It's been almost a full week being an L owner. I haven't been able to drive it much, but it's an awsome truck!

I got this thing used and realized it's got some mods on it. I need to have a warranty so I called the selling dealer asking them to verify the warranty is good even though I bought the truck with aftermarket parts on it. The parts I can see are a lower pulley, exhaust, air filter and boost/vac gauge. I don't mind that there are parts on there but I need to know that I can be covered by the warranty. I asked the dealership to put something in writing saying that the truck was sold with these parts on there. Appearently their used vehicle manager didn't notice when he checked the vehicle out. They are an SVT dealeship. I've been playing phone tag with my salesman all week to find out what they are going to do. Yesterday the tell me that they are going to restore the truck to stock. They gave me the option of leaving the parts on there and refunding me my money for the ESP.

Any opinions on this situation? Anyone have a similar situation?

 

Have them return the vehicle to stock, but have them give you all the aftermarket parts. Sell then for some $$ or just hold on to them and mod the truck yourself someday. This way you'll know exactly what is or isn't on your truck and you'll still have the warranty if you need it. Especially with a 2004 you still have the factory warranty. Don't let them void the factory warranty. You may not need the ESP, and if you want it later on, you can still purchase an ESP.

 

wittom,
I would say that if you're worried about having a warranty then let them put the truck back to stock.. If it's not that big of a concern just get your money and buy more mods..I would also make sure it's a Ford ESP and not an aftermarket warranty. What year is your truck and how many miles are on it?

Another thing I would do if you keep the warranty is have the dealer note that the truck was modded at one time or they could void your new warranty for mods anyway...just my $.02....JR

this will just give them another reason to void the warranty, they'll know you
have parts that you could install and remove

 

when we take in say an 02 diesel truck in trade, thats been chipped, if it has a pretty fair amount of warranty on it still, we will actually completely replace the computer so that there is still a seal on it so it will be covered

your options are just like they said, if you plan on any modding at all, cancel the ESP imo, i don't have one on the 01 i just bought from the lot and it was bone stock,
now, the escape we just got my wife i am getting a 6yr 100k warranty, cuz i know it'll be babied

 

Once you start "modifying it" your warranty, both stock and any ESP warranty, won't apply for certain things. If your rear window seal starts leaking badly 2 years from now, I'm pretty sure you won't have any problem getting it replaced under either warranty no matter how much you've "modded" it. But if you get engine problems a year or so from now running apulley and chip etc. - look out - don't be surprised if they won't cover it! If you have your mind made up to "mod it", I wouldn't bother buying the extended warranty at all. Personally, if it's used - I think I'd want them to take it back to stock with whatever factory warranty I can get on it and drive it that way for a while. If it's got a lower pully and boost gage - more than likely it's also had a chip or reflash - and keep in mind, most guys who bother to put boost gages on, are usually really interested in putting some power on the pavement. Maybe this truck has been driven conservatively and carefully - and maybe it's been driven hard often and on the edge of detonation or worse and about to blow - and the original owner may have been totally unaware of this. But unless I knew the prior owner really well, ya just don't know. Just keep in mind; you're buying some else's "hot rod" and you don't know how they took care of it or how it was driven. If money was a concern, and it is for most of us, I'd probably err on the high side by having it returned to stock, having a warranty, drive it hard and if it gives you problems you can get it repaired by the dealer. Then when you're sure the engine is ok - think about modding it then. But be aware - once you "mod", your warranty often won't apply. You'll find many guys on here whose dealership "took care of them" the first time around when they were modded and had engine problems - and many whose dealer wouldn't - SVT dealer or not.

 

The truck is an '04 with about 8300mi.

I am worried about having a warranty because I have the largest payments I've had on a vehicle and had to go with a sixty month loan. If something went wrong I'd be hurting. My '98 F150 had some pretty major mods, to a bone stock 4.6. My payments were smaller and I did a fourty-eight month loan. I knew if something came up I'd be able to get it fixed. Down the road I should be able to assume resposability for the entire powertrain but now I need Ford to back the truck.

I thought the same thing about the parts. I don't want them to think I'm trying to pull a fast one. These parts were really on the truck when I bought it. They can have them.

Thanks for the replies.

 

either make them document if the computer has been altered/tampered with if it has or have them replaced the computer. All the other bolt on stuff you can sneak by warranty but if the terminals on the computer have been scrapped, your screwed.

Have them pull the ecu and check it, if it is, have them document it or replaced it. If they just document it.....then you can still play

I personally would just go with a programmer to go in through the diagnostic port rather than sticking a chip on the computer. I have one but wish i got the sct programmer instead.

 

The most important is make sure they replace the computer regardless. Just to be safe. That will be the first place they will look if you bring it in for warranty work. They will void your warranty guaranteed if it shows any tampering.

 

Do a cylinder PSI compression test, followed by a leakdown test on all 8 cylinders. If they check out, I wouldn't worry about the motor. On these motors, it's the pistons/rings that take a beating. If they check out fine, you should be good to go. Also, you could have the pistons that can be reached easily looked at with one of those scopes that can go in the spark plug hole.

The above could be completed inside of a Saturday or Sunday, no big deal.

 

So you cant get hold of the salesman now.
I think he is full of crap, i doubt the dealer will warrenty a truck that already has mods on it and been driven with said mods.
Good luck dude.
SEE YA!

 

definitly pull the cpu and check if it is scrapped. i think you are F'ed either way, once it is modded your warrenty is gone especially if it is chipped. thsi dealer may honor it but if you have a blown motor or spit plug and an SVT rep has to come, does not matter what the dealer has to say..bye bye warranty. Get everything in righting, trust no one.

 

not necessarily true, we have warrantied some modded cars

 

I talked to the service manager today. They are going to check the truck out. They will return it to a warrantyable state. These mods were on the truck when they sold it to me. I will have the situation documented so that if something comes up down the road I can have a leg to stand on.

I will do a cylinder compression test after they have done what they have to do. Hopefully the previous owner didn't abuse it too much in 7900mi.

Thanks!