I'm looking at making my mini a bit quicker and was wondering if this would void my warranty? Specifically the ECU

http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/G2.../InvDetail.cfm

 

Maybe yes, maybe no. A lot depends on your dealer & if they are mod friendly or not. Not all are. You might want to pay them a visit & see what their perspective on mods is.

 

Do not waste your money on the Uni-chip.........can cause more problems than power gains. Ask around about the different ECU tunes available from RMW and Alta.

The piggy-back ECU box will more than likely void any warranty claim associated with the engine, drivetrain, exhaust, and fuel systems if the dealer see's it.

 

Most likely, no.

My dealer experiences in regards to mods have been positive. Usually it's more of a fun conversation starter than a warranty-voider.

 

The only real way to know is when someone goes wrong and you have to make a claim. Service people may be mod friendly but when push comes to shove, the dealer makes the call and if there are issues and money to be saved by claiming a mod caused the issue you're putting yourself at risk.

Having said that, I have always modded my car and taken the risk.

Todd

 

I talked to my dealer about it, I'm going to hold off on the ECU and just do an intake and exhaust instead. They said they would have no problem with that.

 

Technically, there is no question that the mod you posted does void the warranty. You may get lucky and have a dealer that tries to help you out, but you'll have a tough case to argue if there is any pushback. Quite frankly, if you do something to change the behavior of the ECU, why should MINIUSA cover it if something goes wrong? I've done a lot of mods to my car and I accept the risk that comes with it.

 

If you took it in with the unichip on, and say an engine sputter or something, I would bet theyd blame it.

And they'd probably be right. I loved having the Unichip on the car, when it actually worked right... Theyre very hit or miss and can be very shoddy. Like the others said there are other options, such as the new Access Port. Itll blow a Unichip away.

That kit (mini mania in general) is kind of a ripoff too. You can buy the exhaust for like 750 and then the filter for less than 50. 800 for a Unichip!?... You cant even sell one of those for 200 bucks these days lol.

 

Whats a good website to buy from then?

 

I'm really surprised the UniCrap is still being sold for MINIs. Just an ALTA Accessport tune alone would probably give you more power (or VERY close) than that minimania package.

 

Outmotoring.com

 

http://www.outmotoring.com/?gclid=CI...FWp75QodHh4ayg

Aaron is a great guy to deal with & knows MINIs well.

 

Unichip piggyback is an old, kinda outdated idea...
It was once the only way to use the cars computer to make more power, but since the mini's computers have been "hacked" and are now tunable, the use of a harshest unichip is highly questionable...they even state on the site it "may" void your warrenty...
Unichips that piggyback are popular cause you could remove them before a trip to the dealer, leaving no trace...but thevunit here is hard wired, and require splicing...not a good idea...
You can use different tools to load better software, then undo the change, leaving very few traces as to what was done.
Price out the parts you want, shop around, and be sure to listen to the exaust...nothing is with than getting one, and realizing it is too loud, or the wrong tone...

 

Way Motor Works is at the top of my list. Best prices around, great service, and you can get OEM parts too!

 

I usually buy all of my stuff from North American Motorsports as they usually have the best prices.

Here is the link http://www.namotorsports.net/

 

CatBack exhausts will not void the warranty in general. The chip, piggyback or not, will most definitely come up as an issue should there be a warranty claim related to electronics or the engine. For those that point to the Magnussen Warranty Act, forget about it. In a dispute, those with the deepest pockets and best lawyers win. I don't care what that particular law states. In a dispute, unless you're willing to have your car out of commission while the case is settled in court, all the while paying thousands upon thousands of dollars in attorneys fees with no guarantee of winning, you'll likely cry uncle before the dealer/mfgr.