Dear Nissan

Nissan Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 685003
Franklin, TN 37068-5003

Dear Consumer Affairs,

I know that I have exhausted my options on this warranty item and a final decision has been rendered. I still feel I want to express formally how utterly disappointed I am in Nissan USA. As a valued customer for the past 8+ years I would have never expected this type of treatment. I wanted to outline my dissatisfaction with not only the final decision, but the process and how you handle the promotion of your extended “Service Agreement” as part of purchasing a Certified Nissan pre-owned vehicle.

I have been a loyal customer since my younger brother purchased a 1991 Nissan Stanza when I was in college. The car was a good lucking tank named George, ran proud and true and so when I was looking for a used car a few years later while I was in graduate school I stumbled into and purchased a 1991 NX 2000. It was not only a cheap dependable car but I eventually turned it into a second car and started using it for SCCA Autocross racing. There began my love for Nissan vehicles. My next car was a 2000 Sentra GXE that I purchased used from an economy lot of a Nissan dealer in Grand Rapids, MI. That car was a great vehicle and the first time I financed a car all on my own.

As I progressed in my career I got nicer vehicles. I sold my NX 2000 and eventually purchased a 2002 Nissan SpecV from a Nissan dealership in Jackson, MI. That car was purely an autocross car, I got a jacket and put Nissan patches on it and enjoyed being one of the few Nissans in my race class (which I would regularly win). Around the time I got my SpecV it was time to get more grown up and I purchased a 2005 (two years old) from a Nissan dealer in Battle Creek, MI. I searched and searched for a used Altima with a 5-speed because I like driving stick and that costs of ownership on a stick are lower (well usually).

Recently I sold my SpecV in exchange for a 1975 Datsun 280Z. Have you picked up on how much I have enjoyed my Nissan ownership experience? I wear Nismo hats, I am on all the Nissan online forums, and I even subscribe to Nissan Sport Magazine (I just renewed).

I have enjoyed having a certified Nissan car. I purchased it with the understanding that the car, with the exception of regular wear items, would be worry free until 100,000 miles or 5 years from purchased date. I know, and never complained when I needed tires, brakes, and other regular maintenance items needed to be done that were not covered.

My first concern was at around 40,000 miles (I purchased the car with 27,000 on the clock). In stop and go traffic in Chicago the clutch pedal went limp. I was able to pull up on it to shift gears and get off to the side of the road. I was preparing to call Nissan when I started the car again and it drove fine. I took it to the dealership right away, thinking the hydraulic fluid was over heating, or something went wrong. The dealership (Les Stanford in Jackson, MI) said nothing appears wrong with it. My issue was that it clearly was something wrong, and they told me when it did it again to let them know.

The issue came up again at about 60,000 miles. This time I took it to Gurley Leep in Mishawaka, IN. This is the dealership that had been servicing my SpecV and Altima and I was EXTREMELY pleased with them. They checked it out, of course the issue did not repeat itself, but I know that the issue happening caused wear on the clutch when the pedal failed. They helped cover some of the cost as they drained the fluid and upgraded the type of fluid used in the transmission.

The issue happened again about a month ago. Once again once I let the car cool down it went back to normal. To me that means the clutch cylinder or something else must be the problem causing it to lose hydraulic pressure. I took it to the dealership with that issue and some clunking in the front of the car. They could not reproduce the clutch issue (again) but did warranty some of the steering items.

Well three days after picking up the car… my clutch pedal felt weird, but it was not the same feeling as before though. The clutch was slipping. That never happened before, before it was the clutch pedal not having pressure. Luckily the car was drivable still so I brought in to the dealer the next day. Well by the time I got to the dealer with clutch was completely slipping.

Of course at this time is when the service manager at Gurley Leep says the clutch isn’t covered and quoted a price of $1280 with one clutch and $950 with a cheaper clutch. I was not in a negotiating mood, kept my cool in the service department and went outside for some fresh air. That is when I was approached by a salesman about buying a new Nissan. Normally I would have loved to chat cars, and about how my wife and I have discussed trading in her Jetta for a Murano this spring once we have our first child (expected Dec 30th). He told me to let him know if he can help with the service department, or if I want to trade the car in like it is. I told him I would contact him, but I wanted to contact Nissan customer service first about my warranty. (That evening I sent him an email, the following day he didn’t respond, and only called once I complained to the service guy that I thought I was blacklisted from the dealership now)

So the following day I called and started Report # 6983311 with (agent) who was very nice on the phone. He explained that my case was “worth investigating” and I could expect a 24 hour response from a Regional Specialist. Here I thought, now I am getting somewhere. I did ask (agent) what would be a typical response, he explain it could be anywhere from covering the repair, to helping with the repair to not covering any of it. I explained my years with Nissan and he thanked me for being a loyal customer. I optimistically waited for the response.

I got a call from (Regional Specialist) from Consumer Affairs and promptly called her back. I was explained that because of the mileage on my car that they would not cover the repair. I explained about the miles on my certified warranty and about how I had taken the car in several times about clutch pedal pressure issues that would of clearly caused the clutch to go bad faster. She explained the decision was final. So I asked, “So I am stuck paying for this entire repair?” She then explained that the dealership told her they offered me a $300 discount on the repair. Which I explained to her was not true, they just offered me a lower quality part to be used instead. She told me she could do nothing but said they “care about my business”, to which I told her clearly you don’t. It is of course her job to refute that, she did, and I wasn’t going to argue so I told her have a good day and hung up.

My mother taught me that actions speak louder than words. My grandfather taught me that loyalty is the most valuable trait from a business. He was a small business owner and had a car repair and tire store. He taught me about business and how to treat people. He retired a successful business man because he knew that his word was all he had to show people and to earn their business. So he made his word count for something. So Nissan, I want to say that this is the most disappointing thing that you could have done. Your word from a dealer in selling me a car, to your word about standing behind your products, and your words of “valuing my business” mean nothing.

I called the dealership back. The service manager (who I know is working hard for me) was only able to get the repair down to $828 for me. Where is my $300 discount that I was supposed to get? A local recommended shop quoted me $750 to do the repair. So a place that doesn’t know anything about me is getting me a better deal than the company with whom I have spend thousands of dollars at for cars and service. Big Nissan, who values my business can’t beat this little local shops price?

The worst of this is… I never thought I would have to think about doing a safecar.gov posting about my dear Nissan. I didn’t think I would ever want to no longer where my Nissan jacket, or even contemplate selling my Datsun race car or give up on talking the wife into the 350Z summer car I have been wanting. I never thought I would be shopping for anything but a Nissan, and now I might be shopping for anything BUT a Nissan.

I know it doesn’t mean much now, because as your agent said this issue is finished, but you lost a costumer. Maybe you get these letters a lot, maybe business is so good you don’t care, but I am writing in the hopes that you do care. If you don’t, shame on you Nissan. Shame on you for losing a valuable customer.

Sincerely,

Sam Centellas
2005 Nissan Altima 2.5s
2002 Nissan SE-R SpecV
2000 Nissan Sentra GXE
1991 Nissan NX2000
1975 Datsun 280z