Alignment -Steering Wheel Off Centered - Shop Refuse to Fix

[MisterF80M3]

I got an alignment from a local shop. The alignment was perfect other than the steering wheel is slightly off centered. I contacted the local shop but he refused to fix the issue stating that I waited 1 month before contacting him about the issue. He wants to charge me $80 for a "correction." I paid $125 for the alignment initially.

I only drove a few hundred miles since I got the alignment because I only use my M3 on the weekend. In the past, I brought my previous car to another reputable local shop and I had the same exact issue. The steering wheel is a little bit off centered. I waited over a month before I contacted him and the shop told me to bring it in and they will fix it free of charge, no questions asked. When I went there he even admitted since he did not test drive the car on the freeway, he is unable to tell if the steering wheel is off centered. BTW, it only took him 5 minutes to fix the issue with the tie rod.

Is it fair for the shop to charge me $80 for a correction even though I already paid $125 for the alignment already?

[Ex_Stig]

Is it fair? Probably not. However, on the flip side, is it fair that you waited a month to let them know something was wrong?

Honestly, find another shop and move on. Plus, check things out a little quicker next time.

[GordoNx3o9]

I agree OP should've checked sooner, but 1 month isn't a long time. It's an easy fix. The shop should do it for you at no charge and shouldn't give you crap for it.

[BIGW0RM]

If you are that OCD about the steering wheel being centered, then you would have noticed it going home? At such time you should have gone right back.

1 month later request for a correction is kind of rude man. Even if you are pressed for time. You could have told him as you drove home so he wasn't surprised now that you are calling a month later for the fix.

At least thats how I see it as an outsider.

[MisterF80M3]

I never checked my steering wheel being centered until one of my friends mentioned it. It is so insignificant that I wouldn't have noticed it unless I stare at my steering wheel while driving. I would say it is 95% straight.

Not to mention, I only drive my M3 on the weekend. I've driven it less than 10 times from the time the alignment is done until now.

And centering the steering wheel is not something difficult to fix. It can be done in 5 minutes. It is ridiculous to ask $80 to fix something that was not properly done the first time, IMO..

[MisterF80M3]

BTW this is how my steering wheel looks like.

Seems like this is a common issue after alignments..

[gatorfast]

OP sounds like you are being a little irrational honestly. You mentioned you have had this problem before with other shops. Perhaps it is more in your head? Anything but a perfectly straight and level road will make the wheel feel off center.

[MisterF80M3]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

OP sounds like you are being a little irrational honestly. You mentioned you have had this problem before with other shops. Perhaps it is more in your head? Anything but a perfectly straight and level road will make the wheel feel off center.

It was with another vehicle with another shop. They were able to fix it in 5 minutes and I never had an issue for years.

[ItsGary]

Not all shops are the same, TBH, if you waited a month to bring it up regardless of you saying you drive it on the weekends only, I wouldn't fix it, because you have no way to prove it was off-center the day you took it off the lot. Unless you could prove that it was by pictures or something then I'd do it. Otherwise who knows what happened between the time you left the shop and the month gap, you could have hit a massive pothole and fucked up the alignment again.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by MisterF80M3

I never checked my steering wheel being centered until one of my friends mentioned it. It is so insignificant that I wouldn't have noticed it unless I stare at my steering wheel while driving.

So how can you be absolutely sure that it was not perfectly aligned right after the alignment?
How can we be certain that neither yourself, nor someone else who has access to the car, hit a big enough pot hole to throw off the alignment since then?
How can you be certain, since you don't know when the off-center condition materialized?

Originally Posted by MisterF80M3

Not to mention, I only drive my M3 on the weekend. I've driven it less than 10 times from the time the alignment is done until now.

That's irrelevant.
If something was appreciably off, you would have noticed it driving back after the service.
If you did not notice it, it may have not been there.

Those 10 drives could have been 0.1 miles, or 1,000 miles each.
Back and forth in your drive-way, or over Detroit/Beirut-style lunar landscape.

Originally Posted by MisterF80M3

And centering the steering wheel is not something difficult to fix. It can be done in 5 minutes.

OK, so why not do it yourself then !?!

Originally Posted by MisterF80M3

It is ridiculous to ask $80 to fix something that was not properly done the first time, IMO..

You are missing the point.
You've presenting neither the evidence, nor convincing story, that anything was not done properly by the alignment shop. Nada.
How do you know that the wheel was not hair off-center before the alignment, and the shop figured that's exactly how you like it?!!

I'm surprised the alignment shop hasn't quoted you more, just to make you go away for good !

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[Ant_tc]

At the end of the day it really just depends on the shops policy if the alignment holds any type warranty. I wouldn’t even say that’s 95% straight as im really ocd about my steering angles. Assuming your total toe value up front is within spec, this is an easy fix. Shoot me a pm and I can guide you on how to do it as long as you have torx sockets and a 13mm wrench(I’m an alignment tech at a reputable shop).