BamaNV Posted January 21, 2015 We are serious about purchasing the 3500 passenger Van.. Did our first test drive yesterday 1-19-15,, going back to talk business this week.. 1 Daydreamin520 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RICK Posted January 21, 2015 Save your money on the gps/ bluetooth and purchase an aftermarket unit. believe me it's the most dated design from 15 years ago. wish i was told that before i wasted my money for pure junk. Rick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris_CommercialManager Posted January 21, 2015 Hola Bama!! I'm sure you will be very happy if you end up purchasing one. I sell everyone I can get my hands on, it is a very easy sell to be quite honest. I'll say this about Ricks comments. I'm not as vehemently opposed to it as he is but for me it's kind of a toss up. I detest aftermarket backup camera's and enjoy the factory one. Though I'm used to commercial vehicles and am ok with no sight out the back and use of just sonar, for most of my customers it's a new idea and the rear camera is a must (despite the sonar system). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RICK Posted January 21, 2015 Chris, I didn't say anything about the back up camera as that's the only thing that works like its suppose to. But the gps and bluetooth are a joke and others on this forum say the same. 2 others I know don't even use thiers anymore. Both use their smartphones instead. The bluetooth microphe is too far away and sounds like a tin can to my callers. The gps is an embarrassment. How is it that my 2014 I purchased 3 weeks ago 12/30/14 came with a 2012 map sd card? Not just mine but my 2 other tradesmen that have 2013 nv's. A 3500 and 1500 and theirs is from 2010. Then the issues is if you're on the phone, there is no way to get back to the map until you end the call. No map, no navigation. Why in the heck to I need to see the phone number and call duration for the entire call? Who pays for minutes anymore? Have you tried calling anyone by voice dial? Have you tried calling by the phone book listings. Sorry to jump on his intro, but my post about the gps, and bluetooth has gone pretty much unanswered. You of all people should have answers, but you chose to defend a backup camera and not 1 word about my gps or radio on my thread I wrote days ago. Sorry about the rant, but I was just trying to save this future customer $1400.00 as you cant purchase the gps without purchasing the side airbags too. What a joke. What do the airbags have to do with the radio and navigation anyways. Ps. Welcome to the forum BamaNV Rick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andy_george Posted January 21, 2015 I see Rick and Chis's point. I did some research and knew the GPS was junk before I ordered the van. My phone is for that, like Rick stated. I was, however, let down that the bluetooth was worthless. Nissan just doesn't have the sales numbers to make the bluetooth as perfect as it is in, say, the F-150. It takes a lot of engineering to get something like that perfect. Engineering = development costs. I bought the tech package mainly for the camera. I didn't think I'd use it, but I knew my wife would appreciate it. I am using it more than I thought I would. I could have bought an aftermarket camera, run the wire, installed a new head unit with a display, and it probably would have been better. But I wouldn't have saved any money. And it would't carry the warranty. Any problem that arose would be mine to figure out. Lastly, I had looked at used NV's for a while before buying mine, and nearly all of the passenger models had the Nav. Good or bad as it is, when it comes time to sell in 10+ years I'll probably get at least $500 more than if mine was the only one people were shopping for without the tech package. My $.02.... 1 Chris_CommercialManager reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris_CommercialManager Posted January 21, 2015 Chris, I didn't say anything about the back up camera as that's the only thing that works like its suppose to. But the gps and bluetooth are a joke and others on this forum say the same. 2 others I know don't even use thiers anymore. Both use their smartphones instead. The bluetooth microphe is too far away and sounds like a tin can to my callers. The gps is an embarrassment. How is it that my 2014 I purchased 3 weeks ago 12/30/14 came with a 2012 map sd card? Not just mine but my 2 other tradesmen that have 2013 nv's. A 3500 and 1500 and theirs is from 2010. Then the issues is if you're on the phone, there is no way to get back to the map until you end the call. No map, no navigation. Why in the heck to I need to see the phone number and call duration for the entire call? Who pays for minutes anymore? Have you tried calling anyone by voice dial? Have you tried calling by the phone book listings. Sorry to jump on his intro, but my post about the gps, and bluetooth has gone pretty much unanswered. You of all people should have answers, but you chose to defend a backup camera and not 1 word about my gps or radio on my thread I wrote days ago. Sorry about the rant, but I was just trying to save this future customer $1400.00 as you cant purchase the gps without purchasing the side airbags too. What a joke. What do the airbags have to do with the radio and navigation anyways. Ps. Welcome to the forum BamaNV Rick. Rick you're really pumped up, I get it. You obviously didn't have a thorough demo of the product and or research the tech package to know what you were getting. You should probably talk to whomever you bought it from and seek answers to that and explain your dismay so if for no other reason, maybe a policy change or education can be done at the dealership for the next consumer. I always tell people people about the features, explain thoroughly how it works, and give my honest opinion when asked. So as to your comment about the backup camera.....it has direct correlation to your evaluation of the tech package because it is part of it, and as I'll state again many of my customers want it simply for that. I'm not going to refuse sale of it or anything. If they know how it operates, they've demo'd it on the road, and they want it, I'll sell it. Heck, I have a locksmith going on his 3rd van we are selling him in the next few days. He won't buy one without tech. For him, he likes it. Furthermore, I can't tell you why it operates the way it does or why Nissan did or didn't do something, I can only show you how to use it, and voice my opinion like I did above. If I were to speculate I'd agree with what andy_george said. I can't really say anything more than that. 1 Bates reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bates Posted January 21, 2015 "I can't tell you why it operates the way it does or why Nissan did or didn't do something" Well said and exactly true. We the sellers on the ground are not consulted, nor given explanation of decisions made by corporate/design/production, nor ever had our opinions solicited about product, nor given the opportunity to influence new products. For instance....to date Nissan corporate has provided next to zero info to dealers on the new titan XD. My info all comes from car sites that were at the detroit auto show. 1 Chris_CommercialManager reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
radin2son Posted January 21, 2015 For those of you who don't regularly travel through "no service" areas, your iphone will not work at all. No maps, no phone. The tech package is good, not great, for GPS. I would like the screen to be bigger, to have it initially show the whole route and show more of the road ahead. It also has an interstate orientation and frequently routes you off secondary but more direct routes. The backup camera is a great feature. The bottom line is that it is a package but not as costly as other vehicles who package unrelated items or force a move to the more expensive vehicle. It would be great if we could special order vehicles with only what we want... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tatunka Posted January 22, 2015 Hi Bama, welcome! You sure started a fight by saying hi! ;) Be sure to post pictures when/if you buy. "For those of you who don't regularly travel through "no service" areas, your iphone will not work at all. No maps, no phone."This is not true for non iphone users, I have a windows phone that has offline mapping capability using Here (Nokia) maps. Plus people still use iphones? :) I second the special order deal! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
radin2son Posted January 22, 2015 iPhones/iPads also have off line GPS capability, but require downloading an app. (We mostly rely on paper maps, unless trying to get through a major city.) Basic iPhone maps aren't GPS; you would think Google maps would be. No matter what smartphone/tablet you use, you still have mount it where you can see it, unless you just need audio. That is why the tech option is good, still not great, or you can scrap it and put in a better unit. I like how Nissan Commercial has recognized that passenger nav is mostly useless for commercial drivers and has reimbursed buying commercial nav units. Do this too often and it may be permanent option. 1 Chris_CommercialManager reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris_CommercialManager Posted January 22, 2015 iPhones/iPads also have off line GPS capability, but require downloading an app. (We mostly rely on paper maps, unless trying to get through a major city.) Basic iPhone maps aren't GPS; you would think Google maps would be. No matter what smartphone/tablet you use, you still have mount it where you can see it, unless you just need audio. That is why the tech option is good, still not great, or you can scrap it and put in a better unit. I like how Nissan Commercial has recognized that passenger nav is mostly useless for commercial drivers and has reimbursed buying commercial nav units. Do this too often and it may be permanent option. this is an interesting you point you brought up about the nav and the "service area". It is not something I previously thought about. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
radin2son Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) While waiting for full US coverage and a decent phone battery, the tech/nav package works everywhere... I just wish it would enable searching for a city destination without the specific street etc. Often, despite the slow scrolling, I pick an intersection or something at random to get close. I rarely use it, but it will help on a trip east this May to Charlottesville and DC. One thing nav always shows is a compass. A friend whose family were homesteaders in AK had a great story from the 50s. While driving north, returning home on the AlCan, a driver heading toward them was frantically waving his arms for them to stop. "Which way is Alaska?" If he only had the nav package... Edited January 23, 2015 by radin2son 2 Chris Dempsey and Chris_CommercialManager reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
