Adieu, Cube

Q: Three friends with Nissan Cubes love them. I’m seriously considering buying one. The guy at my dealership said they’re not going to handle them anymore because of low sales. They had several low-mileage Cubes. My question: would it be wise to buy this car? My concern, of course, is servicing, parts, resale, etc. The dealer assures me no problem. What’s your take? A: First off, your dealer wasn’t being completely transparent. He may have discontinued handling them because of “low sales” but the Cube has been retired. There will be no 2015 Cube. He seemed to have neglected to mention that. There hasn’t been an official death announcement from Nissan. Earlier this year there was a flurry among auto bloggers speculating that the Cube was officially dead because when Nissan gave peeks at its 2015 lineup, the Cube was conspicuously absent. Nissan would not confirm (or disconfirm) to the press at that time there would be no more Cube. In early October, a Nissan spokesman confirmed to me that the Cube is, indeed, over and done with. Dealers have certainly known this for some time. Car companies often obfuscate the coming demise of a model for the very reasons you raise: potential buyers of the current year’s model get rapidly cooling feet, fearing they won’t get the future service support they need. That’s not a consumer concern built on fairy dust. We need only remember the discontinuation of the Saturn. Some owners said they had no difficulties; many others reported awful stories of scarce parts, insufficiently trained technicians, and repairs that should have taken a day taking a week or more. So. The risks are exactly as you point out. Certainly a car can be fixed by a technician who hasn’t not be specifically trained for a particular model (otherwise, generalized repair shops wouldn’t exist). Parts can almost always be found, even if they’re being manufactured at a slower pace and stocked more leanly. But your inconvenience level could be higher than usual in a few years when aging Cube parts need replacing. And trade-in? The Cube has never a hot reseller because its distinctive look appeals to a smaller pool. This discontinuation of the model won’t help that. What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email Sharon@ctwfeatures.com.