SC Viper and Extended Warranty?

YLW DRM2

Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Posts
309
Reaction score
0
Hey guys, I have extended MaxCare warranty good until 2012. At the same time I am itchy to get more HP in my car. I already have Corsa Track with high flow cats, K&N Intake and PC tuning from DC performance. Nevertheless, I want to be on par with the Gen4 or even better, so I don't have to be "afraid" of being overtaken by so many lurking in the SF Bay Area Z06 Vettes.
I was thinking about head and cam option as well as SC option, but either option I think would void my extended warranty. Do you have an experience with the heavy modified car and the warranty problems?

Thanks.
 

plumcrazy

Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 9, 2003
Posts
16,243
Reaction score
7
Location
ALL OVER
i never cared about warranties. id rather mod the vehicle and have fun.

but the mods have to be proven to have caused the issue the vehicle has....thats what ive been told at least.
 
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Posts
4,969
Reaction score
0
Location
Omaha NE.
The current atmosphere in the car business almost assures that the mods you have now could attract attention at a dealership. If you have a good relationship there than you won't have issues, shouldn't.
 
Last edited:

Paul Hawker

Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 1, 2000
Posts
4,660
Reaction score
0
Location
San Diego, Calif, USA
Had my paxtonized unit into 5 star dealership for a separate issue. They flagged the car for warranty purposes due to it.

Each dealership seems to have some leeway, but things are definitely tightening up.
 

Fast Viper

Enthusiast
Joined
May 21, 2007
Posts
366
Reaction score
0
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
On my Whipple Supercharged Hummer, I frequently had warranty work done and completed without any questions regarding my vehicles modifications. However, the service manager and I got along very well.

I believe it comes down to what kind of relationship you have with a service manager/advisor at your dealership.
 

DodgeViper01

Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Posts
10,763
Reaction score
1
Location
Central New Jersey
On my Whipple Supercharged Hummer, I frequently had warranty work done and completed without any questions regarding my vehicles modifications. However, the service manager and I got along very well.

I believe it comes down to what kind of relationship you have with a service manager/advisor at your dealership.

You hit the nail on the head. If they like you, there will be no problems but if they do not like you, forget it. I had my brothers Mustang GT in the service center for something minor (gauge malfunction) and they said that because his car is modified (exhaust, lowered, tinted everything, and straight pipes) that it was the reason. I said how the hell is a broken gauge the reason of an exhaust?? They said pay out of pocket or I will void your warranty. To say that I wanted to beat the s*** out of the service advisor was a understatement. He was such an a**hole! He could have just said, I have to have you pay for this out of pocket but no, he tried to be the hard a**. Well, what goes around comes around. He will get his.
 

vipzilla

Viper Owner
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Posts
552
Reaction score
0
Location
CAPE COD MASS.
im the service manager at my dealership and correct its up to me if i will alow it to be covered or not.. but sometimes with a aftermarket warranty if the claim is high they do send a claim inspector down to look at the car to determin coverage then its out of my hands
 

Coloviper

Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Posts
1,883
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado
Bolt on items like you have now and a bolt on Supercharger with stock tune, should not void your warranty depending on what items are being warrantied. Pulling the heads off and camming it up, I would imagine that it WILL instantaneously void your warranty for the motor related items anyway.

In the end, the factory warranty or factory extended warranty is to just cover defects, NOT to cover items that wear out due to normal wear and tear. That is why worn out brakes, tires, windshield wipers, etc. are all NOT covered, even on a full ****-Care warranty. They are a part of normal wear and tear.

Extended warranties should only be looked at for replacing faulty items. An A/C unit goes, that is warranty. Your heater core leaks, that is warranty, your radio dies, that is warranty. You hop up the motor and the clutch goes, I would not hold my breath that I would get any warranty taken care of on it. You added a bunch of horsepower and pre-maturely wore out a wearable item to start with. However if you add all that power and an ABS rim sensor dies, that is warrantied. A gauge is pretty much warrantied in all instances as who touches them?

If you are going make major mods, then you are accepting the risk of breakage and why should they warranty it after those changes? You took ownership at that point and it is your responsibility.

However if you take great care of your vehicle and you are not racing it every weekend, you do not peel out of the dealership hell bent for leather, than why would the service manager not at least understand your benefit of the doubt? Treat the service manager and service technicians with respect. Never get argumentative. Always bring your vehicle in clean and polished so they can see you have pride and respect in your vehicles. Just present the problem and be profession and let them do their job. If you come in demanding that they fix everything and that it is them that is causing this major inconvenience for you, then I doubt you will get anywhere.

The only problems I have ever had with vehicle warranty service on any of my vehicles stock and modified, was on a brand new 07' Jeep SRT8. They basically would not fix anything period that was wrong with the vehicle and I bought a factory Maxicare Warranty, but that was a dealership thing . I worked with Jeep to get the service transferred to a different dealership and never had another problem with it after that. It was 100% stock too and I had bought it from that dealership, so I guess it happens.

Anyway, just like any confrontation, be professional, calm cool and collected and you will have the best chance at success. Come in like some punk demanding the world and ordering people around and you will not get anywhere, not even on a 100% stock vehicle. IMHO

In the end, just use common sense and look at the whole situation. If you add a bunch of power and then bind up the rear diff, should you get warranty? I mean should you really?
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
153,645
Posts
1,685,216
Members
18,221
Latest member
tractor1996
Top