Mocklab, as stated in previous post, Marietta ford is now Team Ford 770-422-1100. Last June Gwinnett wanted 5K over list. Pat Milliken Ford in Mich advertising in Autoweek accepting X & other plans. Buy an issue to use as leverage with any dealer if you're actually ready to buy & sign a deal. They're all hurting enough to probably honor price. LIGHTNING TUNERS: PREVIOUS POST ASKED IF YOU'VE EVER SOLD PARTS TO SVT DEALER TO INSTALL? tHIS WOULD BE INTERESTING QUESTION FOR ALL OF US!

 

JL,
friends or not...Why would you bring your truck in with all the parts installed? isn't that a little risky.......

 

Sprio,

Can you imagine how long it would take to remove all of the parts off of our trucks?

Upper pulley, lower pulley, ram air, powercooler, relocated battery, headers, x pipe, catback, t/b, pump switch, fans, etc.

I believe they mentioned to JL something about 16" wheels voiding a warranty too.

After so many mods you end up just taking your chances.

 

Ford is doing this to see how much aftermarket "market" there is and what products to add to their accessories catalog...... at least that is what it appears to be.....

 

Jason at SVT is the one who turned me onto this Lightning message board.

Maybe SVT sees competition coming and they want some quick and easy ideas for getting extra power without having to do the R&D because their stock is in the tank and it's a cost cutting measure to let our L tuners handle it (R&D). SVT gets first-hand experience with the mods: the power they produce; the heat generated; effect on acceleration; cost; simplicity; etc.

Maybe the '03 L (New body right?) will also come with simple and smart engine improvements like the electric fan and the Cobra R waterpump and the software (chip) changes and a higher flowing intake, etc. These type of changes wouldn't cost anything if they already exist.....SVT would just integrate them into the new L and use existing tuners as vendors/suppliers....like they have done in the past Holman/Moody and current (whose the engine builder that puts together the Cobra R?).

 

Well, Looks like I will be taking my chances come Monday.

The truck has an appointment for recall work and an inspection and I am not removing any of my mods. It would take me all week.

lightningbolt,

SVT already knows how to make these puppies faster. The ones we bought were the slowest prototype they issued. I HEARD that the first or second prototype had 600 horses and they lightened it up, because how many people would be be modding the hell out of them trying to get 1000 HP. This engines possibilites are endless as far as hidden horsepower is concerned.

SVT ain't stupid!!!!

 

Uhhh...you should at least remove the 90 mm MAF for the stock 80 MAF, flip-chip, and that "famous" breather cap before going to the dealer. Those three items alone will take you under 30 minutes to do. Just my opinion

 

Something just doesn't add up here. There are several dealers here in So. Cal. that have aftermerket parts businesses. they selle headers, chips, throttle bodies, etc.. They send you to their own service departments to have the mods installed. They do not void your warranty.

Some will advise you that an aftermarket supercharger will void the warranty however.

 

Exactly! Why risk this? You took the time to install these parts to get a smile so now you should take the time to unintall them or you're going to frown when you go to pick your truck up. Plus, we don't need the dealers having any more ammunition to use. If they do it to you they'll keep on doing it. No reason to let this happen to yourself if you can help it. You'll cuss up a storm when you have to replace your intercooler, or a motor, yourself!

I once had a dealer try and void my warranty because he said I had aftermarket rims on it and this was causing my brake warping problems. It was a '96 Cobra and we all know how many issues they had w/ their factory brakes. He ended up not even addressing my other 5 problems with the car either. Ford backed him up, although my warranty wasn't voided, so I had to go to another dealership to get my transmission rebuilt and brakes redone. Just extra time out of my days that I couldn't wait for.

One thing to note concerning Ford's intentions:

It has nothing to do with what they want to sell or make. They already know all the tricks in the book for these trucks basically. They realize they could market computer upgrades, waterpumps, fan kits, heads/cams/intakes, but they don't. They aren't concerned with what they can offer for performance. They are concerned with what they can document, though, whether or not this is going to help us or be used against us. Like Doug stated, there isn't any reason why they can't test all of this stuff on a few trucks of their own. It would be FAR cheaper.

Take care,

BfB

 

I think that their is no better advertizement for Ford than seeing a Lightning Blow past a zo6 Vette or a GTS Viper. Also seing a 5000 lb truck run 13's, 12's,11's, and maby even someone with 10's some day would convince me that ford built a pretty straight engine. That is why I bought a Lightning. I was going for a ride in my friends 98 Vette--(He just got it) and we got walked big time by a black Lightning. Funny enough, I had a Lighning of my own 2 months later. I think that this is part of Fords idea with this. Anyway's, if Ford screws anyone on this site over with this mod deal, there will be a for sale sign on my L and my girl friends Mustang, and my mothers Explorer etc..... Ford would be making a grave mistake by skrewing with the Lighning brotherhood like that. I'm not the only one who would be unhappy if they did that.

 

Guys, I can't believe that you would actually fall for corporate double speak.

"We want to know what you are doing and why" means "We want to know whose warranty to void immediately"

"We want to better understand the mods that you guys are doing" means "We want to better train our dealership on what to look forso that we can void the warranty immediately"

"We will not take any information on the owners or VIN's" means "We've already gotten a list and you're on it"

Ford is a multi-BILLION DOLLAR company. How do you think they got $28+ BILIION in cash reserves? By doing the right thing? Hell no! They cut corners where ever possible, dig in the parts bin instead of inmproving, screw customers out of warranty work on try to turn a profit on something they should be covering. Pissed, hell yeah. They voided my warranty on the engine in '99 Cobra because of "past use if underdrive pulleys" which I informed them of in a truthful manner. It was an excuse for them to get out of paying $8000 for an engine. I threatened to sue, showed them that I was prepared and they backed down. Ever heard of the '99 Cobra FIASCO? They screwed 8000+ people in that one.

To make it simple: Large corporations ARE NOT YOU FRIENDS. They never will be, they want the money in your pocket. Don't forget that.

 

Well said CornerCarver...

Where've you been lately? I've tried to reach you by E-Mail?

DL

 

Come on out, the war is over!

 

They cannot void your whole warranty. It is against the law. They can only deny coverage on an item if they can prove a mod or aftermarket item caused the failure. I can understand denying drivetrain coverage if you use nitrous. They can build a case for too much power destroying a transmission or something but there is no way a larger TB will cause the radio to fail and therefore coverage cannot be denied on the radio. Stand up to your dealer and tell him fix it or else. If he doesn't, take it to Ford or the newspapers. Make lots of noise. Cite the Magnusson Moss Warranty act which protects you, the consumer. The burden of proof is on the manufacturer not you.

 

OOPPS I had a flashback. I'm OK now.