Do I chance it

[spoof3r]

I haven't been able to fix the issue with my A/C, so I need to take it in. I really don't trust some run down mechanic shop, and performance shops won't deal with it (not performance related, pfft).

I want to resort to the dealer, but am extremely nervous about them seeing my car since I'm BT. I don't mind paying for repairs, but don't want them doing anything sketchy so that later when I stock out the car and I take it in for warranty work they deny it based on previous "history".

Any advice, recommendations, etc.? Thanks fellas

[bertrand_CX_7]

Hey, why don't you try to go to a A/C shop (not sure if this is the right english term for this), but they may be some companies just specialized doing car A/C's.

I guess it'll be your best bet for now before throwing your self to the dealership.

Good luck....

[mazdaspdmike]

Get some local reviews. Sometimes the "run down" shops are actually the best in the business. Don't discount a mechanic because his shop has been around a while and isn't state of the art. Chances are he's been in business long for a reason.

As bertrand said, check for HVAC shops too. A lot of times some shops specialize in it. Your dealership will rip you a new one for A/C repair if you've even touched one A/C component with your BT install/setup.

Don't always trust the dealership to be the best bet working on your car anyway, just because they work for a Mazda dealership doesn't mean they know their way around your Mazda better than anyone else.

Ace_Protege here on MSF works at a Honda dealership, he didn't know shit about them before they hired him.

Any reputable shop will have access to a database that includes the shop manual information and will be able to work on your car as efficiently as your dealership.

[DONOTBUGME]

I don't think a dealership will over look a fully bolted bt ms3. They will most likely blame the mods

[NCZ13]

1. Your BT setup has nothing to do with the A/C system

HOWEVER (and I dont know your specific issue)

2. In the process of doing your installs you might have nicked a line, hit the condenser, etc etc. R134a is colorless so you wouldnt really see any leaks. That was what they could deny a warranty claim for. You can deny any further work of course if it isnt under warranty, sans the initial diag fee for figuring out whats wrong in the first place.

But being realistic, is it Mazdas fault you hit something in your a/c system? And even if you stock out and go in for engine related warranty work, why should the mazda foot the bill for the car youre obviously running on parameters not intended from factory nor covered under the warranty?

The dealer they will most likely note in their system (not mazdas) that they car was modified if in fact your modifications did damage the A/C system in anyway. A story gets written up about every car that gets written up by the technician. Its for records sake, that way if you end up coming back for more a/c work or something, they can look back in the history and see what was worked on prior.

[spoof3r]

Originally Posted by NCZ13 But being realistic, is it Mazdas fault you hit something in your a/c system? And even if you stock out and go in for engine related warranty work, why should the mazda foot the bill for the car youre obviously running on parameters not intended from factory nor covered under the warranty? The dealer they will most likely note in their system (not mazdas) that they car was modified if in fact your modifications did damage the A/C system in anyway. A story gets written up about every car that gets written up by the technician. Its for records sake, that way if you end up coming back for more a/c work or something, they can look back in the history and see what was worked on prior.

Exactly. It isn't the best thing to do, but I would like to know I will not be denied warranty work after I stock the car back out based on those history reports. I'm down with paying for these repairs. I just don't want anyone associated with Mazda having reports that I have a modified vehicle.

Thanks for all the advice so far, everyone. I just dropped it off at a shop with a few friend recommendations, so we'll see how things go. I'll update you as I know more.

[adlpb]

There's no such thing as a record or log of your mods. Warranties cannot be voided. Only claims can be denies on a case by case basis.

[NCZ13]

By log I mean in the dealers own system. The tech will most likely note it in the story.

For example, it would go something like this:

Customer states malfunction in A/C system, found bend and slight tear in A/C due to aftermarket intercooler piping installation. Leak confirmed with dye. etc etc

There isnt a national "flagging" database for mods ( Ive worked with advisors whove worked for mazda and theyve never heard of that). But if he brought it into the dealer, most likely when the technician does his story on the repair order he will note whatever the causal aftermarket parts were.

[spoof3r]

Originally Posted by NCZ13 By log I mean in the dealers own system. The tech will most likely note it in the story. For example, it would go something like this: Customer states malfunction in A/C system, found bend and slight tear in A/C due to aftermarket intercooler piping installation. Leak confirmed with dye. etc etc There isnt a national "flagging" database for mods ( Ive worked with advisors whove worked for mazda and theyve never heard of that). But if he brought it into the dealer, most likely when the technician does his story on the repair order he will note whatever the causal aftermarket parts were.

THIS IS HILARIOUS! That is exactly what the cause was. $400 bucks thanks to my lack of being more observant when installing my FMIC. Put a hole in the line and now I'm paying for it!

Anyways, no, they would absolutely not cover it if I blew my engine and tried to get it covered under warranty if they saw that I had brought it in with mods in the past. Which is exactly why I started this post. To answer the mystery of whether or not I should chance it. Obviously now that I've gone through a third party mechanic, once I blow my engine and take it to the dealer, they'll have no track record...make sense? Either way cross your fingers with me that it doesn't happen ;-) And if it does, please contribute to my part out thread

[Southernace76]

I would take it to an A/C shop. My question is, if you blow your engine and put it back to stock, will the dealership go back to warranty the vehicle? I would imagine based off experience they will be quick to deny you and void the remaining warranty based on your sig.

[PunjabiPlaya]

turbo blanket, how smart can they be?

[Ace Protege]

Originally Posted by PunjabiPlaya turbo blanket, how smart can they be?

if they are a speed certified dealer I'm pretty sure they'll know somethings going on. lol
and yes, when a tech gets a car for a repair, he has a cause line he needs to fill out and a correction line. He would most likely say, "aftermarket parts caused A/C component to fail"
correction "evac a/c system, replace line, recharge system"
then if you came in 3 months later with all stock parts but the same problem occurred they would most certainly deny it due to the fact that you brought it in before with that problem and it was cause by aftermarket shit. I wouldn't bring your car to a dealer modded and have anything done and expect to go to that dealer and claim warranty on stuff. Unless of course it's not powertrain related which engine mods would have no effect on