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As vehicles age, they tend to need a little more tender loving care and maintenance to run properly. All of the used Nissan cars we sell at our Boston Nissan dealership are high quality vehicles; but they will still require maintenance to ensure they pass their vehicle inspections.
Nearly 87% of vehicles fail part of their vehicle inspection. Bring your car to our Boston auto body repair shop for Nissan repairs and maintenance services that will keep your car ready for inspection and safe to drive:
More to Maintenance than Putting Gas in the Car
You know if you fail to fill the gas tank, eventually you’re going to run out and the car will stop moving. The fear of running out of gas is what keep drivers from forgetting to fill up. Consider vehicle tune ups the task that keeps your car on the road, and prevents the early demise of your used Nissan.
Tires: if you want to pass an inspection, you will need tires that have enough tread and are holding the proper air pressure. Keep an eye on your air pressure levels, fill the tires as needed, get them rotated to ensure even wear; and buy new tires when the tread gets low.
Lights: passing an inspection requires that your brake lights, headlights, turn signals and parking lights are all in working order. Get new bulbs or fuses for any that do not work.
Fluids and filters: if any of your fluids are low or filters are dirty, your car is not going to run as efficiently as it should. Additionally, the lack of maintenance on these important components for the engine will cause your car to age faster or cause the need for much more expensive repairs.
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Keeping your Nissan’s upholstery clean should be as much of a priority as the exterior surface of your car. If you ever want to sell or trade in your vehicle, the condition of your upholstery will make a difference in the amount of money you’re able to get in the sale. Here are some tips from your Boston Nissan dealership for keeping your upholstery clean:
Leather Nissan Upholstery
Leather car upholstery is very similar to leather furniture in that it requires special products and some additional maintenance compared to cloth upholstery. When washing leather upholstery, use a solution designed for leather or vinyl and finish with a protector to keep the leather surface soft, prevent color fading, and prolong its appearance.
Cloth Nissan Upholstery
A vacuum can be used to quickly remove dust or dirt from cloth seats. Use the small crevice tool to reach between seat backs and seats and in other small areas. If you spill liquid in the car, or one of the kids gets car sick – use a stack of paper towels or a cotton rag to soak up as much of the liquid as you can by applying heavy pressure to the wet areas. You may need to use several towels to absorb the liquid. Once you have absorbed as much as possible, you can use a cleaning solution or even use a rug shampoo device to get a deeper clean and remove odors.
If your own attempts at cleaning the upholstery are unsuccessful for a stain, bring your car into our Boston Nissan dealership for professional level service.
Have you ever heard about a car accident involving a runaway car? Runaway cars seem to have a mind of their own – accelerating or moving even when the driver has taken their foot off the gas pedal and tried applying the brakes. Most runaway car accidents could be prevented – here is some advice from a Boston Nissan auto body shop for preventing a runaway car:
Common Cause of Runaway Cars
A large number of runaway car accidents seem to be caused by floor mats getting stuck over the gas pedal and holding the pedal down even after the driver’s foot is removed from the gas pedal. In an informal study by Edmunds.com, 3 out of 12 vehicles had floor mats that were not properly connected, which is about 25%. The heavier your floor mat, the more likely it is to interfere with your gas pedal at some point.
Preventing a Runaway Car
Preventing an accident caused by a runaway car is often as simple as making sure your floor mat is properly installed. Check that the floor mat is attached to the little clips on either side of your floor area – these hooks keep the mat from sliding when you get in and out of the car and will keep it from pressing down on the gas pedal. Make it a habit to check them whenever you put gas in your car.
Don’t put a heavy winter floor mat made from rubber over your carpeted mats, as they will just slide all over the place. Remove the carpeted mats first and then attach your winter mats to the little hooks to hold it in place.
Always use car floor mats designed for your Nissan – buying floor mats that are too small or too large will increase the likelihood that the mat will move around.
If you don’t buy the extended car warranty when you purchase a new car, you know that Murphy’s Law will kick into action and as soon as the factory warranty ends – your car will need an expensive repair! On the other hand, if you buy the extended warranty, the same law pretty much assures you the car will run perfectly until the day you trade it in for a new one. While this is an exaggeration, it’s why car buyers have a hard time deciding whether or not to buy the extended service contract when buying a new car. Here are some tips from Massachusetts Nissan to help you make your decision:
How Long Will You Keep Your Car?
If you know you will trade in or sell your car within three or four years time, you probably only need the factory warranty the car provides. In a limited time of car ownership, you are unlikely to use an extended car service contract, and it doesn’t make as much sense for you as it does to someone who tends to drive their cars for five or more years.
Buy When it’s Most Cost Effective
You have two choices for the timing of your extended car warranty coverage: you can buy it when you buy a new Nissan and roll the cost into your car loan, or you can buy it after the standard factory warranty expires. It is much more cost effective to buy the extended warranty contract when you purchase the car, or at least before the standard warranty expires. Adding the coverage after your standard warranty expires will cost you far more because your car is considered “higher risk” for repair work.
Properly inflated and sturdy tires are necessary to riding safely in our cars. When we buy new tires, we expect them to last at least as long as the manufacturer tells us they’re going to last before we need to replace them but there are a number of circumstances which may cause our tires to die before their time. Nissan Massachusetts explains three common tire warranties you can choose from:
Warranty on Workmanship and Materials
If a tire has problems with its materials or manufacturing, the workmanship and materials warranty will either replace the tires on account of the defect; or if the tire is beyond the first 2/32nds of an inch of tread – prorate the amount of tire life you should have remaining toward the cost of new tires.
Warranty on Tread Life
Each brand of tire offers a warranty on tread life – meaning they give you an estimated number of miles your tires should last before they need to be replaced based on normal driving conditions. If your tires wear out before you reach the minimum miles, a tread life warranty will provide a prorated amount based on the percentage of remaining tread found on your tires toward the cost of new tires, if you have receipts to show when they were purchased and a record of tire rotations.
Road Hazard Warranty
An optional warranty can be purchased from tire retailers for road hazard coverage. If your tire is damaged or goes flat before you reach the number of miles the tire should give before it needs replacing, a road hazard warranty will repair your tire or prorate the remaining life towards the purchase of new tires. Road hazard warranties cost between $10 and $20 per tire.
When you buy a car with a loan, the interest rate you pay depends on the current economic conditions and your own credit score. The higher your credit score, the better your interest rate – but there are other ways you can get a better interest rate on a car loan, too. Here are tips from Nissan Dealers in Boston for improving the interest rate on your car financing:
Buy a New Nissan
Financing a new car generally provides a lower interest rate than getting a loan for a used car. If you will be using financing to purchase your next vehicle, consider buying a new Nissan to get better interest rates compared to financing a used car.
Check for Nissan Dealership Offers
While it’s often true that your credit union or bank can offer you the best interest rates on car loans, don’t just assume your local Boston Nissan dealership can’t compete. Many times, the dealership receives special incentives and compensation when we arrange financing for our customers – and that means we can give our customers better interest rates.
Reduce the Total Loan Term
The best interest rates are often provided on loans of a shorter period of time than loans you could have for five years. If you can handle the higher monthly payments or have a larger down payment to reduce the total amount of money you are financing, try to get a car loan for 3 years or less for the best interest rates.
When shopping for a used car, you want to make sure you research and take steps to reduce your risk of buying a car that is in need of extensive maintenance. Boston Nissan has many quality used Nissan cars on our lot, but if any of the following situations are issues exist in a used car you are considering – move on and keep looking!
Burnt or Discolored Transmission Fluid
Transmission fluid requires changing from time to time, just like the other fluids in a car but it’s an area of maintenance that is often overlooked. When looking at used cars, it’s always a good idea to take a peek at the transmission fluid. If it smells burnt, or is a dark brown color, it could be a sign that it has not been changed according to schedule. Problems with transmission fluid often lead to transmission problems, so you may want to reconsider buying any used car with burnt or discolored transmission fluid.
No Repair Records
While it could just mean the previous owner didn’t keep any paperwork, if there is no repair record available for a used car you’re thinking about buying – you should probably make the assumption the car wasn’t maintained.
Accident Damages
A car that’s been involved in a fender bender or two isn’t a big deal – but if the used car you want to buy was in a major accident previously, there is a strong possibility that the car has damage that you can’t see. If there are obvious signs of repair work or accident damage to the car, think carefully if you want to buy it as you can’t be sure what kind of problems lay just under the surface.
The safety system of your Nissan requires a steering and suspension system that works the way it’s supposed to work. There are a number of warning signs and problems that signal the need for steering and suspension system repairs, but most experts say the systems should be checked once each year – during which time you probably will need a wheel alignment, as well. Here’s what you should know about your steering and suspension system from Your Boston Nissan dealer:
What Does The Nissan Steering and Suspension System Do?
When you turn your steering wheel, you expect the car to go in the direction you tell it. The steering system works with the steering components to help you control your car. Your suspension helps provide a comfortable ride, even when you drive over bumps and potholes, and is responsible for absorbing some of the energy caused from driving.
Does Your Steering and Suspension System Need Maintenance?
Your steering and suspension system takes a bit of a beating just from day to day driving. How quickly the components of the steering and suspension systems wear out depends on your driving style, as well as the condition of the roads you drive on. The bumpier and more rough the roads, the more work your steering and suspension systems have to do to keep up and the faster they will require maintenance or replacement. If any of the following happen to your Nissan, make an appointment to have the steering and suspension systems checked:
- The car pulls to one side or the other
- Car offers a rough and bumpy ride, instead of a smooth ride
- Vehicle makes noise or vibrates when you go around corners
- Your tires are wearing unevenly.
When winter hits, the roads become more dangerous and unpredictable for drivers. More than 70% of all drivers skip out on the winterization of their vehicles, according to the Car Care Council, putting them at an even higher risk for accidents. Getting your Nissan ready for cold Massachusetts winters is your best defense for the winter challenges you may face. Here is a winterization checklist from Nissan Dealerships in Boston:
Turn on your heater and defroster before you actually need to use them. Make sure they’re both blowing hot air. If not, have it serviced.
Take a look at your windshield wipers to determine if they need to be replaced. If you are replacing the wipers, consider getting a pair designed for winter use.
Put a de-icer style windshield wiper fluid in your car for the winter months, it will help you keep your windshield clear even in the coldest and worst of ice storms.
Check the tire pressure weekly during the colder months.
Test your brakes or bring your car into Coastal Nissan Boston for a check to make sure your brakes are ready for winter driving.
If it’s time for an oil change, have the oil and filter changed and ask the mechanic to check all other car filters and fluids at the same time and change any that require it.
Make sure there are no carbon monoxide leaks. During the winter, you are probably going to drive around with your windows shut tight to keep in the heat, but if there is a carbon monoxide leak, this is dangerous.
Remember to put a winter emergency kit with first aid items, blanket, shovel, de-icer, water and snacks in the car in case you break down.
Checking these items before the snow flies is the best way to prepare for the obstacles presented by driving in the winter. If your car has any repair needs, the winter weather will make the problems worse, so now is the time to get them fixed.
It used to be mechanics made the bulk of their living through tune-ups. Modern day cars, including new Nissan cars, are designed to last much longer than earlier cars. But even with the advancements in technology and improved manufacturing – today’s cars are still in need of a tune up once in a while to ensure its operating efficiently. Here are tips from Massachusetts Nissan regarding the need for tune ups:
Technologically-Advanced Tune Ups
Tune ups for older cars generally relied on a check of the engine by a mechanic. Modern cars require computer inspections to monitor all of the technology components of the cars to ensure everything is working the way it should. The following systems will be checked in a tune up:
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Onboard diagnostics
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Powertrain
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Battery
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ignition
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engine mechanical components
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fuel
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emissions
Improve Nissan Performance
Most car owners bring their car to Massachusetts Nissan for a tune up in order to make sure everything is operating efficiently and nothing is in need of repairs. Other reasons for getting a tune up are to improve your Nissan’s performance, or to prepare for a road trip, or to ensure the safety of the car before you let someone borrow it, or maybe as part of your winterization routine.
Our Boston Nissan service center can give your new or used Nissan a full mechanical and technological tune up. Call us today to schedule a service appointment.