Car ownership is a privilege, responsibility, and liability, all at the same time. You’ve managed to pay for a brand new car, but you also need to keep making payments. If you’re going to keep making payments, then shouldn’t you be making sure that you get the best value for your money, especially if the payment obligation is for a long time (60 months!)?
The problem with default warranty
Your car is protected (to an incredibly limited extent) under the default manufacturer warranty, but practically, and statistically, it is severely lacking! To ensure your investment is protected, and that you don’t end up with any unexpected repair bills (which is your liability) you should consider purchasing an extended warranty with your new car.
We’ve prepared this guide to discuss the shortcomings of the manufacturer’s warranty, the features, and advantages of an extended warranty, and why you should consider investing in one. To put things into context, we will be limiting the discussion to Nissan and the warranty options they offer, so all Nissan (prospective) owners are in luck!
Nissan’s basic manufacture warranty
Under the default Nissan warranty, your car is covered for 3 years or 36000 miles, whichever comes first. As far as parts and repair coverage goes, Nissan will only go so far as to issues due to defects in material and manufacturing default of parts. While this may seem generous, the shortcomings are way too obvious once you start looking at the numbers.
It is no different
First off, what Nissan offers is no more or less than what ALL of its major competitors offer. This is a universal practice among car manufacturers and oftentimes people get confused by thinking it’s a legal obligation under the law. While consumer laws are relevant and have an impact on the assessment of the coverage provided, it is not nearly enough!
It might prove inadequate
Secondly, let’s talk about the numbers. Statistically, issues relating to critical components of your car (transmission, engine, drivetrain, etc) start to come up AFTER the 36000-mile mark. Now let’s look at numbers in money. Repair bills for critical components usually go into the thousands! Solely taking these numbers into account, you realize that the manufacturer’s warranty is inadequate.
We can also take a practical view of things, instead of just the numbers. Let’s say you’ve had your Nissan for four years and have been diligently making your payments and maintaining your car. You’re past the warranty expiration mark, and suddenly you have issues with your transmission and need to change parts. First, you need to find a reliable mechanic, and then you need to figure out how you’re going to pay the $2000 repair bill.
Considering you won’t be changing your car every three years, all of the above are very relevant and very important arguments which speak in favor of an extended warranty.
Nissan’s extended warranty options
While Nissan’s default manufacturer warranty may be severely lacking, they do make up for it with the extended warranty options. Nissan offers three different extended warranty plans, making the extended warranty more accessible to a wider and detailed economic demographic, by making extended coverage more affordable. The three extended coverage plans are called ‘Powertrain’, ‘Silver’, and ‘Gold’ (never said they were being creative).
The Powertrain Coverage
The Powertrain Coverage is the most basic plan, and still offers much, much, more than the default warranty. Your car is covered for 5 years or 60000 miles! The coverage extends to the critical components of the car (Engine, Transmission and Transaxle, Drivetrain, and Restraint System) only. However, considering the repair bills we mentioned above, even the Powertrain coverage is more than enough to protect your car and yourself.
The Silver Plan
The Silver Plan is a step up on the Powertrain plan, as far as parts and components are concerned. In addition to parts and components covered by the Powertrain coverage, Silver offers coverage for almost 1500 other mechanical and electrical components of your car. The time and mileage limit are the same as the Powertrain coverage though.
The Gold Plan
Last, and most definitely not least, is the Gold plan. Your car is covered for an incredible 8 years or 120000 miles! If the longevity of the plan isn’t enticing enough, the plan offers coverage for more than 2100 parts and components! This includes all the parts that are covered under the Silver and Powertrain plans.
As you can see, the Nissan extended warranty plans offer a lot more protection and a lot more value for your money. Considering you can opt for a payment plan for the extended warranty, you won’t have to be burdened with a big expense in one go, and you’ll be getting a lot more value for your money by paying a little bit more.
Just so we don’t come off as biased, we should let you know that the extended warranty doesn’t cover EVERY SINGLE component or part of your car. There is a list of parts that aren’t covered, which your dealership should provide when you’re looking at the extended warranty options. Make sure you read the fine print! A warranty is a legal binding and you should always read the concerned documents when considering a legally binding arrangement.
Added Benefits
One of the biggest advantages of the extended warranty is that you don’t have to worry about finding a reliable mechanic who knows how to work on your car and is skilled enough. Under the extended warranty, if your car causes problems, you can drop it off at a Nissan service centre. Owning a car becomes a lot more convenient, even in the long run.
If we talk about numbers in money again, you’re also protected from any exorbitant repair bills under the extended warranty. Your car’s resale value also goes up if the buyer knows that your car was taken care of by authorized Nissan personnel the entire time it was in your ownership.
Conclusion
The benefits of a Nissan extended warranty speak for themselves. If you want to protect your investment, limit your liability, and experience the privilege of owning a car with convenience and ease, then an extended warranty might just be the option for you.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
