DaveGee

Another Porsche owner told me today that installing aftermarket springs would void my warranty. Opinions?

(Yes, I know I could just ask the dealer. but where's the fun in that?)

DaveGee

LexVan

It will void the warranty for many things, but NOT everything. If your aftermarket springs can be attributed to another repair, it will void the warranty.

Go read the thread in the 997 Turbo Forum about the guy with the blown motor and no warranty. More extreme, but good info none the less.

DaveGee

Thanks for the tip LV. I did read the 997 thread and while my situation is slightly different ( as you state), I don't need the hassle if for example, I have a suspension component fail under warranty only to have my aftermarket springs void the warranty. It's not worth it to me.

I'll look into having the dealer install OEM SPASM springs, or just leave things as they are until my warranty expires.

In the meantime, watch for my ad in the marketplace for a set of NEW TechArt springs...

DaveGee

008

I had PCNA deny a warranty claim on a failed bolt in the suspension of my Cayman because I had aftermarket springs sold and installed by the dealer.

drcollie

They can only deny a warranty claim on related components such as shock absorbers or control arms, or bushings, etc. Chances of a failure on those are very rare, but they can happen. Be aware that any time you change springs out you will need a new 4-wheel alignment.

Slantnose!

+1...correct, just shocks usually.

LexVan

What about creaks and rattles?
PSM?
PASM?
ABS?
Torque vectoring?

gnat

If you are modifying a car you should be familiar with the Mag-Moss Act and understand what it means.

The gist is that they A) can not void your entire warranty and B) the onus is on them to prove that the fault is caused by the replaced part.

The reality is that some dealers will try to convince you that the whole warranty is void as they are preying on your ignorance. You also have to accept that in some cases you may have to just suck it up. For example if after replacing your springs your control arm fails, it probably isn't related and they should cover it, but you will be in for a long and drawn out fight if they want to fight it. In on the other hand they want to try to deny an electrical issue with your eat heater.

I haven't heard many stories of anti-mod Porsche dealers, but the BMW world is rife with horror stories.

Larry Cable

good info, thanks!

Larry Cable

I'm not sure that installing PASM-S springs would help here, if your car was not optioned with these from the factory (like my cabriolet) I'm sure they would put up a fight ... maybe less of one than if you used AM components though?

GSIRM3

I don't fully disagree with what you have said, but you have to remember that if you get to the point where there is a warranty claim denied by PCNA because of an aftermarket mod, the only way you are going to get them in a position where they have to prove that the mod caused the problem is to take them to court, and that will cost you money. I think in the example you gave about a control arm failing after installing aftermarket springs, that would be very easy for a Porsche engineer to convince a judge or jury, if it got that far, that the suspension mod could have very likely caused the problem.

As far as Porsche dealers being mod-friendly or not, remember, it is PCNA that warrants the car, not the dealer. PCNA is pretty strict with dealers on documentation they have to provide for warranty claims, and they usually always ask about mods.

To each his own, and we all have different comfort levels and risk tolerance. But don't think that a mod won't have a good chance of impacting a warranty claim.

008

Exactly what happened to me even though the dealer tech agreed the springs couldn't have caused the bolt to fail.

gnat

That's why I used that as an example where you might just have to suck it up.

Ultimately your own experts should be able to dispute it and you'd win if it really wasn't the springs faults, but that would take years of fighting and far more money than the cost of the repair.

You're unwillingness to go that far is what they count on in such cases.

Ultimately it is PCNA, but the dealers are the first line. They aren't going to warranty anything they shouldn't, but they also don't have to inform PCNA of things they don't feel are relevant.

A good dealer can be your best friend and go to bat for you against PCNA, but a bad dealer can be your worst enemy by fighting you on everything even when it makes no sense.

The simple answer is that once you get to the point that you aren't getting anywhere with the dealer, that's the point you need the advice of an attorney familiar with such issues.

Absolutely. Mods can bring all kinds headaches and if you aren't up to it, don't mess with it.

If you are going to mod though, you have to know the law (Mag-Moss) and you have to have an understanding of how the modifications work with and impact the rest of the car.