Popped into my local dealer to pick up some suspension bolts and eccentric adjustment bolts/washers. Asked if they could do the alignment after my independent did my repairs. They said they'd use the local tyre place as they don't have the equipment on-site. I pointed out that the tyre place only did front wheel tracking. The reply from the service desk staggered me - "if they (the mechanics) put the bolt back in the the same position then it 'wouldn't be too far out' " !!!

 

So if you are in Bath and need any rear suspension work done then don't expect your rear tyres to last long!!

I would only use Hunter equipped places.

Here is a list of the nearest to you:

http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/location/?postal_code=Bath&ml___postal_code=Bath&ml___bbox=-11.403809,49.169734,1.735840,59.435766&radius=50&x=229&y=19

Priceless(?) answer, not good, now your overall view of them has dropped further than you might have hoped!

Why have they put someone like that at "front of house" - not clever.

Thanks for the info. I already know a few of these places but the problem is that even though they are only 10 miles away it takes at least an hour each way plus an hour there to fit you in. I can't afford 3hr lunch breaks. I was hoping for a local place. More to the point the main dealer can't address a major issue that affects at least three of their models.

It's a requirement for skoda agents to either have:

- A contract with a service provider who offers complete 4 wheel alignment and geometry measuring and adjusting capabilities

- Or offer it themselves

You'll find dealers that do; will use biessbarth(owned by Bosch) equipment - which is what VW AG supply as standard equipment.

Everyone mentions hunter, but in reality it's the most user friendly equipment but not the most accurate, hence why the manufacturer doesn't use it.

Edited 29 November, 20169 yr by James@RRGRochdale

It's a requirement for skoda agents to either have:

- A contract with a service provider who offers complete 4 wheel alignment and geometry measuring and adjusting capabilities

- Or offer it themselves

You'll find dealers that do; will use biessbarth(owned by Bosch) equipment - which is what VW AG supply as standard equipment.

Everyone mentions hunter, but in reality it's the most user friendly equipment but not the most accurate, hence why the manufacturer doesn't use it.

"Accurate" or "precise"? They're actually 2 different things. For example, if kit1 allows me to adjust to 5s with an error of +/-1, then it's more accurate but less precise than kit 2 which offers adjustment to 1s but with an error of +/-5.

The beissbarth systems are more precise, they are camera based, not laser and with this technology it produces results which meet the manufacturers specifications. The hunter systems which everyone knows and likes the name off are accurate but not precise.

Tomato tomato some might argue, but if they were the "best" system available then VW AG would supply them.

To be fair, you can get dead accurate with some really basic kit. What you need to look at more than anything else is the quality of the operator. The best tracking gear made is no use if the guy using it can't be arsed.

Very true that pal.

Don't get me wrong both kits are good it's just that they're good in different departments.

Popped into my local dealer to pick up some suspension bolts and eccentric adjustment bolts/washers. Asked if they could do the alignment after my independent did my repairs. They said they'd use the local tyre place as they don't have the equipment on-site. I pointed out that the tyre place only did front wheel tracking. The reply from the service desk staggered me - "if they (the mechanics) put the bolt back in the the same position then it 'wouldn't be too far out' " !!!

 

So if you are in Bath and need any rear suspension work done then don't expect your rear tyres to last long!!

 

They can reverse the car onto the alignment rack.  It's not perfect but almost there.  I used to do it all the time when a 4 wheel alignment was a rarity.

 

I just googled "wheel alignment Bath"  and looked on google maps.

 

What are HiQ like?  they do 4 wheel laser alignment

 

Bristol Wheel Alignment?