Why would dealer try and F your warranty

[Mlozano]

I don't understand why a dealership would want to fuck people on their warranty for modifications, isn't that money in their pocket, isn't that just turning away business. I understand if you blew your engine and you had your nitrous tank sitting in the passanger seat when they tow it in, that's a big liability issue i guess, but why would they bother with the little stuff? What do car makers really think people buy $30,000 sports sedans just to look good, ok don't answer that.

I'd like to get the opinion of some dealerships if possible, i mean you some dealerships that will actually install aftermarket parts for you.

Edit: this is assuming they get reimbursed by the manufacturer.

[-Ray-]

Andy Mohr GMC Buick Pontiac does the warranty on my G8. They installed the UDP for me. It's less and less stock each time they see it, I've had no problems with warranty work.

[MANOFSTEEL69]

I don't believe it's that they don't want to, it's a matter of covering their butts if something ends up having to go to GM for verification or further testing.

[BluYa76]

My understanding is that GM is being more stringent on warranty work when it involves a failure of motor or transmission. It's out of the dealerships hands when they report a failure for warranty work, GM requires regional rep. (or whatever he/she's called) to verify the claim before granting approval for the warranty work.

[vert]

Andy Mohr GMC Buick Pontiac does the warranty on my G8. They installed the UDP for me. It's less and less stock each time they see it, I've had no problems with warranty work.

I will have to remember that now I have my headers w/vararam and tune on the way.

[BlownG8GT]

My question for the OP: Why would you feel a modified car should be under warranty? Obviously if you modify the engine they are not going to void your power window motors....but if you have an issue with the trans or engine due to the added power, why should GM pick up the tab?

Modifying your car takes ownership and responsibility. If people cannot accept that they should leave their cars alone.

[Mlozano]

My question for the OP: Why would you feel a modified car should be under warranty? Obviously if you modify the engine they are not going to void your power window motors....but if you have an issue with the trans or engine due to the added power, why should GM pick up the tab?

Modifying your car takes ownership and responsibility. If people cannot accept that they should leave their cars alone.


My question is not why should GM warrant, i'm talking about dealerships, there's no consistency, maybe if every dealer was on the same page i would understand, but seem's to be by choice, and since that's the case i wanted to know the thought process behind it. Like mentioned above, some will install parts for you, some will give you a hard time if they even see other things. I know there hasn't been anyone, at least to my knowledge that has been denied warranty work, including myself when i took out my tranny while using an aftermarket tune.

I'm just trying to understand the principal, so far as the liability issue seems to be the greatest argument, i guess some are right to want to protect themselves and some take things a little more lightly.

[zosoboogie]

those dealerships should be weeded out of business, Its just bad business for GM!!!

[locrzn#92]

Did the dealer actually state they wouldn't cover your tranny? Did it really fail or you still having problems as you stated before. I agree with above comments that you should take it to another dealer, maybe a bigger dealer that sells bunch of vettes or other gm performance cars.

[Ktlplxm]

My question for the OP: Why would you feel a modified car should be under warranty? Obviously if you modify the engine they are not going to void your power window motors....but if you have an issue with the trans or engine due to the added power, why should GM pick up the tab?

Modifying your car takes ownership and responsibility. If people cannot accept that they should leave their cars alone.

Why shoudln't they? Ok, sure if it is a proven fact that the modification caused the problem, then yes maybe they should not cover it, but that isn't always the case. Alot of dealerships now void warranties for stupid little sh*t that has nothing to do with the failure. Did my recalibration of a speedometer cause my trans to start leaking? No but the weaselly little service manager likes to claim that it does. Did trailing arms misalign the front of my car? No, but some dumb ass mechanic likes to think so. Another MAJOR point is that I took my car in 3 times for the trans shifting shitty, they reflash it 3 times, and still can't fix it, why should the warranty be voided when I finally fix it with an outside source? If there is conclusive evidence that I caused 100% then I don't mind it not being covered, but otherwise they should do their job, and repair the item back to proper functionality.

And on the note of they won't void the power windows because of engine mods... when the trim on the driver's seat broke I did have to go through the "well the car exhaust has been modified, and that affects the whole car" bullshit, the same thing I heard when a bushing in the shifter linkage broke, and when I was getting a little water in the trunk; not to mention my MAF died because of the oil from my aftermarket airfilter, which had no oil!!! It was a dry filter!! The moron forgot to plug it back in after replacing a headlight bulb @ 150 miles...

Some service managers my be honest and true to the customer, but the majority are money-hungry, penny pinching, cowardly little bookkeeprs who don't even have the courage to tell customers themselves, they leave it to the service writers. Thankfully my local dealership just got bought out by another dealership and the service manager was the first one fired. thank god for small favors

[Mlozano]

Amen

[BlownG8GT]

Before anyone else whines and cry's. My point was why should the dealer warrant anything that broke due to a performance modification. There is a standard, the problem is most dealers STEAL from the GM warranty program and ruin it for the legitimate claims.

[-Ray-]

I think he answered that Brian.

[Mlozano]

I hope if they really turn Pontiac into there "performance car" niche that'll they'll losen up a bit.

Are there car makes out there that have real loose warranty rules when i comes to aftermarket parts? or at least have a history of ignoring them?

['02 ws6]

Its not really a specific car or brand, it's the Warranty people running them. Ray has a hook up at his local dealer that OKs his mods and won't hassle him, while some that have done almost the same mods as him, have been denied on warranty claims that don't pertain to the modifications.
BlackBerry8830/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104

[Ktlplxm]

I apologize for possibly going a little overboard yesterday guys. The warranty thing to me is just a very, very sore subject, and I'm sure my loathing (as if that wasn't obvious) of my local guy doesn't help too much.

[Mlozano]

Lucky bastard, i had one of those hooks ups


He doesn't work there anymore...


Edit: ray that it

[tvuser]

I am going to answer this question as I am an ASE Master tech also with 15 years in Dealerships and independent shops. Dealerships employ technitions not mechanics(they are few and far between nowadays) and are paid on flat rate. For most of you here that means they get paid by the job,so if the job pays 2.5hrs in the labor guide and their hourly rate is 25.00hr they will get 62.50 for that work order. When a vehicle comes in under warranty it pays from a different labor guide. Warranty pays 1/2 to 2/3rds what customer pay is and you have to have a time stamp on your work order to get paid.So now your 2.5hrs w/o is say 1.7hrs.You only made 42.50 and you have to have punch time on the ticket.Now you say,they should be happy they made 42.50 1.7hrs. Well it is not that simple, if the w/o has multiple labor lines (for that 1.7hrs) you must have it broken down in your time stamp,say one for .6 one for.8 and one for .3.Now in most dealerships the tech has find the car,pull it in the bay, diagnose it,go to the parts counter and check prices,availibilty,and parts numbers, carry the w/o order to the lazy ass service writer to call the customer or see if it under warranty,while the tech has their bay tied up with a car ,then get told to pull it they cant wait,or its not covered,etc.A lead tech can normally pull this out his bag-o-tricks,but they are a rarity these days.Most techs at dealerships make between 12 and 18 bucks an hour(lead techs make more).They are going to do all they can to get out of warranty work because it does not pay enough for the hassle.The dealer also makes less on parts because warranty sets the mark-up they can make.I hate to keep going on like this ,but this is the reason I have gotten out of retail automotive repair. To much greed in the industry.There are a few niche markets where it is a pleasure to be a mechanic and I have found one of them. I personally have a lot of friends at dealerships and don't have to worry about warranty issues.I always try and find out who worked or is working on my vehicles when I did not know anyone a dealer and hooked them up,because I knew their pain.I hope this opens your minds to how the game is played.

[Mlozano]

That's amazing, you've put it all into perspective. As for hooking up the person working on the car, i think that's an awesome idea.

Do you think you would have a better chance of getting a dealership let this kinda stuff slip by if they aren't doing too much business in that deparment , i figure sometimes something is better than nothing, right?

[tvuser]

It depends on so many different factors.Most dealerships are corprate owned and all they want is numbers.So the service manager needs to get his cust pay high (for the big wigs)and warranty claims low(for the dealer rep).I think you are better off trying to get to know a tech and build on that. I have helped guys out even when they got turned away in the service lane,just because I felt like it was the right thing to do.You have nothing to lose by talking to the guys in the back.

[Ktlplxm]

To sum it up... lazy ass people not wanting to do their frickin jobs because it isn't as profitable for them...I wish I could start brushing off customers I have to deal with that I don't make a prime margin on...

on a different note, TVUSER, that is a bold claim in your signature haha good luck w/ it

[tvuser]

All it takes is money and I happen to have an extremely well paying job:nah:

[tvuser]

And you are also right,it is a bunch of lazy asses wanting to get paid for nothing.That is why I got out and moved on to better things.

[-Ray-]

I worked at a Ford dealership when I was young. My dad worked for the dealerships all his life. He told me over and over, that I needed to find a better job.

[GTPprix]

Damn, looks like I need to make a road trip to NC for a day or two LOL

[-Ray-]

Damn, looks like I need to make a road trip to NC for a day or two LOL

Better bring tires and a new clutch. :D

[GTPprix]

At this rate it'll have 'em by next week LOL

[tvuser]

LOL,you guys.Ok the fastest force fed red G8 :sad:

[GTPprix]

Heheh :D Someone had to give ya a hard time!