[robfenn]

Spoke to my dealer on Friday as i wanted to get a Miltek exhaust for the Cooper, but he said that it will invalidate the warranty and TLC I'm so disappointed, especially as he drives around in a JCW Cooper S on 18's & everything else. As if a bloody cat back exhaust would do anything.....*******s!

The dealership is Whitehouse Ruxley, don't use them if you have mods!!

Needed to vent..!

-Rob

[robfenn]

I just thought..is anyone else in the south east london region that has a recommended pro-tuning dealer?

Thanks.

[ButtonIt]

It won't invalidate your warranty!!

There is a thread on here somewhere with a quote from BMW saying that modifications will only invalidate warranties on parts directly affected. So if you fit 10 pot brake calipers and huge discs, but you supercharger blows then it'll be covered by warranty because there's no way the modification could have affected it, if you see what I mean.

TLC is a different matter because that's in the hands of the dealer.

I'll try to find the thread....

[ButtonIt]

Here y'are

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...nty+offi cial

[robfenn]

Thanks dude. I really appreciate it. Top man! I love you..etc.

[RedUn]

jus don't tell em an they won't notice

[rfibanez]

Why does mini promote mods and customizing your mini in their ads but they turn around and tell customers that they wont allow them to mod?

[RVW]

Quote: Originally Posted by rfibanez

Why does mini promote mods and customizing your mini in their ads but they turn around and tell customers that they wont allow them to mod?

Because they want you to use their mods and custome bits

[robfenn]

Lets face it, we're dealing with BMW here. Everything costs extra. It just gets to me as i'm only 20, and am in debt for the Mini as it is..its frustrating that i can't really do what i want with my car!

-Rob

[Oz-i]

Quote: Originally Posted by RedUn

jus don't tell em an they won't notice

"Sir, did you change your exhaust?"
"Uhhhh, no ... ... why?"
"Well, just curious. Thought I saw something different"
"Well, you saw wrong "

And the flock of pigs flew by

[Jones]

The only issue here I have experienced after having a Milltek Manifold and Cat fitted is that I get engine lights coming on frequently, and is often the lamda probes either side of the Cat that fail. My dealer took issue that it was because of the aftermarket cat and said he couldnt fix it as he had just read the diagnostic code, without checking and seeing it was the lamda sensors failing. Then after some hassle he replaced the sensors so alls well.

Dealers seem all too keen to blame aftermarket bits it appears.....just persevere and go for the system!!

Jones!

[erickvonzipper]

[quote=ButtonIt]It won't invalidate your warranty!!

So if you fit 10 pot brake calipers and huge discs, but you supercharger blows then it'll be covered by warranty because there's no way the modification could have affected it, if you see what I mean.

QUOTE]


Well, actually, an exhaust system change _can_ have an effect on the engine as the entire system, from intake to exhaust, is tuned to work together. Years of motorcycle tuning has taught me that changes on one side of the system, like exhaust, fer instance, necessitates changes to the other (carbs or FI).

Now, I know that FI is somewhat adaptable to changes on the other end, whereas carbs are not, but there are no guarantees that a non-modified stock FI system will compensate for a freer flowing exhaust. If the maker of the exhaust also sells a FI remapping program to go with the exhaust, on the car in question, then there's less of a chance of doing damage to the engine.

A freer flowing exhaust, by its very nature, will pass more air through the system. If the intake can't increase the amount of fuel to the proper ratio, a lean condition will result. Vehicles that have not been tuned so that the intake and exhaust have matching flow characteristics will actually run worse than stock. They may _sound_ better (louder?), but they will not run as well. Lean conditions can ruin a number of internal engine bits such as pistons and valves. Rather expensive to replace.

As for voiding the factory warranty, no manufacturer wants to absorb the costs of fixing anything, but they offer warraties because they more or less have to. Would you buy a new car without any sort of warranty? If you think about it logically, they are certainly not going to warranty something that they didn't either design themselves, or have designed for them by an approved vendor, like the John Cooper Works kit.

And as soon as they put the car on a lift, they are going to know what's what under there no matter what you tell them. ;o)

Zip

[northandy]

[quote=erickvonzipper]

Quote: Originally Posted by ButtonIt

It won't invalidate your warranty!!

So if you fit 10 pot brake calipers and huge discs, but you supercharger blows then it'll be covered by warranty because there's no way the modification could have affected it, if you see what I mean.

QUOTE]


Well, actually, an exhaust system change _can_ have an effect on the engine as the entire system, from intake to exhaust, is tuned to work together. Years of motorcycle tuning has taught me that changes on one side of the system, like exhaust, fer instance, necessitates changes to the other (carbs or FI).

Now, I know that FI is somewhat adaptable to changes on the other end, whereas carbs are not, but there are no guarantees that a non-modified stock FI system will compensate for a freer flowing exhaust. If the maker of the exhaust also sells a FI remapping program to go with the exhaust, on the car in question, then there's less of a chance of doing damage to the engine.

A freer flowing exhaust, by its very nature, will pass more air through the system. If the intake can't increase the amount of fuel to the proper ratio, a lean condition will result. Vehicles that have not been tuned so that the intake and exhaust have matching flow characteristics will actually run worse than stock. They may _sound_ better (louder?), but they will not run as well. Lean conditions can ruin a number of internal engine bits such as pistons and valves. Rather expensive to replace.

As for voiding the factory warranty, no manufacturer wants to absorb the costs of fixing anything, but they offer warraties because they more or less have to. Would you buy a new car without any sort of warranty? If you think about it logically, they are certainly not going to warranty something that they didn't either design themselves, or have designed for them by an approved vendor, like the John Cooper Works kit.

And as soon as they put the car on a lift, they are going to know what's what under there no matter what you tell them. ;o)

Zip

Good points but I think the thing to remember is that MINI themselves offer a sports exhaust for the cooper....

[erickvonzipper]

[quote=northandy]

Quote: Originally Posted by erickvonzipper

Good points but I think the thing to remember is that MINI themselves offer a sports exhaust for the cooper....

Yes, I know, but my writing was aimed at unauthorized mods. Factory mods are not a worry.

Zip

[Prowse]

Your problem is with your local dealership, my dealer had no problems putting a cat-back exhaust on my car, and have carried out warranty work since it was fitted. Try another dealer.

[erickvonzipper]

Quote: Originally Posted by Prowse

Your problem is with your local dealership, my dealer had no problems putting a cat-back exhaust on my car, and have carried out warranty work since it was fitted. Try another dealer.

This is something to think about once I get my car and decide to do some 'tuning.' ;o)

Zip

[robfenn]

[quote=erickvonzipper]

Quote: Originally Posted by ButtonIt

It won't invalidate your warranty!!

So if you fit 10 pot brake calipers and huge discs, but you supercharger blows then it'll be covered by warranty because there's no way the modification could have affected it, if you see what I mean.

QUOTE]


Well, actually, an exhaust system change _can_ have an effect on the engine as the entire system, from intake to exhaust, is tuned to work together. Years of motorcycle tuning has taught me that changes on one side of the system, like exhaust, fer instance, necessitates changes to the other (carbs or FI).

Now, I know that FI is somewhat adaptable to changes on the other end, whereas carbs are not, but there are no guarantees that a non-modified stock FI system will compensate for a freer flowing exhaust. If the maker of the exhaust also sells a FI remapping program to go with the exhaust, on the car in question, then there's less of a chance of doing damage to the engine.

A freer flowing exhaust, by its very nature, will pass more air through the system. If the intake can't increase the amount of fuel to the proper ratio, a lean condition will result. Vehicles that have not been tuned so that the intake and exhaust have matching flow characteristics will actually run worse than stock. They may _sound_ better (louder?), but they will not run as well. Lean conditions can ruin a number of internal engine bits such as pistons and valves. Rather expensive to replace.

As for voiding the factory warranty, no manufacturer wants to absorb the costs of fixing anything, but they offer warraties because they more or less have to. Would you buy a new car without any sort of warranty? If you think about it logically, they are certainly not going to warranty something that they didn't either design themselves, or have designed for them by an approved vendor, like the John Cooper Works kit.

And as soon as they put the car on a lift, they are going to know what's what under there no matter what you tell them. ;o)

Zip

What you're saying is right but i wouldn't agree if the dealers went with that. ECU's can 'adapt' with the knock sensor in modern cars, so an exhaust or filter would be fine, which is why you can get a sports exhaust from BMW. However, an exhaust AND filter could prove to give troubles along the lines of what you have said, and is why the new Cooper Works Sound Kit has an ECU upgrade included.

I asked my dealer again and he mentioned that BMW have their own exhaust and there is an approved AC Schnitzer one too! He said he hasn't recieved the prices for the new JCW kit yet so i will hang on to see how much it will be. Otherwise, a BMW exhaust it will be. The 'problem' is my dealer is a literal stones throw, and they're nice people, so i don't want to move really.

Thanks for all comments.

-Rob

[ben__allen]

[quote=robfenn]

Quote: Originally Posted by erickvonzipper

The 'problem' is my dealer is a literal stones throw, and they're nice people, so i don't want to move really.

That's often the prob with BMW dealers, they are nice to get your dosh, and then when things go wrong, they're evil!!

[lpitt]

See this is interesting...

I spoke to my dealer back in March because I wanted the JCW 210 upggrade fitted. They weren't aware of any such kit (!!) and suggested that they could supply and fit a Typhoon induction kit that would give about 5bhp (yeah). I never asked the cost.

So does this mean that my dealer would happily fit the kit to my car, wait until I went for a service and then tell me that the TLC was invalidated?

As it was I had the JCW upgrade yesterday at JCW in Worthing. Mainly 'cos my dealer wanted almost £750 including VAT to fit it - JCW did it for £400!

[sleepyrascal]

Now this is why i'm happy that my warranty has expired... I can mod to my hearts content.........

oh......


whats that i hear......


oh its my insurance company wanting lots of money having modded my car..... You cant win in the modding game!!