I took my car for a wheel alignment, they didnt start the work but charged me?

Each state's attorney general's office dealing with auto issues. If you are getting screwed talk with them. They have clout.

Retrieve your car immediately.

If you didn't authorize them to do inspections, then don't pay.

If they hold your car, go talk to a police detective.

Does your state require written authorization to perform any labor?

Mine does.

When they told you the first BS, you should have gone to retrieve your car. Actually, you should have stayed there. Now you authorized them to do supposedly more labor, trying to find out what something costs.

They sound corrupt.

I wouldn't deal with them for anything.

Don't letvthem work on your car.

Are mechanics licensed in your state?

Depends on what Bushing is bad.....If its a Control Arm or something like that it wont hold the adjustments he makes....A swaybar or something isn't a huge deal....But an inspection usually is a minimum charge....$10 or $20 dollars and should be included if repairs are made....Take it to Sears or someone like that for a 2nd opinion

I'd need to see the bill to tell what you got charged for. Changing a bushing costs parts and labor. It isn't always a big job, but that depends what car you have. Give more details so you can get a better answer. You cannot align wheels when the suspension has play in it from any components.

If they inspected the front suspension and didn't hook up the alignment machine and put it on the alignment rack a half hour labor is average. If they had it on the alignment rack dicker with them and tell them they should have "shaken down the front end" before trying to align it.

They are entitled to charge for their work to find the fault.

It’s a potentially dangerous fault and there was no way for the tyre shop to know about it until they had spent some time and effort to investigate. That time could have been spent more profitably on other work they could have successfully completed.

Sure, some places might have not charged. But they have every right to charge if they wish to do so.

If you’d taken your car to a workshop where they do more than change tyres and do wheel alignments, then they could spoken to you about the newly-discovered fault and if you agreed simply switched the job you asked for to the one which really needed doing. But even they may have charged you for the work they’d already done if you’d chosen not to get the underlying fault fixed: probably excessive play in a tie-rod end (a.k.a. track rod end) or hub balljoint.

Unscrupulous/incompetent tyre shops would have kept quiet and charged the full alignment fee.

Most shops usually have free multi-point inspections. Don't know why they charged you.

Many Shops charge for "Inspection".

BUT, They are a Cheap outfit if they did not offer to do the Work, at extra charge. OR Do the Finish the Alignment after someone else replaces the bushing.

Contact your State Motor Vehicle Department, Repair Licensing Division. to make a complaint.