Wheel alignment

[Todsimpson]

I paid $800 for my last alignment...that included corner balancing and reindexing of the rear torsion bars. And you thought $600 was over the top...

That guy did me a favor however, I've since learned to do my own alignments and corner balance at home.

I will say however, these cars are a major PITA to adjust, and they also adjust in ways that other cars of the era do not. An old BMW for example, you can adjust front toe-that's it. A torsion bar 911 you've got front toe, rear toe, front camber, rear camber and front caster. Each one affects the other too, so it has to be done in order.

Corner weights too, what other cars can be corner weighted from the factory?

So...A real, full alignment on these cars is expensive. And it should be, when it's done right.

[W6CZ]

Quoted $180 by Roger Krause Racing in Castro Valley, CA to do my Targa when I bring it home from the painter.

I paid $380 to them for alignment and corner balance on my coupe (Elephant ASP Spring Plates made it easier) when I first got the suspension done about 2 years ago. I paid about the same ( about $380 - there was other work done) to Elephant a couple of months ago after it was repainted and lightened.

[denson]

That pricing is at the higher end of the spectrum, but somehow still seems somewhat fair.

It seems unanimous, no one has ever heard of a $600.00 wheel alignment.

Could I be the only lucky sucker out there to have received an alignment from the alignment gods? Perhaps, I pre-paid for a lifetime of wheel alignments? Given the 1.9 hours to remove the tunnel carpet so it could be re-glued (remember, the seats were out), I think I also met the tunnel mat installation gods. Seems to be many gods out there these days........

This type of stuff with mechanics and their shops seems to be happening way too often. I have friends that experience this type of insulting treatment and we are tired of it.

Most repair shops seem very reluctant to offer an estimate. I guess if they do that they kind of "cap out" on how off they can be or how hard you get hit (pounded). I will insist on that in the future and will move to the next shop if the first fails to provide one.

It also seems that the more one's car is worth, the higher the bill is.

[cmcfaul]

my last alignment was $650. I had just installed Turbo Tie Rods my self. Because my car is apparently "so low" they had to do extra work. I think they lowered the steering rack to make more room for the tie rods (it was difficult gettting the boots on because they barely fit between the body and the rods when I was installing them) .

Bottom line...The care drives SO much better. Added the max camber all the way around and my 215 tires no longer rub the rear fender ever. Very happy with the end results, though the cost was WAY more than expected.

Chris
73 911e

[berettafan]

i think a lot of these stories of overcharging would be avoided by simply asking a) how much does an alignment/cb run? and b) what is your shop rate?

then STAY with your car. used to be hanging out in the waiting room of a shop was some high order social happenings!

if you don't ask those questions and don't stay with your car you are begging to get ripped off. you will be perceived as a rich checkbook mechanic who has no concept of what the shop is actually doing and therefore no concept of what he should be paying for it.

[denson]

Eerik:

No doubt. Who has time to sit by the mechanic while they perform their alleged NASA style work?. That process could be used for anyone we use. While I agree with you, it does not seem practical.

Tell ya what I am going to do. The first thing is that I will ask some additional questions. The second thing I will do is pay by check so if I do not agree with the bill, I am not threatended that they will not release my car (this happended to a close friend). The third thing I will do is stop payment on the check, send a certified letter with a new check for the correct amount and the next thing I will do is smear their name all over the internet by posting a copy of their invoice so we can all laugh at these types of people.

The absolute best thing I can do is become a mechanic and put a lift in my garage. That would surely take care of the problem, of course assuming I know what I am doing.

[berettafan]

Aint a thing to do on an early 911 that could be called NASA type work. These cars are easy to work on. But I here ya on not always being able to stay with the car.

I'd be really careful about writing checks you don't intend to honor.