Wheel Balancing...fair price?

gazfocus

Just phoned my local garage to get a price to have the wheels on my 1999 BMW 520i balanced and they've quoted £8+vat per wheel.

Never having had this done as a stand alone job before, is this a fair cost? They asked how many wheels I wanted doing and as I've only just bought the car, I said I might as well have them all done.

colino

Please do a search for 5 Series front wheel wobble before spending anything. The whole front end needs checking over by someone who knows what they are doing - it is a relatively heavy, comfy car and with sporty handling, you do notice wobbles and shimmies that you might dismiss in another car. It can be absolutely any wear point in the suspension, steering or brakes that is giving you grief, and it wouldn't be the first time that an owner has went on a (n expensive!) spending spree to sort a 5 because the actual cause hasn't been diagnosed in the first place.

gazfocus

colino wrote: »

Please do a search for 5 Series front wheel wobble before spending anything. The whole front end needs checking over by someone who knows what they are doing - it is a relatively heavy, comfy car and with sporty handling, you do notice wobbles and shimmies that you might dismiss in another car. It can be absolutely any wear point in the suspension, steering or brakes that is giving you grief, and it wouldn't be the first time that an owner has went on a (n expensive!) spending spree to sort a 5 because the actual cause hasn't been diagnosed in the first place.

Thanks for your post. I am convinced that whatever is causing the wobble is also causing the ASC light to flash / car to lose power slightly.

I've checked the tyres and they seem fine so at least getting the wheels checked for balance seemed like the obvious next step?

Spicy_McHaggis

gazfocus wrote: »

Thanks for your post. I am convinced that whatever is causing the wobble is also causing the ASC light to flash / car to lose power slightly.

I've checked the tyres and they seem fine so at least getting the wheels checked for balance seemed like the obvious next step?

Explain a bit more about that, it doesn't sound like a wheel blance problem.

gazfocus

Spicy_McHaggis wrote: »

Explain a bit more about that, it doesn't sound like a wheel blance problem.

When accelerating on a motorway (around 70mph), the ASC light flashes and the car loses acceleration.

According to the BMW manual, "When the indicator lamp flashes, the system is actively regulating drive torque in response to monitored vehicle operating conditions".

Later on in the user manual it says "If differences in the wheel speeds occur, the system counteracts the danger of wheelspin by reducing torque, the system also responds with additional applications of the brakes at the rear wheels".

Normally when this happens I lift my foot off the accelerator for a short while until the light goes out, then build up speed slower. However, this morning I didn't and the light continued to flash and the car continued to apply the brakes until I took my foot off the accelerator.

colino

You really need it checked out hands-on. What you describe could point to mismatched tyres (type or wear), faulty abs sensors, abs controller, wheel bearings, or even a partially seized caliper. Wheel balance doesn't sound relevant and you should get it properly diagnosed before throwing cures at it.

Spicy_McHaggis

colino wrote: »

You really need it checked out hands-on. What you describe could point to mismatched tyres (type or wear), faulty abs sensors, abs controller, wheel bearings, or even a partially seized caliper. Wheel balance doesn't sound relevant and you should get it properly diagnosed before throwing cures at it.

Could be the reason it was put up for sale.

OddballJamie

£9.60 seems excessive, there's small fitters round my way that charge less to fix a puncture.

colino

OP if you are selling it, it sounds like a heap. £50 cash is waiting if you'll deliver.

colino

OP seriously, the front end of a BMW was thought of as complicated and exotic 25 years ago, but every single part can be sourced, often cheaply nowadays and they are keepers not automatic TI when a problem develops.

gazfocus

colino wrote: »

You really need it checked out hands-on. What you describe could point to mismatched tyres (type or wear), faulty abs sensors, abs controller, wheel bearings, or even a partially seized caliper. Wheel balance doesn't sound relevant and you should get it properly diagnosed before throwing cures at it.

hmm might get it booked in for them to have a look then.

Spicy_McHaggis wrote: »

Could be the reason it was put up for sale.

Wouldn't have thought so. The guy I bought it off was a mechanic so doubt he would've sold it with any known faults.

colino wrote: »

OP if you are selling it, it sounds like a heap. £50 cash is waiting if you'll deliver.

Haha don't agree that it sounds like a heap! It's a cracking car and the wheels alone are worth more than £50 anyway