Hey guys, just want a reality check on an alignment gone awry...

Took truck in for tire rotation and alignment, and not just one of those BS alignments where the truck goes straight but the one that straightens your steering wheel out too (unlike the previous 90K miles worth of alignments)

While performing the toe adjustment the tech says the tie rods and sleeves (the really long one and the short one that cross the span of the truck) were rusted together, and upon undoing them completely stripped them out to the point they are 'not road worthy'.. I can buy this as there are roughly 90K on these tie rods, and MI winter isnt exactly corriosion preventative.

Where I get confused is the fact Belle Tire only uses Moog tie rods and wants to charge me:

$122.62 for the left outer tie rod
$204.94 for the tie rod at connecting rod
$38.43 for adjusting sleeve
$75 Labor
$47.90 for alignment

THis totals out to $488.94 pre tax... Does this seem right to yall?

Pretty much I'm in an apt. away from home for work, no access to tools or garage, and when Belle clamped the tie rods back together my steering wheel is now 90 degrees off from where it should be and keeping my truck in the lane is almost impossible (extreme death wobble)

I can't afford to take time off work to fart around with this in a parking lot, but at the same time I cant drive to work either, and Belle refuses to perform any labor without parts they sell you, same with Sears, and those are the only 2 shops within 'limping distance' from the homestead.

I'm between a rock and a hard place, but maybe I just have sticker shock but for this kind of markup on parts... what would you do? I need to have the beast all fixed up by 10:00am latest because my alternate transportation is in 1000 pieces in my dining room.

Thoughts, comments, concerns? To me half a grand seems like a lot of coin for what this job and parts are.

 

Go to RockAuto Auto Parts and look up the parts prices. From what I can tell the shop is price gouging the hell out of the parts (typical shop) Moog sleeve under $15, Moog left tie rod end under $50 from Rock Auto. I'm sure the other part is gouged also. If your going to pay that kind of money you might as well go to a Ford dealer and get Motorcraft parts, or at least get a quote.

 

Thats what I was thinking, I looked them up at advance auto and not nearly the insane mark up...

but wth do I do? Seriously where I am getting more irate as I think about it is:

1. I show up to get an alignment because I had a little extra coin and even though the truck went down road straight, I wanted my steering wheel corrected... the truck drove fine

2. They make it so truck no longer drives. Granted rust is inevitable, but its like the tech wasnt born yesterday... they could have said 'hey man this may not work out so well do u still want too..." with that level of corrosion it should have been no surprise it may not adjust.

3. almost a 2x mark up on parts they know the truck shouldnt leave without? But it was closing time so they sent me on my way? after they even said, "this will not hold if you hit a pot hole" but...

Blah. City folk do not make me happy.If I didn't love me truck i'd drive it till it broke.. my insurance deductible is $500.

 

If you do the Rock Auto thing (I agree with dkf), check out this link as well.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...04-2011-a.html

They're a Site Sponsor here too.

 

Not saying your truck and shop is the case but some shops just look for ways they can make money. Take the vehicle in for something minor or PM and magically something "major" is found. Most people just say "fix it" and fork over the cash, the shops know this. You being away from home for work makes you the perfect target.

You are basically stuck and need the truck fixed now, it is what it is. Thats why I would go to Ford dealer to have the work done and get Motorcraft parts. There will be a warrenty on the work and parts the dealer installs. If your away again and have issues a Ford dealer is usually close by, not Joe Smoes alignment shop. I'd at least get a quote from the dealer. I'm not for the dealer but in your situation it may be the best bet.

 

I appreciate it guys, but unless rock auto will get me my parts by 9:00am tomorrow I'm gonna have to pay a premium, hopefully I can find someone to do the job with parts I supply courtesy of advance auto (I get hefty discount there) or not mark their stuff up as much

 

The way I see it, you have two options - either deal w/ them or have it towed somewhere else. Honestly w/ what they're charging you could probably have it towed to Ford and have them do it and probably not lose anything even w/ the tow bill.

Besides that, I might go to a parts store and get quotes for the exact parts and take them in and tell them you'll pay some % over that and no more. If they say no, have it towed on principle.

 

I think the overall price isn't bad, they just listed labor WAY too cheap and put the markup on the parts for some stupid reason.

 

To be brutally honest I don't think it's to bad a price for installing new ends and sleeves,including an alignment! The lights don't stay on and techs don't get paid with out markup on the parts! Because Rock auto or Advance sells them for price A does not mean that's what the shop is paying for it of if it's the same part and the shop also has to warranty the labor if something goes wrong, ^so don't count on them using you're parts I would not ever do that again! The standard markup onthe parts at every shop I've been involved with is 30% not much when you consider most retail markup is 100% or better and people seldome complain unless it's on their car then all mechanics are crooks ect...
Jim...& fat Monty

 

there is a fair rate, and then there is highway robbery. he is being charged highway robbery

a fully supplied shop can do this job in 1 hour...alignment included. I'd say screw them and have the Dealership do the job. Then come back with a receipt and point out the price difference.

My wife got screwed by a shop while I was deployed. They took her for $300 on a damn tire because she was a woman buying something. Even though I had given her specific instructions and exactly what I wanted and didn't want. Damn shop convinced her that I was mistaken and didn't know what I was talking about.

Next time I'm in that part of town I plan on lighting up their rears for that little stunt. I've been doing business with them for 4yrs. They'll never get another dime from me

 

Well I was forced back to belle as the dealers in the area would do it cheaper, they couldn't get me in until tomorrow. time lost translates into more money than the coin I would save...

however you should have seen their face when I asked: 'can I spend time with one of your techs?' when they asked why I responded 'I was hoping he could lube me up before you ____ me'

oh well, this stinks but what can I do... thanks for your input

 

Seems about right. I did it myself and the labor rate is actually pretty fair considering how much time it took me. At least they are using good quality Moog parts.

 

So I managed to get them to match the dealer pricing of $475.90 out the door...

Its done now, goes down the road straight, and this is the first alignment I've ever had where the steering wheel is straight while going straight.

Ya win some, ya lose some...

 

When I get vehicles aligned I make sure that the shop knows in advance that I WILL NOT accept a crooked steering wheel, PERIOD!!! Nobody should.

Actually the only time that I have an alignment done is after I've replaced parts. Or tire wear indicates a need.

One time about 20 yeas ago I had a Caddy (I know, I still miss that part of my brain!). One day the drummer for a popular CW band ran a red light and t-boned the car. When I finally got the car back the steering wheel was off center and the body shop sent me down to the alignment shop where I had a few words with the manager. This fool even said that they would have to pull the steering wheel off and turn it a little (absolutely not!!!).
AND then he said that cars come from the factory like that....REALLY??? I don't know what kind of cars he's been buying.

By now I'm really letting him have it and he tells me that the car was put on a $20,000 machine. That's when I dropped the bomb shell on him, "How much do you pay the guy that's running the machine? What's he worth?"

There was a long pause and then he put the car up and corrected it himself. Took all of about 8 minutes.

Demand the best!!!!

 

Generally shops charge list price on all parts they supply/install, that would include the ford dealer. I believe they have a $75 labor rate per hour? A flat rate charge on the alignment? Since you arent doing the parts supply and install yourself, it didnt matter what you could have paid for the parts.

Generally speaking, the parts markup covers the shops overhead such like utilities, property taxes, banks interest, the labor rate covers the technicians labor and the owners profit. Totally realistic pricing.