$525 Alignment on a 2020 X3M40

[natemorin]

We’re putting new tires in my wife’s X3 with 10k miles on it to ditch the 21” run flats. The dealer is recommending an alignment because we’re getting new tires which I usually don’t think twice about but they’re quoting $525 fit the alignment. They’re saying the 2020 X3 requires 3 hours of labor and about $100 for the eccentric bolts that need to be replaced when they do an alignment. I called an independent shop and even another local BMW dealer and both are saying they’re never heard of anything like what they’re saying and an alignment would run $200-$300 max on that car.
Anyone heard of this $525 alignment on a BMW?

[White94RX]

Hogwash. I do alignments all the time, and I just did an X3M40 a couple weeks ago. No different from any other BMW. No bolts get replaced.

Our alignments are a flat $199 for any and all BMW's. We are a dealership in an affluent area. But we still have to remain competitive when NTB or Pep Boys does alignments for under $100.

[ross1]

Unless your tires were worn oddly or you had other symptoms of poor alignment leave it the F alone. What is it about new tires that mandates settings to be wrong, aside the opportunity to sell something?
Alignment "techs" seem compelled to diddle around with the settings, even when they are fine to begin with. This " fine tuning" often results in uneven tire wear or weird handling.
I see and own cars that were fine on tires until re-aligned.
No offense to the above poster intended but I see as many botched as not. Perhaps a commentary on the local talent pool.

[i.mulhern]

I do a lot of alignments and have never thought to replace an eccentric unless it is seized, it's not hard to tighten or even torque to spec, I will sometimes mark the eccentric with paint to observe any movement or adjustment if it ever were to return. BMW front inner and outer tie rods like to become seized, and not adjustable, but that should not be an issue on a newer car. $500 for an alignment that isn't setting lap times on a circuit is bonkers. I use a Hunter 12k # scissor lift alignment rack and Hawkeye machine. I think it works very well and have learned to produce good and consistent results after years of using it... BUT I have seen other techs struggle to set up the machine properly in a rushed environment, and have fixed "alignments" that were not done well. I will pat myself on the back when I can corner balance and string align cars.