New Car, Need Advise to Mod or not to Mod?

[MaakoF]

Good day guys,

Recently got my new hatchback. Already done with detailing it after getting it from the dealer. The car though is still in warranty. So, I am planning on changing first the Wheels and tires into a 17" with some 205/45 tires. Will changing it void certain warranties? or should I wait a few months or a year before doing so?

[milky]

Congrats on the new car :) what dis you get?

Don't think changing the wheels will void the warranty- but best consult with your dealer as they have different policies. Anything else (electrical, etc will void it for sure).

[MaakoF]

True I have to Check with the dealer. Arrghhh this warranty is useful yet limiting. Will changing the hood or adding an aftermarket spoiler void it as well?? Or even car seats void warranty?

Well I got a Suzuki Swift Hatchback. Pretty nice and fun to drive. Well, Still loving my daily beater #1 the Nissan Micra :)

[ryandamartini]

True I have to Check with the dealer. Arrghhh this warranty is useful yet limiting. Will changing the hood or adding an aftermarket spoiler void it as well?? Or even car seats void warranty?

Well I got a Suzuki Swift Hatchback. Pretty nice and fun to drive. Well, Still loving my daily beater #1 the Nissan Micra :)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're not in the US :p

Congratulations on the new car! Here in the US, changing wheels is not a blow to the warranty. I was smart and got a factory option on my new truck this time heh. I am a bad impulse spender. :nomore:

[Dmb5450]

Good day guys,



Recently got my new hatchback. Already done with detailing it after getting it from the dealer. The car though is still in warranty. So, I am planning on changing first the Wheels and tires into a 17" with some 205/45 tires. Will changing it void certain warranties? or should I wait a few months or a year before doing so?


If you are from the USA:

Check out info on the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975. If you are out of the USA, I cannot offer any certain answer.

[MaakoF]

Well, the good thing is the Sales person I got the car from is my childhood friend was back nursery times. So, I think I will just give him a call. But, isn't the warranty thing universally accepted or is it specific for each country? Automotive warranties and all that Jazz should be standardised

[MaakoF]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're not in the US :p

Congratulations on the new car! Here in the US, changing wheels is not a blow to the warranty. I was smart and got a factory option on my new truck this time heh. I am a bad impulse spender. :nomore:

Well, True, but the options for the rims I had seen are ekkk nasty looking. One tip one of my friends told me is to keep the Factory rims and just swap it up every time I do a PMS at the dealer to avoid warranty issues. Would this perhaps work I presume? And PMS is every 5000 kms

[ihaveacamaro]

Wheels absolutely should not be a warranty issue. At least from any even little self respecting dealership. Anything cosmetic really shouldn't void your warranty. Anything functional, ie headers, an ecm tune, changing gears ratios... Yeah that can absolutely void your warranty, but only on those parts. For example, if you put headers in your car and your engine blows up, you're on the hook there, bit if you have headers and your ac messes up there no correlation so that is still on the warranty. At least that is how it is done here

[kecko]

I have never had an issue with swapping out my OEM wheels for aftermarket wheels at the dealership and I've never swapped before service. I'm willing to bet you'd likely not have a issue either. Most dealers are more worried about engine mods such as tunes that affect Horsepower or electrical devices. That isn't to say it couldn't happen though. Just remember modifying anything on your car opens you to that possibility.

As Dmb5450 mentioned, check out the Magnuson-Moss Act. In a nutshell it protects you, the consumer from being denied warranty claims unfairly. Example, let's say you put on an aftermarket exhaust and you have a wheel bearing go bad. Obviously an exhaust won't make your bearing go bad. Whatever you do to your car, that part has to directly be the cause of the issue you're having. So let's say those new wheels you put on are larger diameter or wider and in some cases heavier that would possibly affect the bearing. They have to be able to prove what you did affected the engineering of the car in such a way it made X,Y,Z part to fail.

Also, If Suzuki dealer A denies you then you could always goto Suzuki dealer B. It's best to form a good relationship with service if possible. Get to know names and faces. It helps to go to a customer friendly dealer as well. They are more willing to help you out.

Hope this helps.

[MaakoF]

I have never had an issue with swapping out my OEM wheels for aftermarket wheels at the dealership and I've never swapped before service. I'm willing to bet you'd likely not have a issue either. Most dealers are more worried about engine mods such as tunes that affect Horsepower or electrical devices. That isn't to say it couldn't happen though. Just remember modifying anything on your car opens you to that possibility.

As Dmb5450 mentioned, check out the Magnuson-Moss Act. In a nutshell it protects you, the consumer from being denied warranty claims unfairly. Example, let's say you put on an aftermarket exhaust and you have a wheel bearing go bad. Obviously an exhaust won't make your bearing go bad. Whatever you do to your car, that part has to directly be the cause of the issue you're having. So let's say those new wheels you put on are larger diameter or wider and in some cases heavier that would possibly affect the bearing. They have to be able to prove what you did affected the engineering of the car in such a way it made X,Y,Z part to fail.

Also, If Suzuki dealer A denies you then you could always goto Suzuki dealer B. It's best to form a good relationship with service if possible. Get to know names and faces. It helps to go to a customer friendly dealer as well. They are more willing to help you out.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the Advise. I might just have to give the friend SA a ring in a few days, and maybe the dealership included.