TurtleRayZ51

So just a question here I been thinking about. Yes I do track my car sometimes. How can a dealership tell or accuse you of tracking your car if everything on the car is 100% stock. I am talking no ECM tune or any other small modification. 100% bone stock. I am thinking in terms of denying a warranty. Just to be clear my car is ok. Just a question and something I think that could help ever HPDE drivers to be mindful of.

Kevin A Jones

Don't know how they could or would fault you for tracking a car that they built for speed and handling? If GM had issue with the C7 being tracked they wouldn't specify in the owner's manual a particular motor oil to be used for the track.

Exia

Obviously depending on the issue the dealer will most likely read your ECU and make sure nothings been modified before going ahead on whatever repair is being claimed but tracking a Corvette does not void warranty. As far as I'm aware GM has made previous statements that Corvette's and certain model Camaro's can be tracked without risking the warranty. If a dealer is claiming not to honour warranty because they have reason to believe you've tracked the car, you go to another dealer or tell them to stuff it.

Other manufacturers are very touchy on the topic of track and warranty coverage (example Subaru and the BRZ) but not GM when it comes to the Corvette and certain Camaro models.

dparm

There's probably no way for them to definitively tell, short of sending out someone to do recon at every local track event and photograph you/write down VIN numbers.

In general, the dealers and techs don't care unless you're trying to commit fraud and have GM pay for a huge mistake you made, e.g. a money shift that blows the motor and you claim "it sounded funny when I started it up." Tadge has stated, on this very site, that they test the car for track usage scenarios because they know people do it.

This has been my experience with several different cars that have seen track time. Heck, sometimes the techs are into that stuff too and enjoy talking about it! I know the tech at my last dealership always asked about it.

Bill Dearborn

They won't. Unlike other automakers GM honors the warranty as long as the car isn't abused or modified. Driving at high speeds for long periods of time on a track is something the car was designed to do so isn't considered abuse. Abuse is not doing the things that GM tells you to do when preparing to go to the track. The dealer I take my car to for service knows I track the car and the mechanic that works on the car subscribes to my YouTube channel so he can watch my latest videos.

Bill

Skid Row Joe

The car is made to race. They won't give you any trouble on warranty work. Racetrack away!!


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HorsePower Junkie

Never say never...

Ever wonder why the dealer is soooo hot to activate your OnStar, even if you tell them specifically absolutely not to do it?

As soon as it's activated it records all aggressive acceleration events AND all aggressive hard braking events! That's why!!


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Grand Slam

Cones lodged under your car? ;-)

dino333

Even the cars at Spring Mountain have the On Star activated. I accidentally pushed the button when I was taking the sun sheild out.They asked me if I had an emergency.

Spitfire Mk1

It’s pretty easy to determine looking at tire wear, make brakes, undercarriage with some rubber marbles around under carriage. Plus revs from ECU.

Not they would go to these lengths, the computer system can track location of car, date, time, etc. I think even if “off”. A SCCA club member had a AMG, engine blew on back straight of Watkins Glen (WGI)...had car towed home and brought to dealer indicating it occurred on the street. Long story, after factory analyzed data, they
told him, if was at Watkins Glen, the date, time and at the back straight.

PSU_Vette

Some dealers may be more helpful than others, but like many others on here, I had no issues. On my C6, I discovered my clutch was slipping and the car only had 5K miles on it (bought it from an older gentleman). I came across said discovery while doing some "spirited driving" with a Ferrari 458. I was certain I'd owe the money for the repairs anyway, so I explained to the dealership that I discovered the issue when messing with said Ferrari. I left it at the dealer that afternoon and they called back early that evening to say they'd replace the components free of charge. The manager explained that the car was designed for performance against other sports cars and that it should have functioned properly. Totally blew my mind!

GLOCK22357

I would imagine, unless you've been a jerk to folks at the service department, they don't care one bit.

In fact, dealership service departments are motivated to ignore mods and signs the car was tracked, and just fix the vehicle. They get paid for the work, it's their income.

dparm

Do you have proof of that? The dealer wants to activate your OnStar because they're probably getting some sort of commission or bonus from it.

Landru

There's a recording on WWW of a guy at the track, really smoking.
OnStar starts asking if he's OK, needs emergency help.
He's screams back over the roar of his car) he's RACING. He's OK. Leave him alone.
OnStar comes back w/ same questions.

Wished now I'd saved this hilarious clip, would've made great 'proof'.

HorsePower Junkie

Go check it yourself on your OnStar reports, it's there.

The factory default is "On". If you want, you can turn the tracking off.


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HorsePower Junkie

dparm, I posted the above for you.

...and for anyone else who may have an interest in OnStar tracking.


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Big Lebowski

Why would GM or a dealer void or deny warranty claim for track use? I've never heard of them doing that.

RapidC84B

These cars are explicitly warrantied for on-track use as evidenced by the owners manual section on HDPE setup and many comments by the Corvette engineers. The catch is you have to keep the engine calibration stock and follow their prep recommendations regarding oil viscosities. Compliance was made much easier by the switch to 0W40 oil for all conditions.

Now if you blow the motor doing a money shift then that's on you.

dparm

I guess it's a good thing that I let the 90 day trial lapse. There is a difference between OnStar being automatically called during a hard deceleration event (crash) and them keeping a log of every single time you are hard on the gas/brakes. I think GM has better things to do than keep some colossal database like that. And yes, I've seen the video where the guy had the ZR1 on the track and they called him twice thinking it had been in an accident.

orca1946

No "Big Brother" for me!!