KDS setting £180 or local garage?
Discussion
My 06 MINI is in for a service and they have just phoned me to say I need my KDS setting adjusted as my rear tyres are wearing excessively on the inside. They have quoted me £180 for this and it's 2.5hours work for them. This seems a bit much to me,especially as I am a student. My local ATS tyre place says they will do alignment with lazers for £50. What will the difference be?
Don't wanna be paying that amount of money this close to Christmas - but don't want to 'buy cheap = buy twice'. Quick replies very much needed
Don't wanna be paying that amount of money this close to Christmas - but don't want to 'buy cheap = buy twice'. Quick replies very much needed

Also thought I should add - I had a new "non runflat" dunlop sp9000 fitted to my front passenger side last week. That means my passenger side is now both normal tyres and the driver's side is runflat - could this be making the difference? The back tyre on passenger side was fitted in the summer. Could this be causing the excessive wear? This is turning in to a bit of a nightmare.
You insurance company may not pay out if you have mixed tyers. It will handle like a pig on the limit.
If the locel tyer place have the correct setting thay should be able to sort you out. One thing to look out for is idealy the warn tyer should be replaced befor alinment, as it may not be sitting flat.
Hope this help Dan
If the locel tyer place have the correct setting thay should be able to sort you out. One thing to look out for is idealy the warn tyer should be replaced befor alinment, as it may not be sitting flat.
Hope this help Dan
My insurance company are fine with it as I cleared it with them before buying the last non runflat. As it stands, you're right I do need to buy two new tyres before KDS anyway. So I'll have non runflats all round. You reckon I should get the KDS after getting the new tyres? Or just wheel alignment?
Good ider to push you dealer to sort it out for free.
There is no problem with running non-runflats, the problem is having non-runflats one side and runflats on the othere. Back and front is not such a problem (not ideal) but side to side is.
It is my understanding (welcom to othere idears?) that for any kind of wheel alinment, KDS etc. If the tyers have warn down on one side the wheel is not sitting 100% flat. This may affect the setup.
Hope this helps Dan
There is no problem with running non-runflats, the problem is having non-runflats one side and runflats on the othere. Back and front is not such a problem (not ideal) but side to side is.
It is my understanding (welcom to othere idears?) that for any kind of wheel alinment, KDS etc. If the tyers have warn down on one side the wheel is not sitting 100% flat. This may affect the setup.
Hope this helps Dan
Daniel Green said:
Good ider to push you dealer to sort it out for free.
There is no problem with running non-runflats, the problem is having non-runflats one side and runflats on the othere. Back and front is not such a problem (not ideal) but side to side is.
It is my understanding (welcom to othere idears?) that for any kind of wheel alinment, KDS etc. If the tyers have warn down on one side the wheel is not sitting 100% flat. This may affect the setup.
Hope this helps Dan
Yeah the car needs to be sitting flat and with the excessive wear on the current tyres,it's not. So have to buy new tyres.There is no problem with running non-runflats, the problem is having non-runflats one side and runflats on the othere. Back and front is not such a problem (not ideal) but side to side is.
It is my understanding (welcom to othere idears?) that for any kind of wheel alinment, KDS etc. If the tyers have warn down on one side the wheel is not sitting 100% flat. This may affect the setup.
Hope this helps Dan
What you reckon about getting them to front the bill? They always just try and blind me with science. It bugs me that the car was in under warranty getting an engine mounting fixed so surely some sort of failure has happened to allow this? So probably the same thing that has affected this KDS.
Please fit all runflats or all standard tyres,i have seen what happens with mixing,Its not pretty-the ride is quite dangerous...If I was you go with standard..Alot cheaper in the long run and gives a better ride..You will need a space saver or Mobility unit for the boot.However (BMW hat on) a runflat tyre has the potential to save your life if you were to have a tyre blow out at high speed.
If the tyre are worn on the inside it is towing out if its worn outside its towing in....If its on both edges on a runflat it is a feature as the side walls force the tread to ground..on a standard tyre the pressure is too low.
The ATS wheel alignment is a round about setting..Its by no means accurate.The KDS (Kinamatic diagnosis system)we use is very accurate,normally the Buesbache(spelling) or Hunter system.However,BMW arent the sole users of this,if you shop around you will find quite a few tyre specailists use them-for instance near us in Glos there is Protyre who have the identical system-the difference is £60 for a track there.
If the tyre are worn on the inside it is towing out if its worn outside its towing in....If its on both edges on a runflat it is a feature as the side walls force the tread to ground..on a standard tyre the pressure is too low.
The ATS wheel alignment is a round about setting..Its by no means accurate.The KDS (Kinamatic diagnosis system)we use is very accurate,normally the Buesbache(spelling) or Hunter system.However,BMW arent the sole users of this,if you shop around you will find quite a few tyre specailists use them-for instance near us in Glos there is Protyre who have the identical system-the difference is £60 for a track there.
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