The warranty crap really gets me p.o.'ed. I go thru this all the time with the local dealers telling customers I can't do pipes, service or whatever or it will void thier warranty. It is absolutely BS!!! Keep records of required service and you or anyone can add aftermarket parts and not void your warranty, this is according to Federal law (Magnussen-Moss Act 1974) This protects consumers and the right to do what you want to your vehicle. If the dealer gives you trouble contact SEMA and they will back you on warrany claims. The only thing that the factory doesn't have to warranty is the parts you put on or any damage caused by the part and they must prove that the part caused the damage. Also if you are told that service work has to be done at a specific place or specific product must be used (H-D Oil, etc.) to maintain a warranty, ask the dealer to show it in writing. They won't show it because if it were true the law says they have to provide the service or product free of charge for the length of the warranty!! see SEMA.org for info

Well said and exactly right they can't show you it in writing cuz it ain't so :smoke :soap

Thanks for the info Chopper. We have a dealer over here that trys that crap.

I dunno Bert, Germany probablly has it's own laws regarding that type of stuff.

I got to thinking about what I posted, and had a serious flashback to my international law class in grad school. If you bought something in the United States, or a product imported from the United states, The company that sold it could still be held to US law regarding things like that. As long as the company that sold it is connected in some official way to the parent company(like being a branch or subsidiary or something). Now I'm not sure how dealers are "connected" in that respect.

That would take a little digging I think to find out if a dealer in another country would be required to do warranty work based on the ACT that protects aftermarket modifications. Since the dealer is theoretically reimbursed for the work, meaning MoCo is ultimately responsible, there could be some US laws that would be applicable in that situation. Been to long since I had a law class.

Gearhead, your probably right in theory, but I'm sure it will be really hard to enforce US laws in other countries, especially on stealers. They are always breaking the law here in the states, who knows what they are doing overseas.

I was at a dealership last fall (not my normal digs), and overheard a sales guy telling some poor sap who had just bought a new Heritage Softail from him that if he didn't bring it back for the 1000 mile service, it would void the warranty.

I wanted to go over there and let the guy know that he was full of $#!), but I thought to myself: if we didn't have these scumbucket dealers, the good ones wouldn't have to compete on being good guys, and they would turn into the scumbuckets, and then that's all we have left. If people want to believe that, let them believe it... Again, I can't bring myself to buy anything at a dealership at MSRP with the 20% dealerships out there.

Incidentally, my wife's new MINI Cooper does have a warranty that will be voided by not doing what they tell you, because everything is provided for free - even the wiper blades & fluids. Pretty sweet, but we're about 45 minutes from the dealership... oh well - 6 of one...

Speedy.

The warranty crap really gets me p.o.'ed. I go thru this all the time with the local dealers telling customers I can't do pipes, service or whatever or it will void thier warranty. It is absolutely BS!!! Keep records of required service and you or anyone can add aftermarket parts and not void your warranty, this is according to Federal law (Magnussen-Moss Act 1974) This protects consumers and the right to do what you want to your vehicle. If the dealer gives you trouble contact SEMA and they will back you on warrany claims. The only thing that the factory doesn't have to warranty is the parts you put on or any damage caused by the part and they must prove that the part caused the damage. Also if you are told that service work has to be done at a specific place or specific product must be used (H-D Oil, etc.) to maintain a warranty, ask the dealer to show it in writing. They won't show it because if it were true the law says they have to provide the service or product free of charge for the length of the warranty!! see SEMA.org for info




This is true, but unless you have a very large warranty claim it really isn't worth the hassle. Trust me, you don't want to get into a pissing contest with a buch of :censor king lawyers. I think this is what they rely on. Best advice? Take VERY good care of your scoot. It very much matters what kind of Stealership you bought from. I got royaly pissed when the missus made me buy a goddamm worthless piece of chit extended warranty for my Annabelle. But she insisted , and you know what argueing with your wife is like :cry1

Regarding gearheads post -
"As long as the company that sold it is connected in some official way to the parent company (like being a branch or subsidiary or something)."

Since a dealer is an authorized sells outlet for the manufacturer, plus the dealer "honors" the manufacturers warranty, I would think this realationship would be an "official" connection, at least as an authorized agent. Since they use the manufacturers logos, and signage, I would think by doing they repesent the manufacturer.

I'm not a lawyer, but I have developed an interest in law over the last couple of years.

your probabally right gamhill. The law classes I studied really interested me, although It is the type of thing you have to keep up with, or you forget which way's what.

When it comes to enforcing US laws on US companies operating over seas, it is much easier. US companies are required to obey US law as well as the law of the country they are operating. A very hard and rare(but it does happen)thing is to enforce US law on a non US company. Seems kind of arrogant to me, and there is no way to enforce any ruling. This has happened in some antitrust cases. The US has brought suit against some foriegn companies siting the Sherman Act, even though the company doenst operate in the US. But that is getting on a whole nother topic.

The law that keeps anyone in the US from bribing an official to get something done applies to all US companies no matter what country they are in. Now bribing to get something done and giving a gift to speed up a process that was going to get done anyway are two different things and is actually allowed by the US in countries where that is normal. Sooo, it might seem that a law that requires the MoCo to honor a warranty even with aftermarket parts if those parts were not at fault exists in the US, the MoCo would be required to obey that law in any country they did business.

That is kind of the long and short of it. I dont know if it would stand up in any kind of court, but it makes sence to me.

Good info Chop! Thanks

Law and sence should never be used together..... I think there is a law against it!!

Law and sence should never be used together..... I think there is a law against it!!
Humphfitty, humpf, hereto within the course of human events notwithstanding the aforementioned incumbrance upon the explitive fornicator, it is imperative to relive the plaintiff of the contested compensatory monitary renumeration which shall be held in escrow by an interested party until such time as the bovine ruminants return to their lawful and rightful dwelling. Hurumpf. :frownthre

That will be $2000 please.

I dunno Bert, Germany probablly has it's own laws regarding that type of stuff.


I have a US warrenty since I bought my Sportster from the PX. I had to remind the dealer that a coupla times. But I only had a one year warrenty so it does not help me out amymore anyway.

[QUOTE= But she insisted , and you know what argueing with your wife is like :cry1[/QUOTE]
You can either be right or you can be happy when it comes to those things and what your wife wants.......... :yikes