Ok, just read the warranty coverage on MMNA's website and this is what you will find.

After market parts do not void your warranty, but the parts are not included in the warranty. Unless the after market component is found to be the cause of the failure. However, if you buy MMNA approved products, they are covered under the factory warranty.

Under WHAT IS NOT COVERED, this is where you can be burned. As it states:

ALTERATION, MISUSE, OR ACCIDENT DAMAGE:
- Any vehicle previously declared a total loss
- Collision, fire, theft, frezzing, candalism, riot, explosion, or objects striking the vehicle
- Misusing the vehicle, such as, but not limited to, driving over curbs, overloading, racing, or using your vehicle as a stationary power source
- Alteration of modification of your Vehicle, including, but not limited to, the body, chassis, braking system, or other components
- Tampering with, or modification to emission contol systems or with other parts that affect these systems
- Environmental damage

So, pretty much YES. If you race your car, you are disqualified. Race is defined as any timed event btw. So track days, hence they arent timed, are ok

The interesting part is the emissions stuff. If you put an after market exhaust on, they could void your warranty, though I still believe they need to prove that the cause of the failure was due to this component.

 

Im sorry that sounds like anything modifying the vehicle....

 

That may be true with the warranty people but with insurance any type of racing is not covered. It used to be that if it was a timed event, that insurance didnt cover you, but is it was not a timed event, even on a race track, you were covered, but last year, most if not all closed this loop hole and you not covered by insurance if you do anything on a race course, weather its timed or not.

 

So, when I go to register this year, I have to register under a fake name? And how willing are track officials to do this??

 

Well we have kind of strayed form my autox versus warranty question. But if you speak to your local club officer, they are just people who want to have participation with like minded individuals. I dont think anyone wants to screw or be screwed by an overzealous car manufacturer. Mitsubishi isnt any worse than several other makers. On a local level I think you will be fine.

I have heard some crazy things about guys getting sponsored by a certain other small (key word) brand that even had the guy at nationals car in their magazine, and getting denied. I just wanted to see to what extent (being a parking lot racer) I would need to go.

Thanks for all the good advice!

 

i dont get the idea of making a performance car and you cant use it.

 

put it this way, if you have a brand new watch and subject it to extreme heat, and the internals of the watch break, and they knew it was from extreme heat, (like the face of the watch is melted), they will cover it if you're a good customer, or if they are cool. the same with dealerships. not all dealers are the same, and depending how professional you come off, they may take care of you. if you make a big stink about "it better be covered", or come off as rude or something, they probably won't help you as much. and some people in dealerships are just rude and nasty. they give the rest of us a bad name. i work for a saturn dealer by the way, (LOL), and when a turbo sky or redline comes in with intake or exhaust, the only thing i say is "cool". unless i have to call the tech. assist. center. the first thing THEY ask is "has the car been modified?" LOL.

 

I was told, prior to last season, the only was MMNA can void the warranty is if the part in question breaks at or near the venue. He said the ECU records the latest 20 min of car inputs. If you race and something craps out on you on the way home, as long as it was longer than 20 min ago when you were 'under the red mist' you're fine.( either that or drive it gimp for 20 min-haha) Take it for what it's worth, but that was a good enough excuse for me to go racing. Good luck this season.