[sicktim]

I feel like each time I go in for service, they try to sell me on alignments. In-fact, in the last one they said I should get it aligned every 6 months.

I think it is kind of ridiculous. One of the things that isn't covered in the warranty, they want to push on you for roughly $300.

1 year ago, before I switched tires to non-run flats, they said one of my tires was worn (beyond limits) which meant that the alignment was out. They sold me and I shelled out for a new tire and the alignment. $500 gone.

Latest one, they said that the sidewalls are showing wear on only the fronts. However, one day ago I just put my summer tires back on and I didn't really pay attention to which one I put where. After I mounted them I checked the tire pressure (which indicated to me if I had a rear tire or front tire-32/38 psi)... in summary, I had placed one previous rear tire on the front and one old front back on it. To the original point, technician said sidewall wear was only on fronts. I guess he did this to up sell alignments.

Any similar experiences?

[2016M235i]

If the sidewalls are truly worn, you've either been scrubbing curbs or the tires are severely under inflated. No reason you should need an alignment so often. Easy money for the dealership.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by sicktim

Any similar experiences?

Well, a Volvo dealer once told me I needed new windshield wipers. That was one day after I had replaced the wipers myself.

[MerlinMc]

Originally Posted by sicktim

I feel like each time I go in for service, they try to sell me on alignments. In-fact, in the last one they said I should get it aligned every 6 months.

I think it is kind of ridiculous. One of the things that isn't covered in the warranty, they want to push on you for roughly $300.

1 year ago, before I switched tires to non-run flats, they said one of my tires was worn (beyond limits) which meant that the alignment was out. They sold me and I shelled out for a new tire and the alignment. $500 gone.

Latest one, they said that the sidewalls are showing wear on only the fronts. However, one day ago I just put my summer tires back on and I didn't really pay attention to which one I put where. After I mounted them I checked the tire pressure (which indicated to me if I had a rear tire or front tire-32/38 psi)... in summary, I had placed one previous rear tire on the front and one old front back on it. To the original point, technician said sidewall wear was only on fronts. I guess he did this to up sell alignments.

Any similar experiences?

Appalling. Do you get surveyed after each service visit? Is so, reporting this is one step to consider. I can't remember the last time I did an alignment on any of our cars. And there has been no adverse tire wear.

[BigBødy]

$300 for an alignment should have rang bells from the start. As the post above me said, there is absolutely no need to align. Only time you align is if you replace suspension parts (or cause serious enough damage that you would bend something out of spec). Frankly if the car drove straight, I would be scarred of anyone touching the alignment. Pretty easy to get it out of spec. Good luck OP, I hope you get some compensation.

[sicktim]

I hadn't planned on actually getting it aligned this time. The last time I paid for it, after the fact I had wished I had them record before and after alignment numbers so I could compare.

[sicktim]

I do want to say, however, besides this recurring upsell point at Mt Laurel they are a fantastic dealership to work with. Very smooth operation there and very fair.

Example, told them that the iDrive screen was cracking. They at first told me it was impact damage. I told them that never happened that it was summer heat related. They ended up replacing it after a little deliberation.

[morphomeman]

This alignment sell is so pervasive that I have long believed it is one of the first things you learn when you go to dealer school. I have never had an alignment done at a BMW dealer in my 20 years of owning BMWs. My local indy has done a great job on the few occasions when it has been called for. AFAIK, there is no special BMW tool or technique that would call for a dealer alignment rather than an independent, and the dealer prices, as with everything else, are astronomical.

[Unicorn123]

Tim,

Sounds like your dealer is hosing you. I just experienced this today, as I had a tire blow due to a pothole and they told me I needed to replace the all of the tires since I have an AWD car. Yee haa!

Like drader, I expect we could all rattle off several stories on how dealers tried unsuccessfully to "pull a fast one". I have a bunch but the story below really torqued me off big time.

My personal favorite involves a secretary at one of my former employers who spent over 2K at Pep Boys fixing a variety of things associated with a car that was not running properly (Dodge Daytona, 2.2 liter 4 banger) which she could not afford. I saw her leaving one day with the hood up crying in the parking lot. She explained the situation and I asked her to start the car for me. It was near dusk, the car was missing badly, and you could hear and see the arcing around the distributor cap. We ran to the parts store and replaced the distributor cap. A $10 repair. Solved her issues.

As Sy Syms (well known entrepreneur and former clothing retailer here in New England) used to say in his TV ads, "An Educated Consumer is our Best Customer". Good rule to follow. Good luck, Tim.

[mattc1176]

I recently hit a huge pothole that blew my front right tire. I just put on my summer tires instead of dealing w/ replacing but local tire place ran a free alignment test just to make sure I didn't knock anything out of whack. They gave me a print out of the results and thankfully nothing was wrong. Why wouldn't the dealer do the same? Why would anyone agree to pay for that if it wasn't noticeable to the driver or proven through diagnostics?

[BigBødy]

Originally Posted by mattc1176

I recently hit a huge pothole that blew my front right tire. I just put on my summer tires instead of dealing w/ replacing but local tire place ran a free alignment test just to make sure I didn't knock anything out of whack. They gave me a print out of the results and thankfully nothing was wrong. Why wouldn't the dealer do the same? Why would anyone agree to pay for that if it wasn't noticeable to the driver or proven through diagnostics?

You've got to take a real big hit for something to get out of wack. Im talking car falls off jacks, smashing into a curb, etc. Im in NYC, aka pothole galore. When I had my 235xi with runflats I always had a spare tire in the garage (matter of fact still do), because if you hit a pothole just right, you'd have a bubble in the sidewall. Happened to me at least 5 times, and the car has never needed an alignment. This behavior, by a BMW dealer is disgraceful.

[sicktim]

Originally Posted by BigBødy

You've got to take a real big hit for something to get out of wack. Im talking car falls off jacks, smashing into a curb, etc. Im in NYC, aka pothole galore. When I had my 235xi with runflats I always had a spare tire in the garage (matter of fact still do), because if you hit a pothole just right, you'd have a bubble in the sidewall. Happened to me at least 5 times, and the car has never needed an alignment. This behavior, by a BMW dealer is disgraceful.

I had the same thing happen with two tires within 6 months. One bridge lip on schuylkill expressway and a pothole in Jersey. Swapped those out quickly for conventional summer tires. They are fantastic.

Thanks for the replies and confirming what I had suspected.

[wichitagreg]

When I took delivery of my Infinity G37 Coupe the "Service Manger" was going over maintenance requirements with me and reminded me several times that if the TPMS light indicates low tire air pressure I HAVE to take the car in to an Authorized Infinity Dealer to reset the TPMS at a cost of $75 per tire. Of course the Owners Manual had the correct information.

[amancuso]

I've never had a problem at Mt. Laurel. If I decline work, I decline work.