What will happen to places like Genos Garage?

[john3976]

With the way DC looks for anything to back out of warranty coverage, this brings up another question that effects aftermarket suppliers like Genos Garage, Stylin Concepts, Diesel Manor and the others, how much lost business will they suffer by Manufactures refusing to honor the Magnason/Moss warranty act?



A lot of the stuff they sell goes into new trucks, not 5 or 6 year old trucks.



Gauges are a perfect example, most buy gauges right away but it seems that you are under the microscope by the manufacture because you have gauges, what if something goes wrong with the engine computer and DC's equipment can't read it properly due to the computer malfunctioning?



This can and does happen, my company has a Ford in the shop right now, bone stock and the computer is throwing 8 codes and will not reset, if this was a Dodge with the Cummins, DC would say you had something in the computer at one time but we don't know what it was and it is gone now, and oh buy the way your warranty is void.



So, with this in mind, how much lost business will these aftermarket stores lose in sales to trucks under warranty?



I can see several items:



1. Air intake filter systems.



2. Gauges.



3. Intercoolers (for those of us stuck with the factory plastic tanks)

 

[JonathanBurk]

Well all I can say is I decided a while back to forget aftermarket intakes. The performance increase really isn't worth it for the money, unless you're majorly bombing and just plain aren't getting enough air.



As for programmer's and boxes, I am biased I admit seeing how my measely 90hp increase has turned into a $6K repair for me, but I'm through with them. Not because I blame the boxes, but because it just isn't worth it.



At this point the only thing I may add to a truck in ways of engine performance would be like a grumbly exhaust just for a nice sound, but other than that I'm done. Lifts & so forth... fine, but engine tweaking... nope.

 

[hdtrukn]

I think you are missing the point.

You can not modify or alter ANYTHING.

Lift your truck and then have a problem with your ABS.

Good luck.

Add different size tires, have a computer.

Good luck.

Just my thoughts.

hdtrukn

 

[john3976]

Well all I can say is I decided a while back to forget aftermarket intakes. The performance increase really isn't worth it for the money, unless you're majorly bombing and just plain aren't getting enough air.



As for programmer's and boxes, I am biased I admit seeing how my measely 90hp increase has turned into a $6K repair for me, but I'm through with them. Not because I blame the boxes, but because it just isn't worth it.



At this point the only thing I may add to a truck in ways of engine performance would be like a grumbly exhaust just for a nice sound, but other than that I'm done. Lifts & so forth... fine, but engine tweaking... nope.

Once you installed a lift you can forget about any suspension or drivetrain warranty, the suspension I understand as it is no longer DC parts and the specs are altered so if you end up with a truck pulls to one side or the other it is your problem, the drive line is a little different, as long as the drive shaft angles are still within specs you should be warrantied but they all use the lift as the cause of the problem, if they can show the angle is out of whack and causing the driveline problem then it is your bill, but if the angle is still within specs it should fall on DC, GM, Toyota, Nissan or Ford not the owner.

 

[JVolpe]

Addressing the original question. I don't think it will matter much in the long run. There are enough people like me that will always have the itch. Some probably can afford being there own warranty provider, some will be conservative and probably have no major problems, some will get burned bad do to bad luck or bad judgement and some like myself always live on the edge. If I get burned, it is just part of playing the game. Sometimes you win and sometimes you loose. Sometimes loosing is very costly. Just my . 02.

 

[klenger]

Geno's sells a lot of parts that are not performance related, in fact very few of their parts are performance parts. I suspect a large part of their business is selling Fleetguard filters.

 

[CumminsBu]

Once you installed a lift you can forget about any suspension or drivetrain warranty, the suspension I understand as it is no longer DC parts and the specs are altered so if you end up with a truck pulls to one side or the other it is your problem, the drive line is a little different, as long as the drive shaft angles are still within specs you should be warrantied but they all use the lift as the cause of the problem, if they can show the angle is out of whack and causing the driveline problem then it is your bill, but if the angle is still within specs it should fall on DC, GM, Toyota, Nissan or Ford not the owner.

I have a Kore Pace set up on my truck, While I was puttings the lift in I noticed that the seal on pinion shaft of the rear axles was leaking, being I had the front end done, I finished the rear leaf springs. Took the Truck in to the Dodge Dealer with 35000 miles on the clock and the Dealer replace the seal no questions asked and on there dime. They even gain me a ride home and pick me up when the truck was done.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

The way I see it, if something breaks on my truck, I'm not going to replace it with a mopar part, anyway. It's just going to break again. I'll spend probably less money on an aftermarket part that will last longer. I would think the aftermarket companies should start thriving, especially since DC is building itself such a poor reputation right now. I know I will never buy another new Dodge truck. I won't even let a dealer touch either of my trucks, not that they would.



Jim

 

[john3976]

The way I see it, if something breaks on my truck, I'm not going to replace it with a mopar part, anyway. It's just going to break again. I'll spend probably less money on an aftermarket part that will last longer. I would think the aftermarket companies should start thriving, especially since DC is building itself such a poor reputation right now. I know I will never buy another new Dodge truck. I won't even let a dealer touch either of my trucks, not that they would.



Jim

You make an interesting point on the aftermarket making better parts then then the factory original, I guess if you look at it like that they will do OK, but it still has to eat into their business if most people just give up on improving their trucks or cars with things like gauges.



I would think gauge sales would be hit the hardest if DC keeps voiding warranty's because you have a set of gauges.



I had my fast idle enabled but not by a Dodge dealer, does that mean now my warranty is suspect over having the fast idle enabled? something by the way some dealers don't know how to do and some want to charge an arm and a leg to do.



If a DC rep hooks up his little computer he will see that something was interacting at some point but it is not there now so due to the gauges the warranty is voided.



All I can say is I have bought six Dodges from my dealer so they better take care of me if that becomes an issue.

 

[Cummins360]

I think I am going to be the first on line when TOYOTA starts selling diesels. I hate The dodge crap, The engine is amazing but its made by Cummins, Dodge can go screw its self along with ford and gm. Theres nothing like a toyota for reliablity, a cummins yea but not in a dodge pos... ... ..... I have a good idea, when toyota starts selling diesels someone should start a forum for those owners and I bet there will be an 1/8 of the problems that you see in here with there trucks.

 

[john3976]

I think I am going to be the first on line when TOYOTA starts selling diesels. I hate The dodge crap, The engine is amazing but its made by Cummins, Dodge can go screw its self along with ford and gm. Theres nothing like a toyota for reliablity, a cummins yea but not in a dodge pos... ... ..... I have a good idea, when toyota starts selling diesels someone should start a forum for those owners and I bet there will be an 1/8 of the problems that you see in here with there trucks.

I don't know about that Toyota has had their share of problems with the Tundra.



You have to remember that they sell only a fraction of the number of full size trucks that Ford, GM and Dodge do.

 

[betterthanstock]

I think I am going to be the first on line when TOYOTA starts selling diesels. I hate The dodge crap, The engine is amazing but its made by Cummins, Dodge can go screw its self along with ford and gm. Theres nothing like a toyota for reliablity, a cummins yea but not in a dodge pos... ... ..... I have a good idea, when toyota starts selling diesels someone should start a forum for those owners and I bet there will be an 1/8 of the problems that you see in here with there trucks.

Last year it was all over the news that Toyota recalled 760,000 trucks to replace their ball joints (probably made by the same Chinese company as our Dodge joints)

It turns out, the supplier had mishandled the balls prior to assembly/hardening, causing some nicks and burrs, which then chew thru the brass socket, causing loose joints.

Must have cost Toyota half a BILLION dollars to replace those.

That tells you why D/C is in no hurry to admit that our trucks have a problem.

 

[RaymondSmith]

I've got to tell you Toyotas may not be perfect but they do take care of their customers. Case in point, I have a 92 Toyota 4X4. At 60K miles well out of warrantee one of the head gaskets blew. Guess what? The dealership actually appologized for it, replaced both head gaskets and gave me a loaner to boot. At 90K miles when I took it in for service they told me that there was a new design out for replacement head gaskets. They said mine were not bad but there was a good possibility they might fail again at some point. Guess what? They replaced both head gaskets again on their dime. This was many miles and many years out of warranty. In fact I just received a recall notice for a steering bracket that could go bad. Once again I took it in, they provided a loaner and fixed it. Heck, they even provided an alignment as part of the deal. So based on my experience if Toyota made a heavy duty truck, even if it wasn't perfect, I would buy one soley because of the way I have been treated in the past. I sure can't say that about the treatment I have received with my last two Dodges.

 

[JCleary]

I've got to tell you Toyotas may not be perfect but they do take care of their customers. Case in point, I have a 92 Toyota 4X4. At 60K miles well out of warrantee one of the head gaskets blew. Guess what? The dealership actually appologized for it, replaced both head gaskets and gave me a loaner to boot. At 90K miles when I took it in for service they told me that there was a new design out for replacement head gaskets. They said mine were not bad but there was a good possibility they might fail again at some point. Guess what? They replaced both head gaskets again on their dime. This was many miles and many years out of warranty. In fact I just received a recall notice for a steering bracket that could go bad. Once again I took it in, they provided a loaner and fixed it. Heck, they even provided an alignment as part of the deal. So based on my experience if Toyota made a heavy duty truck, even if it wasn't perfect, I would buy one soley because of the way I have been treated in the past. I sure can't say that about the treatment I have received with my last two Dodges.

Out of all the brands of vehicles I've owned, both new and used (2 Chevys, 1 Dodge, 3 Fords, 1 Acura, 1 Honda, 3 Toyotas, 3 VW's) I can say that Dodge's service (at several dealers) has been the worst, and Toyota and Acura has been the best.



Dodge could learn a thing or two about customer service from Toyota and Acura. If Toyota offers a Diesel that proves to be better than the Cummins, maybe I'll buy one for my girlfriend :-laf

 

[SKneeland]

I think I am going to be the first on line when TOYOTA starts selling diesels. I hate The dodge crap, The engine is amazing but its made by Cummins, Dodge can go screw its self along with ford and gm. Theres nothing like a toyota for reliablity, a cummins yea but not in a dodge pos... ... ..... I have a good idea, when toyota starts selling diesels someone should start a forum for those owners and I bet there will be an 1/8 of the problems that you see in here with there trucks.

toyota does(or at least did) make vehicles with diesels(just not popular in north america, although you can find a few used ones around). the one that comes to mind is their 3. 0L inline 6. ive put a few miles on these in their european landcruisers and was impressed 300k and many missed service intervals they just kept going...

 

[machinemover]

I must admit, when Toyota comes out with the Diesel full size, I will closely look at it over another Dodge.

 

[ohnoitsyu]

I'm sorry I can not provide a link for proof, but the CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) for Dodge is very low. Meanwhile, the imports, which also have their problems, typically have a much better CSI. What's the difference, since all the manufacturers have problems? Simple. It's how you (the manufacturer or dealer) handle those problems. Dodge hasn't figured this out. Toyota and Honda have.

 

[Parks]

I'm moving this thread out of the 3rd Gen Eng & transmission forum because it is not related.

 

[Willie G]

Customer Service

With all this bashing of Dodge customer service I am worried about what will happen if I have a problem with my new 2006 4x4 CTD. I must say that Toyota is no better. I think that they build great automobiles and small trucks, but they do not make a "superior" full size (or 7/8 full size) truck. Most people have a knee jerk reaction to the word Toyota and gush about quality and customer service. I think the good service that the person with the out of warranty Toyota got was due to a good dealer. Three of the Toyota dealers I have been to (2 in Houston, and 1 in College station) had horrible customer service. They mess up more stuff than they fix (just like the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge dealers so far) and they deny problems exist. I do not like to get the run around. Every dealer (so far) has been rude. I had to buy new rotors myself because I just got tired of fighting with the service department people. It took many phone calls and in person complaints to get new tie rod ends. I do like my Tundra however. It has a sweet little V8 engine and it is easy to work on. Just look under the hood and see how accessible everthing is! The biggest problem with the Tundra is the suspension components. The interior is not holding up very well either. I do think that they have a long way to go to build a large truck that can match the quality of their older small trucks.

 

[DHamblet]

For the price Toyota gets they should be able to afford it.