Arghh!! Very bad alignment experience today...

Like some others on the board who have had the steering retro done, there seemed to be too much on-center play in my steering. I thought this might have been due to a toe problem (or a rack problem). Given that I'm busy during the week, and don't really trust the dealer svc departments I've dealt with, and the fact that local dealers charge $100-$150 for an alignment, I decided to try and find a good independent alignment shop in my area and have them check the alignment and the steering rack installation. This is something that seems quite easy in other parts of the country, but here in lower NY its a bit hard. All of the independent garages tend to reek of sleaziness and incompetence.

So, I called my local BMWCCA tech advisor who recommended a shop. When I arrived, my first impression was that it it seemed a little "old school" to be working on a new BMW. Having seen pictures of the places that others have take their BMWs, this was more like "Cooter's garage". But, I went ahead-- due to my frustration. I was thinking to myself "how hard can an alignment be-- people have been doing this for years". They used an old Hunter 111 machine (the newest is the 811), and told me to sit in the car holding the wheel straight while they aligned it! Atleast it had the specs for a 2001 e46 sport model programmed into it, and they attached wheel sensors on all 4 wheels but I was having major doubts/worries. It was a little late to turn back and I was crossing my fingers that this would all work out (yeah, right).

They reset the toe which they said had been way off (that worried me because the car didn't feeel way off-- I was thinking the machine may have been out of calibration or just carelessly set up). I paid ($70), and drove the car (again, a bonehead move-- should've insisted on a test drive first). At first it seemed fine, but after some time on the highway, I realized that the car drifted to the right pretty badly (even on flat roads). So, I took it back to the shop and let the guy drive it (of course, he got grease stains on my interior), and he finally admitted that he noticed it. So, he tellls me to take the car back on Monday because he's closing up for the day! I protested but he said "I usually leave at 3 on Saturdays and its already 4 (he's the shop owner btw). At this point, I just didn't feel like fighting and I was having second thoughts about even letting him touch the car again. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet, and take it to the dealer and pay $100. I'm so aggravated over this whole situation--- I feel like I should never have messed w/ the steering in the first place! I also confirmed that there really are no reputable/comeptent independent mechanics in my area if this is the best the BMWCCA can recommend. I guess the preponderance of leased cars has meant that most people just use dealer svc departments now.

Sorry for the long story, I just felt like I needed to vent a little to people who might be sympathetic. Yeah, I admit i'm an idiot for not just taking it back to the dealer. and for not following my intuition about my first impressions of the garage. I guess this experience pales in comparison to the HACK's recent experience w/ a bodyshop in his area though. This whole steering thing is so frustrating! I feel like it would be so easy to resolve, if I could just find a good reputable dealer w/ a good mechanic.

FWIW, this mechanic I went to seemed pretty impressed w/ the way the car was put together, and the materials used (chassis wise). I guess that should've been a warning unto itself because it meant he probably hadn't seen many recent BMWs. The guy who was sweeping the shop floors (an older guy), told me his daughter just got a 2002 325xi to replave a 99 323i--I should've ask him if she was going to have it serviced at her dad's garage.

I wish there was a way to rent out a BMW svc department bay for a few hours on a weekend so that I could do my own repairs/alignments w/ ease. There's no way that'll ever happen though...