Almost $500 to mount/balance tires and align?

[BreatheEasier]

Just got an estimate via the app for mounting/balancing 4 tires and an alignment. Is Tesla really serious about these prices? Anyone else in the Northern Virginia area have recommendations of other installers and alignment shops who work on Teslas?

The biggest issue I have is the $275 for the alignment - that just seems abnormally high. I wasn't paying that much for my BMW x5 alignment at the dealer.

 

[whisperingshad]

thats super high. Mount/balance should be around 20 bucks a tire.. alignment should be under 200

 

[VT_EE]

There is some sort of software calibration that is supposed to be done after an alignment according to my SC. I know because they forgot to do it when I brought my M3 back in for a poor alignment job. Performing this didn’t fix the pulling in my case.

 

[Corndart]

There is some sort of software calibration that is supposed to be done after an alignment according to my SC. I know because they forgot to do it when I brought my M3 back in for a poor alignment job. Performing this didn’t fix the pulling in my case.

Given that alignment is a physical function with no interaction with the car software, this seems like a highly questionable statement.

 

[TMK26]

Tesla service center charged me $50 for a tire rotation and $126.75 for a four wheel alignment. $191 total w/ tax

 

[Corndart]

Tesla service center charged me $50 for a tire rotation and $126.75 for a four wheel alignment. $191 total w/ tax

That seems reasonable....

 

[BreatheEasier]

That seems reasonable....

That totally seems reasonable, and not sure why they want to charge me $275 for the alignment. If there was indeed a software component, then that would basically negate any 3rd-party shops doing the work unless they were Tesla certified with the proper tooling.

 

[ATPMSD]

Never take your car to Tesla unless you have no other options! There is nothing special about the Tesla suspension, take it to places that do this work day-in and day-out

Tire Rotation at Discount Tire: $0, Balancing $10/tire
Alignment at Pep Boys: $89

And each took just one-hour instead of all day.

 

[101dals]

Tesla service center charged me $50 for a tire rotation and $126.75 for a four wheel alignment. $191 total w/ tax

Tire rotation was just bumped to $65 in Brooklyn for Tesla mobile service. It was $50 in 2/2022. Lots of local tire places in Brooklyn, not sure if I trust anyone here though....

 

[VT_EE]

Given that alignment is a physical function with no interaction with the car software, this seems like a highly questionable statement.

Supposedly Autopilot adjusts for the bad alignments and stores these values. They reset this every time they perform an alignment. It sounds plausible, and they admitted to forgetting this step to me.

 

[MP3Mike]

Given that alignment is a physical function with no interaction with the car software, this seems like a highly questionable statement.

The service documentation for doing an alignment on a Tesla shows adjusting things in the software...

 

[boulder.dude]

Firestone $50 for rotation and balance. The MY suspension is extremely sensitive to unbalanced tires so I do it every time I rotate.

 

[DealMasterMike]

I was charged $65 for tire rotation today at the SC. Bay Area so maybe more expensive here due to cost of living.

 

[Corndart]

The service documentation for doing an alignment on a Tesla shows adjusting things in the software...

Only Tesla can do the alignment??

I got new tires and asked for an alignment. The tire shop said they can't do the alignment because they need the OEM scanner specific to the Tesla, which they don't have. They said to do the alignment at the Tesla SC. Anyone know anything about this? My model 3 is from Sept, 2018, VIN 059xxx.

teslamotorsclub.com

A link / copy off the service info would be handy.

 

[Unclepaul]

It is a competitive World. Shop around and go where you find the best value.

 

[ATPMSD]

You can get a free subscription to the Tesla Service Manual here:

Service and diagnostic information for independent businesses and individuals involved in the professional maintenance and repair of Tesla vehicles.

service.tesla.com

 

[Corndart]

You can get a free subscription to the Tesla Service Manual here:

Service and diagnostic information for independent businesses and individuals involved in the professional maintenance and repair of Tesla vehicles.

service.tesla.com

Based on reading the service manual and doing some digging, the Tesla Toolbox step doesn't appear to be anything mandatory, and driving the car without Autopilot / FSD enabled for 30 miles will allow the car to recalibrate itself.

YMMV / IANAL / I am not a mechanic but that's what I gleaned...

(here are the steps from the service manual)

• Connect a laptop with Toolbox 3 to the vehicle.
• In Toolbox, click Actions, type "angle" in the search field, click Play to the left of "PROC_EPAS_ESP_CLEAR-ANGLE-OFFSETS", and then select RUN.
• Click Actions, type "angle" in the search field, click Play to the left of "TEST_EPAS3P_X_CHECK-APPLIED-ANGLE-OFFSET", and then select RUN.

 

[LoneStarEve]

Land Rover charged me $250 for a 4 wheel alignment so seems like standard “premium” dealer rates to me…

 

[Pianewman]

I don't understand why Tesla owners continue to go to Tesla ServiceCenters for tire purchase/mounting/balancing.

DiscountTire is quicker, cheaper, assuming you go to one with good staff. Their nationwide network is solid, based on my experiences in Denver, Fort Worth, and rural Virginia.

 

[VT_EE]

I don't understand why Tesla owners continue to go to Tesla ServiceCenters for tire purchase/mounting/balancing.

DiscountTire is quicker, cheaper, assuming you go to one with good staff. Their nationwide network is solid, based on my experiences in Denver, Fort Worth, and rural Virginia.

That is the problem. I have yet to find a good local tire shop I can trust to do a good job.