Safe mods to avoid warranty- feedback/experience?

[slags]

Hi guys, new here.
I have a Lady Driven 2014 Subie BRZ Limited (automatic, yes I know....but I'll save the shifting for my bike). I've been really wanting to start adding a few things to my car - cold air intake, catback exhaust, coilovers... but I'm worried I may void any issues that could be covered under warranty. I'm concerned with it being such a new car that there may be some recalls on certain parts.
Just to get it out of my system, I've been messing with the inside... got some of the carbon fiber parts inside and plasti-dipped the silver portion of the dash- which actually looked pretty good.
Any thoughts or feedback? Thanks!

[aznatama]

Dealer cannot void your warranty for performance parts unless they can show that it caused the damage. However, to make things simple and to avoid any hassles with a legal fight down the road...

Pretty "safe" mods include Cat-back exhaust, wheels, brake (pads, ss lines, rotors), panel filter upgrades, simple suspension tuning, and general exterior trim/kits/etc\.

[slags]

yaya, that's what i figured. obviously if the window motor breaks, my exhaust has nothing to do with that. actually.. subaru has my car right now, i have two chips on my roof that started to form surface rust. The trunk lid got bird poop on it and it went right thru the clear coat! It wasn't even on there for long. This is my first subaru, are they known for bad paint/clear coats? My steering wheel is peeling on the top so they are replacing that for me too.
I'm driving a crosstrek as my loaner for now, kinda different... so much SPACE

[Annahra]

Yes, the paint is super delicate. A coating or sealant plus regular wax is key to keep it looking nice.

[1future]

Originally Posted by slags

yaya, that's what i figured. obviously if the window motor breaks, my exhaust has nothing to do with that. actually.. subaru has my car right now, i have two chips on my roof that started to form surface rust. The trunk lid got bird poop on it and it went right thru the clear coat! It wasn't even on there for long. This is my first subaru, are they known for bad paint/clear coats? My steering wheel is peeling on the top so they are replacing that for me too.
I'm driving a crosstrek as my loaner for now, kinda different... so much SPACE

Is the surface rust issue being taken care of by the dealer, and are they doing a repaint? Should be covered by warranty. The bird poop will ruin most finishes because it's highly corrosive. Remove it as soon as you see it. The uric acid will start etching the paint in minutes, especially if the car is left out baking in the sun.

[mav1178]

First step: ignore comments not related to dealers in your area.
Second step: build relationship with a dealer service department by reaching out and asking.

In the end, warranty work = free money for a dealer. They would be stupid to turn down legit work.

Legitimate is the key here... if you have no idea what you are doing, you need to ask dealer(s) to see what they can do for you. It's a two-way street. Don't box yourself in a corner by asking "what mods won't affect my warranty" as it will be up to the dealer to write it up or completely overlook it. Hell, some may even help you get claims if they know how the system works or have an otherwise superb rep with their corporate rep.

-alex

[slags]

Originally Posted by 1future

Is the surface rust issue being taken care of by the dealer, and are they doing a repaint? Should be covered by warranty. The bird poop will ruin most finishes because it's highly corrosive. Remove it as soon as you see it. The uric acid will start etching the paint in minutes, especially if the car is left out baking in the sun.

Yea, the dealer is taking care of it. I've have 4 cars before this and neeever had that issue. i was parked for only an hour or so where I was and removed it asap, the florida sun is heavy tho

Originally Posted by mav1178

First step: ignore comments not related to dealers in your area.
Second step: build relationship with a dealer service department by reaching out and asking.

In the end, warranty work = free money for a dealer. They would be stupid to turn down legit work.

Legitimate is the key here... if you have no idea what you are doing, you need to ask dealer(s) to see what they can do for you. It's a two-way street. Don't box yourself in a corner by asking "what mods won't affect my warranty" as it will be up to the dealer to write it up or completely overlook it. Hell, some may even help you get claims if they know how the system works or have an otherwise superb rep with their corporate rep.

-alex

yeah the dealer that i bought my car from sucks! avoid pembroke pines in ft lauderdale! but the dealership closest to me in WPB is super nice and they are hookin it up.

[avp1]

Start with wider wheels and tires (and better rubber, of cause). If you choose wisely, you can keep weight the same as stock. Then work on brakes - this is a weak spot in this car.

[daiheadjai]

YMMV.... I would've thought that getting a suspension-related issue sorted out wouldn't require removing my axleback exhaust and short-ram intake (these are simple bolt-on parts that had nothing to do with the suspension), but my dealer service guy said "we won't work on your car if you have aftermarket parts"

Good thing they didn't find the Kartboy pulley...

Suffice to say I'll be taking my business to a different dealer.