A warranty question

[producepete]

I'm going to start autocross soon and my car is stock. I am probably going to run in the stock class but I might want to upgrade my supsension a little bit if I can. Does anybody know which parts I can add to my car but still be allowed to keep my 3 year warranty. I don't care about intakes, exhaust, or turbos. But will adding a front and rear strut bar affect my warranty? I don't think it would, I don't see how it can hurt the car. What buying grippier tires, I'm almost positive you can do that. But if anyone else knows any other parts I can use to keep my warranty, that would be appreciated.

 

[T100]

Well assuming that you have a civic. You might want to call your dealer... I wouldnt think that a rear strut bar would effect your warranty...and even if it does you can just take it off if you need anything fixed like my brother does with his G35. He has intake and pulleys and they void his warranty but if something breaks you just change it back. So I would say call them and then work with that.

 

[Jay]

Well theoretically autocrossing the Civic will void warranty, As many Mitsubishi EVO owner found out.

 

[neanderthal]

installing aftermarket parts should not in any way void your warranty. you can go to SEMAs webpage and they should have a page exaplining how/ why.

however, any form of "competition" in your car might be grounds for invalidating yor warranty.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Well theoretically autocrossing the Civic will void warranty, As many Mitsubishi EVO owner found out.

Exactly. Same with Drag racing. If your on a track your not coverd. Stabalizer bars wont void the warranty.
You can change your exhaust, air cleaner and a few other mods without affecting the warranty.

 

[Gil]

I insured my truck the other day, and the lady at USAA asked me specifically if it would be used for competition.
So it may not affect your warranty, but it will affect your insurance.

 

[boombexus]

installing aftermarket parts should not in any way void your warranty. you can go to SEMAs webpage and they should have a page exaplining how/ why.

Exactly. There is an explanation of this at the SEMA site, but in a nutshell, a dealership is not allowed, by law, to tell you that adding aftermarket performance parts will void your warranty.
The only time that you will not be covered under warranty is if the aftermarket part was the direct cause of the problem.

however, any form of "competition" in your car might be grounds for invalidating yor warranty.

However, entering a vehicle in a "competition" will void your warranty. But how is the dealership going to prove this if you don't say anything about it? Unless they actually witnessed it.

 

[pimp racer]

However, entering a vehicle in a "competition" will void your warranty. But how is the dealership going to prove this if you don't say anything about it? Unless they actually witnessed it.

Anyways back to the topic will putting HID's on your car void your warranty? For some ODD reason my cousins GX470 2003 didnt come with HID's and on their other Lexus's they got it factory stock so he was thinking wether it would Void the warranty. We called up Lexus and they tell us it was supposed to come as a factory option but it wasnt?

 

[Jay]

However, entering a vehicle in a "competition" will void your warranty. But how is the dealership going to prove this if you don't say anything about it? Unless they actually witnessed it.

Rumour has it that Mitsubishi got its info (about what owners entered their cars in autocross) from the internet.

 

[-Fred-]

But how is the dealership going to prove this if you don't say anything about it? Unless they actually witnessed it.

They scan the ECU for codes. BMW and Mitsubishi, amongst others, have ECU readings that tell them how much throttle has been applied for how long, and different parameters that can prove you drove your car in a motorsport-ish way.

The only time that you will not be covered under warranty is if the aftermarket part was the direct cause of the problem.

Oh, like that douche who tried to fool us into thinking his engine failure wasn't due to excessive forced induction?

 

[pimp racer]

Rumour has it that Mitsubishi got its info (about what owners entered their cars in autocross) from the internet.

THat or they just sent some of their guys down to the autocross place and the guys probably took pictures of the owners of the cars VIN number and then just lyed and said that someone left them at their dealership or something sneaky like that.

 

[pimp racer]

They scan the ECU for codes. BMW and Mitsubishi, amongst others, have ECU readings that tell them how much throttle has been applied for how long, and different parameters that can prove you drove your car in a motorsport-ish way.:

Hmm.. I didnt read this until now and this is quite interesting but what if you just drove your car like a crazy dumbas$ on the road?

 

[-Fred-]

That still can't match the conditions you'd see on a racetrack, ie hard braking, hard acceleration, repeatedly. BMW in particular can see how many times you've used Launch Control on your SMG equipped M3. Worst thing is, Mitsubishi is/was offering an SCCA membership when you purchased an EVO... they're offering you a chance to beat the crap out of your car, yet when you do it, they don't cover it.

 

[pimp racer]

That still can't match the conditions you'd see on a racetrack, ie hard braking, hard acceleration, repeatedly. BMW in particular can see how many times you've used Launch Control on your SMG equipped M3. Worst thing is, Mitsubishi is/was offering an SCCA membership when you purchased an EVO... they're offering you a chance to beat the crap out of your car, yet when you do it, they don't cover it.

Oh yeah I guess you are right there and are they still offering the SCCA membership? what a bunch of idots.

 

[Goomba]

That still can't match the conditions you'd see on a racetrack, ie hard braking, hard acceleration, repeatedly. BMW in particular can see how many times you've used Launch Control on your SMG equipped M3. Worst thing is, Mitsubishi is/was offering an SCCA membership when you purchased an EVO... they're offering you a chance to beat the crap out of your car, yet when you do it, they don't cover it.

Subaru offers a free year long SCCA membership with the purchase of a WRX, and I believe they void the warranty as well.

I think its about being responsible. Yes, it would be nice if you could get everything covered for regardless of modifications or racing, but it just won't happen. I expect to pay for anything that I break in my WRX, I will pay for because I have aftermarket parts on it, and I've raced it. I'm also not that worried because I only make it to about two or three autocrosses a year, and Subarus (along with Hondas and many other car makers) are built well enough to handle these sort of activities. Yes, they may die a bit quicker than something that was driven by your grandmother to church, but thats just not fun. Go out, enjoy the car, be responsible, and feel the lateral Gs.

 

[producepete]

Seriously, how would the dealership know that I was autocrossing my car? Driving at speeds under 70 mph on a parking lot is not going to do much damage to your car at all. The only signs they could really see would be the excess wear of the tire tread or the brake pads. Besides, I could even get performance tires just for autocross. Even if they do see an unusual amount of wear, it could have been done on some other road or empty parking lot that has nothing to do with autocross. They wouldn't have any real proof. And I really don't think my dealership will scan for ECU codes...

 

[pimp racer]

Seriously, how would the dealership know that I was autocrossing my car? Driving at speeds under 70 mph on a parking lot is not going to do much damage to your car at all. The only signs they could really see would be the excess wear of the tire tread or the brake pads. Besides, I could even get performance tires just for autocross. Even if they do see an unusual amount of wear, it could have been done on some other road or empty parking lot that has nothing to do with autocross. They wouldn't have any real proof. And I really don't think my dealership will scan for ECU codes...

Yeah but somehow they when they see this they kinda figure that you might be doing something to the car like autocrossing so they might send out someone from the dealership and that person will follow you around until He/She sees you doing autocross. Oh and I am betting that your dealership will get the ECU codes from your car if they think something is going on.

 

[Petermcjoe]

however, any form of "competition" in your car might be grounds for invalidating yor warranty.

There are lots of ways you can go around this, ie a performance driving school, where you can drive as fast and hard as you want around a track, and technically it's still a "class"