rhodyrandy

I just purchased a 99' C2 Cab with 9k on her from a Porsche Dealer as a certified Porsche.

Two Questions:

1) I know that "Porsche" says any modifications to the vehicle will void the warranty but what should I expect if I add the Evo Stage 1 Upgrade and Fab Speed Exhaust and then need some warranty work done on the car?

The Evo Stage 1 upgrade is EVO High Flow Fresh Air Induction System & Custom Tuned Proprietary GIAC Computer Upgrade.

2) What performance gains should I expect from these modifications?

Thanks.

frost

I can't help you on question 2, but on your first question it would be a good idea to visit the Porsche shop where you will have your car serviced and ask them the question. The dealer policy on mods seems to vary from dealer to dealer. Some are a lot less mod friendly then others. From a legal perspective, it's my understanding that if a dealer denies warranty coverage, they must be able to prove that the mod was the cause of the part failure.

HAMMER502

I WOULD ASK THE DEALER ABOUT THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST FIRST.IF THEY ARE RECEPTIVE THEN MENTION THE COMPUTER UPGRADE.SOME DEALERS ARE VERY STRICT ABOUT UPGRADES,AND SOME ARE MORE LENIANT.SOME DEALERS WILL ACTUALLY INSTALL THESE UPGRADES.BTW THE COMPUTER UPGRADE IS NOT DETECTABLE UNLESS THEY DISASSEMBLE THE DME HOUSING.

mlambert890

FWIW, Brandywine had told me that exhaust and headers are really no problem, but that ECU and engine would be a big no-no. My car was certified and had B&B headers and exhaust on it already from the previous owner.

When I asked about the EVO supercharger though, the salesman said it would be a big problem with the warranty and he advised against doing it. When I asked where the line is usually drawn, he said "engine control" and "anything that changes the characteristics of the engine - ie, adding FI, bigger turbos on a turbo, ported heads, etc."

That said, there is a federal law that states that the manufacturer must prove that your changes are what caused the problem before denying a warranty claim, BUT, think what a pain in the behind it would be to have to go through that process once you need to make a claim...

The_Phantom

Here's an except from an article on the Magnuson Moss act:

"Most vehicle owners are not aware they are protected by federal law: the Magnuson-Moss Warranty – Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act of 1975. Under the Magnuson-Moss Act, aftermarket equipment which improves performance does not void a vehicle manufacturer’s original warranty, unless the warranty clearly and conspicuously states that aftermarket equipment voids the warranty. Most states have warranty statutes, as well. Which provide further protections for vehicle owners.

In other words, that means a dealer can’t wiggle out of his legal warranty obligation merely because you install aftermarket equipment. To find out if any aftermarket equipment automatically voids your vehicle’s warranty, check the owner’s manual. It is likely the language you are looking for appears under a heading such as “What Is Not Covered” Although the language seems negative, remember your vehicle manufacturer is simply saying he does not cover the aftermarket products themselves. He is not saying that the products would void the vehicle warranty."

Go to this url to read the rest if you're interested:

http://new.minimania.com/nmm/The_Magnuson_Moss_Act.htm

mlambert890

This is a judgement call. While it's true that the Magnuson Moss act is irrefutable, it's also true that it's not going to be an easy battle if you go in with a heavily modded car needing work which you feel should be covered by the warranty and the dealer can make an honest case may have been caused by the modifications.

Its a little misleading to think that just because this law exists means you'll have no trouble with the dealer. Put something like a supercharger on your engine and have a core engine component fail, and you may very well end up in court trying to get it covered under warranty.

I think the best advice was something I saw on one of the supercharger threads. If you're very concerned over warranty, then don't do heavy modifications.

Take a look:

"Point out to the dealer the provision of the Magnuson-Moss Act- Require that he explain to you how the aftermarket equipment caused the problem. If he can’t – or his explanation sounds questionable – it is your legal right to demand he comply with the warranty."

This is a half truth and heavily biased towards the consumer. The dealer doesn't have to cave in to your will because his "explanation sounds questionable to you" (a non-expert), nor can you go directly to the FTC do pressure the dealer.

If the dealer can make a reasonable case that the modification may have caused the failure (which is going to be often possible with complex engine components and serious mods), you're going to end up in court.

The_Phantom

I agree with mlambert. It's like anything else, you may have a right to something but if the other party refuses then you're only legal recourse is to take them to court which can be a long, complicated and expensive process.

I think the solution is to find a dealership that does modifications. I know that it's rare that they do, but, like I posted before in a different thread, a recent issue of Excellence listed Danbury Porsche in Danbury, Connecticut as and Brandywine Porsche in Philadelphia as places to have Evo products installed. I e-mailed Danbury to see if they install superchargers and they indicated that they do install superchargers but are on hiatus from those type of projects until their new building is built which should be anytime now.

rhodyrandy

Thanks everyone for your input. I like the idea of working with Danbury Porsche. It's about 2 hours from me but it would make alot of sense if I decide to do any heavy mods.