Considering the options for a family of 7.

[Sebastian]

Hello everyone. As I begin my search for the perfect family vehicle I am hoping I can get a little more clarity on a few things.

 

• How flexible is the seating in the real world? Specifically can I swap around seats as an able-bodied adult without needing to hit the gym every day? I love the idea of being flexible with seating, something that seems lacking in the segment, but I know sometimes expectations don't match reality.

 

• Not concerned so much with fuel economy but I am wondering if there is any reason for getting the V8 if I never plan on hauling anything bigger than people and their luggage for a big trip?

 

• How easy is it to get from the front two seats to the rear of the cabin while on the go? Putting safety aside, it's nice when the front passenger can get to the kids if there is a spill or wailing or something before you can pull off the highway? Is the console that I've seen between the two seats an option or is it always there? (We've driven a Ford Transit and a Chevy Express so far and both of those have a pretty clear path to the back)

 

• Those of you who I have seen park your van in the garage, do you have standard 7 foot garages? Mine measures at a hair taller than 7 feet. Will I fit?

 

• Reliability, would you say your NV has been a trooper? This will be our primary getting around vehicle so I'd like something I don't feel like needs to be in the shop all the time. Has your warranty felt like it protected you, have you been able to stick to standard maintenance by in large?

 

I've been trawling the Internet for reviews of various vans and big cars that actually talk about how they work for families. I've found a few but the most convincing one so far has been for the Ford Transit:

https://medium.com/@marshallhines/but-will-it-fit-in-the-garage-1559080896e1

 

But also a couple of good ones from NV owners:

http://justimagineheaven.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-nissan-envy-or-nv-passenger-van.html

And

http://busymommymedia.com/nissan-nv-3500-review-from-a-family-of-8-with-video/

 

Do you guys have any thoughts on those reviews or suggestions on further reading? We have our first test drive of the NVP scheduled for tomorrow so I am sure I will be back with more questions!

 

Seb

[radin2son]

Go with the V8. You never know when you might need it or your travel plans change. A salesman (?) at the NV dealership in Colorado Springs, in a general conversation while our NV was getting an oil change, told me he took the dealer's rental V6 NVP out for a familily event and thought it was slightly underpowered. Drive both.

 

The bin is stout and you can crawl over it or remove it. Very valuable piece of furniture. Also check the options on the SL or SV, then decide what you will do with the bin. The S doesn't have one, not sure about the SV.

 

No major problems. This seems to be the norm.

 

Depending on where you are, NV dealers may be far apart. My concern out west. Transit/Ford dealers are all over the place and all can work on your van. Even so, you can schedule regular maintenance at home. We have found good service when traveling, which along with NV reliability negates the scarcity of dealers.

 

Our van needs 8' and others have had to modify the standard garage to get their NV to fit. Include a trip to your garage on your test drive... If our NV didn't fit, that was the deal killer for us.

 

Took the time to read most of the the Transit post. Subjective, but worked for that family. Under 7' may do it...

 

That is an odd driver/passenger window design on the Transit. You will like the side mirrors on the NV, particularly those that come with the tow package. We can see out the rear doors, but don't have head rests to deal with. I hope you get to drive the NV under all conditions. It is a sweet ride... Subjective, but shared by many on this forum.

 

One last thing, and it may not apply to the Transit. The engine cowling; it gets in the way and if like the E-series has to be removed. At Bryce Canyon the Ford owner loved its absence and how easy it is to get to the engine.

 

By the way, where is everyone?

Edited June 28, 2016 by radin2son

[chphilo]

We went through similar decision process like you before purchasing our NVP. Our family is VERY happy with the purchase.

 

I found the review you linked on Ford Transit interesting because our experience has been the exact opposite. We have Ford Transit at work and found that Nissan NVP rides so much better than Ford.

 

It is big though and if you are getting a passenger van, you get one size  option whereas if you want different size, say 9.5 seater (kidding), you could get it for Ford. More size choices with Ford. But the size of NVP is nice (there are six in our family and my children love the extra space). 

 

I do not like the Ford engine options. They offer two EcoBoost engine options and a diesel option. Do some reading on EcoBoost problems and you will want to stay as far away from that engine.as you can. When we were looking at large SUVs, Expedition was immediately rule out because you get only EcoBoost option. Diesel was not a good option for us (frequent startups, short distance trips, cold weather). Besides, I would be hesitant to go with a new diesel with all the emission stuff (good for the environment, but bad for diesel owners). 

 

I also recommend 5.6. The van is large and the engine works effortlessly with bigger engine. I would think smaller engine working harder may not translate into that much higher mpg. 

 

As far as swapping around chairs, it's easy and they come off easily. I found it more difficult to put the chair back into the latch by yourself since you can't gauge where the hole is (it's sort of like trying to get a trailer hitched up without a backup camera. With another person, it's so much easier.

Edited June 28, 2016 by chphilo

[ASD Dad]

Here is my input.  I have a 2015 with 24,000 miles on it.  I do a lot of driving for my kids therapy sessions and doc appts and we take a lot of camping trips!

 

• How flexible is the seating in the real world? Specifically can I swap around seats as an able-bodied adult without needing to hit the gym every day? I love the idea of being flexible with seating, something that seems lacking in the segment, but I know sometimes expectations don't match reality.

 

***  The seats dont recline.  Many are surprised about that.  The seats are heavy, especially the doubles.  Two people should be needed to get it in and out of the van, the single I can handle solo.  You can swap them around somewhat easily and you can even flip the first row backwards (there is a thread here on doing that and a YouTube vid). ***

• Not concerned so much with fuel economy but I am wondering if there is any reason for getting the V8 if I never plan on hauling anything bigger than people and their luggage for a big trip?  

 

***  V8 was the only option for us due to towing.  With a vehicle with a 6000# curb weight I think a bigger motor is always a welcome addition.  If you truly only drive around town the V6 may be fine.  ***

• How easy is it to get from the front two seats to the rear of the cabin while on the go? Putting safety aside, it's nice when the front passenger can get to the kids if there is a spill or wailing or something before you can pull off the highway? Is the console that I've seen between the two seats an option or is it always there? (We've driven a Ford Transit and a Chevy Express so far and both of those have a pretty clear path to the back)

 

*** The bin is nice and it is sturdy.  I can crawl across it if needed and I am 200 pounds.  It has a Ton of storage which is helpful.  You can take it out if you hate it and then it will be a clear walkway. ***

• Those of you who I have seen park your van in the garage, do you have standard 7 foot garages? Mine measures at a hair taller than 7 feet. Will I fit?

 

*** Cant help, mine doesnt come close to fitting and even more so with my new roof rack!! ***

• Reliability, would you say your NV has been a trooper? This will be our primary getting around vehicle so I'd like something I don't feel like needs to be in the shop all the time. Has your warranty felt like it protected you, have you been able to stick to standard maintenance by in large?

 

*** Reliability overall has been excellent.  There have been a few here with a serious problem but only a few.  Warranty has been great, I needed it for a couple items and it was no issue other than waiting for parts.  I had to wait over 5 weeks for a radio replacement and even longer for a seat issue but both were fixed. ***

 

My last notes.  MPG varies greatly and it is mostly due to your right foot.  There are some that get 15 MPG while being pretty well loaded down and there are others that get half that (literally, half!).  The average seems to be in the 12-15 range for mixed driving.  Other things can come into play as well.  I put on off road tires for camping and added a large roof rack and my MPG dropped exactly 1 MPG.  I now average around 13 no matter what I do.  When towing it doesnt matter, you'll get around 8-9 mpg.

 

Get the tech package!  If you dont, get an aftermarket rearview camera installed ASAP.  With headrests installed you cant see out the back.  I have my mirror tilted down to see my kids now since I cant see.  The side mirrors are excellent though.  Backing up the camera is invaluable with a big beast of a vehicle like this even with excellent mirrors.

 

You do need to pay attention to dealers.  Rad is right in that many Nissan dealers cant or wont work on the NV, they have to be certified.  My closest dealer is 45 minutes away with no traffic.  My next closest is almost 2 hours away.  When you have an issue you dont deal with Nissan directly, you deal with Nissan Commercial which is it's own entity.  They have their own contact info, way of doing things, etc.

 

When travelling all over the SE area of the US I see way more Transits vs. NV's.  Not sure why, I just do.  The Transit was out immediately for us since it cant tow anything worthwhile for us.  It could ride like a Lexus with 40 mpg, we needed a tow/family hauler.  There really is nothing on the market similar to the NV with it's capabilities.  

 

Last statement - if my NV were totaled tomorrow, I would go buy one again in a heartbeat.  It just does everything we need.

[Chris_CommercialManager]

I think the Transit review is interesting.   I understand that it is subjective but I just don't understand the "ride/handling" comment.  I have mentioned this before but we own a Ford store a few blocks down the street as well.  On my test drive we have a horrible railroad crossing in a 45mph zone.  We take it at full speed.  It does not take someone with the mechanical and engineering knowledge to know what impact a body on frame design of the NV has vs the uni body of the Transit when you conduct such a test back to back.  The difference is immediate.  The ride of the NV is in fact 100% one of the largest factors that people do select the NV.  I even tell people, imagine that you do not have any van body behind you, the big NV drives just like a fullsize truck.  Full size trucks these days ride AWESOME.

 

I could bore you with selling points, statistics, but I think those that have spoken before me have given a lot of good info.  So let me offer some food for thought.  I'll preface by saying there is no perfect product and so of course no one product is the best choice for any one scenario or situation.  However, when you have such an overwhelmingly large majority of buyers in a given segment (albeit bowling balls, envelopes, cars, or in this case a "large" family vehicle) there is probably a reason or reasons behind it.  The NV has perfectly filled a niche they probably were not planning on.  To say that the NV dominates the non commercial large family market is a HUGE understatement.  You will not regret buying one of these for one day, it is a fine product.

[radin2son]

One more thing I forgot to mention about this truck. It is overbuilt for our needs, because it is built for commercial users who will daily test its limits. The benefit for us is the gauges never move, no matter what the conditions.

 

At first I thought I had to keep the speed down to get better mpg. Just drive it the way you want. It tracks straight and the low tops are not particularly prone to side winds. You will feel a good gust, but it gets right back on track.

 

If you can get past 7', drive it on the highway and scare the sales consultant unless it is chris_cm. Stomp on the brakes, hit those pot holes and park it. Then switch drivers...

[Sebastian]

Thanks for all of the responses, you guys have given me a lot to think about.

 

We took our first test drive and were surprised with how comfortable we were. I forgot to mention that I once had an Xterra, and though I know it's a very different vehicle it left a sour taste in my mouth for Nissans. But I think the NV made me a believer, I enjoyed the ride.

 

First off I think the biggest difference between it and the Transit we drove was what's in front of us, not behind. I feel confident that the lack of visibility out of the rear, and the way you have to accommodate for a vehicle this long would be the same regardless of the make and model. I definitely feel like I am higher and have a better field of view in the Transit. It's almost like the front end of the car isn't there. I think this is pretty disconcerting to my wife. I didn't mind as I learned to drive on my dad's 71 VW van, littlerally sitting over the front wheels. She was much more comfortable with the way the NVP was like a "truck with a big butt" as she put it.

 

I did drive both the V6 and V8, I think as you all have mentioned the V8 is a no brainier.

 

I really liked all the rear seating. When the other was driving my wife and I made a point of sitting in each and every row and feeling what the ride was like on the highway, residential streets, over speed bumps and railroad tracks. The dealer said that though they sell mostly to commercial outfits they are always getting compliments on how much more comfortable the NVs are than the Econoline and GM vans that these places are changing from.

 

We cannot fit the NVP in our garage, the dealership was kind enough to let us drive the long way home to be sure. We are over by less than 2 inches though. It's pretty frustrating. Not sure how to deal with that.

[jaredg]

We just recently bought a NVP SL for our family of 7 and we're happy with it. We also looked at the Transit and I really wanted it to work for us because of the dealer network and the 2 hour drive to the commercial Nissan dealers around us. However, the lack of legroom in the 3rd and 4th rows of the Ford was a deal breaker. I'm only 5'10" and my knees touch the seatbacks in those positions. We needed more room and that was not moving in the right direction.

 

I don't have a solution for the height. It sure would be nice to drop it 2-3" without ruining the ride and load ratings. Plus, it would look cool.  B)

[andy_george]

Good info, jaredg. Let us know what decision you make, Sebastion!

[andy_george]

Good info, jaredg. Let us know what decision you make, Sebastion!

[chphilo]

I used to drive chevy van for years and hated that a part of the engine was sitting next to me. As the vehicles got old, the hatch didn't seem to close as tight as when they were new. I liked NVP's front end. By the way, the front end is slopped down so it's quite bit lower than normal truck as can be seen here with Tundra. Tundra is lifted 3.5 inches in the front, but you get the idea.

 

For the height, I would suspect you will have the same problem with any other full size van. We park it outside. Our van is too tall for local automatic car-wash. But those are not big problems for me.

 

[radin2son]

Does the Transit fit in your garage?

 

The Transit link you provided, mentioned a price difference of $1k to the NV advantage. Not that you want to spend this on your garage, but something to consider if the NV is it except for that... Maybe a price bargaining point as well.

 

Good luck.

[andy_george]

The pic that chphilo posted sums up the design of the NV perfectly..... "Designed" to cover the mechanicals, not "styled" to look like the driver is making up for having a small you-know-what;)

 

Nothing wrong with the styling of today's trucks, but it seems they are in a never ending game of "we can make ours look tougher than the competition" at the expense of practicality.

Edited June 29, 2016 by andy_george

[chphilo]

-- haha, Then those with even smaller ones go and lift it sky high. By the way, mine is not 'lifted'. I have suspension upgrade (off road) that lifted the truck 3.5 inches (OME). So the small lift was a byproduct of the suspension upgrade. 

 

OP, Nissan NVP is 84 inches in height and Ford Transit is 83.6. So you are pretty even on that score.

 

My wife loves how NVP drives and rides. She used to love Tundra's ride and used to love driving it. Yesterday, she actually complained how rough it rode and how difficult it is to drive the dang thing (in comparison). Tells you how good NVP rides and how easy it drives.

[Chris Dempsey]

I have a 2014 hi-top Cargo NV with 16K miles. Zero warranty issues as compared to a dozen or so with my last vehicle, a 2007 Ford E-250. I looked at the Dodge and Ford and am really happy I picked the NV. They are solid vehicles.

[Sebastian]

We are heading up for another test drive tomorrow with all of the kids to see what they think. We are going to do the NV in the morning and the Transit in the evening. I'll let you guys know what they think.

[chphilo]

Pay attention to the brakes. I think both Ford and GM equip their van with much smaller brakes than Nissan.

Edited July 2, 2016 by chphilo

[andy_george]

I second that. The brakes on the NV are massive and provide great pedal feel and stopping power.

[jaredg]

Here's another vote for the NV brakes. The rotors are about 14" front and rear with huge calipers. They have a very linear, positive feel to them.

We traded an Expedition EL and my wife commented on the test drive that the Nissan brakes felt better.  

[chphilo]

It was sort of difficult to dig up the info, but here are the brake size specs (diameter in inches):

Nissan NV:          Front 14.2:     Rear 14.4 (Both are vented)

Ford Transit:       Front 12.1:     Rear 12.1

GMC Savana      Front 12.8:     Rear 13

Ram ProMaster  Front 11.8:     Rear 11

 

I assumed that no other offered vented brakes. Nissan's brake performance should be far superior to the others.

[Chris_CommercialManager]

It was sort of difficult to dig up the info, but here are the brake size specs (diameter in inches):

Nissan NV:          Front 14.2:     Rear 14.4 (Both are vented)

Ford Transit:       Front 12.1:     Rear 12.1

GMC Savana      Front 12.8:     Rear 13

Ram ProMaster  Front 11.8:     Rear 11

 

I assumed that no other offered vented brakes. Nissan's brake performance should be far superior to the others.

 

That's good info!