ERR404

A few weeks ago I slid into a curb at low speed during a particularly icy snowfall (I know, winter tires…) causing some nasty road rash to one wheel and creating a very slight pull in the steering. I took it to the dealership right away and was told (after they had my car all day) that they could not do the alignment without replacing the 2 front tires and the damaged wheel too the tune of $1200. To really drive the point home, they continued to chastise me for not taking the wheel warranty…
Needless to say I called BS on the service department and took my car to 3 other shops to have the alignment and tires looked at (the first 2 could not do the 18” wheels). All three of them assured me that the tread was fine at about 40% and the wheel damage was only cosmetic (there was no other damage underneath).
I am highly disappointed by this type of scam and was wondering if there is anything that could be done to punish dealerships for this kind of practice?

Tayninh

Sounds like the dealer was wanting to put on a new wheel. They certainly are costly. If you can forego the cosmetic scraps on the wheel then I would go with the shops that said they would balance the tires and do the alignment far less cheaper. Perhaps the dealer thought that since this is an expensive car (at lease at my level it is) then you would want top of the line treatment with wheel replacement. Dealerships have a long and wide reputation for ripping folks off all over no matter what make of car. Auto service is their bread and gravy so they have an incentive to charge steeply and assume worst case on some repairs. If you trust an independant shop who gurantees their work then go for it!

ERR404

I was told by the dealership that the scratch to the wheel (one wheel) was functional, not cosmetic. Therefore if I wanted the alignment fixed, I would require the new a wheel and tires. I could understand a recomendation to do so, but this was an outright refusal to do any work without buying the new parts. I will be replacing the wheel anyway, since the damage is ugly. looking for a seller now.

As I said, 3 other shops have looked at it and said the damage was cosmetic, and fairly minimal at that.

I understand the comfort level of going with the dealer for all work to the car, but i dont feel they are being striaght with me on this.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

the fact that you state you have slight pull in steering leads me to believe it is more than simply an alignment issue. it actually COULD be the wheel itself, which may or may not be able to be balanced properly.

Going to other wheel shops is good, though they are out to get your money just the same. So they don't get you on the wheel cost, but they get your business by realigning your wheels and rebalancing your tire.

All I am saying is, you could go to another wheel shop, get it aligned, and still not have the car the way it was...besides the cosmetic differences.

Howard

If you are replacing a wheel that is just scratched I'd like to buy it. I'm a going to strip and polish my wheels but want to do one at a time. I want a wheel to use while I do this but only temporarily. Let me know if you are interested. I could not pay much.