I just dont get it.

--
Cheese

 

Pretty simple actually. If you can't afford to pay for major repairs to your car that happen because you make a mistake installing or otherwise have a problem with aftermarket parts then you need your warranty in place to cover you. Most posters who talk about this issue just don't want to invalidate their warranty and place themselves in a position of having to cover repair costs.

 

well, it's rather simple. If you blow up your engine with no mods during the warranty period, you'll get it replaced under warranty. If you blow up your engine with mods during the warranty period, you won't get it replaced under warranty, and you'll most likely be out whatever cash it costs to fix it (expensive)

the breakdown:
*warranty - safe, cheap, reliable
*no-warranty - horsepower, smokey tires, potentially smokey engine, expensive

 

>>Pretty simple actually. If you can't afford to pay for major repairs to your car that happen because you make a mistake installing or otherwise have a problem with aftermarket parts then you need your warranty in place to cover you. Most posters who talk about this issue just don't want to invalidate their warranty and place themselves in a position of having to cover repair costs.


How does this differ in the "after the warranty" scenario?

--
Cheese

 

After warranty, you pay regardless...a warranty is like an insurance policy for maintenance, or like a service maintenance contract when you buy a TV... :smile:

 

I never turn down free food, and I'm certainly not going to turn down the free warantee time!!


Happy Motoring!

 

i agree, the warranty is very valuable.

 

Any news from service advisors on which mods won't nullify the warranty? I know anything MINI sells is fine...and the JCW upgrades. Anything else? I mean, if I simply upgrade my air filter, does this nullify the warranty? What if I install a new exhause system, other than the MINI one. What if I install a short antenna! I know BMW insists on doing tons of testing on upgrade components. Its just so slow getting any news on what's okay and not okay...I do intend to bring it up with my local service guy who has been really helpful (and knowledgable) on this stuff.

 

>>After warranty, you pay regardless...a warranty is like an insurance policy for maintenance, or like a service maintenance contract when you buy a TV... :smile:

See now I was thinking "with mods, you pay regardless." I'm not aruing that the warranty isnt useful, its great. I've already used mine on 3 occassions... but to say "im waiting until my car has 50k miles on it so I can enjoy performance modifications on an engine which has already lived half of it life" doesnt make any sense. If you're going to have to pay either way, why not enjoy it more?



--
Cheese

 

It's risky business, and like Harry Callahan said, "I know what you're thinkin', punk. You're thinkin', did he fire six shots or only five? And to tell you the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement. But bein' this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and it'll blow your head clean off, you could ask yourself a question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

 

According to MINI, I have already voided my warranty since I used my cell phone in the car without express written consent from Major League Baseball.

 

>>It's risky business, and like Harry Callahan said, "I know what you're thinkin', punk. You're thinkin', did he fire six shots or only five? And to tell you the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement. But bein' this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and it'll blow your head clean off, you could ask yourself a question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

The .44 Magnum isnt the most powerful handgun in the world.... but maybe when the warranty runs out, you can mod it.



--
Cheese

 

Say hello to my little friends:





The bottom one is a 500 Linebaugh Maximum, which has 60 ft-lb of recoil energy. For reference, in order to shoot this gun, you may need to tape your fingers together in order to keep them from becoming disjointed.

 

It all depends on how paranoid you are. The warranty is only voided if the mod contibuted to the problem. Suppose the engine seizes after changing the intake - do you think MINI will insist the new intake caused the problem? I think they value their reputation too much to do that so I went ahead and changed the intake ... and the exhaust. I think swapping the supercharger pully is crossing a line where you may well get stuck with a broken engine if something goes wrong. If you are really paranoid, you may think changing the oil on your own crosses the line.

 

I finally get what Cheese is asking/questioning. The answer is--we're worried that the engine will have a problem *unrelated* to the mods. Let's the say the bottom end is about to go. If it goes today--Mini pays. If it goes a week after I add a pulley, there's a chance that Mini points at the pulley and says 'there's your problem.'

So really another way of evaluating this equation is:

What's the chance my car will have a major mechanical problem that's expensive, unrelated to the pulley mod, but that could be blamed on the pulley mod? (Obviously Mini isn't going to try to get out of paying for broken window lifts, and the like.)

Hope that clears it up.

--Jeff

 

Jeff,

So there is no logical arguement behind it, only assumptions/paranoia? Thats cool. Everyone has their own comfort level. I was just wondering why voiding parts of the powertrain warranty was such a concern to most folks.


--
Cheese

 

I also wanted to wait until my warranty was over before I modded my mini but I couldnt wait! I got an intake and decided that was it for now but then I saw a magnaflow at a good price on ebay and bought it (it goes on tomorrow). When I take my mini in for service im gonna take the intake out but I cant really take my exhaust out. I know these mods cant void my warrenty unless they caused the problem but has anyone been hassled by the dealer about their mods? My dealer is a jerk so I dont know if they'll give me a problem.

 

cant you buy a extended warranty!!!

 

>>cant you buy a extended warranty!!!

That doesn't help. The worry is a modification causes MINI to not honor the warranty. Extending the warranty just gives them longer to not cover it because of a mod.

 

>>Pretty simple actually. If you can't afford to pay for major repairs to your car that happen because you make a mistake installing or otherwise have a problem with aftermarket parts then you need your warranty in place to cover you. Most posters who talk about this issue just don't want to invalidate their warranty and place themselves in a position of having to cover repair costs.


Well said David......I can't beleive what some people do to their cars.

 

>>I just dont get it.
>>
>>--
>>Cheese
>>

Well, it's a risk.

Warranty is like air. You don't miss it until you don't have it and need it.

-Jim

 

>>Say hello to my little friends:
>>
>>

Paul

 

>>And that ladies and gentlemen is why Canadian customs asks Americans if they're carrying guns when they come into Canada.

Jeff

 

>>>>Say hello to my little friends:
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>Paul

I don't get it?? What does this have to do with a warrenty?? Like them though.




This is one of mine that makes a statement. 500 cal. S&W

_________________

 

cool....guns and minis....sounds like a Warren Zevon song