Do you wait until the 3/36 warranty expires to tune?

[Deleted member]

So, more and more I'm getting the itch to tune my 2020 Civic SI. It's two weeks old, and I definitely want to wait for a couple of thousand miles for break in.

Anyone tune a new car and forego manufacturer's warranties, or should I wait until the 3 year/36 is up?

Honestly, I'll have 36k on the car in about two years with all the back and forth to work.

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[battledog]

Just did KTuner TSP Stage 1 for now and trying to not do anything to the engine, but I am tempted to get lowering springs and a new exhaust.

Might consider bolt ons after three years.

Either way I doubt you’ll need any repairs on this Honda engine so it’s up to you if you want to “risk” it.

 

[Deleted member]

I'm looking to do something similar, ecu, bolt ons and some suspension. I'm considering the following:

POWER
KTuner
Air Intake
GReddy Headers/Full Exhaust
Upgraded Downpipe

TRANSMISSION
Acuity Bushing Set for Shifter
ACT Clutch/Flywheel

SUSPENSION
Eibach Lowering Springs
Strut Tower Brace
Rear Tie Bar
*If all won't affect Sport Mode Active Dampeners

COSMETICS
Rim/Tire set
Front Lip Spoiler
Black Badges

 

[xjoshuax89]

All comes down to what you use the car for and what you want out of it.

If you add a significant amount of power on the Si you will need to upgrade the clutch. Anything over 50hp seems to be the point where the clutch seems to go.

 

[si_well]

I've had my 2020 for almost two months now and opted for the extended 10 year 100k miles bumper to bumper warranty when I got it (I know the sales manager who gave me employee pricing on it), so I'm in a similar situation but worse since I would have to wait much longer than 3 years. I put a lot of thought into what I want to do and what risks I'm willing to take, and have decided that I will be tuning it in the near future but want to focus on aesthetics, suspension/wheels and tires first. After tuning it while stock, I'm sure I will start adding the usual bolt ons (Intake, front/downpipe, intercooler, etc), but I will opt to get a custom tune once I go down that road.

I plan to tune for the following reasons though:

1. Tuning with basemaps has been statistically proven safe on a stock/near stock engine running high octane pump gas
2. Tuning is realistically the best bang for your buck for increased performance
3. The chance of it affecting your warranty are minimal and can only cause denial of a claim if it can be directly related to the faulty part

My third reason is bit complicated though. It's a law that they cannot void your whole warranty because of tuning, but they can deny a claim if they can PROVE that the tuning was responsible for the defective part. How they are required to prove it is not defined, which means the subjective opinion of whoever is evaluating the issue would probably be enough for them to deny your claim. However, the chances of a modest tune causing other parts to become defective is minimal, therefore the chances of them relating any issue you may have with the tuning is also minimal. So, that minimal risk is one I'm willing to take.

"The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it illegal for companies to void your warranty or deny coverage under the warranty simply because you used an aftermarket or recycled part. The manufacturer or dealer can, however, require consumers to use select parts if those parts are provided to consumers free of charge under the warranty.

Still, if it turns out that the aftermarket or recycled part was itself defective or wasn't installed correctly, and it causes damage to another part that is covered under the warranty, the manufacturer or dealer has the right to deny coverage for that part and charge you for any repairs. The FTC says the manufacturer or dealer must show that the aftermarket or recycled part caused the need for repairs before denying warranty coverage." - US Federal Trade Commission (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0138-auto-warranties-routine-maintenance)​

 

[dallasjhawk]

Fyi, your powertrain, i.e. engine/trans have a 5/60 warranty. No I didnt wait, I tuned at 10k miles. Still got warranty work approved

 

[si_well]

Fyi, your powertrain, i.e. engine/trans have a 5/60 warranty. No I didnt wait, I tuned at 10k miles. Still got warranty work approved

I first learned the nuances about how tuning affects or doesn't your warranty from a thread you were heavily involved in. It was literally you vs everyone else and I was legit laughing because I felt your frustration responding to everyone who was fighting you on the subject.

 

[Deleted member]

Thanks for chiming in, everyone. I currently have a third party 10 year/120,000 extended warranty. But, after reading all the disclosures, doesn't seem they cover repairs unless it's a manufacturer's defect. I also reviewed all the HondaCare extended warranties disclosures, and they're very similar. Seems like it will be pulling teeth in 6+ years should I need a repair "covered" by the warranty plan.

Yep, I misspoke, my car includes 5/60. However, I'm thinking of ditching the extended warranty (full refund is on the table), and tuning the car to my preferences in a year or two.

 

[gtman]

I waited until after my first service at the dealer to tune but it boils down to personal preference. As far as risking the warranty and risking longevity, I feel confident the base tunes and TSP 1 are mild enough that I should be fine.

But, if you are thinking about ultimate power will full bolt ons, all bets are off. Not saying you will have issues. Just that the likelihood is higher.

 

[Deleted member]

Just rolled back the extended warranty, full refund. After reading the disclosures last week, and also considering how I want to tune the car over time, it didn't make sense to throw money at an extended warranty that would be considered voided.

Also, the third party has hundreds of complaints on BBB. Glad I got out of it!

 

[Beansley]

Just rolled back the extended warranty, full refund. After reading the disclosures last week, and also considering how I want to tune the car over time, it didn't make sense to throw money at an extended warranty that would be considered voided.

Also, the third party has hundreds of complaints on BBB. Glad I got out of it!

What company was it? I got one when I bought my car and curious if I got screwed/am going to get if any problems ever arise.

 

[Deleted member]

What company was it? I got one when I bought my car and curious if I got screwed/am going to get if any problems ever arise.

Hey, it was WarranTech, Custom Edge

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