Hello all,

I used to have all of my major service done at the now defunct Bergen Jaguar and was pointed in the direction of the new Prestige Jaguar on Rt-17 in Paramus NJ. I called to inqure about an alignment on my car and was told $235 plus tax which to me seems extremely overpriced. I remember having it done at Bergen Jaguar for far less then that and while I was up in Rhode Island for part of the year I had called two different dealerships in the area to see what their prices were for alignments and was quoted $169 and $189. Do I have any alternatives to going to this extremely overpriced service department?

Thanks,

Mathew

 

I dont think you have Hibdons Tires Plus up there, but I got my '04 XJ8 aligned for $59 here in OKc. They did and excellent job considering, according to the salesman, it was horribly out of alignment.

 

I found a fantastic alignment shop here in Dallas that has aligned many XJ's, who charged me $69.00.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that your local Jag dealer takes the cars to a frame and alignment shop, pays them below retail per alignment, say $49, and marks them up to $235, and pockets the gravy. I know for a fact that happens here in Dallas, among Indy repair shops.

One thing I'm good at is finding such things. It took me a while, but I just found this place:
Henry's Body & Frame Repair Bergenfield, NJ, 07621 - YP.com

I would be willing to lay odds that local car dealers and repair shops take cars here for expert alignments. That's my $.02. HTH.

 

The nearest dealer to me charges $89 for their Hunter rack and takes less than an hour (hourly is $130). I would be wary of anyone other than a dealer, I had my Mercedes aligned at NTB/Big O/Tire Kingdom and they did over $400 in damage to the camber bolts.

 

Frame and Alignment shops have always done the best alignments for me. They specialize in such work. I have never had a problem. These shops frequently do jobber work for new car dealers and indys who don't have their own alignment equipment. But hey, if you like handing gold bars to the Jag dealer, go for it. I'll take my $69 expert alignment every time.

 

I just had my alignment done at the jaguar dealer in harrisburg PA (on a road trip) for 99 bucks.

 

I was recently informed on the UK forum that to do the wheel alignment properly, the ride height on the air suspension also needs to be reset with the WDS/IDS diagnostic kit. If true that might explain the high price you were quoted. My local dealer charges $60 just to turn his IDS on! Labour rate for re-setting the ride height, and then doing the wheel alignment, it would all add up. Ask them if that's what they are doing for the money, if so, it might not be that bad....

 

$235 = £146 in the UK, so doesn't sound too outrageous at the normal main agent labour rates. However, as said here, independents and specialists normally charge less, and some main agents even sub-contract to them, and kiss their charges up the a*rse, before billing you.

 

thanks for the help everyone, I'll go see what Madison Jaguar is charging for an alignment these days.

Mathew

 

I had mine done at NTB when I purchased my tires. Heck, I got four P Zero Neros and an alignment for under $600 for 18" wheels.

 

Just a quick update, I dropped the car off tonight at Manhattan Jaguar Land Rover in Rockville Maryland to get the alignment done (I'm living in Maryland for the summer). I noticed in the dropoff area a specials sign that said 4 wheel alignment and pick two of any BG service for $69.95. Needless to say she's getting an alignment, coolant flush, and power steering flush tomorrow for about a quarter of what Prestige Jaguar in Paramus NJ wanted. I kind of want to send a picture of the special sheet to the service advisor that I spoke to at Prestige that tried to tell me how good of a deal that $250 alignment was! Does anyone have any experience with Manhatten? I've heard that they're good but I haven't heard it from anyone with any actual experience from there.


Thanks!

Mathew

 

That is an incredible deal. Do you mean to say that the alignment AND the BG services were all included at $69.95? $69.95 for any two BG services by itself would be a very good deal. All three together is SMOKIN'. Take a picture so I can show it to the ROBBERS in Plano, TX!

 

Ok I gotta ask, What is a a BG service?

Never mind I googled it.

 

...double check that price. If it is correct, I'll be right over!

 

Sorry everyone, apparently I read the sign wrong....... IF you purchase two BG services you get an alignment for 69.95. The sign was extremely misleading though, it says 2 BG service and an alignment done for only 69.95 and to me that sounded like EVERYTHING was 69.95 not just the alignment. To top that the guy taking my car away when I dropped it off seemed to agree with me that it was $69.95 for everything and not after you've purchased anything, oh well...

 

The fluids in two BG services could come up to more than $69.

 

For the umpteenth time. If it sounds too good to be true, it isn't.
Did they do a good job on the alignment?

 

I just got a chance to drive the car today as I was in DC for most of the weekend. So far so good, it did get rid of some extra tire noise that had seemed to pop up so just on that aspect I'm pretty happy about it. Everything else is dead straight now so all is good.

Mathew

 

Interesting. Thank you. I've never had the privilege of
1. 4 wheel alignment
2. Ride height adjustment, and
3. All wheels re-balanced
for less than $250. And yes, I would consider this as all part of the job.

Woburn Jaguar in Mass did this for me last summer... Not only was the work outstanding but the car was nicely cleaned and there were no mucky paw prins anywhere on the car... I'd go back there in a heartbeat.

 

Apologies for the typo. that's 'paw prints'. :-)