1999 GTS Alignment

[LarryBRed99GTS]

I took my '99 GTS to a local dealer here in Roswell (Atlanta), Georgia and was told that the cost for alignment could be as much as $1000.00 but would most likely be around $300.00, and, sure enough that was what the bill was when I picked up my car. I just figured that since the car is basically a street legal race car, there was probably a bit more to the alignment procedure.

The cost kind of bothered me so I took it on myself to call the other Dodge dealers in the Atlanta area as well as our neighborhood NTB to compare their charges for alignment. Much to my surprise, of the dealers and NTB who could actually mount the Viper on their alignment racks and perform the alignment, the charges they quoted were $59.95, $85.99, $89.99, and $149.00.

I have re-approached the dealer I took my car to and told them that it sounded kind of odd that four of the other Dodge dealers and NTB either don't know what they are doing or I just got greased. The dealer that I took it to said that the other dealers in the Atlanta area are doing an incomplete alignment and are really the ones hosing the customer by causing uneven tire wear and steering problems by not completing the dcx alignment procedure.

What do you think?

 

[Viper Specialty]

*COUGH*BULLSH!T*COUGH*

I pay 79.99 for a complete alignment at my local 5-star dealer. (actually is a good one too) They have no problem fitting the Viper on the machine, and the machine is the newest generation in computer alignments. They attach optical "mirrors" to all the wheels, and the optical sensors sit on a "T" bar that raises and lowers with the car. The machine will tell you all the alignment specs, the % of tread left, wheel rotations per mile, check for bent wheels and suspension components, bad ball joints and tie rod ends, bad wheel bearings, etc....

PS- I would head back to that dealer and make it right, or they're gonna get it... with the use of this website, they can kiss most Viper business goodbye. Either that, or tell them you WANT a 300$ alignment. This means that the owner of the dealership has so come in on a sunday, at 6 AM, and perform the alignment with the use of a T Square, a ruler, and a pad of paper.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

I go to one of the upper end alignment shops for track alignments, cost $140 all 4 wheels.

 

[Birvini]

Archer Racing at Viper Days cost us $120.00 Not a bad deal in my opinion.

 

[GTS Dean]

Both sides of this argument have valid positions. If the dealer does a complete, by the book alignment on your car, it will tie up a tech for 1/2 day plus. It is darned near impossible to set the rear caster angle correctly with anything other than the Dodge Viper Service Tools and a DRB III.

However, it would be quite rare to ever have to go through the complete procedure spelled out in the maual on both ends of the car. About the only reasons I can think of are rebushing of the suspension pivots or post-crash repair.

 

[LarryBRed99GTS]

Dean,

Thanks for the reply. The reason for the alignment was due to my climbing over the curb at about 5mph. I needed an oil change anyway so, as an afterthought, I decided to have the dealer check the alignment. According to what I was told, the toe-in on the right front and right rear was slightly out. Also, I was told that all that could be adjusted was the toe-in on the rear. I guess I learned my lesson by making sure I watch where I am going. Maybe I got a good deal after all.

 

[Tom Sessions]

Larry,
If they only adjusted the toe in on the rear then you didn't get a $300 alignment.I would be asking for a refund.Camber caster and toe are all adjustable on all four corners.

 

[Tomcat]

Before taking your car to PALMER DODGE, GA Viper owners should call or email one of the exiting VCA Members such as myself for a reference.

Mariette Dodge does great work at good prices and the Viper Tech there supports the club at Road Atlanta Track Days, attends GA VCA meeings, etc. To my knowledge, JD (the Viper Tech) is the only representative from a local dealer who gives his time to our club.

Tom

 

[Joseph Dell]

Sounds like you've been "taken". Now it is time to get even. Dispute the charges on your credit card and save the receipt. a bill of 1000 would mean that between 16 hours and 25 hours were spent on the project. And that doesn't sound corret at all.

Let me tell you a little story about Palmer Dodge, BTW... I went in there with a friend who had 80k with him. He wanted to buy an SRT immediately. They were rude to us while they proceeded to tell me that the black SRT on the lot with 800 miles on it was NEW. They also wanted 84k for it. Did I mention that this car had been titled 4 times?

We'd called for an appointment and they wouldn't let us test drive it. They wouldn't negotiate the price and when told "I can get one from Woodhouse for sticker or less" they acknowledged that they'd never heard of him and didn't care.

So we left and a new SRT showed up from Woodhouse 10 days later. With 6 miles on it. With a smile. And not some idiot trying to screw us.

One last thing... they said "If you can get a new one for 80 bring it over here and we'll buy it. We sell them for 90 all day long". Not to me they won't.

And there are more stories that are worse than this... Be weary and dispute that charge.

JD

 

[V10 MOJO]

***?! 1K for an alignment. joking right?

 

[thebigsnake]

How about replacing a Clock-spring with a new one that I already had, and erasing a check engine light code for Can$350. at Sources Chrysler in Montreal?
I even wrote to the head office about it, and they thanked me for the info but that was it.
Tchau.

 

[ViperJoe]

If the dealer does a complete, by the book alignment on your car, it will tie up a tech for 1/2 day plus. It is darned near impossible to set the rear caster angle correctly with anything other than the Dodge Viper Service Tools and a DRB III.

To lend some credence here, I spoke with our very endeared Viper Wizard Chuck Tator and he stated the same as above, the by the book (that's the Mopar Viper Service Manual with the Viper specific tools, yada, yada, yada), WILL cost a few samolians more that a run of the mill allignment. It won't be your typical Ford Taurus 79.99 - 149.00 alignment in either $$, time, or complexity. Now as stated on this thread, the quick down and dirty may very well work, just realize there is another option, albeit an expenxive one.

 

[Ulysses]

Just to update this thread for prosperity, my local Dodge dealer quoted me $440.00 if they have to do a complete alignment. Time wise, will take most of the day to do.

 

[Joel]

I've got to disagree with a lot of the above. It may be possible to check the Viper alignment fairly quickly and ascertain that everything is ok as per the book, but to start and do a full susp alignment maybe to different camber, castor settings is a very time consuming job. Even with the best of equipment its got to be about a days work, and as GTS Dean says the rear castor is impossible to check without the Chrysler tools or a custom adapted smart camber gauge or suchlike.

 

[SUN RA KAT]

My local dealer, Voss Dodge in Centerville, Ohio, quoted me $145 for a front end alignment.

BTW - My Viper measures around 3.25" clearance, NOT 1.5" - I found out my flat driveway has a slight rise between the front wheels that I didn't know about when I did my original measuring. I still wouldn't mind an electric or hydraulic lift kit for raising the Viper when going up or down driveways and over speedbumps at low speeds (5 MPH).

 

[cobramadness]

Doesn't surprise me about Palmer. I work out of town and it is on the way so I stop by to check out their Vipers, they always seem to have atleast 4-5 on the lot. I won't forget the time a salesman tried to sell me a 97 b/w telling me it was a 01. Anyways, I go there just to check out their inventory. I doubt I will ever have any work done there though(once I get one).

 

[S-JC]

Mine was $130.00 at my local dealer (Perkins Dodge) and that involved adjustments to both front and rear. Took about 3 hours. I don't have any complaints about tire wear yet (it's been 2000 miles since the alignment).