Some factory warranties are transferable
Q: My sister gifted me her 2017 Nissan Rouge, which had only 10,000 miles on it. She had purchased the vehicle from a dealer when it had a little over 1,000 miles on it. The dealer included a warranty for the vehicle. When I contacted Nissan, they said the warranty would be canceled once the car was transferred to me. Can I purchase an extended warranty for this vehicle? How do I go about it, and what would it cost?
A: The factory drivetrain and emissions warranty are on the vehicle and not dependent on who owns it. At four years old, you still have some of the factory warranty left. If your sister purchased an extended service contract with Nissan, you have 60 days to transfer the warranty (for a fee), according to their customer service department. If you want to buy additional coverage, AAA has many plans available.
Q: I really enjoy car shows and museums and try to go to as many as possible. Recently I heard about a big car show in Newport. What do you know about this show?
A: Newport is becoming very car-centric with the Newport Car Museum (technically in Portsmouth) and Newport's Audrain Automobile Museum.
The Newport Museum is beautiful, with a fantastic selection of new and old cars in an art museum setting. I have yet to get to the Audrain museum, but they are having a four-day event: Concours d'Elegance, from Thursday, Oct. 3, to Sunday, Oct. 6. It promises to be the East Coast equivalent of Pebble Beach.
As a side note, I plan on doing my radio program at the Cars and Coffee event at Audrain on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Q: Could you please comment on the Volkswagen diesels that were recalled during "dieselgate" and have had corrective action taken and are now available for sale?
I've seen these vehicles advertised, and I'm considering a few with the software modification stickers under the hood, along with an extended warranty on the catalyst exhaust hardware. They seem to be in good shape, with low mileage for a used vehicle and a high mpg rating at a lower price point.
My wife commutes 80 highway miles a few times a week, and at 39 mpg highway, even with diesel averaging $3 per gallon, it would save us $2 to $4 each day she commutes.
Do you think they are worth considering? Any future caveats to consider, such as future emissions test approval or serviceability?
A: I only have a couple of concerns, the first being future resale value. If you are going to keep the car a long time, this won't matter, but future resale value is questionable at this point.
The second issue is the overall condition of the car. Near where I live, there were hundreds of VW and Audi diesels stored in a fenced pen on a grass/dirt field. Due to possible moisture issues, I would like to see a thorough inspection of the brake system, the tires/battery replaced, and the electrical system inspected.
I will say that over the years, one of my favorite cars has been the diesel Jetta/Golf Sportwagon with a manual transmission.
Before purchasing the car, it would make sense to do the math to see how long before you see true savings. Commuting three days per week, you could save $600 per year, which sounds great, but you need to factor in the price of the new car versus selling the car you own now to see if it truly makes sense.
Q: Every time I go to the dealer, they tell me I need new wipers blades. How long do windshield wiper blades last and when to they need replacement?
A: There is no hard and fast answer. Summer heat and winter salt and dirt will accelerate wiper-blade wear. To me, the answer is simple: when they don't do a great job clearing the windshield, it is time to replace them. Although sometimes you can get a little more life out of the blades by periodically cleaning them with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton cloth.
— John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 30 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@aaanortheast.com and put "Car Doctor" in the subject field. At 8:30 Saturday mornings, tune in to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at wrolradio.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.