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I don't hold that against the shops. These procedures are only necessary when a car has had some kind of impact that caused the misalignment. On the old Z cars we worked on there was no provision for anything but a toe adjustment. If anything else was off, something was bent.
Modern unibody cars have measuring points on the unibody. I think the tolerance is 1 millimeter. Checking every car that comes into an alignment shop to make sure it is in tolerances would mean they would not stay in business.
To that situation I put a sign on the wall of the customers waiting area that asked customers to tell me everything they knew that could be related to their problem.
If you tell me "I aready knew that" after I have spent my time and YOUR money diagnosing a problem the charge will not be refunded.
In extreme cases of animosity created by repeated situations like this, I would ask them to take their business elsewhere. It was very rare but happened maybe 10 times in over a decade, especially when the jerk told me they were "testing" my capabilities. The shop is still operating 15 years after I sold it to the new owner who apprenticed under me.
The exchange of relevant information in hundreds of cases, allowed me to know what was wrong before I ever touched the car. More work completed at lower costs to the customer, done right the first time. I never made money doing it twice.
regards
Mech
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