radin2son

In May, 2015 check engine light came on. Didn’t have obd reader and engine continued to run fine. We were near Charlotte, NC and took it to Scott Clark Nissan. No appointment but knew commercial sales manager through this forum. They pulled up codes PO441, purge flow PO455, Gross Leak (evap) Basically, “sensor (PO455) in charcoal canister keeps coming out.” Common problem in Titans. Choice was new canister (no warranty left) or glue the sensor back in. Common fix and no problems since. Take away from this prior to fix was driveable with check engine light on. I now have an obd reader. Nissan covered repair as evap was on going reported issue. Earlier gas cap replacement did nothing as it wasn’t a problem. As an aside, if you drive your NV on dusty, dirt roads, it will throw the code PO448, EVAP system vent control circuit short. (Bamps posted a fix.) I just ignore it as it is self healing when you get back on pavement and go through a cycle of starts.

It’s not heat related in the sense that NVs aren’t built to handle AZ heat. Your temp gauge was where it should be. Unless you are in Flagstaff or Sierra Vista, you won’t have to wait long for 93* days. I agree with laf, you need to get the codes. An auto parts store should be able to pull up codes for you in the interim. Not sure if they can bring up history. Wouldn’t think this is a problem. I don’t know the current status of commercial vs Nissan dealerships. If NVs still have to go to commercial dealerships, then you have to go to Phoenix or Tucson. Best bet is to get the service manager involved. Start with a complaint about service. Even at 4:30, something could have been done. This is weak, but it gets you to the service manager or prepares you for another dealer if you are in Phoenix. Then there is the area rep. (Read a post somewhere that commercial customer service may no longer exist.) The good news, is you have warranty for your “cargo or passenger...”

Great tutorial. Smart to put the outlets on the footwell side. Someone here or perhaps another site had the fridge on tracks to pull out to let you add a swivel to the passenger seat. Or it could be my imagination...

? at the ready no doubt. Did you use it as a camper or for inspiration?

Gravel breaks on the mostly 2 lane Alaska Hwy are part of summer road repair. Vary from short, long, dry, muddy, but all driveable. From what the original owner said, CC was the only one who agreed to do this.

Just saw a 2020 Transit Connect “micro conversion van” for $72k+ on conversion trader. Makes the 2012 NV Sportsmobile hightop a steal at $45k+. It is anyway with roof top ac and solar. New it probably was around $70k+.

“Big decisions ahead” is sort of like “gravel break” signs on the Alaska Hwy. You know what to expect but not really. You mentioned seeing a hightop NV with a Colorado Camper pop top on it. In 2014-15 (?), there were posts on a similar build. Owner was a photo/videographer who previously had Sprinter or Sprinted based class B RVs. Started on east coast and ended up in CA. Mainly posted on Overland or was it expedition portal and took his van to expos. Sold it, so whereabouts unknown. He was 6’4” and needed the additional height. I think he did more of a modular build because the van was an office and gear carrier. I also think it was a Quigley 4x4.

Conversion ready!

Got it. Good to know.

NV Service & Maintenance Guide sort of supports my take on this. Drive shaft boots are inspected from 7500 miles on. No scheduled service, however. At 105,000 miles, brake fluid, coolant and spark plugs should be replaced. Optional 120k upgrade includes replacing transmission fluid, differential oil, drive belts and radiator cap.

In the first video, the bushing was fine and reusable. So a mechanic wouldn’t see this as a problem unless there was a mileage based reason to do this. Or the NV was brought in due to repeated clunking. In my world of being mechanically challenged, I now know to ask my mechanic to check this previously unknown rubber bushing. (CV boots are notorious for cracking in the desert and are routinely checked.) At least I’lI sound like I know what I am talking about.

Are you implying this needs to done at a certain mileage or do you wait for the “clunk?”

We did do a quick measurement and check out available fridges. Most were too wide, but that doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. I will remeasure the space and pm you a photo. Thanks.

Sportsmobile in Austin, TX has a used converted NV200 for sale, $28,000. 34,000 miles. The vehicle is in Montana. I have no affiliation with this, but you can contact bob@campervannorthamerica.com per the info on the van. They can deliver the van, 5 in stock. So probably rental camper vans. If nothing else you can see what a minimal conversion looks like.

Came across this after LAF's comment about must have tools and NV storage. So what is a NV Sportsmobile? In 2012-13(?), Sportsmobile West (Fresno) built 30 and a few one-offs. Austin facility built a few as well. Plan was to sell them through Nissan commercial dealerships. Not a good Plan! We have only seen one, the V6 prototype, in Teton National Park. Email contact with 2 others. The Austin facility has a used high roof for sale for $45000. 51115 miles. We chose the pop top with RB50 floor plan because it was just like our '83 VW. It also sleeps 4 unlike the high "roof "and high top in general. Paid $65,700 at the Fresno facility, where we picked it up before it was shipped to the dealership. The dealer sold the naked van at a discount. Some dealer markups pushed the price to $73000. These weren't special order vans so we paid more to double the size of the water tank and add a hot water system. We have enjoyed this van for almost 10 years. Continues to meet all our expectations. We initially used the microwave but haven't in awhile.Trying to figure out how we would use the space if we remove it. Wish we could fit a taller/larger fridge in hat space. We use a Coleman stove outdoors and a backpacking stove indoors to make coffee or tea. Handheld outdoor shower works well enough, but eventually you need to find a real shower. Essentially, this is a well built, basic van. Sportsmobile West is now in Phoenix and builds Transits. The Fresno facility is now Field and builds high end 4x4 vans.

If the current 2012-21 NV200 continues to be built in Mexico, it could rival the VW bug and combi of old. Still can’t get over the large radiator on the front of the VW van. Many European vehicles don’t make it here unfortunately. So the Mexican version with Renault E-TECH engine might be ideal for US city users.

Supposedly, US NV200s were built in Cuernavaca, Mexico. (Would need to look at origin sticker to verify this.) If the tax is an issue and Nissan is serious about an E-NV200 (In 2014, they were built in Barcelona for Europe.), they will find a way to use NAFTA, similar to Ford trucks, using Canadian or Mexican parts and build them in Chattanooga. New version, Townstar NV, with Renault E-TECH has a claimed range of 177 miles. Good enough for city use.

West works.

I can see why you would enjoy this. Similar concept as Overland Expo. We have family near Charlottesville and it has been awhile since we traveled east. Distance makes this type of trip complex. Much easier to travel and see what you find or as one poster informed me he wasn’t retired and couldn’t wander around aimlessly. Pity.

Empty space. Wiring concealed underneath. We like it more for the small extra floor space. Cooler usually stashed there. Extra dog leash resides there and when dog is packed in van, leash stashed there as well. Negative regarding SMB step modification is just that extra step up. Grab handle gets lots of work. People checking out the van have a problem stepping out and down.

There is a company in UK that modifies Land Rover Defenders with some sort of Tesla-ice combination. The very affluent spending money because they can. My wife read an article about a couple who rented a Kia ev for an extended weekend type trip. Spent 18 hours or so charging it... Years ago in Green River, UT, when Teslas were relatively rare, a couple from Vermont approached us about where the charging station was and who had the key to the cabin in the state park. Like we looked like park rangers... They started their trip in Vegas. Did they make it home? Just don’t see one in our travel future. Around town, we are the perfect match.

World van so easy enough to ship or truck it here. Make it an ev and it would sell unless Nissan takes too much time to decide... Speaking of ev, Adventure Journal had an article taken from The Drive, comparing ice trucks to ev trucks or at least the concept of ev trucks beyond Rivian and Lightning.

Here’s a better photo. SMB built up the step to accommodate wires from the house batteries in a tray bolted to the frame directly underneath. Wood step covered with a thin rubber coat. SMB did match the gray however. Wore through in no time so I painted on some bed liner. Probably function better as a box.

Good reason for the meetup suggestion.

Sportsmobile put a storage box over the passenger side rear wheel well to hold the jack etc and table leg/tripod. The table top stores under the couch/bed. Too wobbly to use so more room in the box for tools, but nowhere near your portable shop. They also closed off half of the slider step, leaving the step near the grab handle; space can be used for storage. It also increases the floor space. Not the greatest photo, but it shows the step.