Toyota Spins Around, Approves GR86 Owner's Blown Engine Warranty Claim
A 2022 Toyota GR86 owner is apparently being punished for posting a photo of their car drifting at a testing and tuning event. The GR86 suffered an engine failure, allegedly due to oil starvation—a relatively common and known issue on this model—but the owner was rejected under the Toyota warranty after the photo of the car drifting turned up in the automaker's investigation. Evidently, Toyota initially rejected the warranty claim because of evidence the car was driven at an off-street event, which seems ridiculous considering the encouraging nature of the model's marketing materials.
The story comes from Blake Alvarado on Facebook posting to the SCCA Official Members group, whose GR86 suffered its engine failure after just 13,770 miles on the road and two oil changes. Alvarado says a post-failure engine teardown revealed grey sealant material in the oil pickup, an issue that is now being tracked in a spreadsheet by GR86.org, which currently lists five suspected instances of the issue causing engine failure, not including similar claims dating back all the way to 2013, as Alvarado says.
But, Toyota wouldn't know firsthand about the cause of Alvarado's engine failure, as he says the assigned field technician never checked the engine in determining his warranty claim. Here's what happened, according to the Facebook post: "Instead either he or someone at the dealer looked me up on social media. They showed me a photo of me taken at a local Test & Tune event (untimed, non-competition) in late March (I was testing different setups and playing around with tire pressures. This was the only time the car was driven in the way the photo shows). They also showed me an onboard video of me driving in someone else's white GR86 (mine is Black)."
Based on this "evidence," his warranty claim was denied and Alvarado was instead quoted an $11,000 repair estimate, or told he had to remove his car from the dealership. His attempt to negotiate with the dealer's service manager was denied, so Alvarado had the car towed to a Subaru specialty shop where he was quoted $7,000 for a low-mileage engine replacement.
The real kicker in this situation is Toyota's own marketing materials. As Alvarado points out, Toyota's marketing frequently mentions the GR86 being "track tested," and even let new owners sign up for a complimentary NASA track day as a promotion, which is used for the Toyota Supra, as well. MotorTrend reached out to Toyota, and a spokesperson provided the following response:
"Toyota takes its customer concerns seriously. We work hard to deliver a rewarding ownership experience, and we stand behind the quality of our products. A vehicle's warranty excludes damages from activities such as misuse, improper maintenance, or modifications. Toyota is currently looking into the case you referenced and will continue to work with the customer directly on this issue. As always, we encourage customers who experience any issues with their vehicle to contact their authorized Toyota dealer or call the Toyota Brand Engagement Center (1-800-331-4331) when a dealer is not able to resolve a matter."
Alvarado urges other enthusiasts to be wary about posting photos and videos of their warranty-covered cars out of extra precaution, as you never know how an automaker is going to respond to vehicles being driven in any manner other than daily duty.
But Wait, There's More!
Update, August 4, 2022: Speaking to The Drive, Alvarado has confirmed that Toyota's executive office reached out to him after all of the social media coverage of his blown engine and has ultimately decided to cover the issue under warranty. The Drive reports a Toyota representative said Alvarado and others should be able "to use the vehicle at future autocross and track day events without putting [the] warranty in jeopardy.
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Mecum is auctioning a rare 1942 Harley-Davidson XA military motorcycle from World War II that boasts many early engineering firsts in the company's long history. Developed after the U.S. and its allies came up against superior BMW motorcycles during the war, it aimed to beat the Nazis at their own game. Now one newly restored example can be yours.The XA was an attempt to overcome the Nazis' all-terrain superiority, particularly in North Africa, and to address issue that American bikes had involving chains in rough terrain. Harley landed on a shaft drive setup, solving that problem. And the most expedient way to engineer a shaft-drive bike was to reverse-engineer an existing one, like the excellent overhead-cam BMW R75M used by the enemy. Perhaps unable to get its hands on an R75M, the XA copied the civilian flathead R71, which wasn't quite as well-optimized for the task.Despite being a copycat, be reassured that the XA is still a true Harley-Davidson. Around 1,000 XAs were built in Milwaukee for the U.S. Army during the war, according to the Mecum, and it resulted in many production firsts for the company. It is claimed to be Harley-Davidson's first shaft-drive, four-speed, foot-shift and hand-clutch motorcycle, and also the first equipped with two carburetors. The motor's opposed cylinders were positioned "across the frame" for improved cooling in the wind compared to Harley's longitudinal V-twin designs of the time. It was also the first Harley to feature a rear-suspension plunger, and had a top speed of over 60 MPH back in 1942. The XA Type II (this example is a Type I) got Harley's first telescopic forks, which didn't reappear on Harley-Davidson designs again until years after the war.The XA, innovative as it was relative to Harley's native bikes, wasn't a success. Consider that Harley produced over 80,000 units of its V-twin motorcycles during the war, while the XA was only ordered for testing. Ultimately, the Army declined to order any more, and its role fell to the Jeep, far superior for general purpose tactical mobility. You may find it a little more adaptable to suit your interests, which are hopefully more peaceful.This isn't the first time this exact motorcycle has been auctioned in recent years. It appears to have previously been auctioned by Mecum in 2015, according to the matching plate numbers in both sets of images, where it failed to meet reserve at a high bid of $30,000. It was expected to go for as much as $50,000, but this time it's offered with no reserve.The restoration finished this XA with leather saddle-bags, a beautiful speedometer detail, and according to the listing, the auction lot includes a special mounted case for a period-appropriate "non-firing" Thompson sub-machine gun that is apparently included in the deal. The auction is in Vegas, in case that wasn't obvious.Whatever else this XA is, it's a newly restored WWII Harley-Davidson that's also particularly rare and interesting, and at least we know the bike should run very cool and catch plenty of attention. The lot is up for auction with no reserve until Jan. 29, according to the Mecum website.
WHAT IT IS: A sibling to the Ford F-150 Lightning full-size electric pickup truck, expanding the Ford F-Series family with a new electric Ranger pickup.WHY IT MATTERS: Demand for the Ford F-150 Lightning has exceeded the automaker's wildest dreams, with demand far outstripping supply. Not surprisingly, Ford CEO Jim Farley said there is another electric truck planned. When you strike gold, it makes sense to mine a similar vein. High-volume vehicles are key to Ford's aspirations to become the leader in EVs and scale will also help to reduce cost.PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: Farley and his team are not sharing details of the EV addition to the F-Series family, but Farley ruled out an electric F-250, F-350, or F-450 for now, and has also said it the truck is different from the next-gen Lightning. Which means Ford is most likely going smaller.Recent trademark filings for Maverick Lightning and Ranger Lightning may reveal Ford's hand. A Ford Ranger Lightning is the most logical next move, and would give the company a fresh EV in a segment that continues to gain popularity. Ford has said the new, next-gen, electric pickup will be made at the new Blue Oval City plant in Stanton, Tennessee, which will also make next-gen Lightnings, starting in 2025.We can't rule out a performance F-150: an electric Raptor, on the new, dedicated EV platform for the next-generation Lightning, which would mean more than the 580 horsepower and 775 lb-ft of torque already available on the current Lightning. But that will probably come down the road, after the smaller trucks.As the trademark filing and previous speculation indicate, at some point there will also be an electric version of the Ford Maverick, the car-based small lifestyle pickup that is currently available with a hybrid powertrain. But we think this is further out, given its role as an affordable, entry-level vehicle for the brand that no longer has entry-level cars. The Maverick has the least in common with the body-on-frame full-size F-Series family; the car-based truck uses the same platform as the Ford Escape. While Ford is protecting the trademark now, that's not necessarily an indication that it's imminent.ESTIMATED PRICE: $35,000EXPECTED ON-SALE DATE: 2025
audi s3 Full OverviewProsMore power than everSharp, sporty exterior stylingTech-focused interior ConsLacks standard driver aidsAlmost too quiet at speedA bit pricey with optionsWe're hustling along at freeway speeds late one weekend evening when we see it off in the distance: yet another L.A. snarl of taillight ribbons looming ahead. Time to drop down a gear in the 2022 Audi S3. As its turbo-boosted 2.0-liter inline-four pegs near 5,000 rpm, the digital gauges surge and a buzz crescendos from its blackened exhaust tips.Trailing on the S3's strong brakes, which are capable of hauling Audi's entry-level sport sedan from 60 mph to 0 in an impressive 108 feet, we look for a gap. There it is. Back on the gas, the 2022 S3's seven-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission shifts near redline, and we're once again rushing toward home, luxuriating in its premium-feel, leather-lined cabin.The line between sport and luxury is blurring ever further as premium brands like Audi continue to refine and redefine vehicles like its newly updated 2022 S3. Buyers increasingly want it all, and when it comes to gateway models like the S3, first impressions can mean everything.Audi S3 0-60 and Quarter-Mile TimesSpeaking of, our test team's initial impressions of the updated S3 were positive. The S3's aforementioned 2.0-liter turbo, with 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, is an engine the team called "peppy," with good midrange power from 3,000 rpm. It's a highly boosted four-cylinder that's more than capable of motivating the 3,555-pound S3 to 60 mph with authority. The 4.6-seconds-to-60-mph sprint we recorded is a tenth of a second shy of Audi's official number for the 2022 S3, with the quarter-mile coming in 13.2 seconds at 105.2 mph.Road Test Analyst Alan Lau had this to say about getting the S3 into its optimum straight-line attack mode: "It has launch control along with a boost gauge. I find it performs better launching as soon as the boost reaches max. Wait too long and you lose some boost and it gives a slower launch."One of the Quattro all-wheel-drive-equipped S3's closest competitors in the space is the Mercedes-AMG A35 4Matic. The slightly lighter (3,480 pounds) 2021 A35 we tested with AMG's 2.0-liter turbo-four with 302 horses just nipped the new S3 in straight-line numbers, at 4.4 seconds to 60 mph and on to a quarter-mile of 13.1 seconds at 105.1 mph. 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