OBDII "DO NOT REFLASH" Cover - Where can I get one?

[Power Hungry]

Jim,

First... good post. I agree with you 110% that not all dealerships are ignorant crooks and not all independents are great shops. I know from my post, it may certainly appear that I am biased and it probably has more to do with the fact that I have worked in both independent garages and dealerships and have seen both sides of the coin. Not to mention that I have had to fight with dealerships on behalf of a customer in order to get something warrantied.

In my day to day conversations with people, the best advice I can offer them is to get to know their local dealership. Find out what their policy is on aftermarket products and what they're willing to work with you on. The problem is, there are TOO MANY dealerships that are more than ready to chew a customer out and "VOID" their warranty merely because of the presence of aftermarket products such as a CAI, programmer, exhaust modification, or in a couple of extreme cases even gauges. As you mentioned, this is primarily handled on a local level and is not necessarily the viewpoint of Ford's corporate office. Maybe it's the "couple of bad apples spoiling the bunch" scenario, but in this case it's not so easy to see who the bad apples are.

Yes, the "policy" is that if a failure can be definitively linked to the use of an aftermarket product, then the warranty coverage on that component is void. The problem is that dealers often use scare tactics and threats that the warranty on the entire vehicle will be void. Unfortunately, most customers don't know any better and end up suffering because of these improper (not to mention illegal) practices and I can provide several examples of cases in which this has occurred.

Warranty repair is always a big issue and again, I have been on both sides of the repair industry. I've dealt with the warranty companies and have had to fight to get reimbursement on quality components. Often, the OEM components are less expensive (I don't like to use the word cheaper here) than a comparable quality aftermarket components. Sometimes they're not. It's up to the independent garage to make informed decisions about their customer's needs and provide parts and service that's in their best interests. Overall, quality independent shops can do just as good a job as the dealerships, and I honestly feel that sometimes an independent will often be better because they can generally have a closer relationship with the customer and can keep close track of the history of the vehicle.

Of course, there are far too many unreliable and crooked independent shops out there as well. Shops whose idea of a remanufactured component is a can of spray paint and their sales pitch consists of the line "I wouldn't let my kid drive that car" in order to scare people into buying parts or services. It happens. Again, getting to know your independent garage is important. Ask friends, co-workers, neighbors, and relatives who they use. For Pete's sake, check the BBB and see if they have any negative feedback. Ask to see their diagnostic equipment. A reputable shop will be happy to show you what equipment they use for repairs or diagnosis.

Here's the thing, if Ford, GM, and Dodge would relax their standpoint on aftermarket components and warranty, specifically with performance products, then I wouldn't hesitate to send people to the dealer. At this point though, it's a crapshoot and at least the independent garage doesn't have the ability to arbitrarily "void" your warranty.

BTW Jim... It's a sad day when you have to include Nissan in the FLM dealer list. Just kidding. I happen to love my 240SX.