One Person's Experience: BT plate voided Toyota's warranty

Well, I smell something, and I don't think its a Troll. Maybe I'd better check the bottom of my shoes, that's what this smells like...... :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rangerdavid @ Aug 14 2007, 06:27 PM) [snapback]495763[/snapback]</div>

Have you been walking where bulls or cows run????

 

Sounds like he went back in his hole...... if he really wanted help, he would openly provide the information requested.... at least in PM's to trusted moderators and/or Brian if nothing else....

His silence speaks volumes......

 

dude. it's called personal accountability. even if they denied your warranty claim due to the presence of the plate, you were the one to put it there. i think it's pretty well understood that modifying your car involves taking all responsibility into your own hands and not screaming about it later to the folks who make and/or distribute the products.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 14 2007, 07:52 PM) [snapback]495856[/snapback]</div>

I personally agree with you. However, there are those who worship at the alter of Magnusson-Moss. Those folks believe that the feds are going to force the evil manufacturers to prove that aftermarket modifications were the cause of the failure that resulted in the manufacturer's decision to deny warranty coverage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Beginning @ Aug 14 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]495496[/snapback]</div>

My suggestion is put the original Toyota plate back and then take it to another dealer.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Beginning @ Aug 14 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]495496[/snapback]</div>

If you want the folks here on PriusChat to "man up" . . . please provide us with the name of the Toyota dealer and service writer you are dealing with there in the San Francisco area. We could then "man up" and help protect a fellow PriusChatter (and all other PriusChatters) from being screwed by an either unethical or highly misinformed dealer. There is safety and strength in numbers!

[now what makes me think we won't be hearing back with the name of a dealer. :lol: :lol: :lol: ]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 14 2007, 09:20 PM) [snapback]495920[/snapback]</div>

There wouldn't even be a suit. As soon as it was mentioned to the dealership's legal counsel, they would smack down the idiot service writer who was stupid enough to utter such nonsense and that would be the end of it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusenvy @ Aug 14 2007, 09:22 PM) [snapback]495925[/snapback]</div>

It wouldn't be the dealer that denies the warranty coverage. It would be the manufacturer. If you really think that Toyota would bend over at the mere utterance of the words Magnusson-Moss, I hope you never have to find out whether those words have the power you think they have.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Aug 15 2007, 12:28 AM) [snapback]495929[/snapback]</div>

Does anyone know where the burden of proof lies with Magnusson-Moss?

Also, on a somewhat related note, does Toyota pay the dealership less for warranty repairs than a customer would for the same work out-of-warranty?

If so I would imagine this could be a potentially corrupting influence on service managers, encouraging them to attempt to deny coverage... and it would probably work 9 times out of 10!

 

The OP's post makes no sense, nor does the dealerships position about the plate. It's not even as significant a modification as adding a simple strut tower bar to the car. It's totally passive to the suspension. I see absolutely no link between a BT plate and some kind of suspension issue.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 14 2007, 07:21 PM) [snapback]495687[/snapback]</div>

i'll give him free shipping and handling if he sends it to me

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boxster...WRX...Prius? @ Aug 15 2007, 04:57 AM) [snapback]496002[/snapback]</div>

While I (like nearly everyone else) suspect the OP's situation is completely fictitious, the BT plate, if it performs as claimed, does, indeed, affect the suspension. The whole point of installing the plate is to 'tighten' the suspension. In doing so, it would most certainly affect another part or parts of the suspension.

I'm no engineer or physicist, but it would seem that the flexing of the OEM plate absorbs a certain amount of chassis torque. When that flexing is removed by replacing the OEM plate with the BT plate, the chassis torque that had previously been absorbed by the flexing of the OEM plate would have to go somewhere else in the suspension.

The question then becomes whether the effect is enough to cause sufficient damage to warrant repair and how readily it can be traced back to the BT plate.

 

I agree....the most simple thing to do here is to put back the original plate and take it to another dealership, no one will be the wiser. You have nothing to lose, but a bad headache.
Glad that I still have mine for that "just in case" situation. I have heard that dealership come up with all kinds of...."stuff" ( to use a polite word), so they would not have to stand by their warranties.

 

Why hasn't this thread been locked yet?

 

The guy is an obvious troll. He posted yesterday and said he would be back to post more after work, but posted nothing further. However, take a look at his profile and you can see that he logged in again two hours after his last post.

I can smell a lie like a fart in a car.

 

You could well be right, but:
If I had bought a part on the recommendation of a group, and said part then caused me to apparently lose a fair amount of money, I would be pretty unhappy. At that point I could register on the site, having only lurked before and let off steam. When logging back, finding myself the subject of some considerable vitriol, I am not convinced that I would post again. Of course then I would be labelled a troll and all on site would go away happy having dispensed with said troll, leaving a newish Prius owner unhappy both with his car and the community.
I am happy to admit that I may be somewhat naive but I suppose I would have asked for more information as some did before crucifying the OP. I am obviously a newbie to this site and understand that you do get a fair amount of trolling and spam, but I do moderate a Bang & Olufsen site which can also be subject to nuisance posts and have never seen such an instant decision to label someone a troll.
I think the advice to simply go to another dealer having swapped the part to be a little dubious as the next dealer may be some considerable distance away and also one would then be open to charges of deception. I would certainly argue my case with both the dealer and Toyota , citing the Federal law and would hope that all would be resolved.
Having said all this, it does strike me as strange if the plate mentioned could cause any damage but as there does seem to be a little uncertainty about how the device actually works (and yes, I have read ALL the BT plate thread! ) I suppose it is theoretically a possibility that the damage cited could be related. It would be useful if the OP did post again obviously and the validity of the complaint established.
Sorry to post at this length.