Factory Warranty - How Particular is FLM?

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Never having owned anything new enough to be covered by either factory or extended warranties (my new 06LS has both), I'm somewhat unfamiliar with the whole shebang.

Should I stick with 100% factory/stock fluids and parts?
These are the changes I was thinking to doing (not all of them immediate) :

1) LED conversion of interior, puddle, license and reverse lights
2) Nokya Cosmic White highs and fogs with the plug and play harness
3) Mobil 1 EP synth 5W20 with Mobil 1 oil filter
4) Purolator air, cabin air and fuel filters
5) ATE Super Blue brake fluid, Mobil 1 MERC V synth ATF
6) SCT X3 Flash (can dealers tell even if you revert to stock before services?)
7) NAPA LEGEND Battery (Group 65 - 825CCA)
8) Alternate tire sizes (215/55/R17 for winters. I guess 245/45/R17s are fine since they are Lincoln approved alternate size)
9) 20x Chrysler Sebring lugs
10) Powder coating calipers
11) RotorPros brake package (slotted/drilled rotors, pads, SS brake lines)
12) Changing out the exhaust tips to better fill up the cutouts

Also how picky are they about crossing-Ts and dotting-Is as far as the scheduled maintenance guide goes? Does it need to be performed by a dealer / Ford certified mechanic?

 

[Opies_LS]

Never having owned anything new enough to be covered by either factory or extended warranties (my new 06LS has both), I'm somewhat unfamiliar with the whole shebang.

Should I stick with 100% factory/stock fluids and parts?
These are the changes I was thinking to doing (not all of them immediate) :

1) LED conversion of interior, puddle, license and reverse lights
2) Nokya Cosmic White highs and fogs with the plug and play harness
3) Mobil 1 EP synth 5W20 with Mobil 1 oil filter
4) Purolator air, cabin air and fuel filters
5) ATE Super Blue brake fluid, Mobil 1 MERC V synth ATF
6) SCT X3 Flash (can dealers tell even if you revert to stock before services?)
7) NAPA LEGEND Battery (Group 65 - 825CCA)
8) Alternate tire sizes (215/55/R17 for winters. I guess 245/45/R17s are fine since they are Lincoln approved alternate size)
9) 20x Chrysler Sebring lugs
10) Powder coating calipers
11) RotorPros brake package (slotted/drilled rotors, pads, SS brake lines)

Also how picky are they about crossing-Ts and dotting-Is as far as the scheduled maintenance guide goes? Does it need to be performed by a dealer / Ford certified mechanic?

I called my dealer as I have passed from my factory warranty to my ESP warranty to find out how big a deal mods make. He told me it depends on a couple of things.

1. If the repair is REALLY expensive where Ford has to get involved in approving it and if they see the mod directly impacted the failure, they would not cover it.

2. The dealer has some discretion up to a certain dollar amount before getting Ford involved and I think that varies from dealer to dealer but I can't be sure on that, so it will help to have a good relationship with your service manager and a service writer. (No bridge burning )

About the only mod I will be making (at least foreseeable, is putting a Pioneer F900BT in this week and I called my dealer to ask of the implications. He said due to our relationship and the above not to get too worried about it. I am not adding amps or anything, just wanted an in dash NAV and nice iPod control.

 

[joegr]

1 & 2 = you will not be covered for problems with those lights/systems till put back to stock.
3 = That's okay, but I didn't think Mobil had an approved filter to fit. (0W20 would be even better.)
4 = No issue.
5 = Brake fluid okay if it meets dot 3/4 specs. I wouldn't mess with the transmission.
6 = Should be okay if you return to stock before any related work.
7 = Keep the factory battery while under warranty, they'll replace it if needed.
8 = should be okay
9 = should be okay
10 = no issue, but if they have to replace them, they won't pay to coat the new ones.
11 = not sure, probably not a problem, but they won't be covered.
12 = no issue.

Not to picky. Be prepared to prove you did it on schedule if something really bad happens. (It pays to have a good and on going relationship with your Lincoln dealer.)

 

[LsUnV2]

they will :q:q:q:q you every chance they get, they have been told to avoid warranty work altogether if they can.. even to the point of lying

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Well, I think I'm sitting pretty alright with the FLM dealership in a neighboring town (Stivers in Des Moines). Liked their service staff and they didn't try to rip me off every chance they got (got my FEM problem solved there).