Warranty and Stage Tunes

[qwiksilvertrav]

Ok Xmas is coming up and I want to get something for my wife's car. She wants an exhaust but the bang for the buck isn't really there imo. Cheapest I've seen them run is 800.00 and compared to the tunes available for 500ish I think the tune is the better deal.
I'm just worried about the warranty and she's also mentioned her concern when I brought it up. We also bought an extended warranty to 100k.

Basically, can they really see that the tune was on there or is it unlikey they will? Of course I'll just flash the stock tune back before bringing it in each time no matter the reason. I've read on here that they can ONLY see that the pcm has been flashed but no details are given. If this is the case for all they know it may have been flashed at another dealership or something and I'm thinking they won't say anything about it.

Maybe I should be safer warranty wise and go with the more expensive exhaust?

 

[Fishrising]

Here we go....again....

 

[typhoon5000]

As Fishrising is implying, this has been brought up a bunch of times if you search, but I'll give you the short and skinny of it.

If you get a tune you are throwing away that extra money you paid for the extended warranty. They CAN see that you've had a tune and will NOT cover warranty repairs to the powertrain. It's pretty much as simple as that.

It is a lot of bang for your buck and Livernois' record has been pretty good with the EcoBoost tunes, but you already paid for that ext warranty so I would say you're locked into protecting that until 100K.

For reference, check this out: http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=118203

 

[Turboba6]

NEVER Buy Extended Warranties....BIG waste of money....

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

If you are considering a Magnaflow Exhaust... Contact Bandit Exhaust for the best price. You need to e-mail them for their best price, or call them. Best price is NOT shown on their website.

 

[Scrming]

As Fishrising is implying, this has been brought up a bunch of times if you search, but I'll give you the short and skinny of it.

If you get a tune you are throwing away that extra money you paid for the extended warranty. They CAN see that you've had a tune and will NOT cover warranty repairs to the powertrain. It's pretty much as simple as that.

It is a lot of bang for your buck and Livernois' record has been pretty good with the EcoBoost tunes, but you already paid for that ext warranty so I would say you're locked into protecting that until 100K.

For reference, check this out: http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=118203

Don't think he's locked in.. Should be able to cancel his extended warranty and get a prorated refund... if he was to choose to do so...

 

[Scrming]

NEVER Buy Extended Warranties....BIG waste of money....

Think it really depends on the vehicle... Had one on my Jeep.. beat the living crap out of it every weekend and had thousands and thousands in warranty repairs... save me $$$$

On my F-250, any kind of engine repairs basically requires them to pull the cab off the truck to work on the engine... lots of labor! So opted for extended warranty...

but other vehicles have opted NOT to get extended warranty...

 

[Billm0066]

NEVER Buy Extended Warranties....BIG waste of money....

As quite a few other people have mentioned in other threads (one started by me) an extended warranty has been beneficial to them. I was going to buy one since im at 30k miles now, but my car is already tuned. I would hate to spend the $1,500 and they deny any repairs when they find out it's tuned.

 

[Turboba6]

Sorry, I Meant on a Show/Race vehicle...Not your Daily...Big difference..lol..

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Ford can tell it was flashed, but disconnecting the battery will FLASH the computer. There are many reasons the battery needs to be disconnected... So.. it's pretty hard for them to deny a warranty issue unless the car is not running, and there still is a tune installed. Or if they would connect you to posts on threads, or find out you've been to the strip frequently.

 

[qwiksilvertrav]

Ford can tell it was flashed, but disconnecting the battery will FLASH the computer. There are many reasons the battery needs to be disconnected... So.. it's pretty hard for them to deny a warranty issue unless the car is not running, and there still is a tune installed. Or if they would connect you to posts on threads, or find out you've been to the strip frequently.

First off sorry for starting another thread on this. I did search and came up with the knowledge of them seeing a reflash etc.

But hmm didn't know a simple battery disconnect would show up as a flash. This is 100% true? If this is the case I really don't see how they'd suspect any wrong doing when the car is brought in for service...in my case it'd be with the stock tune reloaded. I was worried about them maybe being able see exactly what was written to the pcm on each flash.

And never buy extended warranties? That statement might apply to more simple cars. I don't see it as a waste of money of this loaded of electronics car craps the bed at 90k miles. There's a LOT of stuff to go wrong on this thing. This warranty could easily pay for itself and then some.

Here's a better question...have any of you tune users been in for service and had a single thing mentioned? Or has it just gone smooth?

 

[Retnavy]

As to the above, here's my answer. #1, I know both my service advisor, service manager, parts counter people, and especially the techs that work my car by first names. I've know most for better than 10 years. #2, the dealer has done all my work on cars that were not purchased from them, even wife's Chrysler mini-van. I've had an engine replaced on an '03 Mercury Murauder under extended warranty even though the tech knew it was chipped. Engine work was done on both my '99 Cobra and '06 GT, again they knew they were tuned. So, get to know the people who do your work. It's the best friendship you'll ever make dealer wise. And like a wide man once said, "always retune to sock before you get any dealer work done!" Hum! Don't know who that was...........

 

[thePUNISHER]

NEVER Buy Extended Warranties....BIG waste of money....

Im a full time ford tech and i completely disagree with you! I see them save customers a$$es on a daily basis!

 

[qwiksilvertrav]

As to the above, here's my answer. #1, I know both my service advisor, service manager, parts counter people, and especially the techs that work my car by first names. I've know most for better than 10 years. #2, the dealer has done all my work on cars that were not purchased from them, even wife's Chrysler mini-van. I've had an engine replaced on an '03 Mercury Murauder under extended warranty even though the tech knew it was chipped. Engine work was done on both my '99 Cobra and '06 GT, again they knew they were tuned. So, get to know the people who do your work. It's the best friendship you'll ever make dealer wise. And like a wide man once said, "always retune to sock before you get any dealer work done!" Hum! Don't know who that was...........

Well that makes me feel a bit better! And service techs at this place seem pretty nice. I've never met them but they never give my wife any problems. Plus I don't think they'd get to suspect of a tune being installed when a girl is coming in with the car. lol

Right now I'm debating an exhaust or the tune. I'm not a big fan of the sound of the Borla and the Corsa is to much cash. Looking at either a Magnaflow or a custom exhaust. I've yet to hear a clip of the Magnaflow and the custom exhausts I've heard sound MEAN.

 

[SHO60K]

In my experince dealerships dont care about aftermarket parts when doing warranty claims they still make money.

 

[thePUNISHER]

In my experince dealerships dont care about aftermarket parts when doing warranty claims they still make money.

making money is not the issue. the failed parts have to be returned to ford. if something has been modified or broken due to abuse, ford will charge back the dealer....... so it is in the dealers best interest to watch their own a$$es....

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Think it is best to figure your modded car is your $$$ responsibility, if what broke may have been caused by the modding. If it gets warranteed... that's just a pleasant surprise.
Worth trying however.

 

[SpoolinX2]

I found it funny, when I took mine in for service last week. One of the first things they asked was "have you done any work to it yet"?

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Did you notice that you were being recorded and filmed by the service writers pocket pen???

 

[cheech]

The only time I look for aftermarket performance items is if the car comes in for a catastrophic failure. If your car comes in for common issues, TSBs, etc I could care less because I know it's an issue.

If you car comes in with pistons melted etc I contact engineering and let them proceed with the steps they require. Sometimes it is just questions about obvious mods and sometimes it is uploading info from the IDS.

I know of no way to check for a tune on the IDS. I know sometimes they will set codes if they are still loaded in the PCM or the IDS will not connect sometimes if they are loaded in.
I do know engineering will have us send uploads to them if they suspect tunes but I don't know for sure if it can ghost read old tunes.

Some techs say they can see if a car was tuned before with the IDS. If that's the case pm me and tell me how because in the 20 years with Ford I don't know how.

Hope this helps