In nearly every case, NEW car automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the new car warranty will be valid for the full term regardless of ownership. In other words, if you buy a new car and later sell it to someone else, the warranty will still remain valid for the new owner until the end of the original warranty period.
As a result, buying a used car with the remaining factory warranty means it’s covered for whatever portion of the warranty remains as if you were the original owner. There’s one important catch, however; the warranty is based on the in-service date and not the model year. If you buy a 2019 model-year car with a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty in November of 2018, the clock begins ticking the minute you take possession. No matter the mileage, that warranty expires in November of 2021, three years from the date you bought the car new. Likewise, if the new car dealership puts a new car into service as a demo or a loaner, the warranty clock begins on the day that happens.
