Need to bring my car to the dealership - what to do with system?

I need to bring my car in for some work that needs to be done on the front bumper and possibly the passenger side head light. Nothing major, just a little fender bender I got into. However, the bumper will probably be replaced and they'll be working by the headlight which is awfully close to one of my LI heads. I'm wondering if I should tell them about the LI heads so they take care around them. Or, should I uninstall the system before bringing the car to the dealership?

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Originally Posted by justin81

I need to bring my car in for some work that needs to be done on the front bumper and possibly the passenger side head light. Nothing major, just a little fender bender I got into. However, the bumper will probably be replaced and they'll be working by the headlight which is awfully close to one of my LI heads. I'm wondering if I should tell them about the LI heads so they take care around them. Or, should I uninstall the system before bringing the car to the dealership?

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Just tell them not to screw with your heads.

It's a gamble. When I cracked up my front end, I left the heads dangling and explained to the shop to just leave them there and I would re-install them after they were done. When I picked the car up, not only had they reinstalled them, they had done so perfectly. It was a pleasant surprise! But you never know.

I think un-installing the heads, or at least tie-wrapping them up out of the way and pointing out to NOT screw with them, is probably the safest bet.

Unintstall, tell them not to mess with the extra wires, do NOT drive stupidly on the way to the dealer and get a LIDAR ticket on the way there or home.

Unistall them... I got crashed into a few weeks ago (UK) and I'm glad I removed them before going to the panel shop. Here the insurance companies make the panel shops' video and photograph the damage and the car, check your tyre tread depths, photo your mileometer and generally check everything about the car in case there is a get out for them. Trying to explain away a quad LI or whatever is just asking for trouble.

Plus when the work was done, the panel shop drove the car back to my house. Can you imagine if the LI had gone off when the panel guy was driving the car? I took everything out...LI, radar/laser and GPS detectors.

Like Stealth said, it's a gamble, you might get lucky and get a perfect free install out of the shop, but I'd personally take them off and not risk them messing something up.

Just remove the parts they are going to be working on. You really cannot trust a shop to even know what they are; henck, they might paint over them to do you a favor. :eek:

If they are not working in the back, I would not bother to remove those due to pictures or anything. It really is not your insurrance company's business what equipment you have installed on your car. Heck, if your car gets damaged, I would file a claim and make them pay for the LI system! It seems silly, but they are responsible (to some extent) for the contents and aftermarket modifications to your video provided you can prove the value. You may have to declare it though for coverage depending on policy.

Either way, if it is not illegal I would just remove it because you are better off doing the work yourself getting it done right the first time.

I would remove them and reinstall later. No need in taking the chance they screw something up.

I always leave them on and ask to speak to the Tech at the dealership.

I have LPP and the Sti-R up front.

My Audi is CPO'd and has had the bumper off three times for warranty items (Keep in mind it's and audi - 3 times is lucky).

The Tech knew exactly what they were and installed them back exactly as I had them with no issues. They were great about the "Parking Sensors" and even asked to see them in action, so I let them shoot my LA for a while and they all wanted to show me their various countermeasures, ost of which were junk.

I think if you are nice and explain the aftermarker "parking sensors" to the service manager and the Tech all will be fine. You would not be the first person to put an aftermarket item on your car that they would have to look out for and if they are any good at customer service they will take care of you.

Also disconnect the power source in the fuse box, so if they press the ON/OFF button, nothing will happen.

Or you can remove the CPU.

Like others said, it's a gamble.