4 wheel alinment issues

[Baz300]

I had my car in for a 4 wheel alinment today

When I picked the car up they told me that there was not enough adjustment in the driver side ball joint to get the camber 100% but it should be fine.

On the way home the car is pulling to the left and the steering wheel is slightly off center to the left

I phoned the garage to tell them about them and they are saying that it is doing it because they couldn't get the camber 100% on the driver side

Can anyone offer some advice? Would the camber make the car pull to the left? or have they just done a bad job of it?

Not too happy as I have paid £90 to get the alinment done

[RedRobin]

.
I think that they should have contacted you as soon as they saw on the alignment machine that there wasn't enough adjustment possible. Your car "is pulling to the left and the steering wheel is slightly off center to the left" is absolutely not fine and they have wrongly taken your money in my opinion.

They should have offered to fix the ball joint problem first (obviously charging you for it) and then aligned it properly.

At the moment you are driving a car needing alignment and if left it could lead to other problems.

[Baz300]

.
I think that they should have contacted you as soon as they saw on the alignment machine that there wasn't enough adjustment possible. Your car "is pulling to the left and the steering wheel is slightly off center to the left" is absolutely not fine and they have wrongly taken your money in my opinion.

They should have offered to fix the ball joint problem first (obviously charging you for it) and then aligned it properly.

At the moment you are driving a car needing alignment and if left it could lead to other problems.

I'm not too happy about it
The ball joint they can't get the adjustment on is brand new and was fitted by a garage that I trust

[RedRobin]

^^^^
What does the garage that you trust think of the people who 'did the alignment'?

I would firstly tell the alignment company that you are very dissatisfied and why (can you cancel your payment?)...

Tell the garage you trust that there appears to be a problem with their ball joint installation and tell them what the alignment company found...

Get the trusted garage to put it right (within their original charges)...

Go back to the alignment people and ask them to do the job properly and you'll be happy to pay them properly.

Be polite but firm and ask all those concerned to please understand your point of view. Tell us what happens please  

[Baz300]

I'll phone the garage that done the ball joint tomorrow

I couldn't scan the printout because it was so faint but have made a mock up of the figures here

Does anyone understand that? The full stop is the degree sign

[MC71]

That's terrible.   

I'd contact the garage, get the ball joint sorted and complain (in a friendly way) then demand a free wheel alignment with the company that did it the first time. Cannot believe they did it, absolutely bloody pointless doing it on the car IMHO.

Good luck bud!

 

[RedRobin]

^^^^
Sounds to me that the alignment company is happy to take advantage. Perhaps the senior management of that company might take a better view and the fault of telling you it was ok was down to the operator.

Contact the top guy in both businesses.

[ashley]

Why was the ball joint replaced, not a common fault on a mk5. Did you hit an pot hole or something.

Even though the adjustment is on the ball joint, could be something else out of line causing the problems.

[Baz300]

Why was the ball joint replaced, not a common fault on a mk5. Did you hit an pot hole or something.

Even though the adjustment is on the ball joint, could be something else out of line causing the problems.

I sheared one of the studs when I went to fit my suspension kit so had to get it replaced, I also had to replace the track rod ends on both sides and the car was pulling to the left with the steering wheel off center exactly the same as it is now after changing the track rod ends

[RedRobin]

I sheared one of the studs when I went to fit my suspension kit so had to get it replaced, I also had to replace the track rod ends on both sides and the car was pulling to the left with the steering wheel off center exactly the same as it is now after changing the track rod ends

....Does that mean that you did this work yourself?

[Baz300]

I sheared one of the studs when I went to fit my suspension kit so had to get it replaced, I also had to replace the track rod ends on both sides and the car was pulling to the left with the steering wheel off center exactly the same as it is now after changing the track rod ends

....Does that mean that you did this work yourself?

I done the back suspension and the front passenger side

I had the problem with the ball joint on the driver side and one of the top mount bolts was just spinning on the driver side so I had to get the car trailerd to the garage for them to sort the driver side and ball joint

They also checked over all the work I done and said everything was perfect

[RedRobin]

They also checked over all the work I done and said everything was perfect

....Good. So at least that means that you haven't done something potentially detrimental for which you would have to take the responsibility.

I'm sure your trusted garage will understand your predicament and help you resolve it. The fact that the alignment company were happy to charge you without completing a proper job suggests that they may be more awkward and that's why I suggest a calm chat with their boss.

Did your trusted garage recommend them?

[Baz300]

They also checked over all the work I done and said everything was perfect

....Good. So at least that means that you haven't done something potentially detrimental for which you would have to take the responsibility.

I'm sure your trusted garage will understand your predicament and help you resolve it. The fact that the alignment company were happy to charge you without completing a proper job suggests that they may be more awkward and that's why I suggest a calm chat with their boss.

Did your trusted garage recommend them?

No they recommended a different place but They couldn't get my car in for at least 4 weeks and I didn't want to wait that long as I need my car every day.

They were the only other local company that I could find that that offerd a 4 wheel alinment all the others were tracking only

[Hedge]

Are they trying to adjust camber on the front or rear?

Didn't think it was possible on the front... 

[Baz300]

Are they trying to adjust camber on the front or rear?

Didn't think it was possible on the front... 

The front I assume as they are blaming the ball joint not having enough adjustment for the camber