Dont change your own Oil if you want to keep your warranty!

[RTS_Owner]

If they rep is a Bozo, then let someone from BRP say it. The law that everyone keeps referencing implies to me that it is not at their discretion. I am not a lawyer, but isn't the warranty a contractual agreement where BRP agrees to provide a service. I think it is totally fair that the warranty is contingent on my providing the proper service, and that is in the agreement. But I don't want to have to have the service done at the dealer. And until BRP says the rep was mistaken, I must assume his word is BRP policy. He answered the customer service phone. I may be shouting from the roof tops, but I am not making anything up. When I was told that it might go against me if I do my own service, my jaw dropped. I asked him multiple was if I had it straight, to make sure he really was telling me that if I change my own oil and do my own service, then warranty repair leaves the realm of a contractual agreement and relies on BRP's good will. Does the fact that there is a law that is going to help really have any impact on what might be BRP's stance.

On my 08 Spyder the radiator cracked and the coolent started leaking. The bike got really hot one time before I could pull over and get my wife to bring the trailer. I had the bottle replaced under warranty. But what if there had been some damage to the piston that resulted in some metal in the oil. According to the rep I could have gone in with major engine problems and BRP could have denied a claim if they wanted too. They could just stand the line and say the dealer didn't change the oil, and the Bozo would be who I would get when I called for help. Please don't say I could sue, because I don't want to.

I want BRP to say that it is fine for customers to perform their own service. I want them to suggest we keep a log to show the service is being done. And I want them to state clearly that warranty service is not at their discretion to deny as long as appropriate service is done, and the dealer doesn't have to do the service.

Otherwise, if you change your own oil then warranty service is up to BRP's discretion, and it will play against you if you have an issue. As stated by the official spokesperson for BRP.

[Jeriatric]

If they rep is a Bozo, then let someone from BRP say it. The law that everyone keeps referencing implies to me that it is not at their discretion. I am not a lawyer, but isn't the warranty a contractual agreement where BRP agrees to provide a service. I think it is totally fair that the warranty is contingent on my providing the proper service, and that is in the agreement. But I don't want to have to have the service done at the dealer. And until BRP says the rep was mistaken, I must assume his word is BRP policy. He answered the customer service phone. I may be shouting from the roof tops, but I am not making anything up. When I was told that it might go against me if I do my own service, my jaw dropped. I asked him multiple was if I had it straight, to make sure he really was telling me that if I change my own oil and do my own service, then warranty repair leaves the realm of a contractual agreement and relies on BRP's good will. Does the fact that there is a law that is going to help really have any impact on what might be BRP's stance.

On my 08 Spyder the radiator cracked and the coolent started leaking. The bike got really hot one time before I could pull over and get my wife to bring the trailer. I had the bottle replaced under warranty. But what if there had been some damage to the piston that resulted in some metal in the oil. According to the rep I could have gone in with major engine problems and BRP could have denied a claim if they wanted too. They could just stand the line and say the dealer didn't change the oil, and the Bozo would be who I would get when I called for help. Please don't say I could sue, because I don't want to.

I want BRP to say that it is fine for customers to perform their own service. I want them to suggest we keep a log to show the service is being done. And I want them to state clearly that warranty service is not at their discretion to deny as long as appropriate service is done, and the dealer doesn't have to do the service.

Otherwise, if you change your own oil then warranty service is up to BRP's discretion, and it will play against you if you have an issue. As stated by the official spokesperson for BRP.

FWIW - You are not the first to recently show up here upset and saying you just had a conversation with Alex.

Not my place, but if it was -Alex and I would have a short conversation.

[RTS_Owner]

I asked Alex if there was someone else I could speak with, because I was not very happy with the information he provided and he told me NO. He said he was the one, I was at the end of the line. He said he was telling me company policy and there was no one else to speak with. The end.

I sent an email. Probably to Alex, but have not received a reply. Only been about 5 hours though.

I will update if I receive a reply.

[Jeriatric]

I asked Alex if there was someone else I could speak with, because I was not very happy with the information he provided and he told me NO. He said he was the one, I was at the end of the line. He said he was telling me company policy and there was no one else to speak with. The end.

I sent an email. Probably to Alex, but have not received a reply. Only been about 5 hours though.

I will update if I receive a reply.

You're a collage guy......think of the letters Na......and fill in the blanks. Just sayin.

[NancysToy]

Thank you for the explanation. The rest of the story helps. I can understand your concern, given the conversation you had, but I would not worry if I were you. As was said, all warranty work is at the manufacturer's (and dealer's) discretion. They do have to operate within a legal framework, though, and I have never heard of a reputable dealer refusing warranty work under the circumstances described. It is an old scare tactic, and in this case it seemto have to worked. Lots of dealers and manufacturers imply it, but few have the guts to actually try to deny on that basis. They would be laughed out of court if push came to shove. It just isn't legal in the US and in most states. They have to have a related reason to deny the warranty, and they cannot void the warranty altogether.

Whether you continue to worry, or remain angry is up to you, but I'd chalk it up to one uninformed idiot on the phone, who hopefully will be in remedial training tomorrow.

[Cruzr Joe]

I am taking my ball and going home, you people are mean. LOL


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[fastfraser]

Has this Newbie even had a problem getting warranty work yet ??????

[serf]

Honestly this isn't the first story of a rep treating customers this way. Watching all you fanboys pile on to someone with a legitimate complaint is a bit pathetic. I have never had to deal with BRP's "customer service," but I do know that i will log (with photographs) every oil change I do myself just because of the horror stories. I do believe there are more happy customers, and that most people usually get their problems resolved without much issue.

[JJW SpyderRider]

I work in customer service and deal with warranties. And like what was said, it is a warranty not a guaranty. If you notice BRP shows the owner step by step instructions on how to change their oil. If changing your own oil would invalidate your warranty these instructions would not be in there. I think the BRP policy is normal for any buisness but was conveyed very poorly.

[Firefly]

This whole topic is just way outta control...

A better title would have been "BRP Rep Alex doesn't know what the he's talking about".

Why? Because he DOESN'T.

Certainly doing your own work *could* cause warranty issues... but that doesn't mean it WILL.

Other than the BRP rep being dead wrong, I see no reason for such drama. Those of us who have stated the various laws pertaining to this ARE right on this matter. Period.

[oldgoat]

I have also talked to Alex and he is not the main man as he says you have to keep your cool with them and let your dealer talk for you it took my dealer 3.5 hours to fix my problem but yes Alex should not have a phone and he can't help you my problem was breaks and the dealer I bought my Spyder from sold water craft didn't have a clue how to fix eanything on it and I went to a nother daler (RPM Cycles Albemarle NC.) best in my book service fixed my bike while shop teck talked on the phone fixing the other dealers mess now I am happy happy happy BRP will fix it Alex should not have a job if he treats everybody like that I will never forget him

Wow!! world record sentence length.

I know I shouldn't make a comment, but I went cross-eyed reading it.

[NoJive]

As someone who has worked in the customer service industry, I can tell you that you shouldn't judge a company on the conversation with one rep. I read a post awhile back where a BRP rep actually called a poster on here just to make sure things were ok with her (I think) Spyder. I don't think she even contacted BRP about her issues, but the rep had seen her post on here, and was just checking up on things. Alex seems to be the exact opposite of this rep, but that is how it usually is. Anyway, the warranty on my Chrysler PT Cruiser is no different than what BRP does. If I change my oil, and strip the drain plug causing all the oil to run out, Chrysler is in no way going to replace my locked up engine. My uncle once accidentally filled my Grandfathers van up with diesel instead of normal gas. Luckily, he realized his mistake before they fired it up. Seems like the OP would expect Chevrolet to replace the motor anyhow. I'm sorry, but I find nothing out of the ordinary here. Just my $0.02.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thank G*d my Spyder is out of Warranty.....No more BS....Mike...

[Dizneyman]

Three sides to every story....his, hers, and somewhere in the middle the truth....Just Sayin....

[ARtraveler]

This post kind of went South. Posts of this nature usually turn out to be troll posts. They have the characteristic of having a hot button issue, a new poster, very little information, and then inflammatory information about the , a dealer, or BRP.

Thank you Scotty for your wise information concerning the issue.

I would like to hear more about what kind of issue caused the problem and why it was necessary to call customer service in the first place. It is obvious that customer service dropped the ball if the information about the call is correct. Like someone else posted earlier, there are three sides to every story. We have heard one at this point in time.

[pickelhead]

I'm not bashing. But I am really angry and you can keep your sympathy. As far as I am concerned I made a deal with BRP. I am living up to my end and doing the service, (not to mention I paid for the bike), and when I was told that there is any possibility that they won't live up to their end, then I have a problem with BRP. I asked Alex if there was anyone else I could speak with and he told me NO. So as far as I am concerned, until I hear from someone above Alex, I am completely authorized to tell the world that BRP's attitude is that they may not voluntarily honor their warranty if you service your own bike.

Me thinks you do protest too much.

[Dudley]

Everybody has opinions and many are really good ones. This Spyder owner is really worried about a "what if" situation that has not happened and may never. He is seeking some one to agree with him that BRP is wrong and he is right. OH BOY!

Let me once again post my story. We bought a 2008 SE5, you know the one with the "automatic" (not really automatic) transmission that in it's beginning had some issues. But patience and postings, etc., and the SE5 is now what it is. Ours had a problem in not completely disengaging when stopped with the engine running and in gear. I did the most forbidding thing anyone could have done. I researched different oils and started using Royal Purple 10W40 Automotive Synthetic! BINGO! The problem went away, never to return! I violated the BRP Warranty! Did I worry? NO! I rode the Spyder for 43,000 miles and traded for the RT. I have never taken either Spyder to the dealer for anything but warranty recall work. Do I worry? NO! I am still using Royal Purple 10W40 Automotive Synthetic and, as in every motorcycle I have every owned since 1966 I change the oil and filter every 5,000 miles. Total Spyder miles on the two I have owned is 68,000. Do the math and see how much money I have saved. (I guesstimate $13,000!)

And now in answer the this OP. Do what you want to do. It's your Spyder. If you worry so much about a warranty, you will take a lot of fun out of riding. Also, the dealer is probably just trying to cover his back side, scare you a bit, and try and make money.

[gypsy_100]

Don't judge BRP by this rep. I personally know a guy with a nice Camaro. He called GM to ask if it was OK to use synthetic oil. The customer service rep said "No. It had not been specifically tested in the Camaro and would void the warranty." Talk about somebody making things up as he goes along. Jeez. Unfortunately this guy believed the rep and would not use synthetic oil. I tried to convince him that any oil that meets all the specs in the owner's manual was fine but he stood by what this rep said and used only conventional oil. His loss.

[DrewNJ]

After owning BRP (mainly seadoo) over the last several years I have come to learn that BRP relies heavily on their dealers. Much more than any other company I've ever dealt with....
I have come to find that BRP will do and stand behind what their dealer recommends.

I have never, that I can remember, heard of anyone getting anything done through BRP going over the dealers head.
So, I have a hard time believing that the dealer wants to do something and BRP is putting the stop on it....I think your dealer may be two facing you.

Usually if the dealer calls for it, BRP goes with it pertaining to warranty concerns....if the dealer says no, BRP says no and stands behind that. MUCH more than any other company I have ever dealt with...


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[mike3069]

This thread is a great example of what can result from an instance of "misguided" customer service. All of the ranting and back and forth commenting could have been prevented by a better trained and more attentive customer service rep. Most of the smoke that I have just tried to digest is, in fact, just steam from a boiling over pot left to long on the burner.

Spyderlovers, take the pot off the flame, take a breath, relax.

BRP, examine your customer relations policies and procedures.

We WILL all survive this.

[Trickie Dick]

Why would BRP sell oil change kits if they didn't approve of users changing their own oil I really don't think these kits are directed to the dealer techs.
If so, I'm on the wrong mailing list.

[NancysToy]

Why would BRP sell oil change kits if they didn't approve of users changing their own oil I really don't think these kits are directed to the dealer techs.
If so, I'm on the wrong mailing list.

Good point!

It is probably a conspiracy by BRP to get owners to void their warranties unwittingly.

[Smokinspyder]

I don't know what your issue is, and I don't care what Alex says, it is not that cut and dried. In the US, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prohibits a manufacturer from voiding your warranty because you did the service, or had a third party do so. That's the law...not some service rep's mumbo jumbo.

Now here's where it gets a little complicated. First, you have to be able to prove that the service was done according to their schedule and to their specs. That's pretty easy if you document the srvice work, including all tasks performed, the mileage, and the date. Keeping the receipts for the oil, filter, and gaskets is a big help, too. On their end, they have to show that the work (or modifications) you performed directly caused or contributed to the problem in question. The remainder of the warranty remains in effect, BTW.

I suspect there is more to this story than we have read here. If you feel that you have been legally shortchanged, however, it may be necessary to contact a lawyer for further advice. There are specific legal obligations on the part of both parties before a thing like this is supposed to happen.

Pretty much what he said . They would have to PROVE that your oil change or what ever you installed or removed was at fault and well thats not going to be easy ! In case your curious yes I have dealt with the "Its something elses fault not our products " whaving been a car audio installer for about 14 years ( Going back into the industry in 10 days as well )

[bruiser]

As a master service tech for a major company, I have the authority to determine if an issue is warranty or not. Recently I received a breakdown call that I've seen many times before. I called the customer and informed him that the issue may not be warrantied. I also advised him what to look for to solve the problem. The customer called me back and said he fixed the problem and appreciated what I did for him. Now, on the other hand I've had customers argue, threaten, yell, scream etc. when I charge them for a repair that I told them from the get go wasn't warranty related. Then I hand them off to corporate warranty reps and let them do their job. Tact means a lot when talking to company reps about an issue. You jump in my face, I'm going to throw up the force field. You be nice and listen, I'll be nice and listen. One other thing, if someone else works on the machine before you call me and I have to figure out what they did before I figure out the original problem, warranty or not, most likely you're going to have to pay.

[Jeriatric]

As a master service tech for a major company, I have the authority to determine if an issue is warranty or not. Recently I received a breakdown call that I've seen many times before. I called the customer and informed him that the issue may not be warrantied. I also advised him what to look for to solve the problem. The customer called me back and said he fixed the problem and appreciated what I did for him. Now, on the other hand I've had customers argue, threaten, yell, scream etc. when I charge them for a repair that I told them from the get go wasn't warranty related. Then I hand them off to corporate warranty reps and let them do their job. Tact means a lot when talking to company reps about an issue. You jump in my face, I'm going to throw up the force field. You be nice and listen, I'll be nice and listen. One other thing, if someone else works on the machine before you call me and I have to figure out what they did before I figure out the original problem, warranty or not, most likely you're going to have to pay.

There ya go!!

Before I do a Mod it has to pass this smell test. Could it put me on *defense* as it relates to BRP's Warranty statement. The less likely it is to do that, the more likely I am to do the Mod. A simple test that works for me.