Chevy Warranty Facts? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Shaimerej · 08-08-2011, 11:59 AM

Hello,
I am relatively new to this site. I have found myself in a position where I have had time to read a lot of the discussions posted in the forum. One thing that I repeatedly see is concerns about warranty integrity. Basically, many members will warn other members that simple modifications “will void the warranty!” I’m not here to call anyone out, point fingers, bash or hate. I just have two questions that I want to see other members experiences with: 1. Has anyone FIRST HANDEDLY had a dealer refuse warranty work due to simple modifications? I love to hate dealers more than anyone else; but, I just a little suspicious that GM and/or all GM dealers would refuse warranty work after seeing minor modifications. 2. Why do so many Camaro owners cherish and caress their warranties so much? I see people who are waiting 5 years to do mods to their car in the name of warranty preservation. Are there a lot of members experiencing repeated warranty claims? I have made one warranty claim in the 14 years and 250,000 miles I have been driving LS powered cars: it was when the roof blew off my ’06 Z06. The only engine related issue I have ever had in those 14 years was a collapsed lifter in my first LS car, a ’98 Corvette Coupe. It had 98,000 miles on it when it happened. I do not baby my cars. They get driven a lot, never abused but driven hard. I have a set of studded snow tires for my cars and they get driven regardless of conditions. Again, I’m not saying I’m right and you’re wrong. I just simply want to know other’s first-hand experiences and opinions. Thanks for your time!

*GTAHVIT* · 08-08-2011, 12:07 PM

You're gonna get the book of opinions on this but let me ask for some clarification.

what do you consider minor mods?

There is really only one absolute at this point... and it isn't even applied universally.

Tunes. GM's, not the dealer's, official opinion is that if you tune the car the power train warranty is done. And that is only if they ask for a scan of the ECM. So a dealer can go ahead and fix your car with a tune if they want to... as long as GM doesn't ask them to produce a ECM scan prior to reimbursing the dealer for the repair....

EVERYTHING ELSE is almost always up to the dealers service manager... A good service manager can find a way to fix your car under most circumstances... even Supercharged cars at times... Not for a blown motor but maybe a transmission??? or half shaft??

So there are a ton of variable to what is or isn't fixed. It really depends on the dealer service manager and his desire/ability to jump through the necessary hoops to get GM to reimburse for the repair.

My best shot at an answer...

Welcome to the site.

MiracleAces · 08-08-2011, 12:07 PM

Why wouldn't you 'cherish' a warranty that's bumper to bumper? Not all performance mods will void the warranty. It's up to you to educate yourself on what does and does not void the warranty. It's not the dealer you should hate - they are happy to do work on your car, but they have to get paid... by you or GM. If GM declines the warranty work because you as the owner voided the warranty that's not the dealership's fault.

1BADLS3 · 08-08-2011, 12:20 PM

To be honest, I think a lot of the people that frequent this forum are younger. For a lot of them, this is their first new car. They haven't had the experience or the background of knowing when you can walk into a dealer and stand your ground on an issue that is clearly manufacturer defect even if there are mods on a car. Most of them also do not have the experience of having owned a car for 100,000 miles or longer in their name to know that warranties are traditionally a relatively short, insignificant span of a vehicle's overall life.

I also think people are also strapped for cash but continue to mod. They want to go fast, but they don't want to assume the risk of having to pay for a repair that's clearly due to heavy use, misuse/abuse, etc, so they tread very lightly around the terms of the warranty, which, quite frankly, are intimidating.

And then there is the issue of leased vehicles. There are people on here that are modding leased vehicles. I'd assume that having a warranty voided on a leased vehicle would have implications upon turning the vehicle in, or trying to sell it if it is still within the warranty period.

08-08-2011, 11:59 AM	#1
Shaimerej Drives: 2015 Corvette Z06 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 48	Chevy Warranty Facts? Hello, I am relatively new to this site. I have found myself in a position where I have had time to read a lot of the discussions posted in the forum. One thing that I repeatedly see is concerns about warranty integrity. Basically, many members will warn other members that simple modifications “will void the warranty!” I’m not here to call anyone out, point fingers, bash or hate. I just have two questions that I want to see other members experiences with: 1. Has anyone FIRST HANDEDLY had a dealer refuse warranty work due to simple modifications? I love to hate dealers more than anyone else; but, I just a little suspicious that GM and/or all GM dealers would refuse warranty work after seeing minor modifications. 2. Why do so many Camaro owners cherish and caress their warranties so much? I see people who are waiting 5 years to do mods to their car in the name of warranty preservation. Are there a lot of members experiencing repeated warranty claims? I have made one warranty claim in the 14 years and 250,000 miles I have been driving LS powered cars: it was when the roof blew off my ’06 Z06. The only engine related issue I have ever had in those 14 years was a collapsed lifter in my first LS car, a ’98 Corvette Coupe. It had 98,000 miles on it when it happened. I do not baby my cars. They get driven a lot, never abused but driven hard. I have a set of studded snow tires for my cars and they get driven regardless of conditions. Again, I’m not saying I’m right and you’re wrong. I just simply want to know other’s first-hand experiences and opinions. Thanks for your time! __________________ What's more chicken---- than f------ with a man's automobile? I mean; don't f--- with another man's vehicle! - Vincent Vega

08-08-2011, 12:07 PM	#2
GTAHVIT Blessed Drives: 2013 Sonic RS MT Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saint Augustine FL Posts: 28,441 View My Garage	You're gonna get the book of opinions on this but let me ask for some clarification. what do you consider minor mods? There is really only one absolute at this point... and it isn't even applied universally. Tunes. GM's, not the dealer's, official opinion is that if you tune the car the power train warranty is done. And that is only if they ask for a scan of the ECM. So a dealer can go ahead and fix your car with a tune if they want to... as long as GM doesn't ask them to produce a ECM scan prior to reimbursing the dealer for the repair.... EVERYTHING ELSE is almost always up to the dealers service manager... A good service manager can find a way to fix your car under most circumstances... even Supercharged cars at times... Not for a blown motor but maybe a transmission??? or half shaft?? So there are a ton of variable to what is or isn't fixed. It really depends on the dealer service manager and his desire/ability to jump through the necessary hoops to get GM to reimburse for the repair. My best shot at an answer... Welcome to the site. __________________ Click image to see build thread. PQ - "the love of cars. It's a boys first step toward manhood and a mans last hold on boyhood." Fbodfather - "We do not want to use the Z28 moniker on a car that does not deserve this hallowed name." The_Blur - "Let's not confuse competitors with equals."

08-08-2011, 12:07 PM	#3
MiracleAces Drives: 2011 Black Camaro 2SS/RS Coupe Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sterling Virginia Posts: 317	Why wouldn't you 'cherish' a warranty that's bumper to bumper? Not all performance mods will void the warranty. It's up to you to educate yourself on what does and does not void the warranty. It's not the dealer you should hate - they are happy to do work on your car, but they have to get paid... by you or GM. If GM declines the warranty work because you as the owner voided the warranty that's not the dealership's fault. __________________ "Being persistant and never giving up may not always get the job done, but it just may annoy someone else enough to make it worth your while."

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08-08-2011, 12:20 PM	#4
1BADLS3 Drives: Sold: 2011 2SS/RS Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: United States Posts: 1,896	To be honest, I think a lot of the people that frequent this forum are younger. For a lot of them, this is their first new car. They haven't had the experience or the background of knowing when you can walk into a dealer and stand your ground on an issue that is clearly manufacturer defect even if there are mods on a car. Most of them also do not have the experience of having owned a car for 100,000 miles or longer in their name to know that warranties are traditionally a relatively short, insignificant span of a vehicle's overall life. I also think people are also strapped for cash but continue to mod. They want to go fast, but they don't want to assume the risk of having to pay for a repair that's clearly due to heavy use, misuse/abuse, etc, so they tread very lightly around the terms of the warranty, which, quite frankly, are intimidating. And then there is the issue of leased vehicles. There are people on here that are modding leased vehicles. I'd assume that having a warranty voided on a leased vehicle would have implications upon turning the vehicle in, or trying to sell it if it is still within the warranty period.