radin2son

Another factor is when you figure mpg. When I say there were 20 fill ups on a trip with a high of 18+ and low of 14 mpg per fill up, that's not all that accurate. Based on miles driven and the needle on the gauge, I can sort of guess how many gallons are needed to fill the tank, but I have no idea whether or not the tank is full when the pump cuts off. I don't continue to fill the tank, if the gallons are close to what I expected. I end up with a guestimate mpg per tank full which is less than what the computer reads. Later, I can add up the gallons pumped and the miles driven, do the division and come up with 15+ mpg. So altitude is a factor for better mpg. Yet, we are paying $1.99 a gallon not the low lander $1.76. So, who feels the pain?

You will like your NV. No one has mentioned a "car top" tent, but I think it would be a great alternative to a travel trailer or pop top for a passenger NVs. (Provided the passenger model has the ladder rack mounts.) Main advantage to a pop top is no hole in the roof and it can come off when not needed. You could still modify the interior of your van. No standup room unfortunately... One thing I would add is the C. R. Laurence windows to the sliding door and window directly across from it for ventilation. Skeeter Beater makes screens for the front doors. Check out CVT at www.cascadiatents.com They are in Bend, Oregon. We considered buying an awning from them, but decided against using an awning.

Although this blog, Vitafamiliae, was posted in May, 2012 and compares their new NV passenger vs their Sprinter, it still has relevance if considering a NV no matter how it is configured. To get to this blog, you will have to search for Nissan NV passenger van blogs. It is a good read, particularly for those with large families. Click on the author's link to get to why they dumped the "Beast." I tried posting a direct link but it will bring you up to date on baby Finn and the center bin. You will just have to read the blog to get this...

I have had no problems with the NV 2500 OEM Firestone Transforce tires and wonder if there would be any advantage to putting on a set of NV 3500 OEM tires. I think they mainly are taller, which would be good for increased clearance. Are they load rated any differently? Doubt it... I was considering Michelin, but on the SMB forum, there have been some complaints about tread wear and harsh ride. Consumer reports still rates them as the best light truck tire. Firestone wasn't even mentioned, nor is there any mileage warranty. I would be surprised if anyone would get 70,000 miles on a set of Michelins on their NV. But, then again you get a credit for unused miles within a certain life span.

The first time I took our NV in for service, there was the unexpected choice of schedule 1 (severe) or 2, which basically is the same until 15,000 miles. Severe use has been described as daily stop and go driving, air on full etc. Our NV is not used this way, but in light of the posts regarding cooked transmission fluid, are there service items that should be completed no matter what the schedule dictates? I have no intention of modifying the engine or convert to 4 x 4. At 30,000 miles, there is the "Optional Premium Upgrade." In June, 2014 I opted for the "replace automatic transmission fluid." I did so given the constant heavy load and mountain driving. Does this fall into the "couldn't hurt" or unnecessary category. The total service cost $392. There is no difference in 1 or 2 service until 60,000 miles. I'm looking at replacing the AT fluid again and drive belts, the latter if not done sooner. Any other service recommendations?

Chris, Tucson is a Nissan town, but there are relatively few NVs on the road, mostly hvac businesses. They are still a novelty, if that is a truck term, so we notice them. Jim Click Nissan is in an auto mall, almost right next to Jim Click Ford and Jim Click Dodge. So, take your pick of a van. There are maybe 5 NVs visible on the lot. His shuttle NVs have no markings at all. Missed opportunity. When we travel in the west, we are lucky to see 1 or 2 NVs a day. Many places, no Nissans at all. When we start to see Altimas and Titans, there must be a dealership nearby. Maybe... There seems to be a direct correlation between no Nissans and no internet service. There is a lot of "No Service" out west and deep South. Daydreamin, I forgot to mention that Jim Click/Jeff will push what they call the "Jim Click Nissan Service Maintenance Schedule" that will cost $300 for the 15,000 service. This includes an oil (up to 5 qts, short of what your V6 needs) and filter change, oil system flush (sludge at this mileage?), tire pressure inspect/adjust, tire rotation (don't get me started on TPMS),brake service, battery service, fuel injection service. I fell for this after our Alaska trip and paid $328 (must have been the extra oil). My VW mechanic just laughed at me. Between guffaws, he was able to say it couldn't hurt. Easy for him to say: my credit card was traumatized. The 30,000 mile service will set you back $540. This time I was ready with service book in hand and said no. Later told the service manager, after their screw up, to never show me that service brochure again. My cynical self says this must be an offset for free life time service. Happy New Year!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

Dustin, after you have driven your NV awhile, you will have to post your impressions and how you drive it to maximize your expectations.

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)

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.

Dustin, this is more technical than I can explain. I haven't noticed having trouble staying in 5th gear. Perhaps someone else can...

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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...

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.

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.