Mazda Trying To Screw Me!

[jred321]

there is no real answer to this and clearly you place a lot more faith in dealers/warranties than i do and we can go around forever because it's all hypothetical. if you go talk to some evo owners on the other hand they'll laugh at you if you mention warranty if it is any sort of real problem that needs to be addressed

that isn't correct. no matter what the part does, if it offers a quantitative performance increase in some manner, increases efficiency, enhances appearance, whatever...you are allowed to add that part, provided that it does not directly contribute to the basis of a warranty claim. if the part is found to be the direct cause of a problem, then that problem is not mazda's responsibility, however, the mere presence of an aftermarket performance item is by no means, 100% NOT VALID GROUNDS FOR AN AUTOMATICALLY voided warranty. If you read the warranty information for your car, you will see that it summarizes this exact notion, something to the effect of "adding aftermarket devices that alter engine ignition timing, fuel delivery or boost pressure may lead to serious engine damage and MAY VOID YOUR WARRANTY". i have yet to find conclusive information in the Mazda warranty that dictates an automatic denial based on the presense of aftermarket equipment...

it's pretty easy to show that a power enhancing device caused a drivetrain part to fail. so what you're saying is true, aftermarket parts are not automatic grounds for warranty denial. you are however opening yourself up to an easy out for the dealer to take. if they were voiding your warranty on your stereo because you put on an intake that's another story but modifications to anything in the powertrain to increase performance can cause parts and seals along the way to be exposed to conditions outside of their initial design and thus the warranty on the related part that failed is void

i think this one is a misinterpretation of semantics on your end. mazda dealerships offer(ed) the intake, which was designed through a performance division for installation on their vehicles. From what i've seen, it's not SOP to require owner agreement to some sort of warranty addendum or disclaimer based solely on the installation of that part. There may be warnings about a correlation between it and potential issues, however, there is no legal addendum inferred. Maybe some dealerships instituted that, or there is some sort of card and accompanying literature that dictates some sort of warning, however, again, the fact that one can add that intake and forgo coverage, or at that one and not another style and forgo coverage is ridiculous. That is said without regard to the original fact that you can indeed add a part without automatic issue.

as far as i know the entity that your warranty is through (mazda usa) is a separate legal body than the entity that made the intake (mazdaspeed, of which dealers are distributors) and the entity that sold it (the dealer). the letter is irrelevant. my point was that just because it came from a seemingly mazda entity does not mean that it is endorsed by the company that holds your warranty (mazda usa) but instead the exact same as if you bought a different brand

possibly, meaning this type of mistreatment might occur with that thinking abound, but since the warranty isn't through them (it's ideally backed by Mazda USA), they they can't effectively void it. And moreover, they can't automatically do it based on what we've talked about (merely adding a part).

as far as i know a mazda dealer can NEVER void your warranty. they can deny warranty work and they may tell you that it is void but only an employee of Mazda USA can actually void your warranty as the dealership has no right to do so based on the fact that they are not an entity in the contract. they file your warranty claim just like a body shop files your insurance claim after an accident, just mazda gets billed instead of the insurance company. the body shop can't cancel your insurance and the dealer can't void your warranty. either entity (body shop or dealer), however, can bring suspect acts to the attention of the paying party (mazda or ins co)

 

[jonscapri]

It really comes down to dealer. Some dealers will ask you what mods you're planning to do, and offer to help install them. Then if a proper crops up that might involve the mod, they'll ask you to remove it (or pay them to remove it) as part of the diagnostic process. Those guys generally won't void your warranty, and will warn you if they have to contact a rep to ok a warranty replacement.

Other dealers will blow the warranty horn if you aren't using a Mazda oil filter, battery, brake pads, etc.

It is against the MM act to blow the horn on OEM replacement parts. If the Mazda dealer is doing that it's illegal. You can, and are allowed by law to use after market parts such as batteries, filters, and bake pads if they are direct oe replacements. NOT PERFORMANCE ALTERING. Just because the Mazda brand parts are more expensive doesn't alway mean they are better. Just the the MAF for one. It's a denso MAF not Mazda made. But anyways. If it's stock under warranty keep it stock, and use parts that aren't going to raise eyebrows. You don't have to use a Mazda oil filter. Just an equivalent part by fram or puroilator.

Y only advice if you want a go fast car buy one that is reasonably used for a decent price, and if you break it you won't be so pissed off when it does. I'm really wishing I kept my Firebird. Yeah the car nickeled and dimed me but for pats the only expensive things were the engine and trans. Used trans $200 B&M overhaul kit $180 (seals clutchpack servos etc...) Labor $350 total $730 for a trans that can safely handle most anything.

 

[JDM-P5]

That's the reason you should keep all your stock parts.
It's in the owner's manual (even in my 02 P5)...it states that warranties may not be honored if the vehicle is modified etc. Luckily for me, my situation was a bit different and the day my motor blew I was at Mazda. They checked my motor for a nasty tapping/rattle, said it was caused "bad gas" due to Katrina and let me go home in the morning (I convinced them to put that in writing). In the afternoon is was 'zoom zoom boom'. If I didn't have that paper, who knows....?
Thanks again MazdaUSA for hooking me up with a new motor


The first thing they said was "We're not sure if Mazda will cover this because..."as they looked at my:
Suspension
Intake
Cat-back
17's
Etc.


Even though I had just been there a few hours prior and they gave me the "all-clear"....

 

[ProtoType5]

They have tuned the car to run within certain specifications...and outside those specs they cannot warrantee the powertrains...It's that simple..

it's not, though. the MM act specifically refutes what you've said.

You all are so damn BONE-HEADED it makes me laugh...The Magnuson Act refers to "Aftermarker" OEM parts...not modifications...You're still outside the realms of common sense if you think a car company, or any other company will honor a warranty if you modify their origional products.

For example...Should Dell pay for repairs on my motherboard under warranty, even though I decided to install a different processor, and said processor fried some circuits...or Would you expect Toyo Tires to honor a treadlife warranty even if you decided to use winter tires for race tires...

 

[Mazdaspeed2oo35]

They are reluctant to warranty it because a new turbo cost 600 or so dollars then they have to reimburse the dealer for the labor which is probably $50-100 an hour then throw in a flat rate time of 5-6 hours to remove and replace the turbo. Then reimburse the dealer a car rental and whatever else the dealer throws in to make sure you do business with them again. Its a couple thousand per car times so many cars (speed 3, speed 6, CX-7)


p.s. i dont work for mazda so not sure what they charge price wise on parts and labor.

$ 600 for the turbo ?, you got to be kidding here, a MSP turbo at the dealer retails at around $ 2400 or so if not mistaken. how can a MS3 turbo which is bigger, and better will cost $ 600 ? no way in hell thats the price for it brand new and i really doubt you can rebuild one for that amount neither !!!

 

[dkswim]

mabe you missed my disclamer at the botom stating i dont work for mazda and i dont know what the prices are for the parts. but in looking around ive seen the stock turbo goes for a little over a $1000 i dont know if thats new or remanufactured.