Got a question for you Vince

[Fellro]

This is about shop charges on alignments... Is it now practice to charge additional for adjusting camber, rather than be included in the price of a 4 wheel alignment? The shop I took my car to to align after replacing the struts charged me additional for setting the camber. I have never heard that, but they claim it is being done that way all over. This is the first time I ever have been charged extra for camber adjustment...

 

[blacksnapon]

extra charges stem from the different ways vehicles are engineered today. Such as a windstar, and I think a Taurus. You have to drill out spot welds to make camber adjustments. The ford trucks with the camber adjusting bushings that are an additional charge. There were some brands that you cut slots in the strut towers to make the adjustments. Today, it really is a crap shoot whether or not you fall under the standard charge for an alignment or not. It just depends on the type of vehicle that you have. Now, do you want to take your mechanic with you when you buy your next car?

 

[bowtiehatr]

i used to do front end work and i always needed additional time to do alignments when camber caster kits are needed. now, if the kits were already installed, i didnt need additional time. some kits are as easy as replaceing a straight bolt with a cam bolt. then you have your taurus and windstars and mustangs where you had to drill out strut tower spot welds and rivets to do it like vince stated.

 

[Fellro]

91 Cavalier, loosen the bolts and shift the strut, that's it. I understand and know about the camber kits, and have no issue with an additional charge for that kind of thing.

 

[bowtiehatr]

if it would have been me, i wouldnt have needed extra time. sorry to hear that.

 

[blacksnapon]

91 Cavalier, loosen the bolts and shift the strut, that's it. I understand and know about the camber kits, and have no issue with an additional charge for that kind of thing.

Yeah, thats a little steep. I think the service advisor didn't know how easy it was, and just went by a script.

 

[Fellro]

Private shop, the owner did it... I doubt I will go back there for alignments. It is getting hard to find a shop that won't take you somehow... the good shops are either buried in work, or are going out of business for the varying reasons. I may have to give the local GM/Ford dealer a shot, rates are a shade higher, but have a good reputation, and have done good by the family so far.

 

[bowtiehatr]

good luck either way. bad shops make our jobs that much harder because once one customer is crossed, we are all bad in their eyes.