Modifying and Warranty??

[Garee]

What happens as i'm unsure.

Basically I've got a 3 year warranty on my car and my plan is after the three years to trade it in and get another car - But I would like to do some slight modifications to my ibiza sportrider.

Like a backbox, lowered, coloured callipers and some other slight changes.

Does anyone know that if I do these it will make my warranty void? I tried to contact the dealer today and got told he would call me back which he did but I wasn't in at the time!

So just wondering if anyone knows the situation??

Cheers

 

[WULLIE]

Best thing to do is to get it in writing from them if they will honour your warranty in the event of something going wrong after doing the mods.

Window tints will be ok.

Caliper paint, they might argue if theres a claim against a brake fault

Backbox, might argue the point of any engine/cat niggles.

Different dealers will allow different things (usually depends on their level of knowledge of what you've done to the car)

 

[Red Rum]

Dealers will try and get out of a warrenty claim even if the car is standard, so youve nothing to lose really. Ive still got 2 years warrenty on mine and last time it went in for a service i got some warrenty work done and there wasnt a problem.

 

[Garee]

So shall I just go for it, or speak with a guy from the dealers first?

 

[Red Rum]

Speak to the dealer guy first, but if he doesnt say what you want him to then just go for it

 

[Mr_Dave]

they'll pretty much only dispute claims on stuff you've changed.. may as well just get the car how you want though, as stuff you change will have it's own warranty anyway :]

 

[davemotor]

a few pretty unfair comments there guys. the dealers (SEAT) official policy is only to void a warranty on any given part if the modification has directly contributed to the part failing. so if you deck the car we wont do bushes, but can hardly refuse a window regulator. get where im going with this??? i was on the warranty course and consumer law is fairly strong on the customers side

 

[hon_n_gem]

^ sounds about right to me!

 

[WULLIE]

a few pretty unfair comments there guys. the dealers (SEAT) official policy is only to void a warranty on any given part if the modification has directly contributed to the part failing. so if you deck the car we wont do bushes, but can hardly refuse a window regulator. get where im going with this??? i was on the warranty course and consumer law is fairly strong on the customers side

Thats where the official clarification needs to be laid out.

I understand where you come from in that lowering the car will not effect a window regulator claim. However the problem lies where you do an exhaust and filter then take it in for an engine rattle. The dealer then says, yes we'll investigate under warranty or they say, you have altered the breathing of the engine therefore your warranty on that area is scrubbed.

If you have a decent clued up dealer they will know that the mods will have made a minimal difference, if anything the air is probably cleaner due to the higher grade micron filter properties and an exhaust isn't going to cause engine damage unless someone sealed up the end of it.
They'd probably be more lenient and still go ahead with a warranty claim.

It all comes down to honesty on both parts, hence the reason BMW ecu's log anytime the car is launched from high revs and this is checked prior to any clutch/drivechan claim.

 

[fr-tdi]

my car was in yesterday for coolant pipes, which was done on warranty un-questioned, they even took theyre time to check out my mods and didnt spray wheel acid on my rims for fear of damaging them....all work done at fife seat, glenrothes

 

[WULLIE]

my car was in yesterday for coolant pipes, which was done on warranty un-questioned, they even took theyre time to check out my mods and didnt spray wheel acid on my rims for fear of damaging them....all work done at fife seat, glenrothes

What was up with the coolant pipes? Anything common to look out for?

I used to work in Glenrothes. Now in Dunfermline

 

[fr-tdi]

What was up with the coolant pipes? Anything common to look out for?

I used to work in Glenrothes. Now in Dunfermline

apparently they were rubbing together and had burst, car was running mega hot!

doubt if its common, but youll soon know about it if it happens to you

did you work for fife seat?

 

[WULLIE]

apparently they were rubbing together and had burst, car was running mega hot!

doubt if its common, but youll soon know about it if it happens to you

did you work for fife seat?

Ok, I'll watch out for the smoke pouring out the engine bay.

No, don't work for Seat. Just worked in the Town

 

[davemotor]

think thats the real bottom line - how decent your dealer is. we all have discretion and its down to attitude and openness of the customer as much as us. someone comes in ranting and raving about stealers, we will look for any reason to turn down a claim especially if we have never seen the car and are unsure of the quality of maintenance. however if we get a reasonable owner who is obviously into his car we will bend over backwards to sort out any issues.