Has the pricing model changed?

[zcacogp]

Quickie,

 

Has the pricing model for work being done at WIM changed?

 

The reason I ask is that I had an alignment done at WIM a couple of years ago, and was quoted, up-front, a single price which would cover all work regardless of what was necessary. This was the reason I chose to have the work done at WIM as I knew the limit of how much it would cost; everywhere else worked on the basis that you paid an initial 'assessment' price, and other work was then costed on top of this, so the total bill was unknown until you had stumped up the initial £30 or so.

 

About 3 years later, and I think it's about time for another alignment (3 years' worth of speedbumps will have taken it's toll). So I called up WIM again and was told that there is an "Imaging Price" of £35 and all extra work will be costed on top of this ...

 

I queried this with the guy on the end of the telephone (not Tony), who swore blind that WIM have never operated a fixed price model.

 

What has changed?

 

 

Oli.

[Rich]

AFAIK all the prices on the website are the max it will cost to do the alignment depending on what is adjustable. I'm sure Tony will clear it up though and confirm but I've always thought the same as you, they operate at a fixed price. You may need to pay extra if bushes/bolts are seized though.

[scorps]

I'd expect the price to be different after 3 yrs......wouldn't you? i mean everything else in life has gone up.

[Rich]

I'd expect the price to be different after 3 yrs......wouldn't you? i mean everything else in life has gone up.

 

He hasn't asked if it's gone up but if the way it's quoted has

[scorps]

If its the same price whats the prob

[Rich]

If its the same price whats the prob

 

Obviously none but I think his point is that they wouldn't give him a ballmark figure as to what it would cost.

[Tony]

Valid question that needs an explanation.

 

Since the early wim days the company has grown, in doing so we have been able to set some industry standards as other companies attempt to follow our example.

 

Current pricing assumes "worst case scenario"... Top end, the worst it can be, actual prices are the same, it's the way they are displayed that differs.

 

A £5 addition to the image over a three year period is hardly end of days.

[Rich]

Valid question that needs an explanation.

 

Since the early wim days the company has grown, in doing so we have been able to set some industry standards as other companies attempt to follow our example.

 

Current pricing assumes "worst case scenario"... Top end, the worst it can be, actual prices are the same, it's the way they are displayed that differs.

 

A £5 addition to the image over a three year period is hardly end of days.

 

I don't think his question is about the £5 raise but that whoever he spoke to on the phone wouldn't give a definitive price of what the geo would cost, i.e. the maximum you set as seen on the WIM/BB website. I notice their car isn't listed on the website though.

 

So it's like being at a fast fit garage, initial image is £35 (+vat) and then each adjustment is £?? on top of that. I, like the OP always like to know how much something is going to cost me before any work is done, even if it's well you can expect to pay a maximum of £??? but it won't be any more.

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

 

Thanks for your answers.

 

My question purely concerns the pricing model, hence the thread title. When I last visited WIM (a little over 3 years ago - I created this forum login just after my first visit there) there was no mention of an imaging price or anything like that. I had done a lot of suspension work on my car and deliberately chose a place which offered me a fixed price to set the whole lot up. Precisely as EssexRacer says, I knew how much it would cost before I even arrived at the place. That was the whole appeal, and the reason why I have recommended WIM a number of times on several specialist forums since then.

 

When I called WIM yesterday I was told there would be an 'Imaging' cost, and the total cost would go up from there. "How much would I be paying?" - "Well sir, that depends upon what we find and what you want done and how difficult it is to do ... " I pointed out that this was not the original case (3 years ago), when there was a flat rate cost, and the gent at the end of the 'phone flatly denied that WIM had ever had any pricing model like that.

 

Now, looking at the website, I can get no idea of any sort of cost whatsoever. "Buy Wheel Alignment" takes me to the blackboots page to buy some tyres - not what I want. Other links have some (very good) explanations of chassis dynamics, and some nice explanations of geometry machines, but no explanation of prices.

 

I am actually booked in to WIM for next Monday, at 11.00am, but one of my tasks for today is to call some other companies and see whether there is someone who is a little closer to home who can give me a better idea of how much I am likely to end up paying. (Note - I am not looking for someone cheaper as I have no idea of how much WIM is going to charge - other than £35 for the 'imaging cost'. I am simply looking for someone who can give me an idea of how much the work is likely to cost - or even to give me a cap on the total cost. Currently I have no idea of either of these should I visit WIM.)

 

 

Oli.

 

ETA: If someone could give me an idea of these 'worst case scenario' prices then I'd be grateful. It's for a Porsche 944S2 (later model), should that be relevant.

[Rich]

The prices for Porsche's can be found here once you've selected them as the manufacturer but your model isn't list. The ones that are listed are all the same price though so yours may be the same?

 

When you go onto the WIM or BB website choose the second link down in the menu on the left hand side to buy alignment online and follow the steps from there

[zcacogp]

Essex_Racer,

 

Thanks. That gives me a price of £185, plus VAT.

 

That is a LOT more than it was three years ago - my notes tell me it cost £85 (inc VAT) then.

 

I take Tony's point that this may be a worst case scenario, but that's back to my original point. Last time I knew the cost would be £85. This time I know it will be at least £35 (imaging cost), and up to £217 (£185+VAT). That's a huge variation and potentially a big chunk of cash to shell out.

 

 

Oli.

[Rich]

It depends what is adjustable on your car though and how they are made (bolts, shims etc). Maybe it's not a problem car and they don't work on many, hence it's missing from the list so I would still get maximum price from Tony first as it may be very different from the other models listed.

[zcacogp]

E55ex_racer,

 

Thanks again. I have just called up WIM, asking for a worst-case scenario price. Same answer - £185+VAT. That's over £100 increase in price from three years ago - as per my last post.

 

I have cancelled the appointment I had for Monday (both in the light of the price and the fact that that date is no longer convenient for me) and will be shopping around elsewhere. I take the point that the final price may end up being less than that, but I'm not keen on paying £30 without being certain how much it may end up costing me. The fixed price was what bought me to WIM in the first place, but the change to this, plus that price increase (over 150%) in three years is too much.

 

If I have missed something then please let me know.

 

 

Oli.

[Rich]

Realistically no one will pay just the imaging fee as every car I've seen on the ramp when I've been at WIM needs some kind of adjustment made.

 

I can't comment on the price rise, I just run the forum but that is some increase! I know the cost for mine (front and rear toe) has gone up about £15 in 3 years so only Tony could answer that one.

 

Where did you have the last geometry done, it wouldn't have been at the new centre...so either at Kiplings in Hemel or STS in Watford? Maybe that is why it was cheaper and due to the time it would take to adjust everything (if needed) it's been moved to a higher price bracket.

[zcacogp]

E55ex_Racer,

 

Thanks again.

 

'Twas at Kipling in Hemel Hempstead.

 

Some increase indeed, perhaps explained by the change in location. If Tony could comment then I'd be grateful, but I guess prices are prices.

 

If I could increase the prices for my business by 155% over 3 years then I would, in a shot!

 

 

Oli.

[Rich]

Could just be a case of having more overheads to pay for now that WIM has it's own unit and not based inside an already established one. I'm just speculating though, I'm sure Tony will reply when he sees this.

[scorps]

You either want your car pointing in the right direction or you can keep going back to fast fit every couple of months for a geo and uneven tyre wear,i've never heard of anyone moaning about the price, £185 (worst case) i'd pay that just for the safety side of things knowing its set up correctly.

[grahamn]

You either want your car pointing in the right direction or you can keep going back to fast fit every couple of months for a geo and uneven tyre wear,i've never heard of anyone moaning about the price, £185 (worst case) i'd pay that just for the safety side of things knowing its set up correctly.

 

That sort of costs puts it firmly in BMW Main Dealer territory, having had mine KDS'd < 12 months ago!

[Rich]

You either want your car pointing in the right direction or you can keep going back to fast fit every couple of months for a geo and uneven tyre wear,i've never heard of anyone moaning about the price, £185 (worst case) i'd pay that just for the safety side of things knowing its set up correctly.

 

Not on here maybe but on other forums I've seen references to how expensive it is but it's usually cos they don't understand how complex and time consuming geometry is as they're comparing it to tracking.

[Tony]

You either want your car pointing in the right direction or you can keep going back to fast fit every couple of months for a geo and uneven tyre wear,i've never heard of anyone moaning about the price, £185 (worst case) i'd pay that just for the safety side of things knowing its set up correctly.

 

That sort of costs puts it firmly in BMW Main Dealer territory, having had mine KDS'd < 12 months ago!

 

If you read the BMW forums it full of RFT tramlining problems and inner rear tyre wear, once a problem become historic we research the reason and solve it, the likes of Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes, and BMW fall under our belt.

 

BMW 3 series, 5 series, X and Z we have our own evolved data and unlike BMW's KDS for the fee we solve the complaint.

[scorps]

we have our own evolved data and unlike BMW's KDS for the fee we solve the complaint.

 

Nuff said

 

Like i said in my earlier post you could keep going back to fast fit or Main Stealer but they will only set it to Manufacturers tolerances.

[Rich]

What's KDS?

[Tony]

It's a recognized German geometry machine, all that's different is the dedicated front page because the dealer will only be working on the one make of car, the Hunter is a KDS without the front page.

[parthiban]

Slightly off topic but BMW are surprisingly reasonable on their pricing (whether they do it right or not is a separate issue ) - I'm pretty sure at Lexus they charge £120 just to get it on the ramp and that was a few years ago........

[Tony]

The research i invest on data acquisition is vast, in some cases it takes a year to prove the positions before they become the norm. In view of this investment i think the fee is reasonable.