Originally Posted By: bigt61
I have managed several new car dealerships. The only time we ever asked a customer for proof of oil changes/receipts was when there were obvious signs of abuse. Massive sludge or lack of oil in the sump - and even this was rare. Dealers make money on warranty work - if it's a legitimate claim under the warranty, it will get fixed. Maybe things have changed recently, but I doubt it. Manufacturers care about their word of mouth reputation on the internet. A good reputation is the best free advertising you can get - see Honda & Toyota.
Yeah, dealerships do not just turn away warranty work and I think the onus would be on the manufacturer to prove customer negligence. The only flat out warranty denial I've heard of was a Kia that was grenaded by a bad timing belt within the 10-year, 100,000 warranty. But the timing belt had never been changed as directed in the manual, so...
Everything I've read here intelligently written on the subject, including posts by a lawyer, pretty much indicate the manufacturer having to prove it was a lubrication related failure because of customer negligence on oil changes. And car dealerships tend to not do well in court, especially in places like New York State...