Tiger Wheel & Tyre

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mechwarrior

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Hi guys

I have a 2013 VW Polo Comfortline. Last week, I had my mechanic replace the lower control arm bushings. This incidentally, as it does, puts the alignment off and therefore took the vehicle for wheel alignment at Tiger Wheel & Tyre (did 2x tyres one time while I was there).

The guy did the wheel alignment (the cost was R300 and some change for all four wheels). Shortly thereafter, he came to me and told me that he has done the alignment, it is basically done, but to get it to be perfect (whatever that means, I assume properly in spec.), it would cost me an extra R1050 (yes, 1 thousand and fifty)!

Earlier, I had issues with buying tyres online etc. and had to wait for payment verification from head office before they changed my tyres and did the alignment. Due to this, and while still flabbergasted, before I could answer, the sales lady told the tech to do the job and don't worry about the cost because of the trouble I had had sorting out the initial order.

He then continued to do the wheel alignment (which took an additional 30min) and gave me print outs to show current positions vs the specification etc. Car feels great so I believe it must be right.

Now, my question is, is this for real?? I understand that the alignment would be out of wack after the mechanic changed the LCA bushes, and he would have aligned the wheels enough to drive. What I do not understand is how alignment works, but to me its either 'in' or 'not in' and in doing alignment at TWT, paying R300 I would expect them to get the alignment to be 'in'. Does this happen at other branches and other providers too?

Additionally, when reading TWT terms and conditions, they state there could be extra costs for wheel alignment?

If the sales lady didn't interject, I would never have paid the money. Makes me cautious to go to TWT for anything again. Googled everywhere and couldn't find any posts with a similar issue.

Thoughts please?
 
I have a feeling it's that particular TWT who are crooks, they were just taking chances. Usually how it works is that someone comes to install tyres and the alignment is sort of complementary, even though you do pay for it. Now the trouble comes when you just want to do the alignment and nothing else, that's where their skelm tendencies are exposed.
 
You do get two types of alignment and yes the other one is very expensive. They tried that with me as well.
 
Actually seems like a lot of these places do that, I used to take my car every 6 months to TWT and they would tell me the same crap "to get it 100%..." for high speed alignment.
I decided to try a different place one day in eastrand, charged me R100 for 4 wheel alignment and R150 for balancing. Never went back to TWT.
 
I drove up from CT to JHB over the Hollidays.

On the way up had to take a 100km detour over dirt roads due to massive accident near beau fort west.

Was a very dusty road and we must have hit a stone/brick or something that shredded the tyre.

Once in JHB i went to Tyger wheel and tyre to get a replacement tyre - they told me that I needed to replace the whole rear axle are R20k cost.

Went to hiQ across the road who charged R600 to sort out alignment and more that 1.5 months later no wear on tyre or any other issues.

They are crooks as far as I am concerned.
 
It's possible that they needed to align rear wheels as well (not a result of the bush replacement). This does cost more.
 
Quicks said:
You do get two types of alignment and yes the other one is very expensive. They tried that with me as well.
Click to expand...

So then, is the 'cheaper' alignment, which I guess is also what thechamp is referring to, good enough in terms of tyre wear etc. if I keep doing it over the life of my tyres?
 
Scooby_Doo said:
What do you get with the expensive alignment? Super aligned wheels?
Click to expand...

I literally think that is basically what they are offering. You see, I didn't really ask questions, or get the chance to, because once the sales lady told the tech to do it, I didn't want to say anything and just let them all do their thing.
 
thechamp said:
I have a feeling it's that particular TWT who are crooks, they were just taking chances. Usually how it works is that someone comes to install tyres and the alignment is sort of complementary, even though you do pay for it. Now the trouble comes when you just want to do the alignment and nothing else, that's where their skelm tendencies are exposed.
Click to expand...

In the old days, you got free alignment with new tyres. Not any more :(
 
Sinbad said:
It's possible that they needed to align rear wheels as well (not a result of the bush replacement). This does cost more.
Click to expand...

They ALWAYS do my rears as well and it's never been more than R300 so I don't see how that jumps to R1050.


But these tyre shops are dodgy as ****. I've previously had a Supaquick try to tell me that my rim is buckled and literally sell me the same rim back for like a grand "because they had one in the back". I saw the con coming a mile away and made mental notes of the scuffs on the wheel and when they disappeared with it and came back round the other side I was quick to inform them it was the same rim and they very quickly came with a whole *** story that yes it is blah blah blah.

Needless to say had a strong word with the superior and then got a massive discount on the work done.

On another occasion also a Supaquick mind you I chose to replace only two tyres to magically find a bolt that had been obviously filed down into a sharp point and wedged nicely between the tread pattern causing a flat a couple of days later. Very hard to prove they did it on purpose but the culprit was suspiciously made for purpose.

Never went back to a Supaquick since and have used the same HiQ the last 4 or 5 times and have been very happy.
 
mechwarrior said:
So then, is the 'cheaper' alignment, which I guess is also what thechamp is referring to, good enough in terms of tyre wear etc. if I keep doing it over the life of my tyres?
Click to expand...

I can assure you that 99% of cars on the road are rolling with the "cheaper" alignment. Don't stress yourself about it the guys were just trying to scam you.
 
thechamp said:
It doesn't make much sense, unless maybe they align them to within 100% accurancy of the tolerance margins or something. It looks and sound like a scam.
Click to expand...

Like I said, mavbe replace wheelbearings, whcih R1000 odd would be cheap in that case. Anyway. does not make much sense.
 
Guys thank you for the responses!

If it would help, tomorrow I will post the results screenshots that he gave me of the normal alignment and then the expensive alignment and you guys can see if the expensive alignment even made a difference.

But, I think it has been confirmed now that I won't be using TWT again, irrespective of their free R1050 wheel alignment gesture.
 
mechwarrior said:
Guys thank you for the responses!

If it would help, tomorrow I will post the results screenshots that he gave me of the normal alignment and then the expensive alignment and you guys can see if the expensive alignment even made a difference.

But, I think it has been confirmed now that I won't be using TWT again, irrespective of their free R1050 wheel alignment gesture.
Click to expand...

Do let us know exactly what the special alignment entails.
 
Been using TWT (Stellenbosch & Windhoek) for the past 10 years, over many vehicles and never had any issues. Wrong to blame the brand for a dodgy franchise.

That being said, you got scammed. You should never let anyone decided what work you need done on your car, unless they pay for it themselves... That sales lady saw you coming.
 
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