Sold by Nissan New Zealand, or a grey import?
| Sold new by Nissan New Zealand | Grey import | |
|---|---|---|
| New vehicle warranty | 5 years or 150,000 km | Doesn't apply to a car first sold overseas |
| Nissan MORE programme | Up to 10 years or 300,000 km, with dealer logbook servicing | Not covered, even if a Nissan dealer sold it |
| Leaf battery capacity cover | Below nine bars, for 96 months or 160,000 km | Not under Nissan New Zealand's warranty |
| Nissan's online recall search | Included | Not included: ask the mechanic to check the VIN |
Imported Leafs: check the battery before anything else
AA New Zealand explains state of health as a battery's ability to store and deliver energy. On a Leaf, the dash shows how many bars the battery will charge to, out of a possible 12.
Early Leafs have no active battery cooling, and Wikipedia says heat and fast charging wear lithium-ion batteries more than age and use do. So two Leafs of the same year can have very different packs.
EECA's advice for a used EV is to ask for a measure of the battery's remaining capacity, and to be cautious if the seller can't give one. Some cars need diagnostic equipment plugged in to show it, which is a job for a mechanic who works on EVs. More on the Leaf page.
Note e-Power, Tiida and Nissan's CVT
The Note e-Power arrived in late 2016. Its small petrol engine only charges the battery, and the electric motor alone drives the wheels, so it needs engine servicing like any petrol car plus someone who understands the high-voltage side.
If you're hunting for parts or service data for a Tiida, the C12 version was sold new here as the Pulsar from 2013, so give the mechanic both names.
Since 2003, Nissan has sold its belt-type automatics (CVTs, with no fixed gears) under the Xtronic name. If yours is one, ask when the book says its fluid is due, and mention any shudder or whine when you tell us the job.
Worth asking before you agree to the work
- Is any Nissan New Zealand warranty still on this car, and does where I service it matter?
- Can you check the VIN for open recalls, since Nissan's own search skips grey imports?
- For a Leaf or Note e-Power: who will touch the high-voltage parts, and what training do they have?
- When is the CVT fluid due, and is it on this quote?
What you can keep an eye on
You can
- On a Leaf, note how many capacity bars show on the dash.
- Photograph any warning light before you switch off.
- Keep the receipts from every service with the car.
Leave to the mechanic
- Battery health readings and anything high-voltage.
- CVT fluid changes and gearbox diagnosis.
- Recall checks and the scheduled service.
Our take on a Nissan
If the car was sold new by Nissan New Zealand and its warranty or Nissan MORE cover is worth keeping, we'd stay with an authorised dealer until it ends. If it's a grey import, we'd ask a mechanic who works on Nissans to check the VIN for recalls, read the battery on a Leaf or e-Power, and quote the service the book lists.