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I've recently found a 2014 Stingray I'm interested in, but it appears to be modified. The car has aftermarket headers, and a short shift kit, but stock exhaust. It also looks like it has aftermarket spark plug wires. It runs great. It has about 13k miles.
My concern is warranty and reliability. Is the reliability of the car affected by adding an aftermarket header like this one? Or is it considered a pretty safe modification? Can you tell by the picture what type of header this is?
Any advice you all can provide me on this would be appreciated. I may be buying this car tomorrow...
The headers will void the warranty. Most setups cost $2000 plus installed. I love my headers it makes the car sound like a beast. To get the most out of headers a tune is required so the car maybe tuned also. I come from the side of the fence that these are virtually free upgrades on a used car that I probably would have added anyway. The biggest concern is you dont have the factory warranty to fall back on if you have a issue down the road. It helps if you can talk to the original owner to know the history of the car.
Are they offering the car at the "modded" with-no-warranty-discount price?
Are these mods something you really want?
I deduct money for performance mods (headers, tune) that void the factory warranty. For example, I have a Toyota Tundra and added the supercharger from Toyota...my truck retains the factory warranty...wouldn't have done it otherwise. I don't expect to get my money back, but the truck still has a warranty so I am good with that.
Difficult to say how or if these mods impact reliability...mainly depends on how the car was driven. Can you have the computer data downloaded and see the rev history?
B/L: Too many low-mile, unmodded cars available...I'd pass.
I would stay away from headers if you want to be warranty safe. even if you dont tune the car. It "can" enter a real grey area with dealerships and GM.
The headers will void the warranty. Most setups cost $2000 plus installed. I love my headers it makes the car sound like a beast. To get the most out of headers a tune is required so the car maybe tuned also. I come from the side of the fence that these are virtually free upgrades on a used car that I probably would have added anyway. The biggest concern is you dont have the factory warranty to fall back on if you have a issue down the road. It helps if you can talk to the original owner to know the history of the car.
Headers will not automatically void the warranty. There has been a number of threads about this exact question.
Rather that take my word for it, talk to you dealer.
If the car has a tune, and you have a drive train warranty claim it may be a problem.
Headers will not automatically void the warranty. There has been a number of threads about this exact question.
Rather that take my word fir it, talk to you dealer.
If the car has a tune, and you have a drive train warranty claim it may be a problem.
There are also a number of threads about how misinformed people are with warranty. dealerships do not pay the bills for warranty work, GM does. If you blow your engine, GM can request more info on the car or even send a rep down to your dealership to inspect the car more than a dealership can.
the point, you could have the most "mod friendly" dealership on earth. They can deny your claim if GM denies theirs.
Federal law says just because someone installs aftermarket parts, warranty claims can't be denied. There has to be evidence the warranty claim was linked or caused by the aftermarket part. For example, if the motor spins a rod bearing, it would tough to point to the headers as the cause.
Then if the wiring harness gets burned up because it was too close to the headers, then GM would have a reason to deny the warranty claim.
What I'd really like to understand, in general terms do headers decrease the reliability of the car ?
I mean to me it seems like headers are an Extertal thing and they wouldn't have any affect on the internal engine parts, so why should they decrease the reliability?
The headers will not void the warranty. Most dealers will work with you. My concern would be the mileage on the car and how it was driven. Unless they are giving it away I would pass. There are hundreds of them out there without the mod issue with a lot less mileage. On a side note, if someone did headers and a short throw , he did it for a reason, they probably drove the **** out of it. Just food for thought.
Internally, I don't see where they would cause a problem.
However, long tube headers can negatively impact emissions. ARH state their long tube headers require a tune. Since the cats are further down stream, they don't heat up fast enough and trigger a check engine light code P420 for inefficient cat which is an automatic emissions failure. The fix is to install a tune that basically prevents the light from coming back on by blocking the rear O2 sensors reporting this problem. An aftermarket tune can result in a drive train warranty claim denial.
Not sure but I think a dealer can't sell you a car which doesn't pass emission. You may want to verify that is the law.
Looks like you are buying it from a Chevy dealer. I would ask them about the warranty. I'm sure they wont say No...
This is probably the best advice. If it's at a GM dealership and it is one you would use for service problem solved. If you are concerned about a warranty you could have them scan it and check to see if there is evidence of a tune also. I still say some dealers may let it slide with headers and some will not. If it's been tuned that's a whole other can of worms. I have owned many, many modified GM products that have been warrantied for items but I also happen to be friends with the GM drivetrain mechanic that works on them.
Federal law says just because someone installs aftermarket parts, warranty claims can't be denied. There has to be evidence the warranty claim was linked or caused by the aftermarket part. For example, if the motor spins a rod bearing, it would tough to point to the headers as the cause.
Then if the wiring harness gets burned up because it was too close to the headers, then GM would have a reason to deny the warranty claim.
They dont need evidence to drag it our to court.
you are simply misinformed like most people, its ok i was also for many years. until i talked to a warranty/lemon law lawyer.
works like this.
-you make a claim at a dealership for blown motor
-dealership works with GM to get approval
-GM denies the engine work because of aftermarket part (the example you said with the rod and headers)
-YOU TAKE GM to court where you risk your time and money to prove you are right.
the headers could have NOTHING to do with the rod, but GM can deny even if they are wrong. Happens all the time with people who mod. maybe in the long run you can get your engine repaired, but its going to cost money and time.
Are they offering the car at the "modded" with-no-warranty-discount price?
Are these mods something you really want?
I deduct money for performance mods (headers, tune) that void the factory warranty
...
Frank
Well I wouldnt say a discount. The car is market price for its year and miles. But it also has a lot of really nice cosmetic upgrades that I am getting sort of free. Like Carbon Fiber inside everywhere... And z06 side skirts, z06 tail lights, z06 spoiler....
Call GM and directly find out if Headers and (if tuned) will void your warranty from EVERY dealer. "This" dealer may honor the warranty, but that doesn't mean another dealer will. I had been in that boat and you get jerked around by dealers.
Ask dealer to check if the tune has been changed, if it has, walk away.
Personally, I'll never buy another per-owned from a dealer, unless I know the original owner. I learned my lesson, when dealer lied to me.
If you like it then that is all that matters. Cosmetics are cool but for me there are bigger concerns.
Without knowing the previous owner, I have to assume the mods mean it has had the **** driven out of it...AND these mods tend to cast doubt on the factory warranty discussion, a headache I do not want...AND its being offered at market price...three strikes for me and I am out...
I think you can find yourself a better option...tons of used 1-owner, no-mod, low mile cars for good prices.
Where is that beautiful machine? I'll take it off your hands... headers and all !! Seriously though.. if you're worried about it having headers, don't buy it. Let someone else who is serious have it. Warranty will NOT void.
Where is that beautiful machine? I'll take it off your hands... headers and all !! Seriously though.. if you're worried about it having headers, don't buy it. Let someone else who is serious have it. Warranty will NOT void.
Looks like it's at Stingray Chevrolet in Lakeland, FL. Exactly where I bought my car from and they shipped it to me in Dallas.
My advice is to have a conversation with the dealership and say exactly your concern. "Does it have the remaining factory warranty due to the headers and tune"? Their answer will be yes, and just get it in writing. They're not reselling a basically brand new car without a factory warranty because it has headers. If you like the car and it's priced where you want it I wouldn't think twice. It's your money.
Buying a 2014 with Headers
Seriously though.. if you're worried about it having headers, don't buy it. Let someone else who is serious have it. Warranty will NOT void.