Wheel and alignment question for Gary et-al

ceb · 03-09-2011, 09:45 PM

I have a set of Rial Salernos with ContiExtremeWinter tires.

The local BMW dealership said that they could not do an alignment because I "had aftermarket rims."

Is there any legitimate reason why the Rials would prevent the dealership from doing an alignment? The stock setup is the square BMW 161 setup (17x8, et 34) and the Rials are 17x8 with an et of 29 - a minimal difference.

David1 · 03-10-2011, 02:07 PM

It depends on the equipment, The BMW dealers alignment heads grab the tread use the alignment holes around the center of the rim. If this is the only set up your dealer has and your rims do not have the holes, they will not be able to do the alignment. My dealer has both head set ups.

ceb · 03-10-2011, 08:35 PM

Thanks. So that's what the holes are for, but the Rials have the same alignment holes.

Any other ideas?

ceb · 03-11-2011, 10:50 AM

No other ideas?

David1 · 03-11-2011, 12:05 PM

Your dealer just doesn't want to do it.

ceb · 03-11-2011, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1

Your dealer just doesn't want to do it.

Yep -that's pretty obvious to me too. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't overlooking something before I complained to BMWNA.

David1 · 03-14-2011, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceb

Yep -that's pretty obvious to me too. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't overlooking something before I complained to BMWNA.

Complaining to BMWNA won't help.

Gary@TireRack · 03-14-2011, 01:24 PM

It also sounds to me like the dealer is simply unwilling to do it.

ceb · 03-14-2011, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1

Complaining to BMWNA won't help.

In general you are correct, but this is the same dealership that:

Crashed my car into something and tried to give it back to me with a scraped bumper.

Is telling me that a rock hard brake pedal is normal everytime I leave the car for a few hours.

Had the service adviser tell me (verified by a saved voicemail) that they checked the alignment on my car and everything was absolutely perfect so I didn't need an alignment, while they wrote on the work order that they couldn't do it because of the aftermarket wheels.

In a discussion, the GM told me that the dealership will not work on modified cars.

Those of you that follow my threads know that I generally warn against mods for this very reason, but a blanket "we don't do modified cars" is a clear violation of the Magnusson-Moss warranty act (even if the alignment isn't warranty, the blanket statement also covers warranty work) because the aftermarket wheels are substantially similar to the OE wheels.

ceb · 03-14-2011, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary@TireRack

It also sounds to me like the dealer is simply unwilling to do it.

Oh, you're absolutely right. I just wanted to assure that I wasn't overlooking something.

Thanks!

iseegreen · 03-14-2011, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceb

In general you are correct, but this is the same dealership that:

Crashed my car into something and tried to give it back to me with a scraped bumper.

Is telling me that a rock hard brake pedal is normal everytime I leave the car for a few hours.

Had the service adviser tell me (verified by a saved voicemail) that they checked the alignment on my car and everything was absolutely perfect so I didn't need an alignment, while they wrote on the work order that they couldn't do it because of the aftermarket wheels.

In a discussion, the GM told me that the dealership will not work on modified cars.

Those of you that follow my threads know that I generally warn against mods for this very reason, but a blanket "we don't do modified cars" is a clear violation of the Magnusson-Moss warranty act (even if the alignment isn't warranty, the blanket statement also covers warranty work) because the aftermarket wheels are substantially similar to the OE wheels.

sounds like the dealership from hell. I can't believe you kept going back to them after all that, after the first offense, I would have found a new dealer =/

axis · 03-14-2011, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceb

In general you are correct, but this is the same dealership that:

Crashed my car into something and tried to give it back to me with a scraped bumper.

Is telling me that a rock hard brake pedal is normal everytime I leave the car for a few hours.

Had the service adviser tell me (verified by a saved voicemail) that they checked the alignment on my car and everything was absolutely perfect so I didn't need an alignment, while they wrote on the work order that they couldn't do it because of the aftermarket wheels.

In a discussion, the GM told me that the dealership will not work on modified cars.

Those of you that follow my threads know that I generally warn against mods for this very reason, but a blanket "we don't do modified cars" is a clear violation of the Magnusson-Moss warranty act (even if the alignment isn't warranty, the blanket statement also covers warranty work) because the aftermarket wheels are substantially similar to the OE wheels.

Wait.. so you've had all these issues with this dealer, yet you still give them business? Are you mental??

ceb · 03-14-2011, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by axis

Wait.. so you've had all these issues with this dealer, yet you still give them business? Are you mental??

All from one service.

03-09-2011, 09:45 PM	#1
ceb NHTSA Nazi 28 Rep 1,983 Posts Drives: 335ix Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	Wheel and alignment question for Gary et-al I have a set of Rial Salernos with ContiExtremeWinter tires. The local BMW dealership said that they could not do an alignment because I "had aftermarket rims." Is there any legitimate reason why the Rials would prevent the dealership from doing an alignment? The stock setup is the square BMW 161 setup (17x8, et 34) and the Rials are 17x8 with an et of 29 - a minimal difference.
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03-10-2011, 02:07 PM	#2
David1 Brigadier General 945 Rep 4,035 Posts Drives: 09 E92 09 X5 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbus, OH iTrader: (1)	It depends on the equipment, The BMW dealers alignment heads grab the tread use the alignment holes around the center of the rim. If this is the only set up your dealer has and your rims do not have the holes, they will not be able to do the alignment. My dealer has both head set ups. __________________ 2021 M2 Comp Sunset Orange \|Black with orange Stitching Dakota Leather\|Executive Pkg\|DCT
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03-10-2011, 08:35 PM	#3
ceb NHTSA Nazi 28 Rep 1,983 Posts Drives: 335ix Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	Thanks. So that's what the holes are for, but the Rials have the same alignment holes. Any other ideas?
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03-11-2011, 10:50 AM	#4
ceb NHTSA Nazi 28 Rep 1,983 Posts Drives: 335ix Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	No other ideas?
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03-11-2011, 12:05 PM	#5
David1 Brigadier General 945 Rep 4,035 Posts Drives: 09 E92 09 X5 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbus, OH iTrader: (1)	Your dealer just doesn't want to do it. __________________ 2021 M2 Comp Sunset Orange \|Black with orange Stitching Dakota Leather\|Executive Pkg\|DCT
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03-14-2011, 01:24 PM	#8
Gary@TireRack Moderator 372 Rep 4,742 Posts Drives: Formerly 1995 M3 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: South Bend, IN, Tire Rack HQ iTrader: (2)	It also sounds to me like the dealer is simply unwilling to do it. __________________ Gary. Tire and Wheel Forum Moderator. Tire Rack Sales Rep Gary@Tirerack.com http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AH8&url=index.jsp Please refer to 'Gary/E90 Post' as your previous contact when you order online to help support this forum.
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