FAE void warranty

[Laketexoma]

I just got of the phone with my dealer and was told that CC will void your warranty if you install the FAE. Makes me double think the FAE!! Anyone else heard the same thing?

ADMIN NOTE: This has been disproven. Please click here to skip to the response from Greg Meloon:
http://www.planetnautique.com/vb3/sh...760#post211760

[ers906]

We are talking the aftermarket through Larry correct? Not the one that they offer through the dealers? At about $750 installed, I personally would not take the risk. With as much as a G costs, and the cost of fuel, roughly 4-5 tanks of gas covers the expense.

[Laketexoma]

Yeah the aftermarket one. I was just going to order one so I called them about the 2014 one. That's when they told me that CC called the customer and told them that if they installed it his warranty was gone on the hull and engine!! Makes me glad I called!! I'll just wait for the CC version.

[jrz1]

No brainer to go with OEM solution if even a small risk of warranty breach.

[ers906]

Laketex, you should be able to order the factory exhaust now. Ask you dealer. Mine was ordered on monday, should be here in a week or so.

[shawndoggy]

I'm pretty sure that the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act would prevent cancellation of the warranty on the basis of installation of the FAE unless CC could show that the FAE caused the problem. The text below is from the FTC. While it references car parts and warranties, I'm pretty sure that the act applies equally to boats. In short, your warranty can't be "voided" but a claim could be denied if it was shown that the damage resulted from the FAE:

Will using 'aftermarket' or recycled parts void my warranty?

No. An 'aftermarket' part is a part made by a company other than the vehicle manufacturer or the original equipment manufacturer. A 'recycled' part is a part that was made for and installed in a new vehicle by the manufacturer or the original equipment manufacturer, and later removed from the vehicle and made available for resale or reuse. Simply using an aftermarket or recycled part does not void your warranty. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it illegal for companies to void your warranty or deny coverage under the warranty simply because you used an aftermarket or recycled part. Still, if it turns out that the aftermarket or recycled part was itself defective or wasn't installed correctly, and it causes damage to another part that is covered under the warranty, the manufacturer or dealer has the right to deny coverage for that part and charge you for any repairs. The FTC says the manufacturer or dealer must show that the aftermarket or recycled part caused the need for repairs before denying warranty coverage.

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0138-auto-warranties-routine-maintenance

In any event, it's hard to see how installation of the FAE would void a warranty on say, vinyl, guages, hull, racks, tower, etc etc.

And as for the FAE being the caused of a voided warranty, I think that would be a tough case for CC to make, given that they are now installing an FAE-designed pipe that does the same thing. What distinguishes the factory pipe from the FAE pipe other than aesthetics?

I sure hope Larry got compensated royally, because it sure looks like CC is trying to sell this idea as their own and also say that his product voids consumers' warranties. weaksauce.

[Laketexoma]

If it caused back pressure in the engine I could see the motor not being covered. Its the same argument with the diesel motors and chips. I have 2 buds who's warranty was canceled by ford because of chips. If the company refuses to cover it you can sue them but who has deeper pockets?

needless to say I'm NOT going to take the chance that my boat is not covered.

[shawndoggy]

So how is the backpressure different between the FAE and the nautique knockoff? What distinguishes the two parts?

That's a lot different from cancelling a warranty on a diesel motor because of a chip.... it would be akin to cancelling the warranty on a diesel motor because of an exhaust.

Remap the ECM on your boat, and then your motor blows? I agree, you are on your own. Install an aftermarket exhaust part made by the guy who designed the factory part and then you have a problem.... seems to me the burden should be on CC to distinguish larry's part from the part larry designed for CC.

[Laketexoma]

So how is the backpressure different between the FAE and the nautique knockoff? What distinguishes the two parts?

That's a lot different from cancelling a warranty on a diesel motor because of a chip.... it would be akin to cancelling the warranty on a diesel motor because of an exhaust.

Remap the ECM on your boat, and then your motor blows? I agree, you are on your own. Install an aftermarket exhaust part made by the guy who designed the factory part and then you have a problem.... seems to me the burden should be on CC to distinguish larry's part from the part larry designed for CC.

I'm not starting a argument!! Just letting everyone know what I was told by the dealer. If you have a G and want the FAE go right ahead and put it on just don't be surprised if you have issues down the road with CC.. Now off to put the boat in and go RIDE!!

[Chexi]

In the past, with other boats, I thought you just needed to add the interior flapper option not to void the warranty.

[ers906]

I imagine that since CC offers a version that they have vetted, and therefore they want it used. I can't imagine a complete void in the warranty, however, is it going to be worth the headache in dealing with it if there is a problem? Nothing against FAE, I had one on my 210 for a bit. But in that case it did cause an increase in back pressure, causing the engine to have all sorts of problems so I removed it

[TallTex]

Yes, shawndoggy is correct and the entire "after-market" for parts or accessories would not exist but for the US Federal Code cited. For example, if a warranty claim was "denied" when it should have been honored, and the Manufacture cannot prove the addition of the aftermarket part caused the failure, they would be in violation of law and by showing they were a plaintiff would be awarded attorney fees pursuing their claim, even if the damages were "nominal." My guess enough of these systems are in use to prove they are reliable and do not cause harm.

[swankster]

IMO this is a fight between FAE and Nautique and we are caught in the middle. My dealer told me it would not void my warranty. They are also the ones that told me it would not be available for the 2013 models which is why I bought the FAE. At any rate, I believe this was the first time my dealer headed me down the wrong path. They did however give me a contact at Nautique contact to call before I did the install. He didn't know that the factory pipe was going to fit the 2013 either. He also told me that anything after market (FAE, stereo equipment, tower accessories) could throw off the balance of the boat and cause several issues including stress on the boat or wake issues. I took that to be the company line. Next we will be hearing that any weight on the tower other than the factory speakers will void the tower warranty.

I called the dealer today to get a price on the factory model. They are checking and will get back to me and I will post when I find out. I will likely make the switch to the factory just to avoid the finger pointing if something should happen. It is unfortunate, but why get stuck in the middle for $250.

[iamcdn]

That's such BS about aftermarket accessories throwing off the balance. If anyone at Nautique authorized or trained an employee to say that then they should be ashamed. So the boat is designed to work correctly and safely without speakers, with 2 or 4 roswell speakers, with standard or Z5 bimini, with 1 or umpteen people, with whatever gear you decide but throw on some wetsounds and you've thrown yourself down the crapper? Honestly...

[ffmedic74]

Going a step further, if CC really felt that there was a real CO danger with wakesurfing, I would think they would install some sort of exhaust displacement device on ALL CC boats that are advertised for wake surfing and retrofit all of the prior boats.