Wheel alignment, extra cost for camber and caster

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Mobus

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I'd be honest and admit I now very little about the finer details for wheel alignment.

I was surprised the other day when HiQ wanted to charge me for additional work (on top of the R~350 for the alignment) to also adjust the camber and caster alignment which was supposedly out of range. Is this standard practise to want to charge another R500 to R1000 for this additional alignment? Is this labour intensive? Is it more difficult/costly if the alignment is way out?
 
I have always known wheel alignment to be an all inclusive thing, and why would that camber and caster be out all of a sudden? That is only a problem with those imbeciles who are into stance and do funny things with tyres and suspension, I take it you are not the type?
 
Mobus said:
I'd be honest and admit I now very little about the finer details for wheel alignment.

I was surprised the other day when HiQ wanted to charge me for additional work (on top of the R~350 for the alignment) to also adjust the camber and caster alignment which was supposedly out of range. Is this standard practise to want to charge another R500 to R1000 for this additional alignment? Is this labour intensive? Is it more difficult/costly if the alignment is way out?
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Caster, Camber and Toe are all adjusted when doing an alignment.
If your Caster and Camber were so out of range then its likely that they need to do Camber and Caster bolts. And yes this requires more labour and the parts.
I would advise to stop driving into potholes and be more gentle when go into a driveway.
 
Some places will include it some not but it’s also vehicle dependent, some vehicles need special shims to adjust the camber and/or caster.
Op what is the vehicle and what exactly did they do and bill you for?
 
Thanks for the comments. Its a Kia sorento AWD.

I bought 2 tyres in December. Caster and camber were like .5 to 1° out of range. They wanted to charge me ~R700 or something to fix it. I resisted. They fixed the worst one for free (in 5 minutes!) because I already spent a lot on the tyres. Now I have to go back for another 2 tyres, but they are probably going to ask me more to fix the alignment. I probably hit one bad pothole somewhere.

They are still giving me the best quote on the tyres though.
 
Mobus said:
Thanks for the comments. Its a Kia sorento AWD.

I bought 2 tyres in December. Caster and camber were like .5 to 1° out of range. They wanted to charge me ~R700 or something to fix it. I resisted. They fixed the worst one for free (in 5 minutes!) because I already spent a lot on the tyres. Now I have to go back for another 2 tyres, but they are probably going to ask me more to fix the alignment. I probably hit one bad pothole somewhere.

They are still giving me the best quote on the tyres though.
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Go somewhere else and hear what they say, if they find the same thing then you know it's genuine, there's nothing wrong with spending money to fix what needs fixing, it's being scammed that I have a problem with.
 
Its all a scam to make more money. Had the exact same thing yesterday at Tyremart.
When they told me yesterday I remembered years ago with a Polo also at Tyremart they said the same thing and they "fixed" it with a big hammer and bending things, and me paying a lot of money for it.
That polo was still pretty new and never hit a pothole or anything. I queried it at VW and they said its a scam and they showing me something that is specifically made like that to deal with the slope of the road so your car still run straight.
I am no mechanic so don't know what is true, but the guy's(owner) reaction when I told them to go fly a kite yesterday, told me they taking chances and f$^%*ing up your car.
And further I know two friends that also went to the same dealer with different cars and all was told the same story. That cannot be coincidence.
 
I would get a second opinion but normally things like camber and castor are not easily adjusted and require additional parts like bushes, shims, plates, bolts or adjustable top shock mounts.
 
Never seen or experience this before, it sounds willy nilly to me, unless by a dealer that needs to replace parts, and while at it beware of your steering wheel position confirm that that is straight before they start. I was once charged for that, and I knew it was right, newish car as well.
 
Supaquick once tried to pull the “your wheel is buckled, but we can replace it with a spare the back” trick on.

Saw it all playing out in my crystal ball and let them go at it knowing full well there’s a very easily identifiable mark on the wheel.

Of course magically they “new” wheel balanced and then I informed them great since it’s the same wheel and it’s now working just fine please put it back on the car.

Mysteriously a week later I had a flat tyre from a very suspicious looking screw head bolt perfectly angled into the tread of a tyre.

Hi-Q all the way ever since who has never bullshitted me and even fixed a slow puncture for free once.
 
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