But insurance, like a warranty, will not cover abuse. For example, if my tranny took a dump at a drag strip, the dealer/infiniti would not cover the tranny. If I wrecked my car while at a track, or autocrossing, my insurance would not cover it.

A more relevant example would be tires. If I drove around on bias ply slicks and had an accident, and the tires were determined to be a factor, then the insurance company could opt to not cover the damages. At least that is my understanding, and I could be wrong. By running around on slicks, I am wilfully driving "at risk." I consider having a hydrolocked motor due to a CAI to be the same thing.

My point is that the fact that the insurance company is covering the replacement to begin with is a good thing, and that he should be thankful. The fact that the replacement has approximately 10k miles is, IMO, a non-factor.

People need to learn to take some personal responsibility.

Engine failure is one thing. Contributing to the said is a totally different scenario in my book. Having said that, if one abuses their car . . . It's on them.

Be thankful that a resolve was offered. It could be worst . . . You could be **** out of luck.

Which Stillen do you suggest? I see several choices on their site.

I thought autocrossing was an exception, as it is considered driving school, which actually is covered by insurance?

yeah i cant believe that insurance covered this. Unless you took off your intake before you turned in the claim..
But all you need to install in insure this doesnt happen again is a by pass valve. .that installs where the bend starts to go down instead of the normal rubber piece. This way if your intake is submerged it will suck air through this instead so this doesnt happen again.. they are only $20 shipping included on ebay

If the tires were street legal, I don't see how the insurance company can deny a claim. How is that different from insurance company from denying a claim because I had Michelin Pilot Sport All/Season instead of Pirelli PZero Nero M+S which has better wet traction scores?

As for the CAI, I'm not familiar with the particular one in discussion, but I still fail to see the relevance. If it was street legal, and passes state inspection, then what is the claim? How is it more negligent to accidently suck in water, then to leave your windows open during a rain storm? Or to leave your keys in the car, and your car is stolen? Or leave your front door unlocked, and your house to get robbed?

Having a CAI and running your car at the dragstrip are two completely different things.....

Are you saying if I have a CAI and suck in water it's not covered, but if I swerve to avoid somebody's CAI that fell off, and stupidly forget to pay attention to where I'm going, and submerge my car in a lake in the process, it will be covered?

++1

An autocross is a timed, competitive event. As a result, with my insurance at least, such events are not covered.

Maybe him, but I don't think his intake has any feelings.

Seriously, you are probably lucky it's an insurance co. doing the covrage. Not sure a factory warranty rep. would buy 'hydrolocked' on it's own, without further investigation. Not sure what they would do, but probably delay things more. I suppose if you forged some deep water they might understand, but wonder why there is no other damage. It's not like the car was in Katrina.

some auto insurance guidelines won't drag racing on the track if you get in an accident as well FYI.

just like my life insurance -- they charge you extra if you smoke cigarettes, if i skydive, motorcross, etc.... they wont pay out

if a rep from infiniti comes to check a hydrolocked engine they can see if the cause was from something aftermarket

you can hydrolock the motor with the stock intake...

I'm aware of that, but thanks for the heads-up regardless. It's a risk I'm willing to take.

Perhaps, but not very likely to happen.

lol, this **** happen to me b.c of injen intake except my engine didn't hydrolock , it just started to hick-up , if i try go over 3000 rpm, it would start to choke and ****