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radin2son

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Everything posted by radin2son

  1. Chris, My radio must not have been tuned to that station. I vaguely remember the group. After I sent the ?, I realized we mainly/only see full size pickups and minivans advertised. Actually, I'm not surprised by your commercial promotion. Still, it is the owners that are spreading the word or visual image of "a ton" being on the road. One thing I have noticed is that Nissan NV parts trucks identify the dealer, while the Sprinter parts truck says "Sprinter Store." Grabbed my attention when I first looked at vans. Daydreamin, we met a couple with a V6 SMB and they had no issues at all. The conversion was the same, so they were carrying a 1/2 ton not counting gear inside. They did get better mpg but I don't remember the figure.
  2. Chris, there is a certain age, I guess where I'm at, that forced the question: Who is Brett Michaels? I did see the "tough love" video when it came out, but learned about it on Truck Trend. Same for the Leaf pickup. Do you do any type is promotion? I ask, because when we were in the Tetons in June, there were convoys of rental Suburbans, registered in Utah. Most were filled with Asian tourists. Instead of looking at the sights, many were more interested in our NV. Same for bus tours. A little too far for you to run the NVP rental business. But what potential! Daydreamin, any reason you didn't opt for the V8? You will just have to try JimClick's service department, particularly if you find any warranty items after a thorough walk through of your van. Jeff is the NV service writer, so ask for him. More than likely you will get his voice mail. Just make sure you deal with him or whoever is their designated NV person. I think the best sleeping option is a platform bed that is high enough to store big things under it. Even better if it would fold to each side to let you have walk through access to the back door. Not sure how you would work in a rear seat if you have more than one passenger. Outside Van has some good examples but they are fixed. In our SMB, the platform is too low, as it forms part of the couch bed. Think VW camper but with storage, not an engine.
  3. You will like your NV. The best way to get the information you want is to scroll down all the topics on the introduction thread. You will see that most recent ones are for passenger vans. There are a few camper conversions and ongoing projects, some for both work and recreation. I don't know what service Camax provides, but you will find that service options are few in Tucson. Jim Click is it. If you used an independent shop for your Element, see if they will do basic service. Stuttgart Autohaus will work on it, but check with Gary. When you travel, you will have to look for an NV dealer. They are far and few between unless you are in a major city. Also, get your smile ready to answer questions about your NV. As far as I can tell, owners are the only ones doing promotion. Although I did see a dealer billboard in TX or LA claiming they were the largest NV dealer or something like that.
  4. At the bottom of the "full version," there is a moderating team with a Nissan logo, "staff" and "Administrators." At one point, whoever they are, made several posts. One was about the taxi and the other was a request for volunteers for something to do with the forum. There may have been other posts. I guess it really doesn't matter as the forum seems to work fairly well. This American Life on NPR did a great spot on a Chrysler dearship on Long Island. They had to sell a huge number of cars in one weekend to meet their end of the year quota set by Chrysler to get money, interest or something. It was better for them to unload cars at a loss to get to the quota. Pressure, pressure etc. My strangest dealership experience was a Saab dealer in Medford, MA. He had room for one new Saab in what was really a shop. My '71 Saab 95 needed a muffler. Everyone took their Saab to him, unless it had air conditioning. He wouldn't work on your car if it did. No survey, only word of mouth. I'm seriously thinking of taking my NV to my VW mechanic of 30+ years. (Foreign, not domestic service. I have taken past Toyotas and Hondas and never used the dealer for service. Since the NV seems to be a low maintenance vehicle, I have no qualms about not using the dealer.) No surveys and when I speak with the shop owner he knows me and his mechanics know my vehicle.
  5. I'm not so sure this is real, as in this may be the action of a "Troll." No real details were provided and no additional info either. (The odd thing he clicked he liked my post. Go figure.) Every post on this forum appears in numerous places on the Internet. Just search "service complaints" and see what you get. Nissan monitors, you may want to change this to "NV Service Issues." Given the number of people who stil ask "What is that?" I doubt a troll would be any better informed. Back to the real world, if this is it. Is a service writer responsible for anything beyond writing up the service order, a quick vehicle inspection, discussing additional work, if needed and "selling" whatever additional service the dealership is pushing. I can't imagine losing a bonus for one negative review. On the other hand, the service manager is accountable, but I can't see this type of reaction. Also, when I had problems with service, it was the tech who screwed up. I didn't include the service writer in my complaint. In fact, I made an effort to say he did his job well. Yet, he was the only one who disappeared. Coincidence?
  6. If this is real, why didn't you provide in your post the type of vehicle, service you received and who (job title) you contacted at the dealership/shop after getting the phone call? Also, why didn't you contact Nissan customer service? Assuming you have a NV, this forum/topic really is not the place to simply rant without first taking some sort of action. If it is real...it is more serious than BS for the employer.
  7. Dustin, after you have driven your NV awhile, you will have to post your impressions and how you drive it to maximize your expectations.
  8. I forgot already... Far too technical for me to explain. Someone, perhaps Mc2guy or axulsuv, earlier provided a very good explanation about why higher, not lower, rpms are better in terms of computer/sensors metering fuel for better fuel economy. I looked but could not find their explanation. 2200 to 2500 rpms seemed to be the magic number. In simple terms, a light foot does not necessarily mean better fuel mileage while maintaining a steady hwy speed. I have no idea what rpms cruise control operates at. In real terms, the results may not be that noticeable or worth the effort to keep your eye on the tach. This does not apply to accelerating, stopping etc. as axulsuv explained in a post on how to improve gas mileage. (NV 1500)
  9. Dustin, Before I forget, there is a positive relationship between 2500 rpms and mpg. I find it hard to maintain more than 2200 rpms on the hwy without going 75+ mph. Next time you use cruise control on the hwy see what your rpms are. From what I understand, the computer wants more fuel than is needed at lower rpms Counterintuitive... We had an '83 VW camper, last of the air cooled for a good reason. No other vans. Long history of underpowered vehicles. First V8 I have ever owned. At stop lights I still look around to see who has the sweet sounding engine. No one else there. We considered the 2x2 Ford E-series and low roof Sprinter from Sportsmobile. Both were too tall to fit into our carport. (Garages in Tucson are a relatively new phenomenon.) Deal killer! Didn't like the Ford and Sprinter too expensive etc. Very happy with our choice.
  10. Dustin, this is more technical than I can explain. I haven't noticed having trouble staying in 5th gear. Perhaps someone else can...
  11. Dustin, On the end of shift column is a button. Push it and you will see D4 on the dash display. You no longer have 5th gear, and it won't be available until you push the button again. (Or, when you turn off the ignition it will go back to D and 5 speeds.) What you now have is the ability to shift via a toggle (think paddle shifters) on the shift column, according to road conditions or stay in a gear. It still will upshift and downshift between 1 - 4 on its own but you can put in D3, D2 or D1. Perfect for slow, twisty roads or hills. Never used cruise control, so... Have you considered rear windows? The interior rear window does work. trucktrend.com has done long term test drives on NVs and the Sprinter. What put me off the Sprinter was high maintenance costs and concern about emergency repairs in the middle of no where. Saw a new Ford passenger, extended Transit today in the same neighborhood as a passenger NV. The Ford looked cheap or unsubstantial compared to the NV.
  12. "D"ustin, On a straight hwy, our NV actually is close to our Passat wagon. You will love the power, but not its appetite. On interstates, I generally keep it at 65-70 mph. In Canada, it was, as you know, mostly 55 mph. I love driving at this speed. On hilly, narrow rural roads, it most certainly is not a VW. Keep to or lower than the speed limit, as you will feel top heavy and wonder if the brakes will kick in. (When I get back in our VW, I typically hit the brakes too hard and the front does a nose dive.) Using the shift button, when you don't need 5th, helps with control and mpg. I use it all the time. Arizona rural roads are similar to what you drive. No shoulders, narrow but with a 65 mph speed limit. Fantastic roads that are fun to drive. You will love the mirrors that let you see where you are in relation to edge of the road when you meet another vehicle. I think it will be very difficult to keep it upright if we ever go off the road. Reason we opted for all the airbags available. I have the tow package but only used it to tow our VW back from California when we first bought our NV. It towed well but mpg was 12+. When not towing and carrying a heavy load, you can engage it to control down hill speed. Enjoy your new purpose built vehicle, Dustin.
  13. Justin, I can't tell for sure but based on your mpg ?, I don't think you have read all the posts on this or the posts by Chris and Bates, both with Nissan. Initially, I thought the same and in some ways you are right. There are times they don't jump in, but most of what they say is useful. I'm more surprised that they are participating. I would like to see the Nissan monitors of this site become active contributors as well as have a Nissan rep contribute.
  14. A year and half ago we drove the AlCan in our "camperized" 2012 NV low top. This means about a ton of conversion and gear when traveling. 20 fill ups, converted from liters to gallons averaged 15.8 mpg while in AB, BC and YT. Low of 14.8 and high of 18.8 mpg. It drives like a dream. Just back from a 4 day hiking/van camping trip in Cochise Stronghold and Chircahua Mountains in southern Az. On I-10 east of Texas Canyon; 90 mph while passing slow semis going up a long hill. Felt as stable as my Passat TDI Enjoy your travels/work.
  15. This issue begs several questions. How many components in the NV, or any other Nissan are outsourced? How many components are shared? How effective is quality control at both ends? In matandbrook's case, 2 different vehicles with the same problem. "Locking" seat belts may not be a safety issue, or is it? Explain the problem to the NV service manager, not the service writer. If the service manager can't come up with a fix, both seat belts or whatever is "locking" should be replaced.
  16. Whether or not you have addressed it with a NV dealer, try the "Feedback/Help" topic. I'm not sure what Nissan intended with this, but there is a place to check "solved." So far nothing has prompted a response. Best bet is for Chris, Bates and the master mechanic to address this. 06 Titan problem? How did you fix it?
  17. Just received a survey request. Does anyone in Nissan USA, including dealers, care about this survey? 11/22 Just as I expected. Into the trash it went...
  18. Only way to resolve this is to drive your NVs down to the Nissan test facility here in AZ and have at it. You'll love the weather.
  19. I opt for a problem with the spot weld, primer/contaminant and paint over that. If the bird ran the computer, he is responsible. It also could be a problem with the paint process on your van and others.
  20. My issues: 8. Repeated loose gas cap warning and check engine light. Cap replaced at 35,000 mi. Came on again, but separately. Since the service manager told me to contact him if one or the other came on again, I did. After a trip over 3,000 miles, I brought in my NV for a bumper repair estimate. Tried to see him then. When asked if I had an appointment, I said no but would like to speak with him. I was told he was around some where... That's it? No effort to page him? Do you really have to tell some how to do their job? Sent him an email to let him know my van would be in for repairs the next day and both issues happened again. Asked if he could check for a code and to check with the Nissan Rep to see if altitude can affect the sensors. No response. This is at least the third time he has not responded. 9. Rear bumper in 3 pieces, but you have to buy all 3 to fix 1. 10. Anemic headlights, plus there is an annoying shadow on the road surface just beyond each fender. 11. Service writers, more familiar with Altimas than NVs, promoting service beyond and double+ the cost than what is called for in the service manual and implying Nissan's standard service is substandard. And "the list goes on forever and the party never ends" to paraphrase the Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson).
  21. Nissan has stealthily, as in not provided an upfront explanation, added "Feedback and Help" to the forum and deleted or combined (?) other topics. Will feedback be addressed and what help will be provided? So Nissan, if you are reading and taking this forum seriously, you should be noticing some trends. 1. We like NV managers', techs' and other mechanics' participation in this forum. 2. We like our vehicles and we keep them maintained. We do not like poor service and flip or lack of response from techs and/or service managers when service is not done properly. 3. We will pursue our complaints beyond the service and general managers. 4. We appreciate good service and service that goes beyond what we expected. We tell people about this, but we tell even more if it was a bad experience. Good service: a. Replaced broken glove box latch. Part was ordered, appointment made for after part arrived and no cost. b. Replaced gas cap. Again part ordered, appointment made and no cost. c. Nissan dealer while we were traveling reset TPMS. No Cost. d. At initial service, NV service writer took the time to discuss how NV was going to be used, and he recommended standard service intervals, not the dealer add on service. (Not long after that, he was transferred. The new NV service writer recommended the much more expensive service.) e. Recall parts available and work completed. Rear door latch had to be replaced a second time. No cost. Repetitive service/quality issues (not necessarily my issues). 1. Steering column friction. 2. Steering service/replace bulletin? 3. TPMS manual reset. It works. It doesn't. It does. Doesn't matter, as it is too complicated and you need access to an air compressor. 4. Front sensors beep. 5. Door locks not working. Other owners may, and I hope will, add to this.
  22. 3 benefits of buying the SMB through Nissan, if Nissan and SMB continue to build these. 1. No issues regarding service/warranty on the NV. Conversion part covered by SMB. 2. Easy to insure as RV. My agent's computer brought up "Sportsmobile" as a Class B RV. (Initially in late 2012, my agent couldn't find anything on NVs and had to override the computer. He then insured the conversion part, as "aftermarket" even though I faxed him all the paperwork and brochures when we picked up the van. The most he could insure the conversion for was $10K. He didn't tell me this, so I was around $25K underinsured. Had he searched SMB this would not have been a problem. This probably varies state to state, but something to consider if building your own or having someone else build it after purchasing your van.) 3. Nissan has offered much better NV loan terms than banks, conventional or RV, but this may depend on how much you put down.
  23. Should be. I can understand having to bring it in to verify the problem, unless you order and pay upfront. Nissan ordering the wrong part? Not acceptable! This van has been in production since 2011, yet it is an unknown to service and parts. All the more reason to have NV only service writers, techs, parts and collision estimators.
  24. Hi Chris, Your reaction is similar to most people, including Commercial Managers. Then, reality sets in. $65K is a bit pricey. You have to really want one... In theory, any of the 3 branches of SMB should be able to do the NV conversion anyway you want within the limits of their cabinets etc. SMB West struck a deal with 8, fewer now, Nissan dealers to build and sell 30. All have been sold. The dealer owned the converted van. In our case, Dublin Nissan owned it, but we picked it up at SMB West. Give Gail Meadows at Dublin a call to see how it worked for them. I think a better way to do this would be for you to sell the naked van and ship it to Indiana to be converted for the customer. I guess you could talk up the "custom" conversion possibilities as another reason to buy a NV. Another option would be Outside Van or Van Specialties. Both are converting NVs but are a long way from you. Yes, we like it, almost 40K of traveling in 2 years. It is like our '83 VW camper. This and the fact that it fit into our 8' clearance carport are the main reasons we bought it. Ford and MB would not. Odd deal killer. We also wanted a more reliable chassis with enough horse power.
  25. I contacted everyone I could. Ironically, I was going to recontact Nissan to let them know everything was resolved, but didn't given the service manager's lack of response. Similarly, I would not recommend this dealership. I may take you up on your offer to get service at your shop. The World Cycling Championships are in Richmond, VA next September. If you haven't seen this NV 4x4, check out Kodiak at www.outsidevan.com. I think the owner also owns a Nissan Dealership.
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