DonMitsu

iTrader: (1)

I don't know that everything should be public but the car also did NOT have the rear O2 sensor connected and the check engine light was NOT on, this type of flash goes beyond minor. I'm not saying I agree with them always but they have always had substantial cause to turn down warranty work. For the record we argued with Mitsubishi over this car even though it had mods that were more than minor, and tire ware that demonstrated aggressive driving. Had the car been stock and done every track event we've had I believe Mitsu would have warranted the transfer case

Bottom line track day will not cause you to have a warranty issue in and of itself

low_psi

Ordered some camber plates today, just need brake pads and to refinish my wheels... then I'll be all set for the event. Plenty of time

yellowmars

iTrader: (1)

My car had the warranty denied on it for the transfer case because I had an exhaust on the car. Actually, let me rephrase this. The warranty was denied because it was going to be denied anyway. I had an exhaust and a Very minor tune (KevinD, the leading car tuning expert in DFW can attest). Obviously, because the exhaust on an evo is directly attached to the transfer case...the warranty should be denied. It's funny because the first person to call me to tell me the transfer case was blown said (and I quote, leaving names out of this), "Yeah, it looks like the transfer case is the problem. It's definitely done for. We can replace it but it's not going to be covered under your warranty because of that big exhaust you've added to the car." After several conversations with multiple people, the story started changing. I would mention how their decision to cancel my warranty didn't make sense. Then, they would usually agree and say, well, we'll talk with the region rep and you're right. Then something else would come up. "Oh, your ecu has been tuned, so your warranty is void." Naw, that doesn't make sense, the horsepower increase is minimal, less than an evo 9 for that matter. "oh, yeah, I guess that's true and doesn't make sense...we'll talk to the regional rep." So, the idea of my car being anything but having minor mods was and is pretty much shut down. So, that left them with the only thing they could go on, claiming my car was abused; therefore, my warranty was void. There was a slash in my right front tire and had more WEAR, so obviously I was abusing it somehow. My spotless, perfect car otherwise, was obviously being abused as I drove it to and from work 0.9 miles away. Therefore, they were reduced to throwing out the trump card. "abused." No way to prove it, just oh, that must be the reason. Even if you don't have any mods, they'll throw this one at you, because it's a way around the Magnuson-Moss act. Just like in my case, where it was completely unjustified. I was never allowed to talk with the regional rep to hear his explaination of how his personal opinions outweighted simple physics and engineering.

Laxman

iTrader: (5)

So I have a completely stock Evo, what would I need to do for the track day? Brake pads and fluid, etc?

DEVO330

iTrader: (1)

it helps, but isn't entirely necessary if its your first time on any track. Some cars with 20-30K miles who have never bled their brakes, may be better off doing that, but until you decide you're at home on the MSR track and hitting it hard, stock is fine.
When you DO NEED new pads, go with HAWK HPS, they work great on street and all but the hardest track days..my HP+ seem to be going thru the rotors more rapidly...but they are fine on the srteet too..no squealing so far...

low_psi

I just saw that we're going to be running the 1.3 config, very cool. I'll miss that great turn onto the new section from rattle snake but I really like the newer track design.

Plus it'll let my no hp car keep up

Shimanchu

iTrader: (2)

What happens in the case of inclement weather?

BOOSTEZ

iTrader: (1)

Which is the reason why I rarely track my car.

Mitsu has become so tight-wadish about the mods done to an EVO that there is no real fun in driving the car anymore.

I've got friends owning Speed6s with full front-mounts, CP-E piggyback standalones, full exhaust, etc.. get full engine blocks, transmissions and axles replaced under warranty at Mazda.

If TBE and a proper reflash voids the warranty on ANYTHING transmission related, it's just not worth chancing something braking at a track IMO (unless you have the money to fix it).

KevinD

iTrader: (56)

hey lowpsi, how much of your car has mazda warrantied when things break?

low_psi

0%

The day I installed my downpipe and FMIC, in my eyes, I voided my warranty. I don't expect Mazda to cover a blown motor, tranny etc etc if I've played with the powertrain. The Mazda dealership did the first oil change and reflashed the ECU and that was the last time it's ever seen a service bay. It's never needed anything but regular service except for the WGA after 75K miles. The WGA went out AT the track, should Mazda warranty that?

I've been happy to replace swaybar bushings, reinforce the LSD w/ welds and other misc wear items on my dollar as needed because I track the car and have modified it. Too many people expect to keep their powertrain warranties after modification... Don't expect a manufacturer to warranty a car when they've designed it one way and after you modify it, something goes wrong.

For the record, most Mazda dealerships are like most Mistu dealerships. If I brought my car in for a blown motor, they'd laugh at me. Hell I'd be laughing too.

/rant lol

low_psi

in other news, everyone will be able to spot me at the track

BOOSTEZ

iTrader: (1)

My friends are on the East Coast in the DC/MD area. I guess they aren't as strict as the dealers down here.

BOOSTEZ

iTrader: (1)

I disagree. It depends on what went wrong.

If I put exhaust on my car, there should be NO problem warrantying the entire car EXCEPT the exhaust. Period.

I was refused warranty in CA for having exhaust on my car when the waterpump went out. To me, this has NOTHING to do with the exhaust or the power increase from the exhaust.

If the car is so fragile that getting 50whp extra is going to cause things to break, then I'm better off selling the car and buying something more put together. This is of course, assuming no abuse (which would void warranty on a bone stock car).

-M

red evo8

iTrader: (58)

lol joseph on here gets things replaced on his srt 4 with huge fmic, wga, ic pipeing, ignition coil, intake , dumped exhaust and they never argue with him! jealous.......



but ya mitsu has some good and bad things imo reps deserve a kick in the nuts ie how i abused my 5th gear synchro when it's a known fact to the evo community they tend to go bad on 9's, anyways i hate reps most of the time and i do what i do to get work done im all stock anyway

low_psi

That's certainly a gray area. In cases such as your example, the dealership needs to use good judgement. Unfortunately many will use any excuse to not honor a claim. I think they see modded cars and say: a) its been abused and b)what else have they touched that we don't know about.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose I guess... so who's gonna void their warranty at the track with the rest of us?