dealer.

pcy

[drz]

Yeah. I go to the dealer also when the price is the same.

[kestrel325is]

Sears here just told me to make sure the car has a full tank of gas before you bring it to them. I think I paid $70 for an alignment there.