[cnguyen]

I know this topic has been asked a lot but I still haven't seen anyone's experience with bringing a slightly modded STI back to the dealer for something. Here's my situation. All I want to stick on my STI is a CAI and a CBE. I asked the dealer mechanic and here's what he had to say about mods. "Unless you keep it 100% stock, Subaru of America, will not honor any warranty if there is any aftermarket parts added that will change the performance/increase the power of the car, even something as simple as an air filter." I want to know if any of you guy have brought your cars back to the dealer for something simple like a scheduled maintanance and have the dealer tell you that you just voided or been warned about the potential of voiding your warranty? Thanks all who respond.

[lal]

I don't recall seeing anyones specific experiences either, however, read the sticky by Nivek and use that knowledge to make your decision, what the mechanic said is not correct but that gives you insight into their thinking, if you were to contact the factory Subaru service rep he may help to answer your question(find out when he's coming to the local dealer and be there to talk with him) Let us know your experiences

[Tortfeasor STi]

Meh, a dealer's default position is always going to be that it voids your warranty. That way you have to poney up the extra money on parts at the dealer's excessive rates. Then if you raise a stink about it they will contact SOA and see what the ACTUAL story is. With enough yelling and screeming you might actually get the work done under warranty.

Remember from Nivek's thread, Mag Moss protection only puts the burden of proof on the dealership to prove that the parts you added caused or contributed to the parts failure. It is not that great a protection. All it means is that they cant simply void your entire warranty with out proof. So, if you blow an engine and you added power goodies to your car, then they will say you are SOL, but if you add a stereo and they try to not honor an engine warranty claim, then they are probably SOL.

Funny thing about the warranties offerred by the dealerships, they are actually contracts trading away your statutory warranty and legal claims for a substituted remedy of the dealers choice. So, instead of being able to sue them if the car does not do what it is supposed to do for huge damages you are limited to what is provided for in the warranty contract. Mag Moss was created to ensure these contracts were actually worth a darn (because dealers were refusing to honor them). So, if you get into a fight with a dealer about your mods and the bill is large enough, you should probably find yourself a lawyer to help you yell at the dealership.

[cnguyen]

Well the other thing he said was SOA usually don't make too much of a stink if changes made to the car were"cosmetic"...... rims, seats, interior stuff. But anything altering the engine will void warranty at the same time slipping in "unless it's something you can slip on and off quickly if SOA decides to "check" on the car". I think I did the stupid thing by getting extended warranty as well. Probably didn't need it.

[cnguyen]

I could just take it to another dealer to do scheduled maintenance. Maybe they won't care as much or they could say "screw him" , he didn't buy from us. LOL