Mark Rogers

You'd probably have better luck selling them on Facebook in one of these groups: Nissan NV Families, Nissan NV Owners, or NV Crew.

It's possible that the warping is caused by your driving style.  We've had our minivan for a decade and never had any brake issues with it until we loaned it to a relative for a long drive through Idaho and Montana.  She apparently doesn't downshift for the long downhill stretches and prefers to ride the brakes instead.  When we got it back, all four rotors were warped.

If you don't need the missing seat, try living without it.  We always leave that seat out of our van because then we have tons of room for strollers, suitcases, groceries, etc.

This isn't strictly NV related, but I thought a lot of you might find it interesting.  This video briefly explains how auto manufacturers determine a vehicle's towing capacity.  It doesn't mention axle weight ratings, so it's not giving you the whole picture, but it's fun to see where the GCWR comes from.

One other thing to do before the big trip:  Check the pressure in your spare tire.

This is the first automatic transmission vehicle I've owned that doesn't have a dipstick for the transmission fluid in the engine compartment.  I spent a while looking for it before I figured out that it just isn't there.  It's especially confusing because the 2016 owner's manual mentions a dipstick for checking the fluid level, and says that you may have to change the fluid more often if you tow.  The owner's manual also offers this helpful advice about the automatic transmission fluid: "When checking or replacement is required, we recommend a NISSAN dealer for servicing."

According to Nissan's 2016 Service and Maintenance Guide, "Automatic transmission fluid for 370Z and NV 1500/2500/3500 is maintenance-free."  And every part of the maintenance schedule that talks about the transmission fluid has a footnote that says, "Automatic transmission fluid except for 370Z and NV 1500/2500/3500."  I suppose they mean that If you drive it long enough to need a new transmission, the replacement will come with new fluid.

The transmission changed in 2017, so I went looking for info on the new design.  I couldn't find a service and maintenance guide for 2017 or newer.  I checked the maintenance schedule in a 2018 owner's manual and it says, "Transmission fluid/oil, differential oil: Visually inspect for signs of leakage at specified intervals."  And the schedule has a footnote for the automatic transmission fluid that says, "Periodic maintenance is not required."

FYI: If you want to find the service and maintenance guide for 2013 - 2016 vans, go to https://owners.nissanusa.com/nowners/navigation/manualsGuide.  The NV isn't listed there, so pick any other model that was produced in the desired year.  The same guide is used for all models for a given year.  Sorry, I don't know where to find the 2012 version, if it even exists.

That's better.  Looks really nice!

The link's not working, but it sounds like a pretty good idea.

Looks nice.

Since the NV does not come standard with a cabin air filter, I had to use the Nissan 350Z filter recommendation.  That's the first thing I learned about this NV.  Part recommendations don't exist!

My 2016 NV3500 uses the same cabin air filter as the 2016 GT-R.  (I don't know if that's the same filter that the 350Z uses or not.)  If I look up the filter for the NV at the parts store, the book recommends a filter that's too big to fit.

Glad you were able to get it fixed.

Could the swelling be the result of over-torquing?

I like the rear view camera in the last photo.  What kind is it?

It sounds like you pressed the info button and now you're seeing the oil pressure gauge.  See section 2 in your owner's manual.  If you press the info button a few more times to cycle through the other gauges, you can make it go back to the way it was.

That instruction sheet is amazingly insufficient.  I'm really surprised it doesn't even have any warnings about not driving with the seat reversed, etc.

The instructions and photos you provided are much, much better!

Lgpalmer, every brand of remote starter I looked at (Compustar, Viper, & Fortin) has those features as optional upgrades.  You can also get a keypad that goes in the corner of the windshield so you can unlock the van even if you don't have your phone with you.

What did you have to do to adapt the seat to fit the van's bolt holes?

How long do you think it will take to recover your initial investment?

Every pound you add to the NV takes away that much towing capacity for the camper.  If you have 500 lbs of kids then remove 500 lbs from your towing capacity.  

Except that when you run into the axle weight limits, every pound you add to the NV reduces your towing capacity by much more than a pound.  Depending on your hitch type and weight distribution, you may need to remove 10 pounds from the trailer to reduce the NV's axle load by 1 pound.  So, if you have 12 adults in the van, your towing capacity will be minimal because the van won't support much trailer tongue weight, even though you'll be far below the max combined weight.

Ouch!

Believe me, you dont want to blow a tire.  Had two blow out over the years and it is no fun.  First thing done when I get a new camper now is upgrade the tires even if they have 0 miles on them.  Havent had a blow out since over thousands of miles towing.

What speed rating do you recommend?  I believe the van's OEM tires are rated for 106 MPH, but towing at that speed seems like a terrible idea.  (For that matter, driving the van without a trailer at that speed is a bad idea because emergency maneuvers are no longer a viable option.)

Mark Rogers, How is their service department? I’ve given up on the 1 commercial dealership in Tucson and use an independent shop. My main complaint has been they don’t know you or your vehicle.

I never had any service done there.  I flew there, picked up the van, and drove it home to Idaho.  I've taken it to a commercial dealership here a few times and they've worked out just fine.

I bought from that same dealership and had a great experience.  I guess it depends on who you're lucky enough to work with.  Also, my van was completely stock, so that may have made a difference.

Your van's issues that should be covered by the warranty, but I know that can still be a hassle.  It does look nice, though!

You gotta really like diesel to pay that much.  Maybe it would make sense if your gas engine need to be replaced anyway due to a mechanical failure.  Or if you just like expensive toys.

That sounds like either the engine's not running or the inverter's overloaded.  If you see this behavior with the engine running and nothing plugged in, you could have a faulty inverter.