Headlight alignment needed?

Gary Morrison · Post by **Gary Morrison** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:28 pm

I've just had a WOF done today, and was surprised when I had a call from the local garage who do this for me to say it had failed and needed a headlight alignment. That would cost an additional $25 plus GST. I was stuck of course, as it had to be approved to pass, and they had the car. So I said yes.

When I collected it I questioned why it should have suddenly needed this, when in the eight years I've owned it it has never needed to be done before. He said cars typically needed this every 18 months or so!

I'd like to hear what you all have found on this. Anyone needed their headlights aligning? Anyone needed it doing every 18 months?

It seems a good way to add another $25 on each WOF done...

Gary

Wayne · Post by **Wayne** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:08 pm

Gary
Only ever had the head light alignment questioned once on any of my previous
motor vehicles (12 or so) and it was my work truck (hilux) when I went for a
WOF I had all my tools, a gearbox/motor unit, gas plant, you name it, he
took one look under the tonneau cover and said no problem. Pass. The only
things that can effect alignment are thing like heavy loads in the boot (not
likely in an MX5) accident damage, saggy rear suspension, replacement of a
head light that someone adjusted the adjustments mistaking them for the
mounting screws, fiddling with the adjustment in hope of better lights. I
have put in 100/55 watt lamps in most of my cars and still no questions asked.
But hey, they should be correct now and you should pass with flying colours
next time. Good luck.

Wayne Sinclair
sinclan@xtra.co.nz

Wayne · Post by **Wayne** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:08 pm

Gary
Only ever had the head light alignment questioned once on any of my previous
motor vehicles (12 or so) and it was my work truck (hilux) when I went for a
WOF I had all my tools, a gearbox/motor unit, gas plant, you name it, he
took one look under the tonneau cover and said no problem. Pass. The only
things that can effect alignment are thing like heavy loads in the boot (not
likely in an MX5) accident damage, saggy rear suspension, replacement of a
head light that someone adjusted the adjustments mistaking them for the
mounting screws, fiddling with the adjustment in hope of better lights. I
have put in 100/55 watt lamps in most of my cars and still no questions asked.
But hey, they should be correct now and you should pass with flying colours
next time. Good luck.

Wayne Sinclair
sinclan@xtra.co.nz

Jo Kyle · Post by **Jo Kyle** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:31 pm

I've been driving for about 17 years (including 3 years in my MX5) and have
never needed an adjustment yet...

Jo Kyle · Post by **Jo Kyle** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:31 pm

I've been driving for about 17 years (including 3 years in my MX5) and have
never needed an adjustment yet...

Lou Girardin · Post by **Lou Girardin** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:46 pm

It's possible that the alignment changed, but $25 for 10 minutes work?
Find a new workshop.
Lou

Lou Girardin · Post by **Lou Girardin** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:46 pm

It's possible that the alignment changed, but $25 for 10 minutes work?
Find a new workshop.
Lou

Matt & Sarah Avery · Post by **Matt & Sarah Avery** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:11 pm

I agree with Lou, What a rip off!!! The adjustment screws are accessible
with the lights popped up so it should only take a few seconds to
adjust. Just a quick twist of a screwdriver. Maybe I should become a
mechanic. That certainly works out to be a very healthy hourly rate!

Matt & Sarah Avery · Post by **Matt & Sarah Avery** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:11 pm

I agree with Lou, What a rip off!!! The adjustment screws are accessible
with the lights popped up so it should only take a few seconds to
adjust. Just a quick twist of a screwdriver. Maybe I should become a
mechanic. That certainly works out to be a very healthy hourly rate!

Gary Morrison · Post by **Gary Morrison** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:36 pm

Agreed, but what I'm interested in is a count of how many headlight alignments have been needed by those on the list, I'd suspect almost none during the ownership of their car. I can't see how it can suddenly go out of alignment when nothing has been touched that could affect it. Of course I could have adjusted it myself to correct... but you're somewhat at their mercy when they have the car and you just need that one box ticked.

On 1/04/2004 20:46:04, MX5List (mx5list@mx5club.org.nz) wrote:
[...]

David & Judy Kerr · Post by **David & Judy Kerr** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:36 pm

Gary in the 6 years that I have owned my 5 I have never needed the
headlights adjusted...he was probably a little short of work that
day. Even if it did need doing it shouldn't of cost you anywhere near what
he charged; the Testing Station do it for free!!

Dave.

David & Judy Kerr · Post by **David & Judy Kerr** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:36 pm

Gary in the 6 years that I have owned my 5 I have never needed the
headlights adjusted...he was probably a little short of work that
day. Even if it did need doing it shouldn't of cost you anywhere near what
he charged; the Testing Station do it for free!!

Dave.

nmr · Post by **nmr** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:43 pm

I've just had a WOF done today, and was surprised when I had a call
from the local garage who do this for me to say it had failed and
needed a headlight alignment. That would cost an additional $25 plus

Hmmm. The place I go for WOFs is obviously well equipped to do minor
tweaks to get the vehicle through if that's all it takes. I've watched them do it.

I recall a visit to a VTNZ depot which sits alongside a service station with a
reasonable range of stuff like lamps. They failed me on a blown lamp without
telling me until after it was too late to walk next door and buy a replacement.
Having run out of time, I had to go to the trouble of coming back another day.

I guess it has to do with the mood of the guy on the job - and the mood of the
boss who tells him how much to gouge.

nmr · Post by **nmr** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:43 pm

I've just had a WOF done today, and was surprised when I had a call
from the local garage who do this for me to say it had failed and
needed a headlight alignment. That would cost an additional $25 plus

Hmmm. The place I go for WOFs is obviously well equipped to do minor
tweaks to get the vehicle through if that's all it takes. I've watched them do it.

I recall a visit to a VTNZ depot which sits alongside a service station with a
reasonable range of stuff like lamps. They failed me on a blown lamp without
telling me until after it was too late to walk next door and buy a replacement.
Having run out of time, I had to go to the trouble of coming back another day.

I guess it has to do with the mood of the guy on the job - and the mood of the
boss who tells him how much to gouge.

nmr · Post by **nmr** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:46 pm

On 1 Apr 2004 at 21:36, Gary Morrison wrote:

Agreed, but what I'm interested in is a count of how many headlight
alignments have been needed by those on the list,

I can't recall such an occasion but let's face it, an uppydowny headlight is
very likely to get out of alignment, and any MX5 driver (swing low, sweet mx5)
will probably get pretty peeved with oncoming cars with bad alignment, so I'm
not astonished about the need for adjustment.

nmr · Post by **nmr** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:46 pm

On 1 Apr 2004 at 21:36, Gary Morrison wrote:

Agreed, but what I'm interested in is a count of how many headlight
alignments have been needed by those on the list,

I can't recall such an occasion but let's face it, an uppydowny headlight is
very likely to get out of alignment, and any MX5 driver (swing low, sweet mx5)
will probably get pretty peeved with oncoming cars with bad alignment, so I'm
not astonished about the need for adjustment.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 10:35 pm

In 40,000km over the last 18 months in my MX5 I have aligned the lights
once. That was when I replaced the original headlights with a pair of
Hellas. I do a lot of night driving and some driving on gravel roads in the
Marlborough Sounds. The corrugations on these roads haven't managed to
mis-align the lights yet. The privately owned testing station I normally use
will do minor adjustments on the spot as long as it doesn't hold up the
procedings too much. Good p.r! and no extra charge.
My Isuzu Bighorn has done 80,000km in the last 30 months and has not
required a headlight alignment at all either. It gets used on tracks that
are rough enough to bottom out and it's a 3 door short wheelbase.

Grant.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 10:35 pm

In 40,000km over the last 18 months in my MX5 I have aligned the lights
once. That was when I replaced the original headlights with a pair of
Hellas. I do a lot of night driving and some driving on gravel roads in the
Marlborough Sounds. The corrugations on these roads haven't managed to
mis-align the lights yet. The privately owned testing station I normally use
will do minor adjustments on the spot as long as it doesn't hold up the
procedings too much. Good p.r! and no extra charge.
My Isuzu Bighorn has done 80,000km in the last 30 months and has not
required a headlight alignment at all either. It gets used on tracks that
are rough enough to bottom out and it's a 3 door short wheelbase.

Grant.

Gary Morrison · Post by **Gary Morrison** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:24 am

So you're saying that this will be a regular problem for MX-5 owners? Anyone else out there suffering from this "very likely" problem?

On Thu, 01 Apr 2004 21:46:02 +1200, nmr@iprolink.co.nz wrote:

"but let's face it, an uppydowny headlight is very likely to get out of alignment"

Tony Collins · Post by **Tony Collins** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:37 am

I recently had my WoF done on my MX5, and failed on the same thing - claiming
of all things that my alignment was TOO LOW?! Sure they didn't offer to fix it
for $25, but it was late and it meant I had to make another trip there the next
day. I didn't question them at the time, but after doing a 'garage wall' check
and finding there was nothing wrong I was pretty annoyed. After doing a very
small adjustment the MX was taken back and checked by a different person, who I
suspect would have passed me anyway.
I can't remember any of our other vehicles ever needing headlight adjustment,
other than during replacement.

Tony Collins · Post by **Tony Collins** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:37 am

I recently had my WoF done on my MX5, and failed on the same thing - claiming
of all things that my alignment was TOO LOW?! Sure they didn't offer to fix it
for $25, but it was late and it meant I had to make another trip there the next
day. I didn't question them at the time, but after doing a 'garage wall' check
and finding there was nothing wrong I was pretty annoyed. After doing a very
small adjustment the MX was taken back and checked by a different person, who I
suspect would have passed me anyway.
I can't remember any of our other vehicles ever needing headlight adjustment,
other than during replacement.

ghead · Post by **ghead** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:43 am

Gary, so far I've done around 85,000k in my MX5 with only 1 headlight adjustment
needed. That was done when I took it to "On Road" for a WOF - the guy there had
a Phillips screwdriver in his back pocket & did it on the spot, no problems, no
failure & no extra charge. The fact he had a screwdriver on him suggests they
get lots of cars in need of adjustment.

I kinda suspect your mechanic was having a bad month & needed to make it up
somehow...

Graeme

Gary Morrison <gm@paradise.net.nz>
02/04/2004 09:24
From
On

Please respond to MX5List <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>

To MX5List <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
cc (bcc: Graeme Head/R&SA/NZ)

Subject Re: Headlight alignment needed?

So you're saying that this will be a regular problem for MX-5 owners? Anyone
else out there suffering from this "very likely" problem?

On Thu, 01 Apr 2004 21:46:02 +1200, nmr@iprolink.co.nz wrote:

"but let's face it, an uppydowny headlight is very likely to get out of
alignment"

ghead · Post by **ghead** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:43 am

Gary, so far I've done around 85,000k in my MX5 with only 1 headlight adjustment
needed. That was done when I took it to "On Road" for a WOF - the guy there had
a Phillips screwdriver in his back pocket & did it on the spot, no problems, no
failure & no extra charge. The fact he had a screwdriver on him suggests they
get lots of cars in need of adjustment.

I kinda suspect your mechanic was having a bad month & needed to make it up
somehow...

Graeme

Gary Morrison <gm@paradise.net.nz>
02/04/2004 09:24
From
On

Please respond to MX5List <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>

To MX5List <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
cc (bcc: Graeme Head/R&SA/NZ)

Subject Re: Headlight alignment needed?

So you're saying that this will be a regular problem for MX-5 owners? Anyone
else out there suffering from this "very likely" problem?

On Thu, 01 Apr 2004 21:46:02 +1200, nmr@iprolink.co.nz wrote:

"but let's face it, an uppydowny headlight is very likely to get out of
alignment"

Michael & Kate Cooper · Post by **Michael & Kate Cooper** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 11:11 am

I needed my (non-MX5) lights aligned once (after an 'incident') & the guy at
the testing station did it right there & then. Definitely good PR.

I was a dog groomer, and I had the choice of charging $5 to clip a dogs nails,
or just doing it anyway if it needed to be done. Similar thing, as it only
took a couple of minutes, but the appreciation and repeat business was worth
far more than the $5 gained by charging for it.

The mechanic may have gained $25 for 10 minutes work, but he may have lost a
regular client.

As an added bonus for mechanics... cars don't bite!

Kate Cooper

Michael & Kate Cooper · Post by **Michael & Kate Cooper** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 11:11 am

I needed my (non-MX5) lights aligned once (after an 'incident') & the guy at
the testing station did it right there & then. Definitely good PR.

I was a dog groomer, and I had the choice of charging $5 to clip a dogs nails,
or just doing it anyway if it needed to be done. Similar thing, as it only
took a couple of minutes, but the appreciation and repeat business was worth
far more than the $5 gained by charging for it.

The mechanic may have gained $25 for 10 minutes work, but he may have lost a
regular client.

As an added bonus for mechanics... cars don't bite!

Kate Cooper

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