Will retrofitting 18-inch wheels on Maruti Invicto void the warranty?

Can I retrofit larger 18-inch tyres in place of 17 inchers without voiding the warranty on my Invicto Alpha+? I also want to upgrade to a 9-speaker JBL system instead of the current six, change captain seats to bench seats and install fog lamps. Please help me decide.

J Neri, Mohali

Autocar India says: While it is possible to retrofit most of the parts – 18-inch rims and tyres, 9-speaker JBL audio setup, bench middle-row seat – in the Toyota Innova HyCross-derived Maruti Suzuki Invicto, it would not be advisable purely from a warranty standpoint.

In case of the upsized alloy wheels and tyres, Maruti Suzuki may reject any future warranty claim on the suspension components, citing the bigger rims and tyres.

Moreover, the existing wiring harness in the Invicto will not support the 9-speaker setup from the top-end HyCross, and a retro fitment would need replacing the existing harness with that of the HyCross. The installation would further entail stripping down the entire car, and if there is any electrical-related warranty claim in the future, Maruti Suzuki will reject it simply on the basis of non-standard wiring harness being fitted inside the car.

While a bench middle-row seat fitment looks like a bolt-on job, one would need to notify the RTO about the change in the vehicle’s seating capacity from 7 to 8 occupants, and get it endorsed on the car’s registration certificate. Since, the three-point seatbelt provision for the middle passenger will not be possible, the RTO will reject it. Future insurance claims will also be rejected due to the illegal conversion of the car to an eight seater.

Finally, while the HyCross offers it, there is no provision in the Invicto’s front bumper to house a pair of fog lamps. Hence, they cannot be retrofitted at all.

Also See:

Maruti Suzuki Invicto review: The Rs 30 lakh Maruti

Maruti Suzuki Invicto video review

Toyota Innova Hycross video review

Toyota Innova Hycross review: Moving the goalposts