Range Device (Yes/No)

[Demon War Horse]

Originally Posted by 2010reddevil

The range device adds no power. A tuner will at least improve everything and still disable the AFM. Most dealers aren't going to be poking around at your pcm to check for a tune unless something catastrophic happens. That is a very rare occurrence nowadays. You can always flash it back to stock etc if it needs to be serviced or whatever. The granny and soft shifts as well as the pokey throttle response are the biggest handicaps to the L99 in stock form anyways.

While true, they can tell that it was reflashed and still deny your claim and make you defend the mods. For some of us, it is easier to keep the warranty issues in check until they run out. I have heard of dealers checking the PCM flash dates and still giving owners a hard time. It all depends on your dealer. I have not had great luck with them in my past so I tend to keep those kinds of arguments off of the table.

[Red2014SS]

Has anyone actually had a warranty denied because of a tune? .. I've been reading this forum for over a year, and I cannot recall ever seeing anyone say the dealer denied a warranty claim because they were tuned.

[christianchevell]

Consider this it is not just helping not make the engine into a four banger, it is also keeping the engine from fouling every time it does and eventually the problems that come with it doing that. Read up on long term AFM use and the problems it causes with its lifters and such and the range device is for those who do not want to tune or change out the top end..... a better alternative to not doing it. I used to own a 2011 l99 2ss/rs vert.

[Smokin19]

Have been using mine for a year now and not one problem. I unplug it when not using the car for a few days. Never had any cel to clear. I don't like the idea of a 8cyl engine running on 4 cyl's, just waiting for warranty to end then will make my mods.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

[Moto-Mojo]

I'll probably use mine again. But the prospect of buying one and 5 weeks later I'm at the dealer getting a fault reset - and letting them pop the hood on a Z/28 CAI mod, made me a bit nervous. No questions were asked and who knows if the Range caused it or not? AFM sux though. Why bother with a muscle car if yer gonna clip her wings?

[Red2014SS]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mojo

I'll probably use mine again. But the prospect of buying one and 5 weeks later I'm at the dealer getting a fault reset - and letting them pop the hood on a Z/28 CAI mod, made me a bit nervous. No questions were asked and who knows if the Range caused it or not? AFM sux though. Why bother with a muscle car if yer gonna clip her wings?

Download Torque to your phone, buy a $8 OBDII bluetooth device on Ebay and you can clear codes yourself. Plus, it gives you just about all the info from your car that you could ever want. Works like a champ. Either that or you can just disconnect the battery for a minute. I never got any CELs from my Range, but if I had, I would not have run to the dealer.. that's for sure.

[Moto-Mojo]

Originally Posted by Red2014SS

Download Torque to your phone, buy a $8 OBDII bluetooth device on Ebay and you can clear codes yourself. Plus, it gives you just about all the info from your car that you could ever want. Works like a champ. Either that or you can just disconnect the battery for a minute. I never got any CELs from my Range, but if I had, I would not have run to the dealer.. that's for sure.

So you must plan on going to the dealer as only a last resort? They'll be able to tell codes were cleared. Maybe not by what and whom but it's a tangled web if you don't just say F it, I'm modding and warranty be damned. I may eventually get there but the car is only 3 months old with one CAI mod. At this point, I'm not ready to chuck the entire warranty and have no qualms going to the dealer. I took my chances with the CAI and didn't get asked. But that's probably because they knew it had nothing to do with the battery.

[Low Saturn]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mojo

So you must plan on going to the dealer as only a last resort? They'll be able to tell codes were cleared. Maybe not by what and whom but it's a tangled web if you don't just say F it, I'm modding and warranty be damned. I may eventually get there but the car is only 3 months old with one CAI mod. At this point, I'm not ready to chuck the entire warranty and have no qualms going to the dealer. I took my chances with the CAI and didn't get asked. But that's probably because they knew it had nothing to do with the battery.

I think you're over thinking this. The dealer will not care about cleared codes, if they even look for that at all. I doubt they can tell a code had even popped up. I've read countless posts here and other car forums where someone will have a service engine light come on, then turn off. They take the car to the dealer and there is no evidence of what caused the light. They're usually told to come back while the light is illuminated so they can see the code.

[GMTool]

Waiting till a Camaro is 5 years old or 100K miles before tuning is like waiting till your 40 before moving out of mom and dads house, if you know what I mean.

[Demon War Horse]

Originally Posted by GMTool

Waiting till a Camaro is 5 years old or 100K miles before tuning is like waiting till your 40 before moving out of mom and dads house, if you know what I mean.

Not really, it just means some of us don't want to take a risk of powertrain failure the dealer tries to weasle out of because of a tune.

I know about the mangusson act, but sometimes they try to make you fight for longer than it is worth. Some of us are too old for the drama or worrying about that kind of stuff.

I didn't get mine to race, I got it to enjoy. I am over 40 and married, so my priorities are different than most. No biggie... for me the warranty dance is just not worth the energy. Too old for that shit.

[GMTool]

It's all about the warranty, which means money. A crying shame to have to live with AFM. In my case it was either tune the car or get rid of it. I've had my car into the dealer at least 3 times for warranty work, the latest was last month for a water pump. At 42K miles, covered under warranty. If my car were to ever need, let's say for example the lifters replaced, and lets say the dealer will cover it under warranty even with a tune. Well why would I want them to replace the lifters with the same crappy ones. That will be my cue to upgrade things under the hood. I got a feeling my cars engine will be problem free for as long as I own it. If I had to do it over again I would get the LS3. What's really bad is the 6th gen auto tranny Camaro also has AFM. If I ever get a 6th gen, I will be manually shifting the gears.

[Red2014SS]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mojo

So you must plan on going to the dealer as only a last resort? They'll be able to tell codes were cleared. Maybe not by what and whom but it's a tangled web if you don't just say F it, I'm modding and warranty be damned. I may eventually get there but the car is only 3 months old with one CAI mod. At this point, I'm not ready to chuck the entire warranty and have no qualms going to the dealer. I took my chances with the CAI and didn't get asked. But that's probably because they knew it had nothing to do with the battery.

Yes, I only use the dealer as a last resort. If anything needs to be done to my car, and I can do it myself... I do. I don't enjoy making an appointment, putting up with the problem until I can take it in, then having to hustle a ride home, possibly go without a car, or hassle with a loaner... etc... Especially when it's something like a minor CEL that I can clear myself in under 30 seconds!!

If running to the dealer every time your car hiccups is what floats your boat, have at it. For me, going to the dealership for any repairs is a huge pain in the rear. I hate going to the dealer for anything except buying a new car.

Back tp the topic... No one is going to even care about cleared codes. They can't even look for them... but even if they could, why would it matter? There are no rules that says only a Chevy dealer can work on your car. For all they know, a different service center cleared a code. Chances are if you have a problem, it'll be with the power window switch, or water pump, or fuel pump, or something else totally unrelated to a simple Range device.

Some of you guys act like the dealership goes into private investigator mode every time someone brings a car in for service. That's just not the case. But by all means, please do not get a Range or any mods at all... then when your car is an oil burner at 50k miles, you'll have your precious warranty. We can all read about how the dealer burned you and told you that you have "normal oil consumption" ..lol

[Red2014SS]

Originally Posted by Demon War Horse

Not really, it just means some of us don't want to take a risk of powertrain failure the dealer tries to weasle out of because of a tune.

I know about the mangusson act, but sometimes they try to make you fight for longer than it is worth. Some of us are too old for the drama or worrying about that kind of stuff.

I didn't get mine to race, I got it to enjoy. I am over 40 and married, so my priorities are different than most. No biggie... for me the warranty dance is just not worth the energy. Too old for that shit.

Then why are you on a thread discussing modifications? Is your goal to simply scare other people from trying any mods? Can you name one single instance, or link to one instance, where someone's warranty was voided because of a Range device? ... lol.. I mean, theoretically, they could void your powertrain warranty because of your X-Pipe, right?

[GMTool]

Originally Posted by Demon War Horse

Not really, it just means some of us don't want to take a risk of powertrain failure the dealer tries to weasle out of because of a tune.

I know about the mangusson act, but sometimes they try to make you fight for longer than it is worth. Some of us are too old for the drama or worrying about that kind of stuff.

I didn't get mine to race, I got it to enjoy. I am over 40 and married, so my priorities are different than most. No biggie... for me the warranty dance is just not worth the energy. Too old for that shit.

OK War Horse, I just looked at your build thread (Nice everything), it looks like one of your priorities is spending a good amount of cash on your Camaro. Warranty priority? Really?