"SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
09/19/2015 at 09:50 • Filed to: None
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"SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
09/19/2015 at 09:50 • Filed to: None | 7
| 24 |
I did a podcast the other day about modifications - or “mods” as the youngfolk call them - and whether they will void your warranty. I ALSO did a video interview with Paul at Deutsche Auto Parts about this topic. It’s worth watching for several reasons.
First, notice that Paul has things hanging on his office walls. What?! When did this start happening? Notice how sleek but empty my walls are. You mean all this time I could have just nailed things to them? No one tells me anything.
Second, we’re sitting in different places talking on the videophone. Is this some of that space age technology we were promised? If so, are flying cars right around the corner?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
If this topic interests you, keep in mind that the podcast (audio) is NOT simply the soundtrack to the video - they are two totally different episodes/shows/whathaveyou. So watch one, listen to the other. And if you modify your car, know what you can and cannot do if you want to keep your new car warranty enforceable.
Follow me on Twitter: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Hear my podcast on iTunes: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Steve Lehto has been practicing law for 23 years, almost exclusively in consumer protection and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! He wrote !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
This website may supply general information about the law but it is for informational purposes only. This does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not meant to constitute legal advice, so the good news is we’re not billing you by the hour for reading this. The bad news is that you shouldn’t act upon any of the information without consulting a qualified professional attorney who will, probably, bill you by the hour.
vestigialbrain
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:09 |
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I already read the article that corresponds to this post and found it very interesting. Actually, Steve, I wanted to let you know that you remind me of Kevin Spacey in the topmost picture. Maybe I’ve been watching too much too much House of Cards, though.
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SteveLehto
> vestigialbrain
09/19/2015 at 10:10 |
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I just saw him on Colbert and will take that as a compliment.
Thanks!
oldirtybootz
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:10 |
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Being my own technician, I have the luxury of being able to turn a blind eye towards my mods in terms of warranty coverage. Not that anything I’ve done has affected anything in a negative way, but I don’t have to worry about it.
PS9
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:13 |
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This reminds me of a few stories;
One happened right here on oppo a while back. Someone got a tune for an Audi A5 from APR. A little while after that, the engine took a poo. VW decided they’d had enough of people getting aftermarket tunes and turning to them for warranty work when shit hit the fan, so they told him ‘hell naw’.
I used to frequent a lot of V8 boards before the time of kinja (think, LS1Tech, mustangforums, etc.,) and there were a few stories of folks supercharging their engines with nothing but a mail-in tune and going in for warranty work once they developed rod-knock or something (stripping the engine bay of any signs of modification beforehand, of course). Some got away with it, as it was right around the time that whole ‘piston slap’ issue came up with the GTOs.
beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:16 |
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Steve, why isn’t your broadcasting room full of leather bound lawyer books and turbine chrysler turbine cars?
QADude
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:30 |
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Nice discussion about modded cars. I was wondering about the implications of how it could affect your warranty and dealing with repairs should something go wrong.
Urambo Tauro
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:37 |
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...when you bring your vehicle in for warranty repairs, most dealerships want that business...
I’m not fully convinced about this, but perhaps it varies from dealership to dealership. In my (limited) experience, manufacturers strictly dictate the time allowed for a repair, which can often be borderline-sufficient. The individual technician will only get paid for the manufacturer-approved time, even if it takes longer to perform the repair. And the time was likely calculated by stopwatch, using an experienced technician with his tools laid out, the part already available for swapping, and nothing in the way.
There are many other ways time can be lost. For example, if the technician cannot locate the key for the customers locking lug nut, he might search through the glove compartment, console, door pockets, spare tire area, and still not find it. If they are unable to contact the customer, the repair can get further delayed.
I have even seen situations where a customer left a bunch of belongings in the vehicle that affected the technician’s ability to access certain components.
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SteveLehto
> beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
09/19/2015 at 10:38 |
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The top shelf of the bookcase is all of the books I have written and a few others. I have some models but they tend to make the background look cluttered. This is shot in the room where I write - so it is not a law office in that sense.
And, interestingly, I rarely use law “books.” Everything is on line now (or so they tell me).
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SteveLehto
> QADude
09/19/2015 at 10:40 |
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Yes, that is what we discuss. Did you watch? If so, what is your specific question?
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SteveLehto
> Urambo Tauro
09/19/2015 at 10:41 |
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In general. I have heard of dealers that are so busy with full price repairs that they do not care all that much about warranty repairs. But the general point is that you should be able to find a dealer that wants to do the repair. And the idea that the dealer is “out” to get your claim denied is generally not true (unless you have pissed them off personally).
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QADude
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:45 |
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Sorry Steve - it was just a comment, not a question. :) I liked this video in particular, but I also follow your posts and podcasts. Great information.
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beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:47 |
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I’m still sure it smells of rich mahogany and leather bound books.
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Urambo Tauro
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 10:49 |
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You’re right. I have never seen a dealership turn down a warranty job.
It’s just a frustrating situation for them, that often stresses out the technician. It’s not unheard-of for the customer to be asked to clear out the vehicle, while the technician stands at the parts counter, waiting for the parts guy to get off the phone...
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SteveLehto
> beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
09/19/2015 at 10:56 |
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That’s what I smell like. This room smells more like soggy Shelties, especially when it is wet outside.
JusticeBoner
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 11:31 |
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Hey Steve, I check out your posts because they’re always interesting and almost always informative.
I haven’t watched the video yet so it might be covered there but let’s say for example you modified a car that was well outside of it’s warranty BUT then there was a recall, would the manufacturer/dealer be able to turn away the recall work since the car was no longer stock?
Anon
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 13:01 |
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Yes I am pretty sure mods will ruin your car! Wait, we’re talking about Oppositelock moderators, right?
Maxaxle
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 13:16 |
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First, notice that Paul has things hanging on his office walls. What?! When did this start happening? Notice how sleek but empty my walls are. You mean all this time I could have just nailed things to them? No one tells me anything.
Just tell everyone you’re trying to keep things as simple and easy-to-focus-on as possible, like an Apple product commercial.
Birddog
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 16:31 |
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In the Tom Hanks/Dan Aykroyd version of Dragnet Joe Friday had clean White walls with nothing on them too. Something about anger issues.
Though Joe did eventually get The Virgin Connie Swail..
I thought everyone up your way was required to have a nice 10 pointer hanging on the wall somewhere.
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SteveLehto
> Birddog
09/19/2015 at 16:47 |
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I’d only mount it on the wall if I took it out with my truck.
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Birddog
> SteveLehto
09/19/2015 at 17:26 |
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Ha! With all the effort you went through to get that truck? I don’t recommend hunting with it.
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SteveLehto
> Birddog
09/19/2015 at 17:55 |
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In Michigan, it’s always hunting-with-your-car season.
Paul at DAP
> QADude
09/19/2015 at 19:36 |
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Awesome. Glad you liked it. I'm really glad it served the purpose Steve and I had hoped.
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Paul at DAP
> Urambo Tauro
09/19/2015 at 19:47 |
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Yup you are correct warranty times are dictated by the manufacturer. A good tech will generally beat them, but will take a loss every now and again.
The reality is that techs don’t dictate the business decisions of dealer. If they did you would only be able to get timing belts and brake jobs done there. The Dealership Management is generally glad to have all the business they can take (warranty and otherwise). While warranty work isn't always the most glamorous or desirable it generally makes up a pretty heft chuck of the dealers business. Around 40% of labor revenue from my experience. That number will likely vary depending on brand but should be fairly consistent.
Goofnik
> PS9
09/19/2015 at 20:05 |
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The Audi/VW tuner crowd in particular has been dealing with that in combination with another issue: IHI turbos back to the Mk5 GTIs had a higher than normal failure rate for a while. Unfortunately what would happen is the turbo would be slowly failing, they’d do the APR tune, and it’d simply speed up the failure schedule.
The newest turbos (completely different part number) since December ‘14 appear to be relatively bulletproof by comparison, but I know a few people who have replaced turbos. Some on stock cars that had the turbo give up the ghost a year or two out of warranty, some on just-tuned cars that had the turbo call it quits a few weeks later.