Alignment turns into $430 estimate?
 

So I take my 97 E420 in for a 4 wheel alignment at a specialty shop and they tell me that the Tie Rod End $90 and Lower Ball Joint $54 is bad with $180 labor (2 hrs.) plus the $100 alignment comes out to a whopping $430! Can I do the Tie Rod End and Lower Ball Joint myself? His parts prices look too high. BTW, how are the 4 wheel alignment jobs at Mavis for $80? Anyone has experience with Mavis?

Yes you can do both. I would get the align done buy someone with newer mercedes experience. The dealer is normally not a bad deal on align. They are normally competitive on align and tire work to keep you at the dealer.
I left the dealer about a year ago and have been quoted more for work at tire shops and alignment shops than it would cost at the dealer.
The prices on the parts are not bad. Don't get junky parts. The labor is too high on the parts repl.

Local dealer charges $250 so they're out.

'Call around to other dealerships (They're not all stupid)
 

We've got a Stupid Greedy Franchisee here...But both of the contiguous dealers
(Modern Classic Motors in Hilton Head,S.C. and Brumos in Jacksonville,FL) are
very reasonable.

You really want to have an Authorized Mercedes Dealer align your car...
It's very difficult to find an Independent Merc Shop that's invested the tens of
thousands for the equipment necessary.
AND anybody else...Even if they have the Alignment machinery necessary ...
'Do Not Understand how to align Mercedes.

(I fully agree $200.00 would be too much ...$250.00 is just insulting)

Whoever does the alignment needs a spreader bar.

Dealerships can be brutal at time but it's they have got the tools and equipment to do the alignment correctly. Don't forget to check out the dealers website and MBUSA for specials! They most always have coupons.
COUPONS

If you can get all that stuff done on an MB for $430.00 in the state of CT God Bless you. The real question shouild be do you really need it and is he using genuine MB parts.

Price actually sounds reasonable to me.

Tie rod ends are DIY if you have the time. I don't know about the ball joints on the W210, but on the 124 they needed a puller.

Lower ball joints are simple.

Jack it, get a stand under the control arm, undo the nut on top and nut in back, a quick tap on the stud heads seperates them, put back together in reverse.

I believe one nut requires a 20mm wrench and the other 22mm. Or maybe 22 and 24.

The tens of thousands for the equipment is only necessary if you want to do alignments fast and make money. My setup is about $200. Turn tables. digital inclinometer, tape measure and a brain.

Most technicians who use tens of thousands worth of equipment have no understanding of alignment. To really understand alignment you need to use the $200.00 equipment and have a good knowledge of 3D geometry.

To be fair it does help to have a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering and a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. It's sort of like cheating the system.[url]

With the economy in the tank independent service shops will still have pretty much the same flow of business with people maybe holding off on some work, but dealers are hurting because people are not buying the cars like they did when the cash credit was free flowing. I'm sure dealer general managers are telling service managers to make up some of the slack from the sales managers. Call the dealer service manager and negotiate. You might encounter a higher degree of flexibility.

sounds about right. The shop doesnt want to waste your time. bad ball joints and tie rods will affect your alignment and change the angles causing un normal tire wire.

you could replace the ball joints and tie rods and make it a $100 repair bill instead of a $430 repair bill:)