VDC off voids the warranty..

[Howsie]

Whats the point of a warranty when driving it hard voids it?

[Cris]

I'd guess that if they didn't some berk would drive it in maximum attack mode all the time launching it from cold at every opportunity and then cry about the car braking after 30k miles.

It's old news and can only apply to a related system. So if you switch off VDC and the body rusts away they can't refuse the warranty claim.

I've seen this sort of scaremongering on a million forums.

[turboslippers]

As for "black box" data recording then thats been around for eons as well. The police have been known to check in cases of severe road accidents to see if speed etc was a major factor. If you guys dont like it then cancel your order and go buy an old 1980's DeLorean or something that makes you feel "tech" without diluting a knowlegeable club. Or an Ariel Atom if you're truly interested in going round track fast with no traction control - you'll get more out of it !!!

I believe Mclaren were one of the first to do this...I went to a lecture years ago by one of the chassis guys and he recalled a story ref a F1 that was delivered to one of the heads of BMW. Apparently by it's first service he had hit 300kph (autobahn obviously) something like 40+ occasions
We fit 'black boxes' to fleet cars a lot to establish the 'customer usage profile' and work out the worst case drive cycle but, hey, they get a free pen, umbrellla and alarm clock...

[kpkpkp]

Originally Posted by Chubby

I have a feeling it's just covering there backs - I'm sure it will be just fine - as long as you don't use it every time you leave the lights for 3 years - don't forget they give a full 3 year warranty - thats a lot of time and miles for something to go wrong..

R.

If it is just launch control then fine, I don't mind if I can't use it all the time but I was under the impression that VDC was more traction control than launch control.

Kp

[Bodi]

Later in the owners manual the VDC is talked about for weather and road conditions, so could it be that the warranty is void if the VDC is not active for this type of activity rather than using it for the launch control

[turboslippers]

as long as you don't use it every time you leave the lights for 3 years

That's a very vague statement though isn't it? If you buy a new car you should be entitled to know exactly what the manufacture believes is acceptable usage..i.e what they have signed off on durability testing. Anything with 'acceptable usage' or the like is open to interpretation i.e the manufacuturer will try and prove that you have used the car outside of it's normal operating envelope (hateful term but it's used...). When statements like this are put in the owners manual it really opens up warranty claims to a case by case bun fight..i.e who shouts loudest wins...

[supraman]

Originally Posted by bladerider

BMW, Ferrari and others have stated that their modern launch systems are for very seldom use and as such repeated launches will almost certainly break something and hence void the warranty because they know this would happen. Its a bit like a page in a handbook for a gun that says dont point at yourself and pull trigger - its kinda obvious when you stop and think about it !!

Yes, but there is a world of difference between saying that launch control should be used sparingly and saying that turning off traction control will void the warranty, especially when Nissan are saying that everybody should try the car on a circuit at least once.

[kpkpkp]

I sent my completed order form back on Friday but before I did I called Nissan. I sent them a copy of the link and asked them to explain it. They told me that it is going to be qualified for the UK and will explain in an email what is and is not covered.

Kp

[WickedOne513]

can you post that email kpkpkp

[kpkpkp]

Originally Posted by WickedOne513

can you post that email kpkpkp

For sure, I even put on the order form a foot note to say order subject to VDC clarification and Nissan were fine with that. Should have the reply tomorrow so as soon as I have it I will post it up.

Kp

[kismetcapitan]

might be the threat of getting sued. Launch control is not offered on US market Ferraris at all.

And the carnage of launch control and BMW M3s with SMG boxes is something I see regularly. My friend practically makes his living rebuilding the things for M3 owners around here, so much so that I've come to completely distrust semi-auto transmissions. Every time I swing by the garage, he's got one in pieces on the floor.

They are clever bits of engineering though - far less bulky and complex than I thought they'd be.

[Howsie]

SMG boxes aren't fragile over here... how odd.

[kismetcapitan]

maybe it's just a smaller, more concentrated area - most of the nice cars are located within about a 10km quadrant of Seoul. So maybe I'm just seeing more failures, but out of a larger pool of M3s per square mile.

[Howsie]

Quite possibly. I had the impression that the SMG boxes were quite strong. Have you ever had a drive of a CSL? Now that gear change is awesome.

[Bodi]

Originally Posted by Howsie

Quite possibly. I had the impression that the SMG boxes were quite strong. Have you ever had a drive of a CSL? Now that gear change is awesome.

When we bought ours we had been told no more that around 10 launches before it would go belly up, so i never used it