Modifications and warranty. Post your experiences

[drewbot]

Originally Posted by daiheadjai

Unfortunately Magnusson-Moss doesn't appear to have an equivalent in Canada. My dealer refused to check a wheelbearing issue because I had an axleback exhaust.

Sounds like a douche dealer IMHO

[daiheadjai]

No kidding. Never going back again. They eventually looked at my car, (after I reinstalled the stock exhaust) and fixed the wrong side wheel hub. Ended up fixing the issue myself with a $70 wheel hub bought off eBay.

[Andrew025]

The Magnusson-Moss act is great and all, but don't rely on it 100% if you also want to rely on getting warranty coverage.
You don't just say "Magnusson-Moss" and the dealer will magically do the work (most of the time).
Citing the act for obvious things completely unrelated like the stereo/transmission example above will work, but may not work with ease with things that are more closely related. You're more than likely going to have court/mediation involved.

Think about whether the time and money involved is going to be worth it.

[Braces]

I may be incorrect, but I'm not sure the dealership has any say on warranty work. They request warranty approval from a 3rd person not affiliated with that dealership.

[Quentin]

Originally Posted by 904FRSlow

To stay safe, I am doing a full exhaust, intake and OFT since all of these are easy to uninstall.

I think you can kiss your engine warranty goodbye with OFT...


Sent from Tandy 400

[twag4]

I have an Eibach pro-plus kit on my car, lowered one inch, my dealer in a Enterprise, Al replaced a leaky axle seal on my differential no questions asked.

[Gunman]

No real experience with my Subaru dealer yet, but in the past I owned a Ford Ranger minitruck, which was lowered, roof cut out, custom paint, etc., plus the engine had been pulled out, repainted, rewired to clean up the engine bay, aluminum bits polished, and a custom exhaust. At 59,100 miles, of my 60,000 mile warranty, a piston decided to come apart, and put a hole in the block. Not only did the dealer, and Ford stand behind it, and replace the block, they let me take the engine after it was reassembled, and get it painted again, before re-installing.

Moral of the story, how much grief a dealer gives you, depends on the dealer, and how you deal with them.

[Jake360]

Originally Posted by Lateral G

For instance, I would like an UEL header (full exhaust really) but unsure of warranty issues in the future.

better get the headers with the CEL fix. If you get the tune to fix the CEL, that tune will pretty much ruin any chance of keeping that warranty.

[Ec1990]

Originally Posted by Andrew025

The Magnusson-Moss act is great and all, but don't rely on it 100% if you also want to rely on getting warranty coverage.
You don't just say "Magnusson-Moss" and the dealer will magically do the work (most of the time).
Citing the act for obvious things completely unrelated like the stereo/transmission example above will work, but may not work with ease with things that are more closely related. You're more than likely going to have court/mediation involved.

Think about whether the time and money involved is going to be worth it.

Additionally, the Magnusson-Moss Act merely says that they cannot void a part based on other modification. But that's on you to prove, so depending on your lawyer connections and how much time you want to spend, the proof is on you to provide. It's not on the dealer to prove X part caused Y failure. It's on you to prove it didn't cause it.

[j_Zer0]

Originally Posted by twag4

I have an Eibach pro-plus kit on my car, lowered one inch, my dealer in a Enterprise, Al replaced a leaky axle seal on my differential no questions asked.

Bondy's? Sam the service manager there seems pretty cool. Glad to hear about your experience since I'm due for first oil change and I'm OFT/OFH.

[Caspeed]

[QUOTE=Andrew025;2142430]The Magnusson-Moss act is great and all, but don't rely on it 100% if you also want to rely on getting warranty coverage.
You don't just say "Magnusson-Moss" and the dealer will magically do the work (most of the time).
Citing the act for obvious things completely unrelated like the stereo/transmission example above will work, but may not work with ease with things that are more closely related. You're more than likely going to have court/mediation involved.

Think about whether the time and money involved is going to be worth it.[/QUOTE[/I][/I]

Having been the one that made these decisions (at the dealership level) for more than 25 yrs I can tell you this. If you bring up Magnusson-Moss, or an attorney or law suit. You are done, your bridges are burnt and good luck to you. The negotiation is is in effect over. Have your attorney contact our attorney. That is the wrong way to approach this.

You should have developed a relationship with your Service Advisor /ASM, the Service Manager/Director, and a Lead Technician. This is when it pays off. Even if you have been told a mod is ok.... it means nothing, unless you have it in writing from the factory. Once you escalate you have eliminated the ones that would be most likely to help you from the equation. Once the "Factory" is involved the people you are dealing with have less latitude due to "Policy".

Being argumentative, making a show or otherwise making an AHole of yourself just makes people less likely to help you. The warranty is meant to cover "Factory Defects" not the results of modifications or abuse (read; anything other than normal street driving).

Nurture the above mentioned relationships and don't be stupid and you might be alright. Don't do it at your own risk.

[twag4]

Originally Posted by j_Zer0

Bondy's? Sam the service manager there seems pretty cool. Glad to hear about your experience since I'm due for first oil change and I'm OFT/OFH.

Yeah Bondy's. I have had trouble with them in the past on another car, but they've done well on this one- probably because I bought this one from them.