So I have recently had shimmy in my steering wheel (tires have been balanced, and balanced again), and decided to take it in to have an alignment to see if there were any underlying problems. Well here is what was found and the cost. What do you guys think?

Front wheel bearings need re-packed (wheels are loose)
Lower Ball Joints need replaced (warranty is covering $459.48)
Alignment (around $100)

Total cost from the shop is about $950 and after the warranty takes out $459.48 (I have a $100 deductible) my cost is approximately $490.52. Does this seem fair? I canÆt really back out of this now, but I wanted to get some opinionsàsee if I need another shop in the future. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Also, is 96K miles normal for ball joint wear? What kind of things can make them wear prematurely? I am not much of a mechanic, so I thought I would ask for experienced opinions.

TIA, Mike <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />