[WSTNGAS_C6]

So, I've been wondering if the factory warranty covers track use?


I'm not talking about some hyper modified car or competitive use and assuming not due to driver error. Just a stock car out on a HPDE. Specifically I have a 2010 Z06 that I use for the occasional track day and HPDE. The only modifications are SS brake lines with track pads and the muffler mod with a switch for the NPP. I still have some power train warranty left and I'm wondering if Chevy will honor it if I were to blow the motor at the track? Let me preemptively say that I have not blown the motor, just kinda asking in a what if situation. Obviously I wouldn’t even try if it were due to driver error such as a missed shift or over rev situation. But should the motor let go during aggressive driving will it be covered? :doh:

 

[Ragtop 99]

i would not count on it. Did you read the warranty to see if excludes track use; I have not looked at it since I've not had a warranty powertrain issue. A few years back there were Z06 failures because the dry sump had a problem at a couple tracks with hard sweepers in a certain direction. IIRC, Chevy blamed the drivers, at least at first, but ultimately made a change to the dry sump system.

 

[Shattered]

Just my 2 cents, but I can't see Chevy covering racing of any kind in a warranty.

 

[WSTNGAS_C6]

Here is the issue, if they don't cover track use then why would they design the car to do the things it can do? Furthermore there is a section in the owners manual covering high performace and high speed driving so I would assume they expect a certain amount of aggressive driving.


All this just makes me wonder that if I blow the motor while driving on the streets it is covered but if I take it to a track, the only legal place to excersize the car, it won't be covered? I dunno, just seems a bit grimey. Like I said, I would never expect them to cover if I messed up or modified the car but I would hope they would stand behind their product when it is being used in its inteded design.


I guess the only thing I can do is trust the engineers and hope the car keeps performing as advertised.

 

[Ragtop 99]

I agree with your logic, but that's not the way it seems to work. To some degree, Chevy can't control how hard you push your car on the track and whether you might over do it in the quest for a win. Track use also requires a very different maintenance schedule that would be hard to monitor since the oil life meter is the only fluid that takes engine rpm into account. Everything else is time based and not based upon assuming track use.

I've never talked to the Porsche guys to see if Porsche stands behind their car. Any knowledge on that?

 

[WSTNGAS_C6]

Hmm, I see your point on there being no way to measure what “aggressive” driving is. Ditto with the maintenance, I know I take care of the car but how can they be sure. Ugh, still kinda seems shady to me.

Never asked the Porsche guys that specific question but I have an HPDE tomorrow and I'm sure more than a few of them will show up. I'll make sure to ask around see what other manufacturers are doing. I know I've talked to a lot of people about insurance and the consensus on that is the guys with the exotics and hyper exotics usually get the track insurance where as those of us with sub $100k cars are almost better off without it due to the amount of money it costs vs what they pay out. But that is obviously a whole different ball of wax.


It’ll be interesting to see how other companies stand, or don’t stand, behind their products.

 

[c6vette]

As Ragtop said, I agree with your logic as well, but another big point is that businesses these days are all about the bottom line and with GM still facing an uncertain future, I don't see them eating any costs if they don't have to.

So many things are relative when you talk about 'race driving' or 'tracking' a car as everyone drives differently. If the car is a stocker, I imagine the pcm would tell the maint dept. a lot, but in order for GM to cover certain driving styles, they'd have to limit a lot of things such as how high you rev the car during launches and such... as well as over-reving. Would certainly take the fun out of competition.

I think that if GM were to back these cars, the price of the cars would most certainly have to go up as GM would have to use even higher quality parts.

 

[Ragtop 99]

I thought the track insurance was for liability and damage in the event of a crash, not mechanical break down. I never insured my Camaro at the drag strip, but a Z06 is in a different price zone.

Which HPDE are you doing? I need to go try one.

 

[WSTNGAS_C6]

Track insurance is in fact for accidents and such. I just mentioned it because of the correlation between your regular insurance company for the street and how it isnt going to cover you out on the track same way it would seem the manufacturer may not cover the car on the track.

I am doing Summit Point's Friday At The Track or FATT for short. If you google Summit Point FATT it'll come right up. Not sure about posting links here so I just wont. But I highly recommend it. Been doing it for a few years now and they are great. One on one instruction and you have the ability to graduate to higher levels of aggressiveness and get SOLO time. Great mix of cars and owners and skill levels. I've seen pretty much any car you can imagine there at one time or another and since it isnt "competitive" it is a really great chance to exercise the car in a safe controlled course. But of course there is nothing like forcing the ferrari, lamborghini, R8 etc etc into giving you the point by

 

[Ragtop 99]

I've heard of it; just hadn't talked with anyone who has gone.

 

[vettex2]

whatever you do , don't talk about any on track activities if you are even thinking about warranty issues