What do you guys think of this ? Now I have solo raced my 94 GS-R and when I get the chance I would like to pick up an RSX Type-s and do it again. I would love to solo race the TSX but it's the family car so right now it is out of the question. But if I did and Acura "caught" me do you think they would pull the same stunt as Mitsu? I mean the EVO is sold as a "track" car and they won't stand behind it if you use it the way it was marketed.


http://caranddriver.com/article.asp?...&page_number=1

Evo Owners Decry Warranty Rejections

BY TONY QUIROGA
September 2004


In June, several Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution owners began posting notices on Evo-enthusiast Web sites saying their warranties had been canceled because they'd participated in timed racing events or installed aftermarket goodies on their cars. Owners complain that Mitsubishi used the Internet to dig up the names of these offenders. Owners found out about this when they visited dealers for repairs and were told that their warranties had been restricted because of the two activities.

Typical of all carmakers, Mitsubishi's warranty states that "problems or failures related to racing, alteration, and/or vehicle modifications are not covered conditions." Mitsubishi, meanwhile, denies that it proactively searches in hopes of voiding warranties. Responding to the complaints, the company said, "Mitsubishi does not have any automated Web search system looking for Lancer Evolutions involved in race events."

An Evo owner in Utah told Car and Driver that two weeks after he'd competed in an SCCA Solo II autocross, his car blew two connecting rods, which also ruined the turbocharger in the process. (Solo II racing involves coned courses in parking lots, and speeds rarely exceed 60 mph.) At the dealership, the owner said his warranty was voided even before the engine was examined, an action he said was based on computer information that he had participated in the autocross.

Reached for comment, Mitsubishi product and brand communication manager Janis Little said warranty claims are examined individually and Mitsubishi may deny claims if there is obvious evidence of abuse, modifications, or racing. The restricting or flagging of the warranty does not cancel the entire warranty, although getting warranty repairs done on a flagged car requires the approval of a district parts and service manager who oversees dealer warranty claims. When a warranty claim is questioned, Mitsubishi concedes that it may launch an investigation, which can include online searches for evidence the car was modified or run in a timed competition. The company adds, however, that owners are always given the benefit of the doubt.

The Utah owner got a whopping bill—nearly $8000—that, in his view, didn't qualify as the benefit of the doubt. He claims that Mitsubishi denied his warranty repairs before examining his car and that Mitsubishi's definition of racing is purposely vague. Evo owners stuck with bills for their damaged cars continue to flood Internet posting boards and forums railing about Mitsubishi's draconian measures and the company's lack of support for their broken Evos. Some see irony in the fact that the powerful little car is marketed on its rip-roaring sideways performance, but an owner who drives it in the manner of Gigi Galli could wind up behind a financial eight ball.

 

yup, i dont understand it either...does anyone know if Subaru does the same for the STI?

 

I was wondering the same thing? When I owned my Spec-V there was a lot of talk that Nissan was sending spies to the track and taking down license plates. Some guys had been denied warranty work because the tech said the ECU had registered the car being driven to the red line.

 

It all depends on the dealer. Some dealers reject warranty claims even obviously non-raced cars. The TSX is definitely not sold as a "track car".

 

I think that if a company markets a car as a competitive weekend racer, they should accept some level of responsibility for it breaking down. If a car is built such that a weekend of racing would make it fall apart, then it should not be marketed as a competent track vehicle.

In this case, I think Mitsubishi needs to change its stance and accept some level of responsibility for the damage. Plus, one weekend of racing should not cause a fairly new vehicle to blow a conn rod or two unless this driver was totally incompetent.

 

I think it has something to do with Mitsubishi being in financial trouble in Japan. The company as a whole isn't doing well financially.

 

voiding a warranty for SCCA racing is incredibly stupid and misguided. If Mitsu ever went to a race and watched, no car goes over 60 miles an hour, and the courses require very little shifting. The worst you can do is wear your tires and brakes, o no.

Drag racing however is different, as Evo owners have been known to obliterate their transmissions by revving to 5k and dropping the clutch on a weak transmission and expecting nothing bad to happen. Personally I race my TSX, I launch and a normal 2-3k RPM, don't drop the clutch, and usually run the race entirely in 2nd gear. I imagine rush hour stop and go traffic is worse on my transmission.

 

Possibly, but if the financial troubles were that bad, then why would they be offering free service on all new Mitsubishi's sold this year? Seems silly for them to deny warranty service because of their own marketing and yet offer free service to make up for it.

 

Oh, Mitsus troubles are bad allright:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...i_recalls.html
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=100540
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache...troubles&hl=en
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache...troubles&hl=en

Some higlights:

As many as 10 Mitsubishi executives have been arrested this year and charged with falsifying safety records.

Mitsubishi's U.S. sales dropped 45.7 percent in June compared with June 2003.

Meanwhile, DaimlerChrysler AG, Mitsubishi's nominal partner, has suggested it may seek damages from Mitsubishi Motor for the trouble at the Fuso truck unit.

Mitsubishi reports $702M loss.

Mitsubishi, the only unmprofitable Japanese automaker.

I had an EVO. The general coating of slime that I encountered with every Mitsu person from the sales to service convinced me to sell the car while it was still running (my personal favorite was the clutch drop the "service tech" did when I dropped the car off for an oil change and to have the alt. gauge pack installed).

 

I'm with Xizor. Although I don't have a lot of experience with it, I'd think those at SCCA and other sanctioned events would tend to me more careful with their cars. So there's a record of their having competed, so their warranty gets dinged.

This doesn't account for the rodney racetrack down in the industrial district doing the clutch drops and stall launches to a waving tshirt half out of his mind on malt liquor and generic seconal . . .oh thats another story. . . . but you see where I'm going.

It sucks that careful racers get screwed "automatically" while general purpose doofuses may not.

 

I suppose I don't really question the fact that Mitsubishi is in financial trouble, but I find it foolish for them to do something that is going to end up costing them more money in the end.

 

Yup!!!

http://www.imprezawrxsti.com/postnuk...wtopic&t=12955

 

I understand your train of thought. I imagine that Mitsu bean counters crunched the statistics of average warranty repair claims vs. additional profit generated by the new warranty and decided it was a net gain for them (claims are not 1 to 1 with sales). Also, the warranty can be a 100 year warranty if they can find enough excuses not to honor it, eh

 

Companies generally do make decisions on such issues unless it is to their benefit. Any reason to void a warranty would be a cost savings which would help Mitsuibishi's bottom line.

Then again, there are unmeasurable consequences to such an action (such as lost sales from word of mouth)...then again, this company is already in trouble so this is a moot point.

 

Moving this to Car Talk as the thread has become all about Evos and STIs.

 

Ah man I helped drive OTT-TSX's post OT. Sorry. To atone I will say this about what I predict Acura would do:

Depends totally on your dealer, their service manager, and your regional rep. Acura shouldn't be in the pinch Mitsu is so I doubt they are pressuring dealers to reduce warranty claims by hook or crook. So after that it is up to your local service managers attitude on this (and his attitude about you). After that, in a dispute, the regional rep. But 9 out of 10 the regional rep is more of a hard ass than your local service manager....

 

No biggie.I don't believe it was your fault more than anyone else's. The thread was just as interesting, just not about the TSX, hence the move.