[ChuckWow]

I recently had an alignment done to fix the canting or the camber of my rear tires. It was so bad that it completely wore down the inside track of the rear tires. I didn't even know it until it was almost too late, luckily caught it in time before I had a tire blowout.

Brought it to BMW of Las Vegas on Sahara, got charged $203 for the alignment. I'd just moved here, and when I did an alignment last year at BMW of Fremont back in CA, it was ~$120 and I thought that was expensive. I'm not too happy with the high cost of this latest alignment. What have you guys been paying for alignments? Is there a maximum that these dealerships are allowed to charge for such a thing from BMW North America? Is is possible to complain to BMW NA about this? I know its free commerce and everything but something about it just doesn't sit right with me.

[bender rodriguez]

Originally Posted by ChuckWow

I recently had an alignment done to fix the canting or the camber of my rear tires. It was so bad that it completely wore down the inside track of the rear tires. I didn't even know it until it was almost too late, luckily caught it in time before I had a tire blowout.

Brought it to BMW of Las Vegas on Sahara, got charged $203 for the alignment. I'd just moved here, and when I did an alignment last year at BMW of Fremont back in CA, it was ~$120 and I thought that was expensive. I'm not too happy with the high cost of this latest alignment. What have you guys been paying for alignments? Is there a maximum that these dealerships are allowed to charge for such a thing from BMW North America? Is is possible to complain to BMW NA about this? I know its free commerce and everything but something about it just doesn't sit right with me.

BMW pricing is according to area.. One place I lived had 69 dollar oil changes then I moved to a place where they were the only dealer in town. Now its 110 dollars. You know you could have called and got a quote before taking it in. Or said no when they told you it would be 203 dollars...

But yeah I paid 180.00 for lifetime from firestone. Sometimes they piss me off. Other times do a good job. It is random but I am glad I got it. I get an alignment every 6 months. I just got one a few months ago and found out a week ago I need new control arms. Which would require another alignment. Alignments around here cost about 120 dollars, not dealership. I have had about 5-6 alignments since I have had the car. Well worth it.

I suggest anyone that gets a car to throw a lifetime alignment on it first time you need alignment. So many things can cause you to need a new alignment more than once a year. Especially once your car is high mileage like mine and you start doing suspension work.

[JaysBlueE92]

Why didn't you ask the cost before hand? Are you xdrive?

[mbanks21]

I paid $85 this weekend which I know is low. I'd gladly pay up to $120-150 if it's done right

[SP3333D]

My dealer of choice bills 1 hr labor at $95 for an alignment...

[AceOnShake]

79.99 oil changes
170.00 with a coupon for alignment (Coupon is there year round at the website)

No way theres a dealer at 95.00 per hour. Many INDY shops are at that price.

[SP3333D]

Originally Posted by MentegoE90

79.99 oil changes
170.00 with a coupon for alignment (Coupon is there year round at the website)

No way theres a dealer at 95.00 per hour. Many INDY shops are at that price.

Maybe I'm special, but that's the MOST that I ever pay there, usually they discount further for me. They even come pick my car up to do an oil change and leave me with a loaner car for the interim.

Then again, to be a hi-line dealer in Detroit, I would imagine that you have to be pretty aggressive on your pricing and service...

[WreckerX5d]

The dealership I got my car from charges $279 for an alignment. Their excuse was "this isn't just a toe n go". I can't see anything to ever justify that price. Alignments literally should be the going rate of hourly labor.

[IrishNoodles]

I was charged $139 at BMW of Seattle for a 335xi - service adviser said it was the 'super-discounted' price!!

[fravel]

I bought a 3 year policy alignment from Tire Discounters for ~$160 after I bought new tires. Will be getting checked each time I swap from summer/winter wheels and after each of the multiple suspension modifications I have planned.

[bender rodriguez]

Originally Posted by fravel

I bought a 3 year policy alignment from Tire Discounters for ~$160 after I bought new tires. Will be getting checked each time I swap from summer/winter wheels and after each of the multiple suspension modifications I have planned.

Checked?? So they only do it if you need it according to their machine or something.

[ChuckWow]

So the reason I went ahead and did it at BMW LV, was because I found out from others that BMW's and especially the 3series, have their rear tires 'cambered in', meaning it doesn't exactly track straight. So I thought this dealership better be responsible for knowing wtf they're doing with alignment. I told them specifically I wanted it done right to manufacturer specs. Whether they did or not......
Anyways, I wasn't sure if an indy shop would have even knew what I was talking about 'cambered in'. That's why I swallowed hard and paid up. Was I wrong? What do you guys know about this 'cambered in' thing? How much? Is there a measurement I should have told the SA what it should be? I might still have time to have it corrected right.

[_shim]

Yes, you were wrong
It's probably too late now.

[dsb335]

BMW of Dallas charges $190. My independent charges considerably less.

[techwhiz]

Last alignment was free at the dealer.
Was in for other warranty work and they noticed the steering wheel wasn't centered.
They aligned the car and centered the steering wheel as a comp.
East bay BMW in Pleasanton, Ca.

Love their service.

[EW///]

I got a life time wheel alignment package with Firestone for $159 and get its done many times as you like and as long as you still own your car... this isn't transferable to new owner per their contracts stated.

[AceOnShake]

You can transfer another car though at firestone. Firestone techs are lazy. They didn't do an alignment right on my E53. I brought it to another location and he said its off and I told him I got it done at another location and he was lie sometimes the tech doesn't know what hes really doing.

[bender rodriguez]

Originally Posted by MentegoE90

You can transfer another car though at firestone. Firestone techs are lazy. They didn't do an alignment right on my E53. I brought it to another location and he said its off and I told him I got it done at another location and he was lie sometimes the tech doesn't know what hes really doing.

Yeah this is 100% true. It is annoying but lifetime alignment is worth putting up with some lazy techs. They usually get it right the second time.

[fravel]

Originally Posted by bender rodriguez

Checked?? So they only do it if you need it according to their machine or something.

When I say "checked" I mean "monitored and corrected". If it doesn't need aligned after they do the initial check on the rack then why spend the time to change something that isn't bad? The point is, whether it needs alignment or not, I'm not paying anything out of pocket for it until March 2017.

[parabola]

$145 with tax.
Southwest PA.

[hongsc]

$200 from Firestone. I guess no coupon for me. Had my car aligned. A week later pothole. Went back for alignment. All is good.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by MentegoE90

79.99 oil changes
170.00 with a coupon for alignment (Coupon is there year round at the website)

No way theres a dealer at 95.00 per hour. Many INDY shops are at that price.

LOL Firestone said $59.95, dealer said $160 and another 15% off with a coupon, claimed Firestone would NEVER in a million years perform the job as well.

The thing is, as much as I kinda don't like dealers, the fact that they walk around your car when you drop it off, cover the seat, floor, and steering wheel, you already know that is more than a Midas or Firestone. With the latter you're lucky that your undercarriage isn't damaged by their mishandling. I agree, if a dealer charged $95, it has to be on the web or something. If they gave me that price and only me, I'd wonder wth they're actually doing with the vehicle.