Urgent!!! Need help with a Q regarding IM and warranty.
20 September 2000, 06:08 PM
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Hi!
Jerry from Sweden speaking.
The Impreza Club of Sweden have been trying to get something done about our version of the warranty IM provides us Impreza owners with.
Here it's a matter of "you change anything on the car and we revoke the entire warranty on the car". We demand to get a more mod-friendly version (like the one's you guys get), and maybe some nice Prodrive stuff via the dealer network.
I need to check one thing though, IM Sweden states that included in the price on the scoob (UK turbo 2000), is a an unknown sum meant for warranty rebuilds on engines due to eventual failures caused by the Prodrive performance pack.
Is this correct?
We need some sort of proof in the matter, as IM Sweden in earlier discussions sadly have proven to not knowing "their stuff".
Please help!
Regards
/Jerry - Sweden
Jerry from Sweden speaking.
The Impreza Club of Sweden have been trying to get something done about our version of the warranty IM provides us Impreza owners with.
Here it's a matter of "you change anything on the car and we revoke the entire warranty on the car". We demand to get a more mod-friendly version (like the one's you guys get), and maybe some nice Prodrive stuff via the dealer network.
I need to check one thing though, IM Sweden states that included in the price on the scoob (UK turbo 2000), is a an unknown sum meant for warranty rebuilds on engines due to eventual failures caused by the Prodrive performance pack.
Is this correct?
We need some sort of proof in the matter, as IM Sweden in earlier discussions sadly have proven to not knowing "their stuff".
Please help!
Regards
/Jerry - Sweden
21 September 2000, 07:37 AM
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Hey guys, sorry to be a pain, but we need your help!!! 
The chairman of our club is attending a meeting with IM Sweden soon, and we need some proof in this matter.
Please help!
Regards
/Jerry
The chairman of our club is attending a meeting with IM Sweden soon, and we need some proof in this matter.
Please help!
Regards
/Jerry
21 September 2000, 09:41 AM
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Hi Jerry
With regard to proof, I do not think you will get any. The cost of a Prodrive Performance Pack car may include a premium to protect Subaru UK from the increased risk of warranty claims, but I doubt it. I am not aware of ANY engines that have failed in their 3 year warranty period (or even after it) from using the PPP. The EU version of the Impreza is completely safe at the power and torque outputs generated by the PPP, although very few European importers sell it. The margins are small and without a history of reliable use, they are fearful of it. This product has been available in the UK since 1996.
Where engines have failed, it has been due to known design and/or manufacturing faults. EG piston slap, gearbox manufacture, dump valve design.
With regard to other modifications, if you fitted a rear silencer and different rear spoiler... and your cam position sensor failed, there is no possible "cause and effect". If your gearbox failed (excluding loss of synchromesh rings which is not a power related failure) and power increasing parts were fitted, there is a possible link, but you would be able to prove that a) similar failures occured on unmodified cars b) cars of the same manufacturing spec in the UK, fitted with a PPP, did not commonly suffer this failure.
You may wish to use examples of cars modified in the UK with rear silencers, suspension, brakes, wheels etc that are still warranted by Subaru UK. At the end of the day, the vast majority of owners respect Subaru UK's position and would not make a modification that would increase the risk of mechanical failure eg chipping, UNLESS they consciously decided to give up their warranty.
As your importer is a sister company of Subaru UK, in the International Motors Group, I am sure that they have access to warranty claim data from the, much larger, UK fleet. I am told, but cannot confirm, that Subaru UK have tested all of the most popular products available from independant tuners. This would be common sense on their part and I am sure that the results of their testing has lead to them allowing certain products to be used with no effect.
Not all potential customers will want or be able to afford the accesories available in the dealership. By allowing certain non Subaru UK parts to be fitted, Subaru UK have ended up with a very loyal customer base. Ask most Impreza owners what their next car will be... and they will say they don't want to change or that they will be buying a newer Impreza.
Saab (you may occasionally see some of their cars in Sweden
) found themselves in a similar postion some years ago. Customers wanted to use the products of independant tuners as they were superior to the official products. Reliabilty did not suffer from these products and the franchised dealers began selling the non approved parts to boost their profits and customer relations. Realising the situation, Saab bought out the independant tuning companies. The innovation and quality remained, but Saab could excerise control over how far the cars were tuned and provide access to factory R&D facilities. There are very few independant Saab tuners now, as the official products are so good. Of the companies do survive, notably Abbott Racing and TSL, Saab frequently use them for subcontract R&D work and race preparation.
As Chairman of the UK's SIDC, I wish you luck in your negotiations.
Pete
With regard to proof, I do not think you will get any. The cost of a Prodrive Performance Pack car may include a premium to protect Subaru UK from the increased risk of warranty claims, but I doubt it. I am not aware of ANY engines that have failed in their 3 year warranty period (or even after it) from using the PPP. The EU version of the Impreza is completely safe at the power and torque outputs generated by the PPP, although very few European importers sell it. The margins are small and without a history of reliable use, they are fearful of it. This product has been available in the UK since 1996.
Where engines have failed, it has been due to known design and/or manufacturing faults. EG piston slap, gearbox manufacture, dump valve design.
With regard to other modifications, if you fitted a rear silencer and different rear spoiler... and your cam position sensor failed, there is no possible "cause and effect". If your gearbox failed (excluding loss of synchromesh rings which is not a power related failure) and power increasing parts were fitted, there is a possible link, but you would be able to prove that a) similar failures occured on unmodified cars b) cars of the same manufacturing spec in the UK, fitted with a PPP, did not commonly suffer this failure.
You may wish to use examples of cars modified in the UK with rear silencers, suspension, brakes, wheels etc that are still warranted by Subaru UK. At the end of the day, the vast majority of owners respect Subaru UK's position and would not make a modification that would increase the risk of mechanical failure eg chipping, UNLESS they consciously decided to give up their warranty.
As your importer is a sister company of Subaru UK, in the International Motors Group, I am sure that they have access to warranty claim data from the, much larger, UK fleet. I am told, but cannot confirm, that Subaru UK have tested all of the most popular products available from independant tuners. This would be common sense on their part and I am sure that the results of their testing has lead to them allowing certain products to be used with no effect.
Not all potential customers will want or be able to afford the accesories available in the dealership. By allowing certain non Subaru UK parts to be fitted, Subaru UK have ended up with a very loyal customer base. Ask most Impreza owners what their next car will be... and they will say they don't want to change or that they will be buying a newer Impreza.
Saab (you may occasionally see some of their cars in Sweden
) found themselves in a similar postion some years ago. Customers wanted to use the products of independant tuners as they were superior to the official products. Reliabilty did not suffer from these products and the franchised dealers began selling the non approved parts to boost their profits and customer relations. Realising the situation, Saab bought out the independant tuning companies. The innovation and quality remained, but Saab could excerise control over how far the cars were tuned and provide access to factory R&D facilities. There are very few independant Saab tuners now, as the official products are so good. Of the companies do survive, notably Abbott Racing and TSL, Saab frequently use them for subcontract R&D work and race preparation.As Chairman of the UK's SIDC, I wish you luck in your negotiations.
Pete
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