Being Smart: How to Avoid These Issues Altogether
If you're buying a performance car, it's best to start off on the right foot. Buy from a dealer-ship that is knowledgeable, familiar with their performance product offerings, and can do what must be done to fix performance vehicles correctly. Usually, this will mean an SVT dealership (or what was an SVT dealer); after all, the SVT dealers sell and install performance parts for Mustangs, so obviously they are going to be more familiar with the cars, the law, and the needs and desires of customers. If you buy your car at one of these dealerships, you're pretty much guaranteed to be off to a good start.
Joe Amato elaborates, "If you get a dealership that's not into performance parts at all, you can put different tires on there and they'll give you a hard time, because they'll always attribute the problem to whatever you put on the car. An exhaust system is a good example, too. If you go to a dealer versed in performance stuff, the way it should be is if you put a supercharger on the car and your power windows stop working, they have to fix it; but if you say blow a head gasket, it's your dime"
And stick with that dealership, too whether it be for subsequent purchase or service on the vehicle you've already bough. This will help from a bond of trust, and they'll be much more likely to take care of you in the event of a problem.
Finally, don't be unrealistic, and don't be flagrant, "We ve had people come in with slicks on the car and shoe-polish numbers on the window and expect us to warranty a blown transmission", Amato says.
Given the right tools, the propects for success in a wrongful warranty denial situation are excellent, for the law is very much on your side.