Your Fiat Warranty...

[wolfracepunto]

Ive just seen a thread about Fiat officials who may visit this site and it reminded me about something that happened on another forum recently, regarding car warranty.

Basically a car was posted up in a thread (reg plates showing) and mods were discussed, sometimes what happens on this forum and any forum. I know I dont bother to erase the number plates on any of my pictures. Anyway, officials from this manufacturer were browsing the forum and must have come across this thread. They noted the plate, got in contact with the car's local dealer and said to them this car- reg **** *** may be modded and to inform the owner that their warranty is void! (Unless an inspection at the dealers confirmed that it was not modded.)

I dont think we've had anything like this happen yet on the forum and im glad, because its one devious way of voiding someone's warranty imo.

Really its just to warn people with cars still under the 3yr warranty that things like this could happen, so be careful what you reveal about your car on public forums. You dont know who's watching!

 

[jug]

my mate sillydave bought a brand new citroen xsara vts a few years ago, it had to get repairs done under warranty so often that in the 18 months he owned it the citroen garage had it for over 10 of them. thats more than half the time he had it. they never managed to fix the airbag light problem and they never managaed to figure out why the car would sometimes cut out when hot but then restart straight away every time it happened. eventually they voided his warranty when the gearbox failed, their excuse was his driving style. he had no mods, there was no evidence of how the car had been driven, yet they still voided his warranty. they said the gearbox and clutch had been inspected and the wear suggested an overly aggressive driving style. i told him to go to trading and standards but he accepted a stright swap for a corsa 1.8 sri instead. what a loony! warranties aren't worth crap, even on a new car. they can always find 'clauses' to void it. its like insurance policies, there's more fine print than a dictionary.

 

[CheeseMaster]

Modifications can impact the warranty, it is well known and not surprising to me. That is why I would never modify a car under warranty much less brag about it on a forum. Besides, if something went wrong, and you had the mod on there when the AA took it off to the dealer ( or whatever ) you'd get found out anyhow.

I think it is a bit foolish anyhow to desport your plates on a public internet forum. Not sure I can explain why, but it is a major privacy screwup. Ive got two of my plates searchable via Google that I know of and if I could remove both of them, I would. Plus, if you haven't declared your modifications to the insurer, that would be another self inflicted injury.

To be honest, I agree with the manufacturer on this. As for "aggressive driving styles", if someone tried to use that against me I'd see them in court.

Warranties are worth much less than the Sale Of Goods Act.

 

[Stu DemonD]

I have never had issues with the Stilo when it was under warranty [it has now expired] - the garage even commented on the Eibachs and the CDA, and still did warranty work on it.

 

[jug]

i'm with CheeseMaster on the plates issue, i always try to blank my plates out on pics. its just asking for trouble really, thieves cant help themselves if they see you showing off all your expensive goodies. once you have a reg plate the owners name and address is only a HPI check away, and there are websites that give certain details away for free, or provide a mini data check for cheap. its so easy to locate a car once you've got the plate, and god only knows who's looking at your online advert for thieves.

oh and as much as i hate to admit it, back in 98 i owned a new daewoo lanos (yes i know) and their warranty was amazin. my car was modified and abused but they fixed everything for me. the A/C needed replacing because i went off a big curb and smashed it on the floor releasing a cloud of white smoke, they replaced it for free! both the wishbones went allowing my alloys to rub holes into the wheel arch liners, they fixed it all for free! now that'll be the daewoo

 

[Stu DemonD]

So plates are blanked out - then we all go to a show, someone else takes a loads of pics, and bangs them up on the forum?!

 

[jug]

hence show plates with your name on

 

[T14086]

back in 98 i owned a new daewoo lanos (yes i know) and their warranty was amazin. my car was modified and abused but they fixed everything for me. the A/C needed replacing because i went off a big curb and smashed it on the floor releasing a cloud of white smoke, they replaced it for free! both the wishbones went allowing my alloys to rub holes into the wheel arch liners, they fixed it all for free! now that'll be the daewoo

And where are they now?

GM own most of Daewoo I think now?

So does that make my daewoo video a vauxhall?

 

[Stu DemonD]

hence show plates with your name on

Good thinking - but not all meets are at shows....

 

[CheeseMaster]

Post 1, by "DogBotherer1969", September 2001

My house has a luxury swimming pool and I've just installed a projecter room with surround sound speakers....

Post 2, by "DogBotherer1969", November 2005

Look at my FIAT Coupe 20v Turbo
( picture showing car with plate Y575 RVF )

Post 3, by "DogBotherer1969"

Off on holiday in the Coupe tomorrow, back in two weeks!

Criminal + google + minimal cost to get address + post 1 + post 2 + post 3 = golden opportunity.

 

[CheeseMaster]

Good thinking - but not all meets are at shows....

Sure, but if they are your mates, then ask them to paste out your plates and tell them why.

That is, if they get the plates readable on the photo.

 

[wolfracepunto]

I have never had issues with the Stilo when it was under warranty [it has now expired] - the garage even commented on the Eibachs and the CDA, and still did warranty work on it.

Remember though, thats the dealer's discretion and thankfully alot of them aren't too strict- like your dealer But im sure Fiat UK would rather not fork out on warranty parts and labour for a car that is modified, so if they had anything to do with it...its obvious what they would do

 

[T14086]

Fiat clamping down hard on warranty claims so wont be so liberal in the future.

 

[normski c]

Surely if they going to void warranty after someone telling on you, if they are that fussy and unfair then it would make no difference cause when you take your car to them to try to claim something be fixed they going to notice any mods anyway unless they really shouldnt be workin as a mechanic?

just wat i reckon anyway, lol