US Code - Title 15, Chapter 50, Sections 2301-2312:
Legally, a vehicle manufacturer cannot void the warranty on a vehicle due to an aftermarket part unless they can prove that the aftermarket part caused or contributed to the failure in the vehicle (per the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)).

Nuff' Said.

 

But who's going to have more pull- you or the dealer? Or are you going to dissemble the engine in front of them and point to the part deep within the engine that ruined "but not by my (insert silly engine mod here) mod".

Been there, done that. I voided a warranty with a big turbo kit on my A4. I could kick and scream all I wanted. That warranty was dead as fried chicken.

 

What are you going to discover next, the Search button?

 

Old news

In general when it comes to these types of claims, its what is within reason. If you put a big turbo and tune on the engine and broke the engine, it won't be covered. Same scenario but the rear bumper fell off, the bumper would be covered. The reason this act exists is because dealers would not cover anything under warranty if they saw something was modified. Now they have to prove that the failure was related to the modification.

 

Here's one way they get around it. They plainly tell you in the warranty that any use in competitive or timed events voids the warranty. So even if you have mods, if your car has been spotted at an autocross, track day, and lately high performance driving schools, they can void your warrenty, the the mention of mods doesn't enter into it.

 

I did not know that! OMG!

 

Magnason-Moss is also the reason why insurance companies can spec non-oem parts to fix your vehicle. Many of these parts have higher quality standards that the OEM version and cost much, much less. -but not what the OEM's want you to believe.

I saw a couple of studies a few years ago that compared the cost of a new vehicle, to the cost of a vehicle pieced together with genuine OEM parts. The cost of the later was an eye openner as to just how much money the OEM companies make on their parts.

 

I'd like some examples of non-OEM parts that are both cheaper and higher quality than OEM, please.

My general *impression* (I don't have any specific examples here) is that cheaper AND better non-OEM parts are few, so I'm curious to hear about some examples, esp. Mini-centric ones.

 

Most aftermarket body panels, in particular, are far inferior to OEM body panels. Ask any auto body shop which they prefer using, and which fits better. It's OEM every time.

 

 

The Magnuson-Moss Act is nice in principle, but it really has no teeth. If you feel that an automaker is unjustified in refusing a warranty claim, you still have no recourse but to sue them, and that gets very expensive very quickly.

As for the "no competitive use" clause in the warranty paperwork, it's there, but I don't know if it's ever been upheld in court. Just because MINI put the clause in there, that doesn't mean that a judge couldn't rule it to be "unconscionable" or "overly broad". After all, if you won a trophy at a car show for "best paint", you've technically engaged in a "competitive event" and by the letter of the warranty paperwork, MINI could void your entire warranty. It's unlikely that a judge would agree, but again, you're in the same situation where you'd have to fight it in court, and at that point, you'd have probably spent more money than if you had eaten the repair costs in the first place.