lightngsvt

Hi ILLNESS guys, hope you dont mind a MiLOC guy over here! LOL! Anyway, I received the following e-mail from "Ford". I would like to get a strong showing of trucks. PLease contact me if you are interested in attending!! Lightningsvt@mediaone.net. Looks like they need the info within 1 week. Location so far is the Ford Dearborn Proving Grounds and they assure me that no VIN will be recorded (so dont worry about your warranties).

Theya re also looking for Cobra and SVT Contour owners, so if you know anyone please pass the info.
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I am a program manager for FCSD/TSO. We are currently developing multiple SVT training courses for dealership technicians. I have been contacting the different SVT owners groups seeking participation in this effort. Part of the course we are developing is going to cover modifications done to SVT vehicles. The intention is to video tape modifications of existing Lightning's and Cobra's and present them as part of the classroom style course for technicians. We are seeking Lightning and Cobra owners who would allow us to video tape the modifications they have done to their vehicles.

For know the intent is to gather the participants at a track or maybe the proving grounds. A video crew will be on hand to take footage of the modifications. We hope to have enough involvement that we can make a full blown SVT event out this. We are working with the SVT group and a sponsored event may be possible. The modifications we are looking for need to visible to the camera. They can be powertrain, suspension, or cosmetic. The idea is to present as much as possible. We need to try and focus our attention on the area that will produce the most modifications. We have communications out to many different groups and chapters. If this is something you feel your group may be interested in please let me know and I can contact you with more information.


John Nall
TSO Technical Training
Performance Improvement Training (PIT) Lab

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Chuck P
1993#3951 (24k miles, mod'ed and lots of custom parts)
NLOC#138
MiLOC#10

00 Focus ZX3
99 GT conv
91 GT (race/show car- in hibernation)

[This message has been edited by lightngsvt (edited 08-15-2001).]

RTKILLA

Sounds interesting to me, I might like to go check that out. I think I could provide them with enough video footage for the Gen 2'S hahahahaha.

Rob, you can be the no N20 guy to provide helpful hints.

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POWER SURGE PERFORMANCE RULES!!!

LightningWX

Why do they want to see the mods? The blah blah blah training doesen't really make sence. I smell something fishy.

Tooltime

I'd be interested depending upon the time of year. I haven't had a warranty since ?????? I say we give it a shot! TOOL

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Tim "Tooltime"
'93 11.8 114mph in 2000
'94 unknown (for now)

Lightning Bob

Everyone,

I also received a copy of the original e-mail from Mr. Nall along with a follow up shown below. My first thoughts were similiar to LightningWX's. I have been debating what to do with the original message since I received it. My fears are that showing these guys some of the performance mods that are done could better equip them to more easily identify mods which could potentially negate your warranty. But maybe I am just paranoid.
I should leave it to each of you to decide whether or not you want to be involved in this program. I do plan to be at Cordova with my new 2001 which by then should be sporting most of the mods off of my 99, but I will not be giving these guys permission to film anything on it.
I would appreciate further discussion and thoughts on this subject, so I can direct Mr. Nall to this topic to let him know of our concerns, enthusiasm, or whatever.

Lightning Bob


Subject: Modified Lightning's
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 15:21:12 -0400

Follow up to previous email.

There seems to be some concern from other groups that this is a valid
request and not some trick by Ford to cut warranty's. I can assure you
this is a serious request and opportunity. We are producing a training
program for SVT and as part of that program we are going to educate
dealership personnel that just because a vehicle is modified doesn't mean
automatic cancellation of warranty. We are using the video of
modifications to teach the technicians. This is its only purpose. We are
traveling to shows shooting various SVT vehicles and their modifications. We
do not record owners names, information, vin numbers, plate numbers or
any other information.

We are looking to travel to the Fun Ford Weekend on September 8th and
9th in Cordova IL. We will be there with a video crew filming
modifications and the racing. We would like to extend an offer to any one in your
group that would like their vehicle to part of this video and training
course. Is it possible for you to pass the word and let me know if
anyone is interested?

John Nall
TSO Technical Training
Performance Improvement Training (PIT) Lab
Phone: 313-24-82368
Fax: 313-845-2666
Pager: 313-851-3127

Training Man

I have logged on to explain our intention. The whole purpose of this is to help the SVT customer. The only way we can eliminate the fear of modified vehicles at the dealership is to educate them. The best way to educate them is to show them some modifications. For example, "explain that just because this Lightning has a smaller pulley or chip doesn't void the complete warranty under the hood. It definitely doesn't void a warranty on brakes and suspension." This is an example of actual complaints received. This is what we are trying to eliminate.

Any vehicle we use in a video is completely anonymous. No information is asked or recorded. Further more the people that make the warranty decisions don't have any contact with us. They have no control or input into what we do. They are given no information from us. I don't know what else I can say. People that are familiar with the Ford Motor Company structure would understand. If our budgets were big enough we would modify our own vehicles and use them. Unfortunately we do not have that kind of money. We thought that some current owners may be interested in showing off their vehicles and we could get the footage we need at the same time. To make the point clearer I have personally owned modified vehicles under warranty and completely understand the hesitation. I would not personally be involved with any plan or plot to trap any customer under any circumstance. That is as clear as I can make it. If there are interested owners we would love to work with you, if not we will try and get the video footage another way without owner involvement.

Lightning Bob

Training Man,

If we use your example: "For example, "explain that just because this Lightning has a smaller pulley or chip doesn't void the complete warranty under the hood. It definitely doesn't void a warranty on brakes and suspension." "
Does this mean that if a Ford technician who receives this training, and who now notices that there is a smaller pulley on the blower that previously would had gone undetected, that he could for example say the pulley caused your Lightnings intercooler to fail and thus it and ANY other powertrain failure will not be covered by the warranty? I may be wrong, but this is the type of thing I can see happening as a result of your efforts, and I for one can not support your request. But, I am just one of many members on this board, and this is only my opinion.

Lightning Bob

FMOS Racing

Bob - that's sort of where my thinking was. I may be overly cynical, but it seems like even in anonymity, giving the dealer techs the ability to readily identify modifications when they otherwise may have gone unnoticed, and perhaps a check list of items to check when the vehicle came in for warranty, could be readily accomplished using this methodology.

I'm not saying this is what is happening, just expressing my natural distrust of the current dealership repair network.

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Later!
Jeff S.
Lightning #74 in '95 - 11.92@115.2-lotsa mods
Lightning #582 in '00 - 13.36@101.75- Swanson chip
1993 Probe GT - daily driver
1973 Datsun 240Z - project car
Drive 'em like ya stole 'em!

roger

Sorry for the crosspost...just followed a link.

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Training Man. First of all I'd like to welcome you here amongst the Lightning faithful and fanatical, and say THANKS for building such a kick-*** vehicle. You hit a home run on this one--keep up the great tradition!

That being said, I have a hard time with what you're asking for us to do. My logic may be completely backwards, but I'll throw it out here for all to chew on.

Point 1: Ford Motor Company builds these vehicles and sells them to independently owned and operated subcontractors (eg, the DEALERS). You learn this if/when you call the problem hotline when you can't get your vehicle repaired properly and are told "Our dealers are independent businessmen and we don't control them."

Point 2: Dealers are in business to make money. That's why you see so many "market adjustment $x,000" stickers on the windows of new SVT products in dealer showrooms. This includes repeat business (if possible). If Ford doesn't give them grief about repairing modified vehicles, they won't care, and will replace the part irregardless. That will make the customer happy and hopefully translate into repeat business. They only want to be paid for what they do/replace, and don't want to lose reimbursement because corporate mgrs are on the rampage about warranty costs.

To cut to the chase; all Ford needs to do is to send out an official memorandum (whatever) to dealer service departments stating very simply "Effective immediately aftermarket (insert your favorite(s) here) modifications will not be cause for refusal of warranty work, nor will it result in cancellation of the customers remaining warranty." ...or something to that effect.

THE ONLY REASON THE DEALER IS GOING TO NIT-PICK THE CUSTOMERS RIDE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED FORD WILL DENY THE CLAIM. THIS MEANS THEY EITHER HAVE TO EAT THE COST, OR GO AFTER THE CUSTOMER FOR REIMBURSEMENT.

If they don't have to worry about reimbursement, they won't care what has been done.

In closing please don't take this as a personal attack on you, as it is not. I am simply basing my personal comments on 46 years of adult life that has allowed me to purchase 7 new Fords in the last 10 years (soon to be 8 in 11). I have spent a fair amount of time in (several) dealership service departments over that period of time.


Nuff said...<donning firesuit>


[This message has been edited by roger (edited 08-18-2001).]

jakdad

Wake up guys, Ford has a whole team of people that modify these vehicles on a daily basis. They are acutely aware of every mod on the aftermarket available for SVT vehicles. They have employees with modified SVT vehicles. They know what each chip,filter, pully,etc. does and where it goes. So why don't they just film and record their own vehicles? Think about it!

xjmd44

"It would be interesting to know how many Ford Rep's frequent this board daily,(poseing as Gen 1 & 2 owners) that are already aware of current mods to date and are learning all the new mods". FMC is already quit privey to current events in the Lightning world and a great portion of this data is gathered on this and other message boards.

sstock

Nuff of the conspiracy theories.
Let them tape em, drivem, do whatever to them.
Think about it, they don't need to come into the forum dressed as an alias fellow Gen1 or 2 owner. The can call up any aftermarket vender and order it all, install it all, and test it all, then film it all.
Believe me if their intention was to send out info to dealers with photos and documentation of mods in the intention to void warranties, they wouldnt need us. It would be handled and done now.
I say take the invite and enjoy the show!

Oh by the way, I have a '94, no warranty to void. lol
Later
Steve

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94 Crimson #2826
Born May 6, 1994
NLOC member #343
Team Powerdyne,
13.49@ 102mph
Wanting 12's


[This message has been edited by sstock (edited 08-18-2001).]

L'Nino

To assume that an SVT training program for techs will ACTUALLY translate to some sort of improved relationship between us and the dealership is insane! There's just to much in between to make it all come out right. Maybe a good concept on paper; but, to expect that a separate entity such as a dealership (band-of-frickin'-nonothing-idiots) is even more insane! Sorry, but, I'll just keep a low profile and slip under the wire come warranty time. In the end, my battle will be with a dip-dunk service manager, not SVT (or maybe SVT). Think about it, how many SVT dealers even know how to contact SVT for even the basic info. This may be legit on SVT's side; but, it will (if we give them all the pics and info) turn into a sceneario of us loading the dealers gun to cap our asses! And the VIN thing; who needs a VIN if they know you're coming and have all the mod info we provide them already in the tech's head as well as, I'm sure, a little book of info and pics to check. Who knows, you may even have the tech show you a pic of your very own vehicle that they took when you had your little pow-wow-fun-time at SVT. Eat $hit and die! I might consider doing this if FORD/SVT gave me signed, notorized letter saying my warranty on my Lightning may NEVER be voided for using mods....EVER!

sstock

fat chance!

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94 Crimson #2826
Born May 6, 1994
NLOC member #343
Team Powerdyne,
13.49@ 102mph
Wanting 12's

retics4me

ford should spend the money that these guys make and design a better tranny !!


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its not how fast you go its how fast you get there!!
00 silver
99 flht