Wheel alignment is a huge market in the United Kingdom for many reasons – not least the state of our roads and the misalignment caused by potholes. But how can you justify charging a customer for wheel alignment? Hofmann reveals all.
If a customer comes to you complaining of steering and handling problems, it can be challenging to see with the naked eye whether components are damaged or not. Improper wheel alignment increases a vehicle’s fuel consumption and also increases tyre wear, subsequently reducing safety on the road. A system like the geoliner 680 XD, from Hofmann, provides garages and bodyshops with the tools to remedy these problems and get advanced readings and diagnostic information – fast.
To help persuade the customer of the value of an alignment check, the results and readings can be displayed on an additional screen, away from the workshop – in the reception area, for instance. This enables you to show the vehicle owner the necessary corrections in a comfortable environment, which can only increase the customer’s receptiveness to what you have to say.
Visibly presenting a customer with the detected problems is a very powerful tool, especially when you can also explain the issues caused by misalignment and the benefits of having the alignment corrected. A full four-wheel alignment reading can be gathered in minutes, so if you’re already working on a vehicle, it is a swift process to run an alignment check and then show them the results, at no cost to your customer.
Because four-wheel alignment measures data from at least 12 angles, before checking that data against the information supplied by the vehicle manufacturer, a customer can be assured that it is a far more accurate method of correcting their vehicle than the older two- wheel alignment systems, often known as ‘tracking’.
“Because four-wheel alignment measures data from at least 12 angles, before checking that data against the information supplied by the vehicle manufacturer, a customer can be assured that it is a far more accurate method of correcting their vehicle than the older two-wheel alignment systems, often known as ‘tracking’.”
The 3D four-wheel systems take into account wheel rim run-out compensation, giving increased accuracy to the readings. They also allow toe adjustments of individual wheels to ensure that the steering wheel is set straight, while alterations to other elements such as camber and caster can really add to the service and results a customer experiences.
The accuracy and efficiency of a system like the geoliner 680 XD assures the customer that the alignment process is a worthwhile and reliable one. This configuration uses an extensive vehicle specifications database to give the vehicle owner more confidence in the results given by the real-time measurements provided by patented imaging technology, including high-resolution cameras and the industry’s most advanced XD targets. The accuracy of these results should put any customer’s concerns to rest.
In the United Kingdom, some 29 million MOT tests take place each year, with a 39% failure rate, and 24% of those failures are down to tyre-related issues such as suspension and steering. That leaves seven million cars needing a repair and then an alignment check – so even at £35 a time, there is plenty of money to be found in wheel alignment.
