quote:
Originally posted by ekpolk:
quote:
Originally posted by Chris Fucik:
. . .Strictly speaking, my warranty was void about a week after I got the car when the Thrasher cold air box and 3.4" {12% faster} supercharger pulley went on. Considering that, with my last round of mods over the winter, I expect to be running the 1/4 mile somewhere right around 13.0 at 106 MPH, if I break something, it's my own **** fault.
No! Strictly speaking, you really can't "void" your warranty. It is, in effect, part of a contract between you and the car maker, and one which happens to be heavily governed by federal law. It remains in effect for the period specified. Dealers and mfrs love to get us talking in terms of "voiding" a warranty; it's a form of brainwashing customers into accepting a position more favorable to them than the law allows. Even if you mod your engine, if you later present a wty claim, if they want to deny it, they still have to prove that you caused it, not their defect. The burden is on them, not you. So if your engine blows up after supercharger alterations, they still have to prove that it was the mod that caused the problem. The mere presence of a mod does not meet this burden. If a dealer tries to say, "aha, you've done this, you have no wty," go see a lawyer (if you have a covered defect). Now, if you've been running 25psi of boost on regular gas, they're going to have an easy time meeting their burden. In many cases, however, they're getting one over on the customer. A bit , but when I hear this, I get a bit bothered.
I agree with you completely. What I didn't really clarify is that, should something fail in the motor or transaxle, it would not be hard for GM to say that running the engine with higher than stock boost, with higher ratio rocker arms placing more stress on the valve train, and shifting harder at higher RPMs caused or aggrevated the problem. That part of my warranty, on the engine and transaxle, is effectively kaput. Particularly now, with 28,000 on her, if something was grossly defective from the factory in the drivetrain, it would have gone already. If it breaks now, it's probably the result of something I did. What the warranty on GM vehicles is really good for is all the little misalignments, squeeks, and failed electronic components that need replacing. My driver's door was misaligned from the factory, the steering had to be rebuilt to correct for some slop, the fuel level sender died, and the $800 HUD unit is already beginning to fade {common cold solder joint problem}. Which reminds me... one more trip to the dealer.
Better get that bad boy fixed while it's still under warranty.
When you buy a new GM car, it's not a warranty period...it's a necessary three-year shakedown cruise to find all the bugs.
I was making a point of contrasting my own beliefs on taking proper responsibility for your actions to those who modify their cars, break something as a direct result, then take the mods off before they go to the dealer and have it repaired under warranty. That's fraud, plain and simple. You got to pay if you want to play.
As for running 25 PSI on regular gas; I've heard of some nitwit doing something close. Supposedly some kid put a 2.8" {36% faster} SC pulley on with no other engine or exhaust mods and ran 87 octane to boot. That's probably a good 16+ PSI of boost versus the stock 8 PSI. Needless to say, it was ugly. Since I've made engine and exhaust mods that make it easier for the SC to push air through the engine, I see about 10 PSI on the street and 12 or so in track configuration {but only with race gas}. 25 PSI, even with an intercooler is a sure way to make engine go BOOM.
[ May 05, 2004, 12:29 AM: Message edited by: Chris Fucik ]