Warranty Concern

[WXman]

I just bought a used '24 6.7 truck. It has 46k miles, so technically it should have 3 years or 54k miles of factory powertrain warranty remaining.

BUT, the Carfax shows first oil change at 13k, second at 33k, and last one at 46k just before I purchased it. I'm afraid that in the event of a warranty claim on the engine, that second oil change interval that went 20k miles will cause them to deny coverage. I'm considering taking the truck to a local dealer for all my oil changes from here to 100k miles to try and establish a relationship with them, in hopes that IF I ever need help maybe they'll be more inclined to help me (it's worth a shot). However, I have called 3 or 4 dealers and I'm being quoted everything from $150 to $275 for an oil change on this truck.

Am I just wasting my time thinking that a dealer might play ball with me later if I pay them to do all my service now?

 

[56ram2500]

I just bought a used '24 6.7 truck. It has 46k miles, so technically it should have 3 years or 54k miles of factory powertrain warranty remaining.

BUT, the Carfax shows first oil change at 13k, second at 33k, and last one at 46k just before I purchased it. I'm afraid that in the event of a warranty claim on the engine, that second oil change interval that went 20k miles will cause them to deny coverage. I'm considering taking the truck to a local dealer for all my oil changes from here to 100k miles to try and establish a relationship with them, in hopes that IF I ever need help maybe they'll be more inclined to help me (it's worth a shot). However, I have called 3 or 4 dealers and I'm being quoted everything from $150 to $275 for an oil change on this truck.

Am I just wasting my time thinking that a dealer might play ball with me later if I pay them to do all my service now?

I buy my own oil & oil filter then pay the dealer $75 to install it so that I have a dealer record of oil changes, I also do the same when it comes to the rear fuel filter I buy it they install it and I change out the front one myself

 

[ShadowJ]

Just keep a record and all receipts. You can also register with fca and keep track of maintenance on there.

 

[WXman]

Just keep a record and all receipts. You can also register with fca and keep track of maintenance on there.

Yeah I mean, historically I have done ALL of my own maintenance including transmissions, axles, t-case, etc. And I would prefer to do that on this truck.

My thought was just that IF I pay a dealership locally to do it and take it to them regularly it might possibly establish a relationship with them and they'd be more inclined to help if something terrible happens to the engine or transmission under warranty. I have read cases on this forum of guys getting engine warranty claims denied over oil records. I'm not sure that tracking my own maintenance, even with FCA, would carry the same weight as having the dealership do it. Seems like if they're making money off a customer on service they're a little more likely to play ball when warranty repairs come up.

I dunno...just a thought.

 

[cj8rockcrawler]

It was ultimately covered, but I even had to produce oil records when the grid heater failed. Unfortunately, my paper records were incomplete due to a house fire last year. I did have the Ram digital log, but they weren't interested in it. We worked through it, but it took longer and I had to initially agree to cover some diagnostic work until they confirmed it was a warranteed issue.

I haven't decided how I'll move forward with the new engine maintenence yet... dealership or continue to self maintain.

 

[motorhead426]

I've been tracking my maintenance on carfax so hopefully they'll trust that if I have an issue. I'm not paying the dealer for any work I can do myself (which is pretty much anything mechanical.)

 

[WXman]

I was told (by a Ram dealership) that service logs maintained in Carfax by an owner are different from service logs entered by a shop or dealership. Dealership/shop entries are publicly reported on the Carfax but private maintenance records are not. They specifically told me that for warranty, REPORTS would be needed and so they advised me to always get service done at a shop. They told me I don't have to bring it to them, but it does have to be done at a shop that reports to Carfax. This is the best bet.

Of course, an owner CAN maintain all records to facilitate the warranty, but it could make claims a more difficult process.

I guess that's the whole gist of this thread. Well, that one dealer that quoted me around $150 for an oil change...I might go there. That's not much more than it would cost me to do it at home. Might do that until I get to 100k miles then just go back to doing it on my own.

 

[MegaRed]

I was told (by a Ram dealership) that service logs maintained in Carfax by an owner are different from service logs entered by a shop or dealership. Dealership/shop entries are publicly reported on the Carfax but private maintenance records are not. They specifically told me that for warranty, REPORTS would be needed and so they advised me to always get service done at a shop. They told me I don't have to bring it to them, but it does have to be done at a shop that reports to Carfax. This is the best bet.

Of course, an owner CAN maintain all records to facilitate the warranty, but it could make claims a more difficult process.

I guess that's the whole gist of this thread. Well, that one dealer that quoted me around $150 for an oil change...I might go there. That's not much more than it would cost me to do it at home. Might do that until I get to 100k miles then just go back to doing it on my own.

I feel like $150 isn't bad. Once you pay $75-100 for oil and then $15-25 for a filter, the labor isn't costing you much.

 

[cj8rockcrawler]

I feel like $150 isn't bad. Once you pay $75-100 for oil and then $15-25 for a filter, the labor isn't costing you much.

Until the new guy over torques the drain plug!

I'm not trying to stir the pot. This is the internal struggle I have, do it myself so I know it's done right or risk dealer service on the truck for a paper trail.

 

[56ram2500]

I was told (by a Ram dealership) that service logs maintained in Carfax by an owner are different from service logs entered by a shop or dealership. Dealership/shop entries are publicly reported on the Carfax but private maintenance records are not. They specifically told me that for warranty, REPORTS would be needed and so they advised me to always get service done at a shop. They told me I don't have to bring it to them, but it does have to be done at a shop that reports to Carfax. This is the best bet.

Of course, an owner CAN maintain all records to facilitate the warranty, but it could make claims a more difficult process.

I guess that's the whole gist of this thread. Well, that one dealer that quoted me around $150 for an oil change...I might go there. That's not much more than it would cost me to do it at home. Might do that until I get to 100k miles then just go back to doing it on my own.

I have talked about this with people at the dealership service area where a person has warranty work an want them to go the extra mile to get it covered yet do the person has not done any type of business with them so it can't hurt to throw them a bone now and then, my self the few $$ I spend having them so a few things I can no longer do I feel may help if I need them to go the extra mile on warranty claim