Good Price on Nissan NVP SV V8 Model?

[Fred Fauth]

Hi All,

 

Finally got to the dealer to get a quote on a 2015 model. This is for the following configuration:

 

2015 Nissan NVP SV V8 in Arctic Blue

Tech Package (Nav, Bluetooth, etc.)

Tow Package (Class IV, Weight Distribution Ball Mount)

10 Year / 125,000 Bumper-to-Bumper Service Contract

"Free" Oil Changes for life and engine guaranteed for life

 

Sales Price: $37,690

Service Contract (Warranty): $4,185

Dealer Fees: $300

Gov't Fees: $331 (I think this is registration fees for Maryland)

Total Taxes: $2,279.40 (This is sales tax for Maryland)

 

This unit is in stock at another dealership.

 

TOTAL COST: $43,785.40

 

Is this a good price? I am particularly concerned that the warranty may be overpriced. We are very interested in this long warranty as we will be towing a trailer across mountains with this truck and want everything fully covered.

 

I tend to view the first price a dealer gives me as a starting point for negotiation... I was hoping to get this vehicle with these specs on the road for $40,000. This is nearly $4,000 over right now, and I suspect there isn't that much wiggle room. But maybe?

[radin2son]

Have you used any of the pricing tools that give the average price paid for the same vehicle in your area plus any incentive programs for buyers or the dealer? These can be helpful, plus you can check other areas near you.

 

The 100k warranty should protect you as long as you stay on top of any issues and document everything with Nissan. It is a pretty tough truck!

 

Regarding the service contract, you have to make sure it covers any and all work done at dealers while away from home. Also check to see if there are any restrictions on towing. Otherwise, I would save the $4k for travel. Regular, dealer service has not been that expensive at home and on the road. We have shown up with and without calling and received great service.

 

The warranty road service will get you towed to a NV dealer no matter where you are. (Has anyone tested this from the middle of nowhere?) the regular warranty will cover fixing whatever mechanical got you towed.

 

What is expensive is fixing things you break, parking sensors for one or bashing a rear bumper even with the sensors. I've done both. Replaced the sensor and fixed, not replaced, the bumper at my expense while under warranty.

[Fred Fauth]

Have you used any of the pricing tools that give the average price paid for the same vehicle in your area plus any incentive programs for buyers or the dealer? These can be helpful, plus you can check other areas near you.

 

The 100k warranty should protect you as long as you stay on top of any issues and document everything with Nissan. It is a pretty tough truck!

 

Regarding the service contract, you have to make sure it covers any and all work done at dealers while away from home. Also check to see if there are any restrictions on towing. Otherwise, I would save the $4k for travel. Regular, dealer service has not been that expensive at home and on the road. We have shown up with and without calling and received great service.

 

The warranty road service will get you towed to a NV dealer no matter where you are. (Has anyone tested this from the middle of nowhere?) the regular warranty will cover fixing whatever mechanical got you towed.

 

What is expensive is fixing things you break, parking sensors for one or bashing a rear bumper even with the sensors. I've done both. Replaced the sensor and fixed, not replaced, the bumper at my expense while under warranty.

 

Thanks for the reply. I tried truecar but that has been it so far. Biggest problem that I have run into there is trying to match the exact configuration... Where can I find invoice prices to dealers?

[radin2son]

I've used edmunds.com and motortrend.com in the past. They should give you invoice for the van and invoice for each available option. You can play around with this to price your van/options. You should be able to do better than the average price paid, but probably not by much for a NVP.

 

Check them as well regarding service plans. I personally trust the reliability of NVs more than dealer offered service warranties if that is what you were offered.

[mahu]

We used consumer reports to get invoice prices and figure out what price we were looking for.

 

I can't really speak to the pricing of the NVP since we bought a cargo version but 44k out the door feels like a lot. We paid 32.5k out the door for factory ordered 2015 NV Cargo High Roof V6 SL Trim in Arctic Blue with Technology Package and Side/Rear Glass. The MSRP for the van in that configuration is  around 35k, taxes and fees come to another $2800 for a total of $37,800. We told them we wanted $32,500 out the door and they accepted it.

 

Just from experience I'd suggest checking out at least 2-3 different dealers. We went to two in Maryland and the best offer we got there was around 35k out the door. We then went to a third dealer in Virginia and had the best buying experience there. Priority Nissan in Chantilly. Not sure if that's an option for you since you are a bit further north (we are in the District), but if so let me know and I'll put you in touch with our amazing sales person and maybe he can make you good offer. Definitely shop around and I think 40k out the door should be doable. If you can wait buy it the last 2-3 days in July when dealers have to meet their quota and you have a shot at getting it below invoice even if the dealer is short on their quota and has to make sales. 

 

And I concur with Radin2son on the extra warranty. From everything I read and having friends who work in the car industry, those extra warranties/service plans are a rip off and are one of the items that car dealers really make money with! With the NV you are getting a 5 year 100k warranty which is plenty and the best commercial vehicle warranty on the market. I think spending more than 4k to expand that by 5 years is really excessive. I have owned several Nissan vehicles (Versa, Titan) and have never had any issues during 6-8 years of ownership for each vehicle. 

 

In case you are curious about what happens behind the scenes during a car buying process listen to this great "This American Life" episode where they report from a dealership for a month. Super informative and very well done!! 

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/513/129-cars

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

[radin2son]

I had no idea what a NVP MSRP was, so I checked "build your own" on Nissan. I couldn't pull up a tow package, so I'm not sure if this is standard on the SV V8. If it is included, the price you were quoted is not much less than MSRP. This isn't necessarily a bad deal if dealers can sell every NVP they can get their hands on in your area. Without going back to the site, it looks like there may be a $500 cash back offer in effect. This would cover the $300 dealer fee if that isn't negotiable.

 

You also may want to PM Chris at Scott Clark Nissan and Capital Nissan; both post here from NC. Buying out of state adds a few steps and costs, but if the deal is right, go for it. Our experience is that Nissan service departments don't care where you bought your NV.

 

Speaking of service, I would avoid quick oil change businesses and doing your own and only use Nissan to keep records easy to access and accountability easier to prove if there ever was a major problem. Think reliability and you will be fine.

 

If NVP owners who tow similar trailers don't respond regarding the extended warranty, PM them. At worst, you will find out that some do and some don't... You can also find out the frequency for service. (I had no idea that TTs need wheel bearings repacked every 3 to 5k. Where do you get that done?)

Edited July 13, 2015 by radin2son

[andy_george]

Just my opinion, but if I owned anything that said it needed the bearings repacked every 3-5k miles, my first move would be to rip out those crap bearings and put something decent in.

 

That's insane....

[andy_george]

We own a trailer that we bought in 2000 from a guy who was a religious bearing packer. He could hardly pull his trailer to the end of his driveway and back without feeling like it needed to be pulled apart and repacked. I am more of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" type.... I jack up the axles and check for tightness or chucking yearly, but a good bearing is a pretty amazing piece. I just replaced the first bearing this spring, 15 years after we bought it from him....

[radin2son]

Last fall we met a couple towing a brand new 16' Airstream Bambi Sport with a 4x4 Nissan Frontier.it was a nice set up, but didn't offer much more room than our SMB. We see very few Airstreams probably due $$$$.

 

We looked at at couple of videos of Airstream walk throughs, 16-27'+ and one said 3k and the other 3-5k. Assuming $$$$ or after market gets you quality bearings, your experience says repack bearings when they need it or if you are conservative, new owner, do it when you get home from a 5k+ trip.

[ASD Dad]

The RV bearing debate has been going on forever.  Boat trailers are submerged in water all the time.  Construction trailers tend to get overloaded a lot and can be dragged through dirt, mud, etc.  The people that are "For" repacking that often say that there is a lot of weight and lateral stress being placed on them when parking which is also why they dont recommend LT tires vs. ST tires.  ST tires are supposed to handle that lateral stress better.  

 

Me - I check my bearings once a year.  I check for play in the hub, grease condition and any hanging up in the wheel.  You can also get a simple IR thermometer to check the hubs at gas fill-ups while towing but that doesnt tell you much until you have a lot of miles on your rig to know what they normally run at for temps.  I dont check my temps but may just for fun since the thermometers are so cheap now.

 

I HAVE seen bearing failures on other trailers and campers.  It's not pretty and it causes a lot of very expensive damage if they really seize up.  Anything from new axles, to wheels falling off to the camper getting totaled can happen.  I think if you inspect them and take care of any issues you'll be fine but you'll get a ton of opinions either way.

[Jessi Frenzel]

 

In case you are curious about what happens behind the scenes during a car buying process listen to this great "This American Life" episode where they report from a dealership for a month. Super informative and very well done!!

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/513/129-cars

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

This was awesome! I listened over the weekend after finding your link here and it was VERY interesting!

 

As for the OP, I am finding V8 SVs with tech in my wider area (Oklahoma, Texas...) listed for around $36,000. That's before tax and fees. So >$40,000 after negotiation seems like a lot for a non-SL trim.

 

We definitely are planning to skip the extra warranty. We feel the one Nissan provides is enough, and any other needed repairs may not likely even cost $4000 so we'd rather pay for them as needed.

 

Best of luck finding an NV that suits your needs and budget! Thanks for the thread, it helps me too.

[Chris_CommercialManager]

I'm honestly confused by that warranty he mentions.  I PM'd briefly with him and never really found out but that is not a Nissan offering.  I'm not even sure if that's not just a maintenance contract.  And if it is, that is not from Nissan either.

 

I actually sell a lot of Nissan maintenance plans because they are a good deal when planning on adhering to the manual.  Remember that it's really aimed at companies and slots in perfectly in an operating lease for a business to not only standardize costs over the life cycle of the vehicle, but try to maximize the tax benefits come year end as well.  

[Eric Breish]

Probably a little late, but I picked up a new 2015 silver V8 2500 SL with technology package for $30K from Round Rock Nissan in Texas.  Just ask for Ali.  He was letting new 2014's go with same setup for $27K but in white.  Lowest prices I've seen. 

[rolliew]

I was quoted a 2015 white, 2500, v8, hi-top, power windows, not tech pack in Portland Or for $28,000 two months ago. I ended up purchasing a used one though.

[zenox]

I bought a 2015 v8 sv high top,technology package, towing package , front towing hooks, side and back windows for 32000$.They started at 37000$,I negotiate it down to 32000$ out the door.Unfortunately I couldn't get silver like I wanted, had to settle for white . No extended warranty, I doubt it is needed for those vehicles

[zenox]

I bought a 2015 v8 sv high top,technology package, towing package , front towing hooks, side and back windows for 32000$.They started at 37000$,I negotiate it down to 32000$ out the door.Unfortunately I couldn't get silver like I wanted, had to settle for white . No extended warranty, I doubt that those vehicles need that. I got it in middletown, Connecticut

Edited March 6, 2016 by zenox

[Roth1999]

Does anyone have a suggestion for a take-it-or-leave-it offer on this 2015 (new, not used) SV NVP V8? I am hoping that since it is a 2015, they would be eager to move it off the lot. Doesn't have technology package, which is fine by me. Does have towing. MSRP $38,690. TrueCar estimate is $36,921. Tax, title, and license will be around $2700. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

http://www.centralhoustonnissan.com/new/Nissan/2015-Nissan-NV+Passenger+NV3500+HD-807eb3260a0e0adf6103ec1160c8f100.htm