Nissan Quest 2004+

dogmom2

leather interior. I didn't want the gray interior. I wanted a light reflecting color and white is unavailable in the region. I am not sure why, but I looked at all the dealer inventories listed and not one white one. Hubby wanted silver so that is what we got. It really drives nice. Hubby wanted to take it to the store, too.

park3850

We bought the SE without DVD and Navigation. Did anyone get a similar SE with cordless headset? We didn't get one and the manual says they come with one set. Guess I need to call them tomorrow. Just getting around to reading the manual.

JB

revracer

We also got an SE w/o Nav and DVD and did not get the headset. I also read the same thing in the manual but have yet to call the dealer. It appears to have the rear audio that appears to include an antenna for the wireless headphones.

rjsmom

Does anyone out there know if it's possible to get a white SE with beige leather? Both of the dealers I've been to seem unsure and have stated they think it only comes in as a "cargo" van with no seats.

shenkar

On the Nissan website, you can configure a White SE with Beige leather, which means you CAN get one like that. Having said that, I have yet to see one in person, or listed on any dealers inventory within 100 mile radius of here (Atlanta).

My guess is that few dealers have ordered them that way, so they'll be very rare; even rarer than the Silver or Smoke with Rouge leather.

The "cargo" van comment sounds like a con to make you take what they have in stock. I think the dealers can take customer special orders starting this month, if you really want that combo and are willing to wait.

BTW, I read something on a post on another site, that the White/Beige may be unavailable in certain regions. I don't know if that's fact or not. The Nissan website makes no mention of any such limited availability; but you can still shop anywhere in the country to find what you really want. Good Luck!

bowke28

as for the white ones...they wont be using white paint till the 1st of the year. dont know why. the quest DOES come as a cargo van...you can order one without seats. but it still sounds like the salesman didnt know his rear from a hole in the ground...lol. per our regional director, the white paint will be used when they start building the titan too.

headsets...if you have the DVD player, your headsets will be in the back...there is a panel on the left side behind the rear seat near the floor...if so equipped, they will be in that compartment. if you dont have the DVD player, you dont get headsets.

jchan2

Why would Nissan make a Cargo Van? Only Fleets and small businesses would be buying, so resale would be hurt. And, if I wanted a Cargo Van, I'd be comparing the Veture with the Caravan with the Windstar.

xjbuilder

Bowke28 wrote:

84 months?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

you could have leased for around 48 months and come out back at square 1 in half the time! i just dont get it...will you actually keep this van for 7 years? in 7 years, will you still want to make that kind of payment on a vehicle that will be upwards (or close to) 100k miles? im in the car business, and do you know how many people ACTUALLY complete a finance contract of 5 years or more? 3.6%!!!

the odds are against you, buddy, but i really wish you the best."

No, I don't want to make these payments, but I had to have a minivan and if you re-read my post, you'll see I had a 1 year old Subaru lease to turn in. Since you work in the car business, then you know what it means to turn in a car that is upside down by $5K-$6K and attempt to roll that into a lease. You get killed by the methodolody in which lease interest is calculated. I went in with leasing as my only interest, and came out with a far better deal.

I could not do a 48 month lease for under $600/mo. My best price leasing option was 66 months at 12K miles/year with a 36% residual for $490/mo and $1,000 down. Or I could buy over 84 months at 3.9% (why pay it sooner when money is so cheap?) for $479/mo AND get a 100K mile comprehensive warranty (Nissan's top warranty, Security Plus or whatever it is called). There was no comparison. If the van holds up, I plan to run it for 200K miles. If it doesn't, I have the warranty to cover while I am paying for it. That beats the hell out of a long term lease for more money. I have a Finance degree - did the math on this one, many times over.

This is one major reason I went with the 2004 Quest - all the latest safety features and the other features I wanted. So why not drive it for 7 years with the warranty? Why not take care of it and drive it for 10? That beats continually leasing any day...and with interest rates this low...leasing really makes no sense at all, even for Japanese vehicles with good residuals.

Nay

xjbuilder

Still couldn't be more pleased with the Quest. I have come to greatly prefer the center mounted gauges since minivans have such deep dashboards and it can be set back to a natural viewing distance. It is much easier to glance out and right than down and under the steering wheel. I have also adapted to the center pod, and I like it. Very easy to use and appealing to the eye.

I am not sure why everybody seems so upset about the interior plastic, and I like the brushed metal surfaces a lot more than faux wood, even if it is aluminum and not, say, nickel. To me what Nissan did was minimize the use of plastic at all, and the silver cloth is very nice looking for a cloth interior. So, yes, the dashboard is a bit dull from a plastics perspective, but ergonomics are good. I'm 6'2" and have no complaints at all.

The large cargo space behind the third row of seats is one of the best features (both functionality and IMHO, safety, for little ones who sit back there). Cargo space specs are always shown as cubic feet, yet cubic feet measurements are irrelevant unless you are filling up the space with liquid. What matters is floor space - nobody stacks cargo up to the ceiling. We can easily fit a large baby carriage in the back over the well, which carries the other baby/pre-schooler gear.

Ride/handling/road feel continue to impress, as does the standard eight speaker stereo. I've actually found myself taking the long way home a few times...

Nay

bowke28

again, i wish you the best...i did realize your predicament on the subie, but the math didnt add up to me...a 48 month lease rolling $5000 into it would require $1500 down, and put you in the mid $500's. the money factor translates into about 4% as well. (.00195)
sorry if this sounds like nitpicking...im glad you got the car you wanted, congrats on that.

kiki67

I am interested in buying the Quest SE but have some concerns about the Skyview. If I would buy the SL and add all of the options, I can not duplicate the SE without the Skyview.

Is there any information about the Low E rating of the glass in the Skyview or a test comparing the heat buildup between a van in the sun with and without the Skyview?

I looked at the past posts about the Skyview and wonder if Nissan has any answer to the durability of the shades?

Kiki

bowke28

yeah...dont let them "snap" back into place when you open them, and keep them closed when you park the car, or when noone is in the back. the last family that took an SE from us told the kids the rule: close the shades EVERY time they get out.

xjbuilder

Yep, that's right. With $1,500 down on the 48 month lease I could have done mid $500's, plus sales tax of about $30/month (in Colorado you don't pay the sales tax up front on a lease). I have a huge aversion to putting down anything on a lease since the point of leasing is capital (dollar) preservation, and it still would have been $100/mo more than the purchase when including sales tax. We put the options side by side - and we just more comfortable with the buy.

In Colorado (or at least Colorado Springs), when purchasing and not leasing, the value of the trade-in is subtracted from the taxable amount on the new vehicle for sales tax purposes, which is quite meaningful at a 6.4% sales tax rate. This alone saved me $800 of sales tax that I would have paid in the lease, albeit paid monthly over time.

I don't think you are nitpicking - it's an interesting look at two different solutions to a nasty problem. I could have gone either way, and simply felt more comfortable with the purchase. 7 years is a long time to make payments, but as you initially pointed out, even five years is a pretty big burden and very few people last that long. I had to get the new baby and two boys under age five into something *now*, though, so I can worry about that in a few years.

Nonetheless, I was leasing a $22K Subaru for $379/mo including tax, and now I own a $30K Quest for $479/mo that also has a 100K top-end warranty - not bad considering how far I was under water on the Sube. Plus, I am going to cancel the credit life insurance they made me buy as part of the deal, and that will make my loan a mere 81 month term :^). This way, if I just pay it off after say four of five years, I own it vs. leasing again and again and again. We'll see how I feel about it then.

For now, getting ready to take the first road trip in the Quest to Vail's Italiano Festival this weekend, and Oktoberfest next weekend...life is good!

BTW, the salesperson told me that Nissan sells a cooler that plugs into the 12v and fits into the third seat storage well, so you never need ice. Need to check that one out...

Nay

mahendran

Quest really drives like a car. I have test driven Quest 3 times from 3 different dealers, apart from testing Sienna and Odyssey only once. 'Toy' and 'Ody' both sucks ! Quest is really a cool machine. If you get used to the new concept of 'centre-console', then things becomes more comfortable with Quest. Nissan Altima/Maxima engine is one of the best engines and the same engines are used for Quest. Besides our dealer helped me with comparing Odyssey vs Quest (Ex vs SL), when we did apple to apple comparison, we found out that the Quest is offering about 1300 USD worth extra items. Besides without leather seats, Quest still offers driver and front passenger seat heating! Rear sonar beeper is so cool! Hope Honda learns this time when it comes with it's new 2005 model. Sienna guys are so arrogant and they give the impression that 'Toyota' cars are already discounted heavily (?) and they won't even mind offering 'Toy' cars for the price more than MRSP

stever

Boost attributed to Quest minivans.

Clarion-Ledger

Steve, Host

quest0804

We bought 04 Quest 6 weeks ago and since then we have noticed that after driving the van for 10 or more mins, if we stop and start again we started getting warm to hot air (Depending on outside temp) from the front air vents. The only way to cool it by turning on A/C. It feels like we turned on the heater. The rear vent is fine.

Has anyone experienced this?

jchan2

Why did the Ody and the Sienna both "Suck"? They're both good vans.

stever

I see a similar complaint about hot vents now in then in the Mazda MPV discussion. I suspect that the Quest front vents run through the engine compartment and the heat of the engine warms up the air that sits in the vent when you shut the van off.

Anyone else notice this?

Steve, Host

davejp

Drove the Ody, Windstar, and Quest this past weekend (no Sienna's around). Quest drove the best. Handles slightly better than the Honda. There were a few annoyances with the Quest.

I think they have the sticker too high. But the dealer was willing to drop $1,800 w/o negotiation.

The amount of glare off the dash against the windshield was quite distracting.

There is a terry cloth-like kinda microfiber panel on the front doors (seems they'd get quite dirty).

The 3rd seat requires some extra effort to fold.

I was able to open the side door while the van was moving (although the dealer says there is a switch to control that).

Overall a great van. Quite comfortable. Car-like handling. Peppy, even with the 4spd.

bowke28

do you have an SE or SL?

jeffmust2

puts the Quest 4th, behind the Toyota, Honda, and Mazda.

shenkar

See posts 178 and 179 on the 2004 Quest vs 2004 Sienna thread. Pretty much sums up my thoughts, exactly.

2004 Quest SE will get my money, irrespective of what CR says!

stever

I don't know what CR's subscriber base is, but their reports are well known and often well respected. It's certainly worth scanning the various reviews out there, and CR is another good point of reference, even though it's not the last word.

I like some of the positions (esp. privacy issues) they advocate through Consumer Union too, but with free sites like Edmunds for cars, and sites like epinions for vacuums, etc. I'm not sure if a subscription is worth it these days.

Steve, Host

bowke28

consumer reports is a collection of surveys of new owners...combined with opinions of writers. if there are 150,000 new odyssey owners in the last 12 months, 125,000 new siena owners, and 1,000 quest owners...who gets the edge? if there is even 10 problems out of 1,000, thats 1%. honda would need 1,500 problems, and toyota would need 1,250 problems. as nissan's volume increases, i would bet my bottom dollar that the rating improves.

quest0804

Hi bowke28,
I have SL. I called Nissan. They are aware this problem and working on a fix. Don't know when they will have a fix for this.

jchan2

I have a subscription. I normally read the auto section and compare their ratings with my Automobile Mag and my Motor Trend ratings along with my "free" edmunds ratings. Sometimes they go together, sometimes they don't. Edmunds puts the Corolla in 6th, while CR puts it 2nd and MT and Automobile haven't rated it yet over my subscription. Quality should improve as Nissan builds more minivans. More Vans mean more owners with less problems and a smaller chance of getting owners with problems.

jer41

Has anyone driven a Quest for nine hours or so on one day and, if so, how's your back and other parts of your anatomy?

lsinc

Ok, I saw an '04 Quest at a fair last night. It was top of the line, every option you could imagine and then some. First off, I will say I sat in it, tried out the buttons etc. but did not drive it. My impression is that it is very family friendly. What I didn't like is the looks. It looks too much like the '04 Sienna and I don't care for the way the Sienna looks. The dash is really cool. Now here is what shocked me the most; THE PRICE! Just under $38k MSRP. Sorry but for a minivan, no way! I'd be curious to know what folks are paying and what options they are getting.

Leslie

stever

I lived in my '99 Quest for 10 months, 32,000 miles, so hopefully the new Quest seats will be similar. My '99's seats are really good, by far the best since my '74 Volvo and perhaps even better than they were (I did a lot of sitting in the Volvo on the side of the road waiting for tows).

Or maybe my bones just happen to fit the "Nissan average."

Steve, Host

dogmom2

I really like the Quest's seats. They are wide and supportive with lots of armrests. The angle of the headrests fit my head and neck better than the Sienna 2004 or 2003. They have some cush to them so that they are not hard as a brick. My husband has a 99 Passat and the seats are too firm and narrow to be comfortable to me. I would say that I am of a medium build, not too heavy, about 5'6".

I have the SL trim with the SL upgrade, and leather.

jwr0201

I have been told by a dealer that both the 3.5L engine and the transmission in the '04 Quest is the same as that in the Pathfinder and Maxima. Is this true on both counts? Is the tranny especially a known design with Nissan in one or more of their other vehicles? Thx! RR

iserum

It is true, Nissan 3.5L Engine is best and has won 10 best engine award from Ward's Autoworld (I believe)9 years in a row. It is used in Murano, Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder and Z and on their infiniti line also.

Nissan has 60K powertrain warranty on Quest, I don't know about other vehicles.

jchan2

Anyone seen those new Quest ads where the punch line is: "Moms have changed. Shouldn't the Minivan?"

revracer

Rather disappointing news for the 5mph bumper tests on the Quest, but then again I don't want to go back to the bumper styling and weight of the mid 70s to compensate.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/030907/autos_bumpers_1.html

backy

Somehow Honda figured out how to design protective bumpers on the Odyssey without going back to the styling and weight of the mid-70s (although those were good bumpers back then!). Too bad the other minivan makers can't do the same.

lumbar

I agree that a return to the bumpers of old isn't desirable, but there's no excuse for Nissan to go from a very decent test in Quest's previous version to an abysmal one in this year's version. When even the Sienna is rated "marginal," this looks like something the manufacturers just aren't trying at all that hard. It appears that, if one now wants to compute the actual ownership costs of the Quest, an increase in insurance costs should be taken into account. I'm pretty bummed about this because I was seriously considering the vehicle and hadn't found a major flaw.

Also, for no particular reason, this makes me wonder about the Quest's paint job. Other Nissan models--the Maxima for example--have put excellent engines and interiors in vehicles, but cut corners on the exteriors of those vehicles.

bowke28

the ratings for the insurance institute are based on cost of repairs, not passenger safety. the more damage a vehicle takes in a collision, the safer the occupants. this is physics 101, and indisputable. if the vehicle and its parts absorb energy, that leaves less energy for the passengers, plain and simple. i would rather a bumper collapse than hold firm. with those "great" '70s bumpers, you could get whiplash at 5 mph. now, you just replace the bumper cover...sounds like a good trade-off to me.

also, if you look at the IIHS and NHTSA results, they are almost exclusively opposite. take the '97-'03 F150...5 star rating from NHTSA, but a "poor" rating from IIHS. fact was that the front end was all but destroyed, costing lots of dollars for repairs, but also saving the lives of the occupants.

a_l_hubcaps

bowke28-

I disagree. There is no reason at all why manufacturers cannot make a bumper that absorbs energy and then RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION instead of being destroyed. I think you are misinformed about the 1970s-style bumpers. After the 1973 law was passed, bumpers had to be energy-absorbing, meaning they were mounted on gas-charged cylinders not unlike the shocks in your suspension. As such, the whole bumper assembly could push inward, but being a big chunk of metal, the bumper itself was not damaged, it just moved, and could pop back out after the impact. Most modern bumpers do have a metal reinforcement bar and shocks buried inside, it's just that you have to destroy $2000 worth of plastic, paint and Styrofoam to get to it.

-Andrew L

bowke28

everything in your post is true...however, the problem ended up being damage to the frame, since a 5 mph collision would go through the bumper. where was the energy transferred? take a look at them and see what they are attached to on the back end...the frame...now, would you rather pay for $500 worth of bumper? or $3000 of frame damage with a rebuilt title?

just4fun2

My son's car was bumped from behind and the paint on the plastic bumper was chipped off. To repaint the bumper only (not to replace it) was over $400.00.

Maybe, it is the cost of the parts and not the car that is the problem.

lumbar

So what are we saying--that it's -more- desirable to have an '04 Quest that took $1300 dollars worth of damage at 5 mph than an '03 that only had $350 because that near quadrupling of the cost means that other more valuable parts like the frame are being protected? It seems to me that there are low speed impacts in the 5 mph range that will cost one an arm and a leg to repair the bumper but would not pose any threat to occupants or frame even if the bumper didn't crumple.

jchan2

Bumpers. As long as they provide good protection, I'm fine.

bowke28

also, the price of a quest bumper will come down in the next 6 months as production peaks. in general, a plastic bumper cover can be purchased and installed for under $500, with very few exceptions.

revracer

When you buy a new vehicle that comes with the latest gizmos, you're never sure which ones will really be useful until some seat time.

When test driving, I jumped when I realized that the seat was moving after I turned off the car. I have since realized the virtues of the driver entry/exit feature and it really does make the vehicle easy to get in and out of while not having to compromise driving position. This together with one of the best packages for seat memory with mirrors, seats, and pedals. A motorized telescoping wheel would just complete the package.

I also took for granted the auto-passenger mirror tilt when in reverse until I tried to parallel park last evening. I was impressed, first time parallel parking a vehicle of its size, and was within inches.

...hoping all the surprises remain pleasant.

spoiledleo1

Hoping you can help me out. Trying to figure which color to purchase. I really like this new Nissan Quest. Getting rid of the big SUV and getting a minivan - this one really caught my eye. Already drove it and I will get the loaded SE, but having trouble deciding on which of the two colors listed above I should get (will have beige leather). Any suggestions?

modena2904

Only you can decide what's right for you -- one size does not fit all. Usually one color or another will just "feel" better. Just go with your gut instinct. The only other thing to consider is that in general, lighter colors will not show dirt as much.

If you want to see a variety of pictures of all the colors, you could check here:

http://www.mossynissan.com/list.asp?model=quest

(FWIW, we chose the Green Tea -- delivery expected within a week or two.)

hmomex

I agree, you are the only one able to decide on the color of your car, I personally prefer to drive a lighter color. Does anyone know when the "Nordic White Pearl" Color will be available on the Quest? I haven't seen any yet.

bowke28

you wont see any till after the 1st of the year...it will be used when the mississippi plant is at full production with the quest, armada, and titan.

iserum

There are lot of things goes into bumper now a days, Rear Sonar system sensors has to be packaged in the bumper, also the bumper has to be designed that way that the sensors will not catch false detection or detect the ground as an object while reversing, The sensors are also replaceable, to service them bumpers has to be designed differently, this is why you can not compare the old bumpers with the new one. Also if the bumper get damaged the whole bumper has to be replaced otherwise the sensors won't work properly.
As long as the occupant is safe the design is OK, obviously there is always room for improvement. The next generation vehicles will have serrate facia on top of bumper for Rear sonar Systems to avoid these problems. Car companies do pay attention to these tests.

revracer

Very interesting article on the factory that made the Quests. Rather agressive sales projections as well...

http://biz.yahoo.com/fo/030911/115b339bf6c938e2a0ad12ec37cd7a16_1- .html