$99 fair for wheel balance & front alignment?

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Apr 13, 2013
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Local shop has a "pothole special" running. Only adjustable point in the Elantra is the front toe (solid rear axle).

Is $99 fair?
 
By CA standards that is stupid cheap. It is hard to find anyone to do an alignment alone for $99 here.
 
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Its a waste of money if nothing needs to be done so I'd skip it if there no issues at the moment. If I replace a front suspension component then getting an alignment for 99 is pretty good. I've never had a good tire go out of balance enough to notice so that part seems useless to me.
 
Originally Posted by cknight49090
Have them do a before and after most shops don't touch anything if in spec.I would not pay full price to check.

Ordinarily, I'd do that... but the car pulls left and the steering wheel is off center, so I know it needs to be aligned. The roads here are an abomination.
 
I say it depends of the quality and price of the alignment equipment and also if the people doing the alignment are properly trained to use that equipment. My independent mechanic told me he thinks some alignment machines can cost as much as $60,000 so if a shop has the best machines they have to recover some of the cost of that investment. But if they are not properly trained to use the equipment, then it is wasted money.
 
Originally Posted by mclasser
Originally Posted by cknight49090
Have them do a before and after most shops don't touch anything if in spec.I would not pay full price to check.

Ordinarily, I'd do that... but the car pulls left and the steering wheel is off center, so I know it needs to be aligned. The roads here are an abomination.



i normally check the alignment when I get new tires and the cost is normally cheaper than that...because you bought a set of tires. Based on your answer above, you have an immediate problem. $99 is pretty fair.

Good luck.
 
Great price. Sounds like a toe and go alignment. Get a printout with before and after.
 
I haven't aligned my beater in so long I don't know when it was done last. I think something like 200,000 miles ago. No weird tire wear or anything. Haven't even bothered to break out a string. Replaced tie rod ends and struts and everything, and still no problems.
 
Around here, Goodyear will do a 3 year alignment warranty for $169 and they sometime offer $25 off $100+ in service. BJs does balancing for $6 a tire but most places want $10-$15 a tire. There's also places like NTB and Firestone that will also do 3-5 year alignment warranties in a similar price range with Goodyear. That said $99 is a fair price for that kind of work assuming it's one time. I usually end up getting mine done at least once a year, sometimes if you're lucky, maybe 2 years. People in other parts of the country have no idea how bad the roads here can get after the winter. The potholes here will blow out a tire or bend/crack a rim and if you're just lucky, you only need an alignment.
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Great price. Sounds like a toe and go alignment. Get a printout with before and after.


Yup, if you need camber prepare to pay more. They can do it, even if they say the factory didn't allow provisions.
 
College kid I work with, was calling around for alignment prices after putting a 2" lift on his Silverado. Best he found was $120 @ the local Firestone. I suggested the Indy tire shop I use in the next town over. They quoted him $60.

A few days later, ( the next time I saw him), I asked how it went...

" $854 later!"
He got new tires while there.. he knew going in that the old ones were about shot anyway.
 
$65. for a 4 wheel rotate and balance with alignment at my local Les Schwab tire.
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I made a deal with my local shop, $200 for lifetime every 5,000 miles including tire rotation. I was willing to bargain up to $300. They replace their wheel alignment machine every 2 years. And I get a before and after printout with my car's year model specifications on it.
 
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