How do I find a mod-friendly dealer?

[TrophyHusband]

First off, please don't name names in the thread, I don't want any dealers getting thrown under the bus.

I have a Spartan tuner with DPF/Cat delete. While I will return it to stock before taking it in for its next service, I would rather take it to a dealer that isn't going to look too deep. How do I know know a good place? I live in Fort Walton Beach, FL. I'm not comfortable with the dealer closest to me.

Along the same lines, once I'm out of warranty, should I still put it back to stock before taking it in for service?

[smotrs]

Your best bet is to get acquainted with your service manager and feel him out, see what he thinks regarding mods. If he responds against it, then you'll know. In most cases, it's best to convert to stock to avoid any issues. Never know when a Ford Suit will show up at your "Mod Friendly Dealer" for a surprise inspection. They won't be on your side in that instance regardless of how friendly they were before.

[sinner6.0L]

I'm as mod friendly as they get but you can't expect us to replace your headgaskets when you're running a 300hp tune

Ford is really cracking down on us and the customer. They always ask us questions regarding modifications. If we get caught lying to them it's our ***

[rdwngs444]

Originally Posted by sinner6.0L

I'm as mod friendly as they get but you can't expect us to replace your headgaskets when you're running a 300hp tune

Ford is really cracking down on us and the customer. They always ask us questions regarding modifications. If we get caught lying to them it's our ***

nor would you want you want a good customer to put you that situation, best bet is to not mod or return back to stock and hope you dont get caught.

[INJEKTER1]

depends on why you r going in....before i tuned mine, having 3 prior fords since 2002 in for many,many warranty issues,i asked the service mgr his stance on it. he told me " if the warranty issue has nothing to do with it they don't care...now if your motor is all blown up., well different story.. so when i take it in for heated seats, console, steering wheel, or what ever i just remove the tuner from the dash and drop it off.... no problem...... just ask the service mgr .. face to face and you wont have to wonder...

[spideygsm]

Isn't it fraud if you put modifications on your truck, trash something, then take the mods off and try and get Ford to pay for the problems? If you go into the dealer with a window that won't work under warranty, I don't think the dealer will argue that it should be fixed under warranty even if you have tuner or a dpf delete.

Let's get real here. If you put modifications on you're truck and something goes wrong in the drivetrain, you buy it. Why should Ford have to pay. Aren't posters advocating lying and fraud on this website by telling other viewers that if something goes wrong, tune back to stock and bolt the DPF back on before taking the truck back to the dealer?

We've all heard the cliche, "if you're gonna play, you're gonna pay". Quite trying to get somebody else to pay if something goes wrong after you mod your truck.

By the way, no disrespect to the OP. He's talking about taking his truck in with the mods installed.

[INJEKTER1]

Originally Posted by spideygsm

Isn't it fraud if you put modifications on your truck, trash something, then take the mods off and try and get Ford to pay for the problems? If you go into the dealer with a window that won't work under warranty, I don't think the dealer will argue that it should be fixed under warranty even if you have tuner or a dpf delete.

Let's get real here. If you put modifications on you're truck and something goes wrong in the drivetrain, you buy it. Why should Ford have to pay. Aren't posters advocating lying and fraud on this website by telling other viewers that if something goes wrong, tune back to stock and bolt the DPF back on before taking the truck back to the dealer?

We've all heard the cliche, "if you're gonna play, you're gonna pay". Quite trying to get somebody else to pay if something goes wrong after you mod your truck.

By the way, no disrespect to the OP. He's talking about taking his truck in with the mods installed.

THX FOR CHIMING IN MOM

[smotrs]

Originally Posted by spideygsm

Isn't it fraud if you put modifications on your truck, trash something, then take the mods off and try and get Ford to pay for the problems?

Yes.
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.
.
.
.
.

[j21black]

Originally Posted by spideygsm

Isn't it fraud if you put modifications on your truck, trash something, then take the mods off and try and get Ford to pay for the problems? If you go into the dealer with a window that won't work under warranty, I don't think the dealer will argue that it should be fixed under warranty even if you have tuner or a dpf delete.

Let's get real here. If you put modifications on you're truck and something goes wrong in the drivetrain, you buy it. Why should Ford have to pay. Aren't posters advocating lying and fraud on this website by telling other viewers that if something goes wrong, tune back to stock and bolt the DPF back on before taking the truck back to the dealer?

We've all heard the cliche, "if you're gonna play, you're gonna pay". Quite trying to get somebody else to pay if something goes wrong after you mod your truck.

By the way, no disrespect to the OP. He's talking about taking his truck in with the mods installed.

It has to be proven the Mod caused the failure . Just because your headgaskets pop, doesn't mean the tuner caused it. Good luck proving otherwise, but I am just saying.

I would rather take my chances on doing what I want with my own truck, vs. driving around with fuel in my crankcase. Fuel in oil = Bad ju ju. And the mileage increase is rather nice as well. Most tuned guys that don't beat the crap out of their trucks don't have issues anyway with the proper tuner.

[smotrs]

To quote a really good article,

The manufacturer warranties the car as they produced it. Change the car, and the manufacturer is no longer responsible for the configuration of whatever you changed — you are. The Magnuson-Moss Act was not, and is not, intended to cover aftermarket parts that deviate from factory specification. Its intent then and now is to cover things like oil, filters, bulbs — common maintenance items — and preventing the OEM from requiring their captive brand of maintenance part in order to maintain warranty coverage (see §2302(c) for this section of the Act). You can use a Fram or Purolator or Mobil oil filter that’s equivalent to the OEM filter, for example. M-M does not, and has never intended that the OEM can’t void your powertrain warranty if you put a blower on it and pop the motor, or flash an aftermarket cal into the ECM that doesn’t have the OEM cal’s detonation protection strategy, leading to holes torched in piston tops.

Wanna read the entire article, you can find it here.
Speed:Sport:Life Don?t Panic! The Warranty-Voiding TSB Really Isn?t That Big of a Deal Speed:Sport:Life

Very good read for anyone thinking about modding their ride.