I have an XKR and the dealer wants $300 for a alignment. They said I needed an alignment. However Sears says they can do it for $65. Can I get the alignment done anywhere or do I have to go to the dealer and get it done ? Also the XKR has CATS does this make a difference where I can go ? Please let me know some recommendations.

 

Sears is just fine.

 

Any qualified alignment shop can do the alignment but none, other than the Jaguar dealer, will have the shims for the rear adjustment. I took mine to a local Ford dealer for $69. Rear did not need adjustment.

My closest Jaguar dealer, who currently have a sticky advertisement on this forum, only charges $100 for an alignment.

 

Not even some people at dealers properly align a Jag, and I seriously doubt someone that doesnt work on them all day knows how they like to be set up. Aligning a car so its "IN THE GREEN" is bs, and if you have a 03 up stype I can guarantee they do not have the correct updated specs(they were changed back in 02, dont get updated from the alignment machine manufacture with new software, we manually enter and save into the machine then have to select those specs when selecting the specs to use) and will align you car with the original specs from Jaguar that causes inside tire wear in front from insufficient toe in. Also this same this affects 04 and up XJ8's. I like to always check suspension deflection when Im setting toe in front like Mercedes recommends on their alignments by using a pressor bar. This takes into account YOUR cars suspension deflection instead of assuming your car is just like any other XK, XJ, X,S, etc
I run into to this same issue on other non Jag forums and really am amazed at the industry wide number of tech/shops that do not know how to do an alignment and what the setting will and will not do. They let the alignment machine tell them everything about doing an alignment, but it is only a tool as are driving the car to be aware of tire pull and drift, tire wear etc..
I frequently set a alignment up into RED settings to comphensate for different issues I see/feel with each car. I see the same cars/customers throughout the year and I always look at tire wear to catch an alignment issue before someone needs to go out an replace $500-2000 set of tires. And Im sorry but if any of you reading this think you shouldnt at least check alignment when replacing tires, yearly , potholes etc I seriously wonder about your money handling capabilities. your are trying to preserve expensive tires by spending far less to make sure they dont prematurly wear out.
I always tell customers when i talk to them how to monitor their own tire wear in front. Turn the steering wheel all the way right or left when you park. Get out and inpect the face of both front tires. If there is more inside or outside tire wear of more than 2/32nds,(as compared to the inside and outside tread blocks) you need an alignment. 99% of Jaguars will wear the inside of the front tires out from too much toe out. and this is commonly done when hitting potholes and curbs.
Also, putting shims into the rear diff to adjust the rear camber IS NOT part of an alignment(except maybe that $300 one) nor is installing eccentric bolts on 00-02 stypes that dont have them to set caster/camber in front.
So what am I saying....find someone that know what an alignment setting will/wont do, have them pushout on front tires to check defelction which simulates what the tires do when you drive down the road. you would really be surprised how much the tires can move out when you do this. I frequently have setting go from green to red for toe out and to get to stay green have to set into the red for toe in to get it to be in the green when youre driving down the road. This is only an issue for those of you that dont drive to work on an alignment machine. You can get a good proper alignment for both $69-200, but you can also get a crappy one too!

 

We have the same issue on 350z's. The factory came up with new spec's because they were eating tires before they hit 7000 miles. Most of the tech's I know still have trouble aligning those properly and most dont understand how camber,caster and toe effect the car. I also may modify alignment spec's to the tell tell signs given by tire wear. So 2nd on what brutal stated in other words.

 

BRUTAL is right. Far better to find a good Jag tech that knows where these cars should be set up rather than centering the car in the green. My dealership normally gets $129 for 4 wheel alignment and we often have specials at $99.

 

For a factory alignment go to Jaguar! I would suggest doing your homework when you take it in. They make a suggestion challenge it if it does not feel right! I did and they took me into the shop to see. It seems that most shops nowadays it is about the money and not the service with few suggestions.

Good Luck!