[xxxBlakexxx]

While most of us HERE modify our Mustangs, probably 90% of the people out there do not. FORD makes cars for the masses...NOT the individual. Despite this fact, there are millions of $ to be made in the after-market. Think about it, if 20,000 Mustang owners each spent $500 that's a lot of money...and that would be just for one model year. I am surprised that I don't see the after-market industry fighting this. Don't you think that it is funny too that we have never seen an article in MM&FF or other mags about this topic? At least I have not.

Here is what we have learned:

1 - If you modify your car, you may run the risk of loosing your warrenty PERMANTLY.

2 - If you make good friends with your local Ford dealer, he will work with you for warrenty work...within limits. These limits are set by Ford not the local dealer.

3 - Ford can rationalize almost any mod as causing any type of problem and thus voiding your warrenty.

4 - When dealing with your local dealer, understand that you are treading on thin water when it comes to warrenty work.

I called my after-market warrenty company today and asked them a few what-if scenarios. Basically, they won't cover jack on my car anymore. The minute I put in a chip, I am done. Exhaust...done. Gears...forget about it....DONE. Warrenty is void. My options are to either sweet-talk my local service guy (I can take my care ANYWHERE for warrenty work) so he doesn't tell the company. I have a friend that owns a shop, so I am hoping I can pull this off. Or, I can just cash the thing in for about $850 and use the money for more mods. Hey that would pay for a sweet nitrous system. Maybe I'll just wait until something breaks and if they won't fix it, then I cash in the policy. It's a prorated thing so I can do it whenever I want.