New-car buyers who want to personalize their ride with aftermarket products may soon be able to do so without worrying about endangering their manufacturer's warranty.
It's all part of a plan of the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association, or SEMA, with the cooperation of its 7,500-member accessory manufacturers and professional installers. In a 21-month pilot program between those groups and a small number of cooperating auto dealerships around the country, 12,000 aftermarket products were installed without a single claim and without voiding a single new-car warranty, according to SEMA.
Ellen McKoy, who heads ProPledge as the executive director of the Specialty Equipment Warranty Alliance, a SEMA subsidiary, says the long-range plan is to extend the program to many dealerships across the country, working with SEMA's 7,500 member companies.
Many people believe that simply installing some aftermarket gizmo on your vehicle voids the vehicle manufacturer's factory warranty. That is a myth. What is true is that if an aftermarket part or its installation causes some part or system covered by the manufacturer's factory warranty to fail, that specific failed part or system probably won't be covered. It is a direct cause-and-effect situation. If the aftermarket part or its installation isn't the cause of the factory part or system failing, the repair should still be covered under the terms of the factory warranty.
Even when armed with this knowledge, many new-vehicle owners who would like to personalize their ride with aftermarket enhancements are reluctant to do so. Just the fear that something could go wrong, leaving them liable for expensive repairs, is sufficient to prevent many owners from customizing their vehicle.
That's where SEMA's new program kicks in.
Called ProPledge, it provides not only a uniform three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty on both the aftermarket part and installation, but also protects the consumer in the event the defect in that part or installation causes denial of a factory warranty claim. It covers parts replacement and labor.
The list of covered accessories and installations will grow as the number of participating manufacturers increase, but the current array of aftermarket products covered runs the gamut from trailer hitches, high-performance "cat-back" exhaust systems and sunroofs to leather interiors and mobile electronics. Massaging seat heaters, parking assist and remote-start systems are also on the list. A more comprehensive list is available on the ProPledge Website.
SEMA estimates most owners who personalize a new vehicle spend from $1,000 to $3,500 --- usually in the first 90 days of ownership -- a huge potential market for car dealers. "Why not do it at the point of sale," asks McKoy, "when buyers are excited about the car?"
The second phase of the pilot program is now underway -- hopefully to double the number of dealer participants by June. ProPledge applies only to participating accessory manufacturers and participating professional installers.
Dealers can join the program simply by offering ProPlege-covered accessories and installations. Consumers interested in personalizing their vehicles at the point of purchase with ProPledge protected accessories should seek out participating dealers.
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