I noticed some very uneven wear on my fairly new front tires, and for lack of a better alternative, I called Sears and made an appointment for an aligment. They said it would cost 69 bucks, and take an hour. When I showed up, I also told them to rotate the tires, which they said would cost 15 bucks and take an additional 30 to 60 minutes. I wasn't happy about the cost or time, but didn't complain, and left them the keys. I decided to take a walk and get some lunch, and came back about an hour later. My car was sitting in a regular bay, and I went into the lobby. I checked a little while later, and the car was on a lift with the tires being rotated. I thought they'd rotate the tires first, but the manager said they "align the spindles", and were done with the alignment. What do I know?

When finally ready to pay, I asked about the alignment printout, which was missing. The cashier said they didn't do the alignment, but forgot to take off the cost. I asked why the alignment wasn't done, and was referred to the tech, who said they can't align my car because it isn't in the computer. I told him that I know other people have had the same car aligned by them, and besides, nothing was mentioned when I made the appointment and gave them my car's year and model. The tech just shrugged.

What a *&%#%$ waste of time! Anybody know of a good place for alignment in Inland Southern California?

Classic sears, try to charge you for work they did not do. Check the dealer, I doubt they will charge much more than $70, and they have the proper tools and know-how.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

most peeps recommend the dealership. it wont cost $69, but at least you know it will be right.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

Apparently you haven't been to the dealer in G.R. Michigan.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Stealership alignment is $129 + tax. And I had to drive there twice for them to get it right.
All together, it cost me alot more time than your trip to Sears (but hey, I had some free Starbucks coffee and muffins to eat during the 8 hours it took them to do the alignment counting both trips!)

I will never go back to MBBoerne again. May try MBSan Antonio, but probably will stick to a chain or an indy shop.

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

I'm on the the other coast, the local Sears has done an alignment on my SD, with print out. Laser aligner, Firestone refused to do it, the dealer wanted to replace all tie rods, ball joints before they would align. They didn't have the parts, I wasn't going to let them do it anyway, until I replaced the front end components myself, but didn't need to at Sears. $90 front and rear. I got one for my 300D at Firestone, $65.

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83 SD

84 CD

Alignment at our place is $89 - the alignment tech is very good at it, he gets lots of practice on all my cars

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I know a guy who worked for a while at the Sears auto shop (tires, oil changes, repairs, everything else... etc). He got to assistant manager in less than 1 year, and quit about six months later because he hated the lack of integrity the upper management was always trying to get the mechanics to partake in. ie, unneeded repairs, targeting women for unnecessary charges and repairs, etc.

He now works for Les Schwab and is MUCH happier with the integrity.

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'79 300SD
'82 Chevy Chevette diesel

Dealer did my alignment last year for $110 out the door.. Did it right the first time, let me watch the tech while he did it. Talked W123's with the guy, had lunch on them and got all the sales brochures from the current model year and what ever they had in the back..

I like my dealership

I paid $130 for an alignment at my stealership and I had to bring the car back two times for them to get it right . They looked down on me and didn't treat me the same as others because I was a teenager with an old benz and not someone with a new MB and much more money to spend on service. I do understand that my time technically wasn't worth as much to them because I was just in for an alignment and not likely to be back but that's not how their business should work.

And, while I was waiting for my car, there were two new s-classes being serviced there, both white. They gave one person the wrong keys and he drove away in the wrong S-class. A pretty weird scene when the service advisor comes up to the elderly guy with oxygen tubes in his nose and tells him that they gave someone else his car accidentally. This really did happen and I'm not sure why or how. They did make the service free though. They were still waiting for their car when I left about 30 minutes later.

The alignment did come out O.K after the two visits, I probably should have visited ford or GM dealers with similar laser alignment machines and techs who know what they are doing with alignments.

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1980 240d
1999 SL500

BY DEFINITION an alignment performed without replacing parts is an alignment to correct an alignment previously done incorrectly.

It is impossible to correct for wear--components must be replaced.

Components do not wear, move to a different place, and then stop moving.

Why one would take a Mercedes to a place that obviously does not stock Mercedes parts is very difficult to understand.

Why one would leave an alignment shop without having components replaced is very difficult to understand, too.

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Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

um, no... parts that get moved around by curbs, tire wear, what have you, will need to be adjusted.

not quite true... worn idler arms can be repaired, not replaced. but on ball joints, and tie rod ends, I gotta agree. replacement is the only way, since MB decided not to allow greasing to happen on our cars...


I find it difficult to believe that many places STOCK 30 year old components, unless they have a steady flow of MB customers needing alignments.


hardly, I know many members on this forum that go to a shop for an estimate to get things done, get the parts list needed, go online, and install the parts that were needed, and then take the car back to the shop for the final alignment. really, most of us on this forum are not made of money, and paying for work that is easily accomplished at home makes no sense.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!