Potential New Versa Owner - Question about Nissan Manufacturer Warranty

[MsRead]

I am currently planning on purchasing a new Versa sedan. From everything I have read review wise of the Versa I feel pretty comfortable (original this said uncomfortable but that was a typo oops!) with my choice.

I am supposed to go for a test drive on Saturday and hopefully purchase the car then.

The one thing I can't seem to find reliable information about is how the Nissan warranties are as far as coverage for repairs etc. I want to know before I got into the dealership what I want warranty wise because I know they will always try to up sale on the warranty even if it doesn't cover jack.

All I seem able to find is horror stories but when I search any other manufacturer I find the same thing.

So please, tell me about your warranties and how you feel about them.

Thanks!


Modified by MsRead at 2:08 PM 11/12/2009

[alonsorules8]

All Nissan's come with a standard 3 year 36000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. The engine and transmission 4 speed auto and manual trans comes with a 5 year 60k warranty and the CVT trans models come with a 10 year 120k mile warranty.

If you decide to purchase additional warranties they range from Bronze level to gold preferred.

I have the gold preferred and love it! It cost about $1000 and covers most of the vehicle except for wear items, and comes with rental car coverage. my car has a 5 year 100k warranty with this package.

Jut to let you know my Versa has 45000 miles on it and has on had 3 warranty repairs need since brand new, one for a fuel pressure regulator, one for tpms sensor breaking and one for the fog light that died.

The Nissan Versa is one of the most reliable cars I have ever driven and will be buy a few more over the years.

[NODES]

I recommend the GOLD Preferred extended warranty.

[Bubs daddy]

Do NOT consider an extended warranty if you're buying new. Not at the time of purchase.

It is not needed at this time. You have a 3yr/36K yr bumper to bumper and 5 yr/60K powertrain warranty.

If you want an extended warranty, wait until the existing warranty is about up which will be close to three years or 36,000 miles. You can buy one then. Many companies offer them and can be negotiated.

The F&I guy will try to convince you that you need an extended warranty. Don't fall for it. You DON'T NEED ONE NOW. Buy it later if you wish. Chances are, it'll be cheaper, too.

What happens if you decide to sell or trade the Versa before 3 years or 36,000 miles? You can get the prorated refund on the extended warranty but anything you paid so far is wasted because you never used it.

They will say "It's only $xx per month for peace of mind." Don't fall for it. You don't need it now. Buy it later.

Use the free warranty that you'll get when you buy it. Wait 3 years and then consider an extended warranty if you want it.

They don't sell these warranties because they care so much. They sell them because they make money on the back end of the deal. Nothing wrong with that but they have to over charge to make money. So the warranty will cost more.

Save your money for later. Don't buy an extended warranty on a new car. It's NOT necessary. It will cost far less than what the dealer wants to sell you one for now.

[NODES]

I was under the impression the extended warranty must be bought at time of purchase.

[iluvmyVersa08]

I was under the impression the extended warranty must be bought at time of purchase.

That's what the dealer told me too.

I did buy the extended warranty. It was about an extra $2000 but it covers the car for 7 years, 120000 kms. It also included paint protection, rust inhibitor, sound shield, and fabric protection. All things I would have spent extra to get done anyways. At least I don't have to worry about any big items breaking while I am still making car payments.

[NODES]

That's what the dealer told me too.

I did buy the extended warranty. It was about an extra $2000 but it covers the car for 7 years, 120000 kms. It also included paint protection, rust inhibitor, sound shield, and fabric protection. All things I would have spent extra to get done anyways. At least I don't have to worry about any big items breaking while I am still making car payments.

Canadian dealers may be different in that respect or he is talking about 3rd party warranty which the US has plenty of.

[roboturner]

I think it's worth it. I've bought 3 new vehicles and had extended warranties on all of them.

To me, 20 bucks a month is nothing, when you consider that your payment may be 5 or even 6 tears. There's a big gap between the 3 yr/36,000 mile warranty and the end of your loan.

Do you really want to be spending $1000 for, say, a major transmission repair when you're already making a $300 note?

And hey, if you never use it, you get the money back. And honestly, if you can't afford the extra 20 or 30 dollars a month, you have no business buying a new car in the first place.

[iluvmyVersa08]

I completely agree. I would rather spend the extra little bit to know I am covered in case something major happens. I would hate to have to worry about making a car payment and dishing out a wad of cash to pay for a repair. The extra bit of money for the warranty was divided amongst the 60 payments I have to make on the car; which in reality did not make the payments go up by very much anyways.

But everyone feels differently about getting the warranties. I for one am completely for it

[Versa357]

A transmission repair should be covered under the powertrain which is 5yr/60k warranty.I too decided to wait on the warranty and get one after the 3yr/36k is close to expire.I bought a warranty from a 3rd party for my other car. the warranty was for 5yr/100k and I think it cost me 1800 but it started after my factory warranty expired. They were great and I got my money out of it. I got a new radio had them replace vacuum lines and a whole bunch of stuff.Never had a problem. So I figured I will go with them when this warranty is about up on my Versa.

[iluvmyVersa08]

That is good. I had no idea there were aftermarket warranties. I honestly do not think we have them here in Canada.I just went with the dealer. Made it easier ...

[steed77]

I say just get the car... 3/36 bumper to bumper and a 5/60 powertrain.

Keep that $2K for gas, oil, mods or whatever.

The Versa is VERY basic and not a top tier car (like a BMW or whatever) Meaning less to go wrong.

You can source OEM parts from every place, prices are not bad too..

Get the car and have fun.

[Bubs daddy]

Quote »I think it's worth it. I've bought 3 new vehicles and had extended warranties on all of them.To me, 20 bucks a month is nothing, when you consider that your payment may be 5 or even 6 tears. There's a big gap between the 3 yr/36,000 mile warranty and the end of your loan. [/quote]No one is saying they can't be useful. I'm saying you don't need one at the time of a new car purchase. It's a waste of money to buy one at that time In fact, it will be much more inexpensive when you buy one just before the existing warranty is up.

About $500 of that $2000 goes directly to the dealer's pocket. Overpaying for an extended warranty is not my idea of peace of mind. And you're paying for years that you don't need the warranty.

Quote »Do you really want to be spending $1000 for, say, a major transmission repair when you're already making a $300 note?[/quote]You're assuming every transmission is going to need repairs. That is, in fact, the opposite. Most transmissions, when properly maintained WILL NOT need service. You've been listening to too many commercials or a car salesman's cheap sales talk.

Quote »And hey, if you never use it, you get the money back. And honestly, if you can't afford the extra 20 or 30 dollars a month, you have no business buying a new car in the first place. [/quote]What? LOL. You DON'T get any money back if you don't use it. Don't know where you got that from. Car finance guys love guys like you. They call them easy marks.

A seven year extended warranty is really only a four year warranty because you've already got a three year bumper to bumper.

In fact, even more depresssing is your extended warranty is only for two years for the powertrain. That's because you already have a five year powertrain warranty for free. Unless you drive some serious miles but even then, you giving them money for free for years.

So $2000 buys you only a few years. It doesn't make any financial sense to pay for an extended warranty at time of new car purchase. You're paying the interest on it, too. You have plenty of time to buy one if you choose.

Why do you think they sell extended warranties? Because most don't make claims. You're betting you'll need to make claims more than $1500-2000. They're betting you don't. And if they're making money, who do you think the odds are against? You.

For the same reason Vegas likes your money, so do companies selling extended warranties.

And another thing. The warranties are underwritten by other companies. Yep. The very same companies that will offer you a warranty for half the price after the existing warranty is up. They are not from Nissan or the dealer.

[Bubs daddy]

Let me help to make it easy to understand.

Would you buy, say, a portable music player but have to wait six months before you could use it? There it sits on your dresser at home but you can't use it for six months. And to top it off, you pay an additional couple bucks a month in interest but no, you still can't use it yet.

Of course you wouldn't. That's a lousy deal.

So why pay for a warranty that you can't use yet? It isn't in effect for almost three years. If you want to buy a warranty, buy when you need it-when the existing warranty expires.

Use the free warranty you already have. Among exisiting car owners, about half of the owners trade their car in within three years. Many reasons, needs change, new car fever, new baby, whatever. So there's a good chance you won't need to use one day of that extended warranty.

Think about this. You pay $25 a month for the extended warranty at the time of new car purchase. You keep the car three years and trade it in. You get a prorated refund for the extended warranty however, you paid $900 for those three years for nothing because you already had a manufacturers warranty on the car.

I understand why some would buy it at the time of purchase because the finance guy makes you think you absolutely have to have it. They make up all these reasons why you HAVE to have it. They make it seem like the car's going to fall apart in the coming years.

They will even say you can't get an extended warranty except from them. Bulltucky. It's all sales talk because they make money, lots of it, on the back end of the deal. So they sell these products in finance. Extended warranty, glass etching, theft detection, "weather packages," GAP,etc.

They make lots of money on these. Again, I'm not saying buying an extended warranty is bad. I'm saying that you shouldn't buy it at the time of purchase.

So keep the car three years THEN get an extended warranty if you like. And here's another tip. When you talk to them, they will say how much it cost. Politely decline and they will offer a lower price for the same coverage. Like most things, car warranties are negotiable.

[MsRead]

When you are talking about purchasing an extended warranty, do you mean from the third party or are you able to buy the extended warranty that Nissan offers at a later date?

Your rational makes total sense though I do feel a little concerned about purchasing a 3rd party warranty for fear it is a total scam (not that a manufacturer warranty can't be as well). I think if I didn't get the one from Nissan I would just set money aside for potential repairs and maintenance (as I did previously for my ancient auto that finally kicked the bucket).

Have you had experience taking your Versa in under your the warranty that comes with the vehicle? Have you been told anything in particular wasn't covered under the warranty?

[alonsorules8]

the factory warrant does not cover a rental vehicle. At 400 miles my fuel pump had to be replaced and Nissan has it written in the factory warranty that the do not cover loaner/ rental cars. So by having my Nissan extended warranty that covers rental cars I was able to get a free loaner from Nissan.

[Bubs daddy]

No, the bumper to bumper NIssan warranty does not cover rentals, that's true. But I have taken my cars in for warranty service and they give you a courtesy ride to work or back home. Often, when pressed enough, they will relent and give you a loaner car free, as they did me. I didn't have any extended warranty. The dealer did this as a goodwill gesture and a courtesy.

Msread, most if not all extended warranties are third party. They are underwritten by an insurance company or warranty company. Even the ones you buy from NIssan aren't really Nissan's. They go through an underwriter or third party company that honors claims depending on your coverage.

So again, it makes no financial sense to buy an extended warranty until your existing FREE coverage expires. You can get coverage for loaners and whatnot from third party roadside policies for $50 or so a year.

All you have to do is look and research. It's all out there. I truly feel sorry for many who get taken in by the F&I guy's ridiculous claims and shell out $1000-2000 for a warranty that doesn't take effect for three years or you may never use. You could use that money in so many other ways.

The bottom line is, dealers don't make much money on new cars these days. Sometimes only hundreds of dollars. The front end of the deal is not that profitable with people demanding invoice prices and whatnot.

"Back end" money is paramount to their survival these days. That's all the things they try to sell you in the finance dept before signing the deal. This includes these extended warranties. Heck, Best Buy will try to sell you an extended warranty on a $20 flash card.

Being an educated consumer allows you to make informed choices and save money.

And to roboturner, who smugly thinks "...if you can't afford the extra 20 or 30 dollars a month, you have no business buying a new car in the first place." I would respond: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

[roboturner]

What? LOL. You DON'T get any money back if you don't use it. Don't know where you got that from. Car finance guys love guys like you. They call them easy marks.

Ohhhhhh I see.

So I guess that $1700 check I just got from my previous vehicle's warranty service didn't actually exist. It must've been a mirage or something. Or maybe they were just giving me free money because they like me and think I'm a swell guy.

Yeah, that must be it.

[roboturner]

And to roboturner, who smugly thinks "...if you can't afford the extra 20 or 30 dollars a month, you have no business buying a new car in the first place." I would respond: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

You can continue to act like a total a** and call me all the names you want, but for me, 25 bucks a month for my own peace of mind is a drop in the bucket. Especially when I know I'll probably get most of it back when the car's paid off.

[Bubs daddy]

Quote »So I guess that $1700 check I just got from my previous vehicle's warranty service didn't actually exist. It must've been a mirage or something. Or maybe they were just giving me free money because they like me and think I'm a swell guy.[/quote]Are you saying that you made a claim and got a check for $1700 for repairs? Well, of course. That's what they do when you make a claim.

But you said this: "And hey, if you never use it, you get the money back."

And that's simply a lie. You don't get your money back if you never use it. They will give you a prorated refund if you cancel early. But if you purchase a 3 year extended warranty and after three years expect all of your money back, you're dreaming.

Whatever you got $1700 from, it wasn't from a company that provided you the duration of your warranty coverage, then gave it back to you. You're not giving all the facts here.

[roboturner]

I have already told you all the facts.

I purchased a five-year extended warranty on my last vehicle. I paid the car off in 3 1/2 years and did not use the warranty.

When I traded it in, they cut me a check for 1700 of the 1820-something it had originally cost. Just as they had promised they would on the day I bought it.

I don't know how to put it in any simpler terms for you.

And don't you dare call me a liar. A)It's incredibly rude; and B) Why the hell would I have any reason to lie about something like that?

Maybe you should consider the idea that you don't know everything about everything. You also might try being a little more civil.

I'm done with you.
Modified by roboturner at 7:37 PM 11/14/2009

[br4dysays]

[VersaMG08]

LOL, this thread reminds me back in the day when people used to not like red devil.

[Bubs daddy]

Hold on, here. You traded in your car. Well, it seems you keep introducing more and more details every time you post. Let me remind you, you said "And hey, if you never use it, you get the money back." That's implying that anyone would get their money back, which is not true. There would be many conditions other than not ever using it. There would be rigid conditions and every one would have to be satisfied.

What did they promise you on the day you bought it? That you would receive a refund check and promise to buy another warranty on the next car if you don't use it? Was this refund from the dealer? What is the name of the company that provided this warranty?

Companies don't make money by giving it back to you. And I do know that companies can't stay in business by offering you a complete refund if you don't use your warranty after 3.5 years.

What were the circumstances? Was it a limited time promotional deal? Was this part of the new deal for the new car you bought when you traded in your old one? Was this money a refund from the dealer for the entire deal? Was it a refund specifically from the underwriting company, or part of the whole deal for the new car? Was this part of the value "trade in?"

Would you have gotten this back if you have not traded your car in to this dealer? Who is the warranty carrier?So, again, was this a refund from the warranty provider, or the dealer?

Who was the warranty provider?

More importantly, did you agree to another extended warranty when you traded in your other car?

If you did, that would not be uncommon because they signed you up for another one. That also changes the circumstances of "you'll get your money back" because it's disengenuous and not the whole story.

Many companies will work a deal for the longer term, which is not the same of just getting your money back and walking away. You get your money back with strings attached.

We're obviously not going to get all the fine details of this refund because it involves another deal on another car, which completely changes the circumstances.
Modified by Bubs daddy at 10:40 AM 11/15/2009

[NODES]

this topic was good till the bickering started

[roboturner]

^

Sorry for arguing.

I don't appreciate being called a liar, but whatever. His behavior reflects his character. I'm done with this idiot.