This is further to the discussions we have had on the value of having a franchised dealership carry out steering and suspension checks on BMWs.
I had heard that ATS do a very good job of 'tracking' so I asked the local branch if they could check and set my 1992 BMW 525. They apologised and said that it had to be done by a BMW dealer. I asked why and was told that BMWs and Mercedes are upmarket cars that need special treatment. I wasn't entirely convinced that they were right but appreciated their honesty.
Next was a non-franchise BMW specialist who said that there was no special problem with BMWs and they could set it up perfectly with ordinary electronic tracking equipment. I queried the reason why ATS would not take on the work and was told that it is common for the adjusters on BMWs to be seized and require heat and dismantling to free them. This is true -- I had already checked mine and found them to be seized and it took a lot of work to free them, involving removal of the whole assembly from the car. All the same, I thought I would check out the cost at a BMW main dealership.
I phoned a large BMW main dealership and was put through to their tracking equipment operative. He quoted me £125 incl VAT. I asked why the cost was so high and he replied that their steering and suspension setting checks were quite complex and took a couple of hours, and the cost was mainly labour charges. He then said there would be another 1/2-hour charged if adjustment was needed!
I asked the BMW man if it was truly essential to have BMWs checked with their equipment (called, I think, a KDS check) and was told that, frankly, it was needed only if the car had suffered a bad knock or there was uneven tyre wear that couldn't be corrected by simple tracking adjustment. I was assured that if the tyre wear was even it needed only a simple tracking check that could be carried out with any equipment. Very honest of him.
I then called the local Hi-Q branch, following a recommendation in this forum, and was told that their equipment was the very best and could do all cars. Cost: Free if no correction required, otherwise £24.65. I took the car there but, after a discussion amongst themselves, they decided that BMWs could only be tracked by someone with specialist equipment which they hadn't got. They gave me the name of another local tyre dealer who could do the job. Co-incidentally, that was the dealer who had ordered some new tyres for me and I was going there that afternoon anyway! So off I went.
I had my four new tyres fitted and the steering and suspension electronically checked. I noticed that it was only a front wheel check and I queried this. I was told that they could do a four-wheel check using their new £26000 machine but this would cost me a lot more money and the rear wheel alignment on my car is not adjustable anyway. They said that if the tyres are wearing OK there's nothing to worry about.
So I now have four new 225/60R15-V Continental Eco CP tyres balanced & fitted, with steering & front suspension settings checked and toe-in reset at a cost of £360 inclusive. I'm pleased with that because the next lowest all-in quote was £442 (and the BMW dealer wanted £625 plus that extra 1/2 hour!). As I've found before, totally independent tyre retailers are able to give the best deals.
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Does anyone know what a KDS check is and how it differs from a normal 4 wheel alignment?
Do Micheldever have a KDS machine?
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When I re-read what I had posted, I thought "No-one is going to trawl all through that". But you did, Keith, so "thank you"!
The tyre depot that supplied my tyres and carried out the steering angle checks at such a low cost and with great care was Apex Tyres of Werrington near Peterborough. I didn't mention their name before because I have had problems with them in the past, however I was very pleased with them this time, and I am convinced that they have genuinely improved. I watched the whole tyre-fitting and steering check/adjust processes and everything was done exactly as it should be.
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lthough 3 years later I?ve been quoted £218.85 by Rydale BWM in Sutton Coldfield. Be interested if any independent type networks such as Hi-Q will do the tracking on a BW. Mines a 53 318 - Paul
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Load of rubbish that only dealers can do Mercs and BM's. I have had a number go on the 'Jim Beam' 4-wheel laser aligner. This is a great system with all parameters programmed in, also has Japanese data pack for JDM grey market imports. Typically you will pay about £60-70 for a 4-wheel set up (assuming nothing badly siezed) - takes about 1/2 hour or so.
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Aprilia
Sounds about right. Just had the rear suspension bushes and some front bushes done on my 3 series at a BMW independent. Included in the cost was £80 for 4 wheel laser alignment, although I don't know what make. Car is fine after the work.
JS
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