Automakers to gearheads: Stop repairing cars

OMG, that's terrible news! I mod the heck out of my 09 Jeep SRT8, everything from exhaust/intake to custom tunes that modify the throttle and disable torque management.

In my case, the mods have improved my vehicle in all ways.

Pro's to modding (in my case ONLY)
- Stop in much shorter distance thanks to my ABS toggle switch and upgraded tires (wider and softer than stock)
- Accelerate much quicker. Stock 0-60Mph was 4.9-5.2sec's now thanks to mods I'm down to 3.8-4.1sec's (that's a huge improvement)
- Turn at faster speeds and hold more lateral G's for longer. Thanks to the suspension upgrades and ultra-high performance tires, the handling is sports car-like in an SUV
- See further. Upgraded the headlamp bulbs so that I have improved visibility (they also last longer)
- Modify many parameters on the fly to better suit the purpose/task-at-hand (it's an SUV after all). I can adjust; the ride height and stiffness, the torque management options (for towing, racing, and daily driving), increase fuel efficiency for long road trips at the expense of performance, etc.
- Lastly, I can monitor many more components to prevent any failures (tranny temp, CAI temps, Oil temps, etc.)

All and all my mods have been nothing short of a total success (both at the track and as a daily driver). I credit my tire and brake upgrades to preventing a few previously unavoidable accidents due to the vastly decreased stopping distance. So much, so that I invested a lot of time writing in-depth/detailed review about the Nitto NT05 tires. They are literally a life saver in my case! With the OEM run flats, I would regularly lock up the tires and slide in the rain, since the upgrade I never see my ABS light as the tires provide uncompromising grip rain or shine.

If this type of law were to come into effect I would rather switch to public transportation than drive a 100% stock vehicle (and keep a racecar at the local track)...

- Just my 2 cents
 
Saw this on Yahoo. Not quite sure I understand what they are trying to do here. And how in the hell would they enforce it?!
 
I understand what they are saying and trying to do. But I don't agree with it or think it will ever happen. Basically it would make even "stand alone shops" illegal. I am younger and have always had cars with electronics and stuff. But this kind of stuff make me want to build up an old school car that doesn't need all the tech.
 
Makes me think of how certain pricey foreign cars don't have physical dipsticks for checking the oil..."nah, you don't need to do that...trust our electro-sensors..". Yeah right, like your electro-tech never left me stranded before, I wish.

Just more reasons why I've gone from buying a few cars every year to keeping the simple-tech "obsolete" (scare-quotes intentional ;) ) vehicles like I have now. No more need to tear out stuff like the OnStar [crap] either, as I did most recently on the TBSS (another hassle putting it back in when I sold it...), removing stuff like that is getting trickier every year. Even just removing unwanted seats can be a hassle, what with all the airbags/etc.
 
Its rather funny to read this as I work in the industry.

It wont happen, because if were to ever come to pass then the auto maker would be liable for the items they one in each and every car. So when there items break they would have to repair them on there own dollar....seeing as the car owner does not own those components. That is the only way that this could happen.

Seeing as they will not go for that, they will just begin to make warranty cover less and less to put people off to the ideas of modifying the vehicle.

Most of what they are talking about is regarding electronic code and such. Being that 99% of new cars require multiple control units to make the car function it could be a very dangerous game to play when changing codes and such. They could simply state that any modifications made to a control unit will void any and all warranty to any component that is linked or controlled by that unit.

Regardless of what law or action they wish to take, it will not stop people from modifying there vehicles or working on them on there own. Its been attempted in other ways before (OBD cars for instance, they were designed to allow only an authorized repair facility to work on them) but then the auto parts world came out with code readers and such to allow a hobbiest to work on it him/her self.
 
Having worked as a technician and now being on the other side, I actually see both sides of this equation. Quite frankly, there is no way an automaker can stop me from putting a control arm, brakes, or a water pump on my car. This still is America.

That being said, I think what they are going after is proprietary type software - almost like Apple; where everything is vested by Apple through the Apple Store or iTunes. I really don't see this is a bad idea.

IMHO, most "tuning" parts / or "tunes" are garbage - and fail to deliver in quality and performance of the original factory part or settings. BMW forums (I am most familiar with BMW at this point) are filled with scores of headaches / CEL lights / and drivability issues from "mods" from people getting Inpa / GT1 or whatever bootlegs and then trying to "code" their car to unlock some secret power that the car was never designed to have.

I really don't blame manufacturers for voiding warranties for those who do this. Unless you fully understand every aspect of the system (few do; including me) screwing with a component or settings can cause issues which you may not expect in the future.
 
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