[ace3]

My dealers service manager just got back from Lotus USA, where they had a big training class.

He wrote me today and said the following:

"when you get yours, don't exceed 4k rpm's until you're first service at 1k-1.5k miles, your lotus dealer has to print out the history from the ecu and send it to lotus cars usa, if you go over they void your warranty"


I was planning on breaking it in, but this is going to be difficult. Especially considering I'm driving the car from down south to Omaha.

 

[XconZ]

4k seems quite low to me :huh:

-Eric

 

[Eyelise]

This contradicts what I've heard thus far. Lotus is gathering the ECU data to learn more about the driving habits of Americans. The advice I've heard is not to load the engine but brief runs onto the second cam (6200) were advisable. It is also important to bring the engine up to temp before loading it.

 

[grudkin]

If they were to void my warranty for exceeding 4K before 1000 miles, they would be losing my business for good.

I just can't see this being the case, though

 

[mikester]

This doesn't seem reasonable, I think they will use this against an owner only if they see blatant evidence of over-revving or other abuse.

I plan to use common sense during break-in - make sure the engine is up to temperature before bringing up the revs, varying the engine speed, not lugging the engine, not getting up too high on the revs but occasionally bringing them up.

 

[Need4Speed]

"when you get yours, don't exceed 4k rpm's until you're first service at 1k-1.5k miles, your lotus dealer has to print out the history from the ecu and send it to lotus cars usa, if you go over they void your warranty"

This runs contrary to what owners of Toyota-engined 111Rs have already been told to do.

I too will be driving my Elise home from out of state (900 mile road trip). 4k ceiling does not sound feasible.

 

[Lotus F1]

I would already be worried about the knowledge and common sense of the service department if I were you

 

[Rich]

Try a search, this has been discussed a few times before:

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2470&highlight=warranty+rpm+miles


http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2628&highlight=warranty+rpm+miles

 

[ace3]

I would already be worried about the knowledge and common sense of the service department if I were you

Not worried one bit. It's one of the more reputable Lotus dealers in the US.

 

[ace3]

Try a search, this has been discussed a few times before:

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2470&highlight=warranty+rpm+miles


http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2628&highlight=warranty+rpm+miles

I've seen those threads - the only reason I posted this was because the service manager just got back last week from a training class held at Lotus. Those threads were older than that.

 

[saffron]

This contradicts what I've heard thus far. Lotus is gathering the ECU data to learn more about the driving habits of Americans. The advice I've heard is not to load the engine but brief runs onto the second cam (6200) were advisable. It is also important to bring the engine up to temp before loading it.

How will the data be meaningful if they're telling us not to drive the car hard until after they collect the data?

 

[zvezdah1]

I'm heading up to LCU on Friday, I'll see if I can get a copy of the break in info, probably identical to the 111R.

Chris

 

[Racer X]

This will be interesting. I understand this is their practice in other parts of the world. However, we have different consumer protection laws. We different laws about automotive warranties. I have never seen a conditional warranty on an automobile. One where yourwarranty goes into affect once you have this check done. I would presume that this check is free. Also, The data in the ECU is mine not theirs. I am not sure what they can do if you don't have the check-up. Normally they would have to show your actions have a causal effect to deny a warranty claim. How will this work for those that live many hundreds of miles from a dealer? Those people will not have a warranty. Surely they would be able to refuse delivery of their car and get their deposit back.

If this is their position this could get costly and ugly for Lotus Cars USA. Deny warranty claims in this fashion will not garner favorable press. What would happen if the ECU lost the data prior to your 1000 mile check-up, would you have no warranty. So a faulty ECU would void your warranty?

I question the application of this process in the US.

Greg

 

[zvezdah1]

To the best of my knowledge the warranty will be just like any other warranty with no contingent on whether the car passes it's first service.

But, I think if someone horribly abuses the engine, destroys it and they run the systems check on it and see that you trashed, they might use that in refusing to accept responsibility. I personally never had any problems with warranty claims on any of my Lotus.

Chris

 

[khamai]

But, I think if someone horribly abuses the engine, destroys it and they run the systems check on it and see that you trashed, they might use that in refusing to accept responsibility.

Reminds me of the story Arnie told me a few years ago about a guy in Chicago that purchased a new Esprit (yellow) with cash and a few weeks later stopped by the showroom and saw a silver one. He liked the Silver one better so he parted with some more cash and drove off in the Silver car.

Seems the next day he decided he wanted to see the Sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge and set off from Chicago on a Friday. He motored across Nebraska at 120-150 mph. Got stopped a few times but continued on his "Cannonball-like" run to get to SF to Saturday's sunset.

Amazingly, he made it, enjoyed the Sunset and headed back to make to the office by Monday morning. This "Vanishing Point" adventure took a turn running across Nevada. He was being pursued by the State Patrol going nearly 180. As he climbed a rise the V8 on the Esprit blew and the car came to steaming smoking stop. The driver was thrown in jail, the car impounded.

He made bail the next day and called Arnie. The car was towed from Elko NV to Harris Lotus in Salt Lake. He told Arnie what had happened and asked if the engine failure was covered under the warranty! Arnie about rolled out of his chair with laughter. But, the driver insisted that it was covered, which might have been had he not missed his 1000 mile check-up (where the break-in oil is drained).

Arnie thought this was over. A new engine was shipped to Harris and the driver was headed to court. A few days before the court date Arnie got another call, this time the driver was asking Arnie to be a witness on his behalf to testify that the car was safe at 180 mph! Obviously Arnie didn't testify...

Kiyoshi

 

[Mean TT]

I just realized that if any other car manufacturer did something like this, it would make test drives impossible of ANY car, since that car would probably exceed the allowed RPM for break-in. This is just plain stupid. If Lotus tries to pul this on us, I will leave my car on the lot. Someone else can buy it. After all of this waiting, and the terrible communication with the customers, the rag-tag group of people running the importation who while are good at their job, but bad at estimating customer expectation and customer relations, to the final insult of what I consider spying on all owners. This kind of crap is a big brother approach to business and I think it should be illegal. GM has been using these black boxes on thier cars for years, and it is terrible. I wonder how any Celica owner would feel if Toyota tried to pull this crap on them? This is a Toyota engine, and it is either reliable with the Lotus programming or it is not-and that should have been determined before the first customer allocations were delivered. When I get my car, and I am in the first "batch" (whatever that means) and the try to tell me that my warrenty could be voided, I will consult a lawyer, and investigaste ways to erase the memory in my car-not becasue I plan to abuse the car, but because I refuse to agree to that information being anyone elses but mine.

 

[ivan1]

I think this is just another rumor not worth getting upset over at this point....Maybe Chris can get some info from LCU???????

 

[Modern Wedgie]

meanTT

Toyota does indeed check the ECU on the celica when the car comes in for engine repairs.

 

[grudkin]

Just fuel to the fire...

I just blew my M-coupe engine, and though the warranty was active, they refused to cover the repair/replacement due to a rather minor over-rev seen on the computer

I can tell you that if I missed a shift, it was not in any proximity to the engine failure. Repair is $10K out of my pocket

The 'black box' thing is increasingly an issue with modern cars.

While I can see the manufacturers side of it, there has to be some give and take to keep the consumers happy.

 

[zvezdah1]

Mean,
This is just another rumor not worth getting upset about! Firstly, if your buying a new elise, it won't have more than a couple dozen miles on it. Don't get worked up about this, this is not a major deal!!

Here's reposted breakin instructions for the 111R which will be the same as the US car. Please it says not to run at over 4500 RPMS FOR SUSTAINED PERIODS, it also says nothing about voiding your warranty.

From ACP's 111R manual
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Although the Elise/Exige powertrain is built to close tolerances using modern technology the progressive and sympathetic running-in (or bedding-in) of a new engine and transmission....Failure to comply with the following running-in provisions will invalidate the terms of the vehicle warranty.

Being too sympatheic will not allow the piston rings to bed in properly. For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometres) use no more than moderate throttle openings (about half the available accelerator pedal travel) and do not run the engine continuously as speeds over 4,500rpm. Occasional short bursts at wider throttle openings and higher rpm will be beneficial... do not let the engine labour in too high a gear...

After 600 miles or 1,000 kilometres have been covered, full throttle and/or maximum rpm may be used for short periods but not until the 'After Sales' service has been carried out should full vehicle performance be exploited.

Servicing is generally every 9,000 miles (15,000 kilometres) or every 12 months. Under heavy use oil and filter needs to be changed every 4,500 miles (7,500 kilometres), inspect air cleaner at 9,000 miles (15,000 kilometres), inspect brake pads at 4,500 miles (7,500 kilometres)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Chris