What have you been told about warranty, TLC etc with modifications....

[Paul]

For the S I am fitting a Rogue Engineering intake kit, no problem I've been told.

I also have a PlayMini exhaust (cat back) to fit. No problem.

I am considering a new manifold, but not sure about this, because I was told this would be more likely to ruin my warranty if I had engine trouble.

Also what has your dealer told you/your experience been with TLC after you've fitted 'tuning' stuff such as exhausts, filters etc?

Has anyone had any trouble, or been told they would lose their warranty/TLC if they had them fitted?

I am sure warranty would only be affected if the fault could be put down to the aftermarket stuff, but what about TLC?

What's the official line you've been given? (I am sure different dealers will give different opinions on this).

Paul

[Paul]

Just read this in Abi's TLC booklet.

Quote:

MINI tlc is not available on vehicles that have undergone any form of aftermartket engine enhancements

So would an intake kit apply? A manifold? A cat back system? (Seeing as it says ENGINE enhancements).

Hmmmmm.

[marc.c]

paul
i asked my dealer a while back about a couple of mods and was told that any change to factory spec would void my warranty...so ispoke to mini directly and they said iwould only lose my warranty on the parts that had been changed so all in all still not still not very sure how i would stand on this one.
cheers marc.

[oldnell]

Legally speaking, you could only be refused warranty work where your modification has caused (or could reasonably be considered to have caused) the fault. Dealers who say "you lose your warranty" are incorrect. If you are refused warranty work on a fault which is not connected to your modification it is time to take your dealer to court.

As the TLC is not a warranty, it is up to MINI to specify whatever terms and conditions they want.

[Paul]

Quote:

Originally posted by oldnell
Legally speaking, you could only be refused warranty work where your modification has caused (or could reasonably be considered to have caused) the fault. Dealers who say "you lose your warranty" are incorrect. If you are refused warranty work on a fault which is not connected to your modification it is time to take your dealer to court.

In the US the burden of proof lies with the car dealer/manufacturer to prove it was your modification that caused the problem, how is this in th UK and elsewhere?

Paul

[oldnell]

I imagine (I am not a lawyer - IANAL) that the dealer could simply say that your mod caused it. You'd have to take them to court to force them to prove that it was your modification (prove meaning to convince a jury).

I don't know if this is different to the US.

[gt4pete]

Don't change anything ahead of the exhaust or behind the throttle body. That's the easiest way to preserve your warranty. You also will have a much easier time dealing with emissions and smog issues as well. Changing manifolds, pulleys, remapping the ECU, throttle bodies, etc. are much larger issues and can definetly lead to denial of warranty.

All of the stuff about technicians not being able to acertain whether or not you have an ECU remap is garbage, it's actually very simple to tell (I'm not a factory trained tech, but using DIS, the diagnostic system, it takes me about 5 minutes to do it).

About the only way to be denied coverage in doing an intake or exhaust is if you burn an exhaust valve, which won't happen. To do more than that is playing with fire, because the techs have to send all the failed equipment to the factory. And if they sniff anything that isn't OEM about your engine system when it comes time to do a $5000 job, they won't touch your car. They self authorize most repairs, but they won't touch your car if they think the factory will reject a $5000 payment for a repair they've already made.

It's common sense, don't upset the balance of your car until you're comfortable with what's out there. If you're still worried about your warranty, you are not ready to do anything more than intake and exhaust.

[gt4pete]

There are a ton of people out there that will preach Magnussen-Moss all day long.

Yes, the defect must be traced back to the modified part. But, when you are talking about the engine, any shop foreman worth a grain of salt can relate a non-OEM engine component to an engine failure.

You can haggle with the dealer, but on an engine issue, they will win, all day long.

[Brushy]

I was told that any mods would invalidate the warranty and the TLC.

The other thing was that the dealers do not want to take in part exchange a car with engine mods (such as Hartge which I am considering) as they cannot sell them on without official warranties.

[Bonnie Scotland]

I agree with gt4pete, if you are at all worried about losing your warranty then your not ready to mod your car.
My case is well documented, my warranty and TLC are, for the main part, in tact. I do not expect BMW to maintain the warranty on my new charger pulley in the event of a failure.
But, my TLC is still as good as the day i signed for the car.

alan fae bonnie scotland (4000 miles and still going strong)

[oldnell]

Quote:

Originally posted by gt4pete
There are a ton of people out there that will preach Magnussen-Moss all day long.

That's a US law (from the research I've just done). It seems that UK laws are somewhat similar, but I agree with you totally that the dealer would have the upper hand if they refused engine warranty work on any modified engine.

[Chris Williams]

The problem with any modifications and warranty work is that is very easy in the event of a defect arising with the car that the dealer simply puts it down to the modification made to the car. My understanding is that the modification will not per se invalidate the warranty only if it is the acutal cause of the defect or if non-approved parts have been fitted to the vehicle.

Regards
Christopher

[Dom]

My dealership was happy to carry out a TLC service with my pipercross induction kit and playmini cat back exhaust. Even gave the exhaust a quick check for me

They refused to fix a leak under warranty though due to the aftermarket stereo wiring, and the onus was on me to prove it wasn't my fault.

[Phat_Mini]

Hi all

My cooper i would think was one of the first modified and when it was done i had

Magnex Exhaust
New Cobra Seats
Spax Springs
New Stiffened Rear Anti Roll Bar
New Disks and Hoses all round
Stereo System
JCW Filter
18" Alloys
Superchip (they dont know about this)
Retrimmed rear seats

i have had no problem with warranty work as steering pump went and they could of blamed 18" alloys but didn't, TLC is still intact and my dealer is quiet happy to do all work under warranty, maybe i just have good dealer.

[LMB]

Even if my dealer told me that my warranty would be intact should I fit aftermarket products, I wouldn't take that as written in stone. At the end of the day should you suffer engine failure, it is out of the dealer’s hands as to whether the car will be repaired under the warranty.

It's a risk pure and simple even for those who've been told otherwise. It may be a small one but a risk none the less.