Wheel alignment on Gransport

[urbanmaser]

Wheel alignment on Gransport How much should this exercise cost?????

I was at KwikFit the other day regarding my wife's car MOT. I was chatting to them about the Maserati relating some of the costs.

They informed me that their Hendon branch has the correct computer to do a Gransport and the cost is £95 plus Vat.

 

[conaero]

That seems good value for money, but my experiences of Kwik Fit is very poor. To set up the geometry fully, you need to have it shimmed, which can only be done at the Main Dealer or maybe a specialist. I know Meridian do it for a fixed fee of £199, so its a no brainer for me, I would be more than happy to pay that to know its all setup properly.

Speak to your local dealer and see if he will price match it.

 

[k99]

Chaps,
Just had my GS tracking done by Merdien.
They filled the fuel tank and put a 50kg (I think) bag of sand on each seat to make sure the car was sitting properly before checking/adjusting the tracking.
Would Kwik Fit do that?
Regards
K99

 

[urbanmaser]

Hey K99 and welcome to the Forum, Just to bring you up to date I didn't take it to Kwik Fit. My car is in with HR Owen who have done the geometry for me.............can't wait to get her back

 

[conaero]

That's the thumbs up for Meridien then!

Great job, as for KwikFit, hum, been there once, never again!

Spanner monkeys

 

[Torenno Performance]

Anyone with a Hunter machine and shims should be able to do it

Check http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/ for your nearest

 

[EnzoMC]

been looking into this and blackboots local to me seem to do this (Ferrari and Lambos) but dose seem expensive (£265) - is this worth doing. I don't know if it needs it but I used to get the S4 checked each year which was only £100

 

[Mick]

If you're talking about 4 wheels alignment, including cambers, toe in/out, casters, corner weights and ride heights, rake etc, rather than just making the front wheels more or less pointing the same way forward, then anything less than a few hundred quids is prob not that great. A chap I know can spend half a day if not more setting the car up. The problem is once you adjust one setting, it changes the others, so you've got to keep checking and re-checking and re-checking everything, and that takes time.

http://www.centergravity.co.uk/ is the chap I mentioned. Haven't had my GranTurismo done yet, the problem is he has a rather long waiting time. Well worth looking into if you youwanted it done properly.

 

[mjheathcote]

I guess Kwik Fit satisfy the sector of the market where most owners don't give a toss, to be honest, as long as the car drives, it's okay!
Called into a local branch with one of our foreman with his company van for a replacement tyre. Scary, one of the mechanics was removing a locking wheel nut with a chisel, at the same time a chunk of the alloy wheel with every blow!

 

[lozcb]

I guess Kwik Fit satisfy the sector of the market where most owners don't give a toss, to be honest, as long as the car drives, it's okay!
Called into a local branch with one of our foreman with his company van for a replacement tyre. Scary, one of the mechanics was removing a locking wheel nut with a chisel, at the same time a chunk of the alloy wheel with every blow!

Its the old adage where Kwikfit are concerned you pay peanuts you get performing monkeys, trouble is Kwikfits monkeys are the bottom of the barrel , there payment and bonus system isn't condusive to proffessional maintenance and exacibates corner cutting and cheating dare i say it , had an Mot there once in the GS, obviously it passed they didn't even know what they were looking at , i even had to drive it onto the ramp, so i stayed in the car and did the necessary part of the checks


regards loz

 

[Emtee]

If you're talking about 4 wheels alignment, including cambers, toe in/out, casters, corner weights and ride heights, rake etc, rather than just making the front wheels more or less pointing the same way forward, then anything less than a few hundred quids is prob not that great. A chap I know can spend half a day if not more setting the car up. The problem is once you adjust one setting, it changes the others, so you've got to keep checking and re-checking and re-checking everything, and that takes time.

http://www.centergravity.co.uk/ is the chap I mentioned. Haven't had my GranTurismo done yet, the problem is he has a rather long waiting time. Well worth looking into if you youwanted it done properly.

Thanks for the contact Mick. Not too far from me so I've made an enquiry. Was going to go with a Hunter alignment, but will be interested to hear what these guys can offer.

 

[EnzoMC]

back from blackboots who were very knowledgeable and seems the align on the GS was a mess - of course it was... its need some parts (shims ?) - had the back pointing to the left kerb and the fronts both pointing in (both off the scale).

 

[BennyD]

When the adjustments are that far out I always question whether they have done it correctly. If it was that bad it would have handled like a three legged cow in a sandpit and the tyre scrub would be monumental. I would suggest keeping an eye on tyre wear just in case they screwed up.

 

[urbanmaser]

Unless your settings are really far out I question the wisdom of spending so much money. Our roads are in such a deplorable state that you only need to hit a few pop holes and your beautifully balance wheel alignment goes out of the window and you are back to square one. Unless you live somewhere like France where even the D roads are like glass is there any point?

 

[nigw]

I've had all of mine done by a local 'one-man-band' here, who's done nothing but wheel alignment for the past 28 years - and even sets up the Lotus dealer's cars for them when they are brand new, as they're not always right from the factory. He charges about £50-60 for camber, caster, toe in-out etc, although a more if things need more adjustment or if he needs to keep it in overnight to let the car settle (not sure which of the settings this is for). At the end you get a computer printout showing the before, the manufacturer spec, and the after. I guess if that's all he does then his prices dont have to be so high to cover the equipment costs, unlike places where it's just another item they have which probably gets less use.

Anyway, long way of saying that you can't necessarily value by saying "it must be over £100, £200 etc etc". The best thing is to find out where local delaer or specialists take their cars, or see if you can get a recommendation from the 'area' section of Pistonheads maybe?

 

[ratbag]

A properly geometry set-up 4200 will feel transformed- I never bothered with mine until just before it went to Australia- It was literally transformed as I drove it home before it went to the docks. These are big heavy cars and do alter over miles/years.
I resolved that in future I would get the geometry set more often- My Granturismo went back to MTMC in Tonbridge again (they are passionate about wheel alignment and use the latest Hunter gear) and although the car has only done 15,000 miles and I have never really hit any potholes/kerbs etc it was way out of alignment paticullarly at the rear (?) Driving home once again it felt like a different car..........Our cars MUST be set up with a garage that knows Maserati's! 10/10 to MTMC. (they do all the Maseratis for ADG/Giallo I bellieve)

 

[mjheathcote]

I had my old Lotus Elise set up professionally, and do wish to set up the Maserati too...but I need to swop out the springs first for something a little more appropriate.
Yes the roads are poor and generally better on the continent.
However can't really agree with French 'D' roads being better, certainly not where my in-laws live!

 

[boomerang]

Do the allignmentspecs of the Gransport differ from the normal 4200 specs?

 

[lozcb]

Do the allignmentspecs of the Gransport differ from the normal 4200 specs?

Luuk the specs are listed early on in the gransport tech section , asearch should reveal them



regartds loz