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Croathlete · 04-25-2008, 03:02 PM

I'll have to double check with my friend when he gets back to the States, but in looking online, I did find this below. I'm not saying this is real (found it in another forum), but would support his story. I know it's not exactly the same, but similar. I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, just playing devil's advocate here.

In or around May of 2006, a friend of mine and I went to Pacific Raceways to make a few runs down the track. I had my 04 Spec V and he had his brand new 06 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged. He had owned it for about 2 months at that point. So we went to the track and when I got into the paddock, I began removing my license plates and put tape over my VIN thats located on the dashboard. My friend asked me why I was doing this. I told him that Its been known, and that Ive read a few accounts, that vehicle manufacturers and insurance companies, actually send out "spies" to local track events to go around and take incriminating photos so that they can validate voiding your warranty on your brand new vehicle and cancel your insurance policy, and that he should do the same and remove his license plates since his car was practically brand new. He told me that it sounded like one of those urban legends and that he wasnt worried about it. So being the person that I am, said, "Ok, suit yourself, but dont come crying to me if you get that letter in the mail."

And also being the person that I am, I was looking around trying to locate anyone that may be taking pictures of me or my friends car.That was the main thing I looked for, someone taking a picture of my car or his car that had no reason to be taking a picture of it, because the outside of both of our cars are almost completely stock. I have wheels, his is completly stock. Why would someone take pictures of that at a track where there are LOTS of more interesting cars to take pictures of?

So I was looking for someone by themself, or with one other person, that kind of looked a little out of place and that wasnt talking much. I was paying more attention to the people with LARGE lenses on their cameras so they can get that sneaky zoom. I saw a few people with them, but they were with family and had cars there themselves, so they didnt raise much suspicion to me. Unless of course they are being really ****ing sneaky and doing it while they take their own vehicles to the track. Who knows really, but Im too lazy to be THAT paranoid. lol

The entire day, I didnt notice anyone that I would imagine to fit the profile of the people to look for. So I really thought that I kept a good eye out and he didnt get caught.

We made our runs, had fun, and went home.

A few weeks went by and my friend calls me all pissed off. He says to me, "Dude, you were right! The ****ing dealership sent me a letter telling my that they are voiding my entire drivetrain's ****ing warranty! And they got ****ing pictures too man! My car is going down the track in this one!" I know that this happens, but honestly I was surprised that it actually happened. I was kind of sickened to hear this news. But no where near as sickened as my friend was. He was so ****ing furious.

And to think that was the end of it. 2 days later, he got another letter from his insurance company, which was Geico, the same insurance company I used back then. They canceled his policy. He had to go to another company and get another policy almost immediatly because the next day his bank that financed his car called him and said that they were notified that the car did not currently have insurance and that they needed him to insure it and to have a copy of the policy faxed to them as soon as its insured or they will repossess the car if he doesnt comply in 30 days.

So, as a warning to all of you that go to the drag strip. If you have a warranty and would like to keep it, or if you just have an insurance policy and dont want to be caught on the track, take the 5 minutes to remove them before you go down the track and the 5 minutes to put them back on. And cover your VIN while youre at it.

And just because youve been to the track many times and youve never gotten the letter, doesnt mean it cant happen to you. I found this out on a local Nissan forum in Washington where a guy had went to Pacific Raceways in his new 350Z and they voided his warranty this way. His insurance didnt get canceled, but he warranty was GONE!

You can choose to blow this off if you want, but I dont want to see any post saying this happened to you and youre pissed. Because I will tell you exactly what I told my friend, "Ok, suit yourself, but dont come crying to me if you get that letter in the mail."

04-25-2008, 03:02 PM	#14
Croathlete Danny Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 1,656	I'll have to double check with my friend when he gets back to the States, but in looking online, I did find this below. I'm not saying this is real (found it in another forum), but would support his story. I know it's not exactly the same, but similar. I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, just playing devil's advocate here. In or around May of 2006, a friend of mine and I went to Pacific Raceways to make a few runs down the track. I had my 04 Spec V and he had his brand new 06 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged. He had owned it for about 2 months at that point. So we went to the track and when I got into the paddock, I began removing my license plates and put tape over my VIN thats located on the dashboard. My friend asked me why I was doing this. I told him that Its been known, and that Ive read a few accounts, that vehicle manufacturers and insurance companies, actually send out "spies" to local track events to go around and take incriminating photos so that they can validate voiding your warranty on your brand new vehicle and cancel your insurance policy, and that he should do the same and remove his license plates since his car was practically brand new. He told me that it sounded like one of those urban legends and that he wasnt worried about it. So being the person that I am, said, "Ok, suit yourself, but dont come crying to me if you get that letter in the mail." And also being the person that I am, I was looking around trying to locate anyone that may be taking pictures of me or my friends car.That was the main thing I looked for, someone taking a picture of my car or his car that had no reason to be taking a picture of it, because the outside of both of our cars are almost completely stock. I have wheels, his is completly stock. Why would someone take pictures of that at a track where there are LOTS of more interesting cars to take pictures of? So I was looking for someone by themself, or with one other person, that kind of looked a little out of place and that wasnt talking much. I was paying more attention to the people with LARGE lenses on their cameras so they can get that sneaky zoom. I saw a few people with them, but they were with family and had cars there themselves, so they didnt raise much suspicion to me. Unless of course they are being really **ing sneaky and doing it while they take their own vehicles to the track. Who knows really, but Im too lazy to be THAT paranoid. lol The entire day, I didnt notice anyone that I would imagine to fit the profile of the people to look for. So I really thought that I kept a good eye out and he didnt get caught. We made our runs, had fun, and went home. A few weeks went by and my friend calls me all pissed off. He says to me, "Dude, you were right! The ing dealership sent me a letter telling my that they are voiding my entire drivetrain's ing warranty! And they got ing pictures too man! My car is going down the track in this one!" I know that this happens, but honestly I was surprised that it actually happened. I was kind of sickened to hear this news. But no where near as sickened as my friend was. He was so **ing furious. And to think that was the end of it. 2 days later, he got another letter from his insurance company, which was Geico, the same insurance company I used back then. They canceled his policy. He had to go to another company and get another policy almost immediatly because the next day his bank that financed his car called him and said that they were notified that the car did not currently have insurance and that they needed him to insure it and to have a copy of the policy faxed to them as soon as its insured or they will repossess the car if he doesnt comply in 30 days. So, as a warning to all of you that go to the drag strip. If you have a warranty and would like to keep it, or if you just have an insurance policy and dont want to be caught on the track, take the 5 minutes to remove them before you go down the track and the 5 minutes to put them back on. And cover your VIN while youre at it. And just because youve been to the track many times and youve never gotten the letter, doesnt mean it cant happen to you. I found this out on a local Nissan forum in Washington where a guy had went to Pacific Raceways in his new 350Z and they voided his warranty this way. His insurance didnt get canceled, but he warranty was GONE! You can choose to blow this off if you want, but I dont want to see any post saying this happened to you and youre pissed. Because I will tell you exactly what I told my friend, "Ok, suit yourself, but dont come crying to me if you get that letter in the mail."