Nissan Quest 2004+

stever · August 2003

Actually JD Power has long term reliability ratings too, and we have many of them on the vehicle pages. There's little data available for a new vehicle of course, but we have various Quest ratings going back 5 years from JD Power:

link

Steve, Host

nofeer · August 2003

again the options list and packages for the sienna are confusing to the point consumers have complained and it messes up the buying experience, i believe they have had enough neg comments that toyota will change the packages to make them simpler come this fall.
the quest and sienna are so close but these things stand out
split 3rd row seat in sienna
quest has killer style
quest has to remove the head rests and put them in a bag (yech!!!) sienna clean and neat.
quest cloth interior looks cheap but i'm going for the leather--???non issue????
quest rouge and silver is way cool
quest dual dvd screens (you could probably do this 3rd party)
quest those skylights are way cool
sienna has power windows in the slide doors
quest has far reach for the cd changer
sienna may be more expensive.
sienna has more appealing features hid, rear camera front and rear parking sensors.

waiting for info about the redesigned ody and Consumer reports or other respected mags comparo

we have to drive both in as close a trim line as we will be purchasing as posssible. hard to do with the quest right now, i'm not purchasing till march 04 so can parkbench quarterbacking till then.
basically i rate the sienna as my first pick till i can do the above. It is also a toyota which tends to have higher quality acroass the board than others, ody had noise and sliding dooor problems.

bowke28 · August 2003

reasons for a few of the issues with quest:

"quest has to remove the head rests and put them in a bag (yech!!!) sienna clean and neat"

quest uses NHTSA approved head restraints, as does odyssey. siena's "in-seat" headrests are not approved, but are allowed.

"sienna has power windows in the slide doors"

the doors are smaller, with 6" less space when fully opened. the longer doors in the quest mean that the windows are too long to operate in any fashion. you give a little, you get a little, etc...

stever · August 2003

When I got my Quest back in Dec. '98 my salesperson let me look through his big (400+ pages?) training book that compared the Quest to every other minivan out there. For every argument a customer could come up with, the book had a ready rebuttal.

You have a copy of that book too, right?

:-)

Steve, Host

bowke28 · August 2003

actually, i dont. these are things ive learned for being in the car business for 4 years. i do my research.

jchan2 · August 2003

What did the book say about it's small size, no power doors, non-fold flat seats, and no price advantage over competitors that did have those options? (Ford Windstar SE and Honda Odyssey EX had all of the above equipment- well, the Windstar SE didn't have the fold flat seats, but the Odyssey EX did.) Someone who has the book explain what the argument was for those factors that add up when we all go minivan shopping?

bowke28 · August 2003

i wasnt with nissan then, so i dont know, but those dont matter anymore, since the quest isnt small, has power doors, fold flat seats (all), and competitively priced.

jimincalif · August 2003

After bowke28 pointed out the mid position on the 2nd row seats, we took all the kids and had them pile into a Quest, then immediately took them to pile into a Sienna. Kids agree the Quest is easier to get in and out of and has more room.

We want the S model as we don't want power doors. Going to get the S upgrade package as well. With the rear sonar my wife might actually try to parallel park sometime!

Does anyone know, can we get the roof rack as a dealer installed option? It is not available as a factory option. The dealer we're talking too doesn't know, says it is too new. Would like the SE-stype roof rack with the cross bars.

As much luxury as they pile into these vans they are still primarily people and stuff haulers. Doesn't make sense not to have a roof rack.

stever · August 2003

Some of us preferred the small size of the last version Quest (although that didn't translate to a small turning circle). I really doubt that the new one would fit in my garage, unless I disappear some shelving.

The old sliders are lightweight and don't need no stinking power (I think that's a direct quote from the '99 book <g>).

A big deal was made over the old track system and the 42 (?) different, if not flat, seat arrangements you could come up with. That's actually been pretty handy for us.

Got lemons, make lemonade.

Jimincalif, it's probably too soon for Yak or Thule to have come up with clips for their systems yet, but you may want to look at their aftermarket racks. Check Roof/Bike Racks and Cargo Carriers (OEM, Thule, Yakima) for links.

Steve, Host

soccerdad99 · August 2003

Where did you get this information about the headrests "quest uses NHTSA approved head restraints, as does odyssey. siena's "in-seat" headrests are not approved, but are allowed."?

bowke28 · August 2003

the size and shape of the head RESTRAINTS in the quest make them an actual safety device, per NHTSA. the head RESTS in the siena are too small for the NHTSA to consider safety devices. this was in the training material for the odyssey as well as the new quest.

another point on these: have you tried to raise the head rests in the siena to operable height? you cant see out the back window if you raise them.

stever · August 2003

Front head restraints are required safety devices in the US and the Sienna head "rests" qualify as "extensions of the vehicles seats that limit head movement during a rear-impact crash, thus, reducing the probability of neck injury."

(link)

Most head restraints move up and down. Better ones adjust fore and aft. The safest ones are dynamic - they automatically adjust when you get rear-ended. Which type does the new Quest have?

Steve, Host

bowke28 · August 2003

the dynamic ones...all 7. issue is: the dynamic ones have to be a certain size and shape, therefore making it difficult to keep from having to remove them for seat operation. i didnt mean the siena DOESNT have the proper head restraints...they do, just not in the rear seat. an adult has to raise the headrests in the rear about 6" to be at the proper height. this wipes out rear visibility for the driver....

those of you considering the siena...sit in the 3rd row, and put the headrest up to where you are comfortable. then sit in the drivers seat and look in the rear-view. it will blow you away how little you can see.

stever · August 2003

That's good. There are no specific size and strength requirements for the rear head restraints, so it's nice to see Nissan go beyond the minimum requirements.

Steve, Host

bowke28 · August 2003

i agree...just wish we could have our cake and eat it too...lol.

jchan2 · August 2003

I always thought the track system was a little hard to operate- take away almost all the carpeting and then slide the seat all the way up. At least you still had the seat with you at all times, unlike a dodge caravan driver who may not have his seat at all times. Also, i kinda wish that all vans could just be a little smaller- Mazda MPV size. the reason i parked an odyssey in my garage is because my wife didn't have faith in the Mazda brand, after our first MPV broke down 24/7.

bowke28 · August 2003

fortunately, quest buyers dont have to rely on ford enginuity anymore!

stever · August 2003

Hey, the old Quest/Villagers always relied on Nissan engines!

Steve, Host

bowke28 · August 2003

only after '97...before that, many had the old ford 3.0L. wait...not old...they still use it...lol.

stever · August 2003

You need a better book. The Quest/Villager in '93 (introduction year) had the Nissan VG30E engine that was adopted from the Maxima. Had a small problem with the manifold bolts.

Then in '99, the year Nissan made the Quest/Villager a bit bigger and added the second slider, the hp was upped a bit. Still the same basic engine though. The engine and tranny were shipped to Ohio for assembly from Japan, although I heard reports that the drivetrains were later made in the States.

You're just making this stuff up as you go along, right? :-)

Steve, Host

raul4 · August 2003

I love minivans because for an old guy like me they are easy to get in and get out of or putting it another way to ingress and egress lol. The 2004 Quest is a really beautiful vehicle but there are two things that bother me. It's the grill and how difficult it must be to keep it clean of bugs or even clean at all. The other thing is the ignition; looks like an unfinished piece of metal that was just put there without any thought of making it look, well, finished. Yeah, I know these are little things but, paraphrasing a saying, it's the little things that count! Anyway, my two cents worth.

bowke28 · August 2003

my mistake...no, im not making it up...i made an assumption about the 3 liter in '93, that it was the ford version, since they dropped it in everything at least once...lol.

raul4...the metal ignition is by design. ever notice that imports use a metal ignition and domestics "finish" it? the previous generation explorers were the worst. the plastic "finishing" piece would get loose, and be difficult to start, since the base metal ignition was underneath. also, why would you want plastic over it just to get scratched up by your key???

i cant comment about the grill, because i haven't taken a hose to one yet, but none of my 5 quest buyers have complained to date.

jchan2 · August 2003

What did the book say about the poor crash scores from the IIHS?

dogmom2 · August 2003

Quest 2004?

johnson401 · August 2003

I don't think the new Quest is selling well. Already, my local Nissan dealer has 7 on the lot and is advertising $1500 off all Quests. Local Toyota dealer has no Sienna's on lot and Honda dealer has only 3 Odysseys. Not crazy about the center guages but I am hoping to get a Quest for close to invoice. Odyssey is very nice but will seem dated in a couple years and I can't wait for 2005 redesign. Sienna is ugly with complex option packages that can result in an LE with non-alloy wheels, rear drum brakes, and $600 running boards, very dumb.

bowke28 · August 2003

what part of the country do you live in? we havent discounted a nickel off a quest yet, and we've delivered 14 of them so far.

rjsmom · August 2003

Hello to all who are considering the 2004 Nissan Quest. I posted on the other message board, "2004 Nissan Quest vs 2004 Toyota Sienna" about my family's experience and forgot to mention one thing that bothered us about the car because I just noticed it "again" on a pix on Ebay. While driving the car, I kept looking in my rear view mirror as I always do while driving and noticed the roof console appeared in the top of the mirror which I considered an obstacle from having full view. The salesman tried to adjust it so that I wouldn't see it but no matter what it was still viewable.

The car drives like a dream as I've stated earlier. I hope Nissan works out the kinks in the product, i.e. the cheapy interior and rear view mirror, because it's a nice minivan.

johnson401 · August 2003

This is in southern NH, about 40 miles from Boston.

bowke28 · August 2003

im in louisville, KY...we have had more than 25 in stock, and just now delivered our 15th at sticker price. i just dont understand how they are being given away like that already...

thequest · August 2003

That must be something that is driver dependent. I bought the SE around the first of Aug. and obstacles to the rear view never came up for me or my wife.

bowke28 · August 2003

you cant avoid the DVD screens having an impact on visibility, but due to the slope of the roof, the center console shouldnt come into play. if it does, then something is wrong with the angle of the rear view.

jchan2 · August 2003

was for the old Quest. Anyone have an answer on that one?

laundryguy · August 2003

I have 2700 lbs of boat and trailer - how does it do? What was the cost of the towing package. Is it like Sienna where the tranny cooler and the oil cooler are factory ready for the 3500 lb rating and you don't have to do anything but put the wiring and the hitch on?

Regarding rear view mirror and DVD blocking view - I'm 6'2" and very tall from the tail end to the eyes - anybody tall drive one?

Will need to buy on a moments notice once my 1995 Ford Windstar lays out a transmission on the highway - not worth fixing anymore at 120,000 miles.

steve

stever · August 2003

Aren't out yet, afaik.

The crash test scores went down in '99 when the Quest was remodeled. One theory is that adding the second slider messed up the structural integrity. Nissan compensated in subsequent years and got back up to 5 stars in '01 for the front test (by adding seat belt pretensioners, among other things).

Hopefully the engineers learned from the last debacle and paid special attention to passenger safety with the new Quest, although achieving structural strength in a roof with all those holes in it may be a trick.

Steve, Host

jchan2 · August 2003

Well, the IIHS still gave the 99' Quest a very low rating.

raul4 · August 2003

One dealer in my area says you pay sticker price. No negotiations.

stever · August 2003

You're right, and it's poor for all years ('99-'02).

I was thinking of the NHTSA scores - 3 and 4 stars for the '00 model - can't find '99 results this am.

NHTSA Vans scores

IIHS ratings

Steve, Host

dogmom2 · August 2003

Well, guys, I think it drives really great! I went and test drove the SL with the 4 speed transmission. It drove really well. The pickup out of the parking lot was really fast. It merged easily onto the interstate. It seems more powerful than the Sienna. I think the interior is nice, too. I really like the cloth upholstery patterns. They are not so plain as many cloth patterns. The ride was quiet, too. Hubby is going to look at it next. I think the feature where you can flip the middle seats forward to get into the very back seats is quite practical. It prevents squeezing through the middle. I like the cupholders on the second row seats. It is like my kids carseats in that way.
The steering was quick and accurate, yet light.

I am certainly going to consider it. My old Volvo is threatening to give up the ghost, and I may have to make a decision sooner than later.

bowke28 · August 2003

why wait? get one now, park it, then when the windy croaks, your ready. just my $0.02.

jeffmust2 · August 2003

Right, Laundryguy, forget the double insurance payments - get one now before the dealers run out!

And before the new Honda van comes out and the Sienna and Quest get discounted. Hurry on down!

lol

jchan2 · August 2003

would be fighting with the Quest for 1st place in a minivan comparo. The Sienna would go for 3rd. (mainly due to smaller engine and need for premium)

bowke28 · August 2003

chill out, jeff...that had nothing to do with sales...he's not buying one from me is he? no. my point was this: why take the chance of the windstar croaking on the side of the road? thats just asking for trouble.

dogmom2 · August 2003

Will pick up tomorrow from the dealer. Paid under MSRP by about $1400. I got an SL with leather, SL upgrade package. Availability is a good thing. I really liked the acceleration and the steering on the Quest vs. the Sienna. Also all of the airbags and disc brakes. My current car almost died on a short trip last week, so the writing was on the wall. I do fit the demographic they were aiming for. 30-40, female, and small kids.

stever · August 2003

Congrats Dogmom2!

Here's a new car checklist you may want to look at. It was written with the Odyssey in mind but pretty much works for most cars.

Keep us posted,

Steve, Host

jeffmust2 · September 2003

Dogmom2 bought a new Quest bec her oldie wasn't a goodie anymore. So far you're batting .500 - that would get you what in today's Major Leagues -$8M a year easy!

Windstars don't die easy...you might not get above .500 any time soon.

Chillin'

jchan2 · September 2003

Did you get the SkyView roof?

bowke28 · September 2003

we have a ford store here too...one of the largest in the country. you are right about them actually croaking...they will complain, sputter, spit, etc...but they wont take that final dive. there are constantly at least 30 or 40 windstars in the service lane daily.

jchan2 · September 2003

Do they have any Ford Focuses sitting in the bay with a big sign marked RECALLED, FIX ASAP on them?

dogmom2 · September 2003

No, I got the SL which doesn't have the Skyview roof. I thought it might be too hot here in the south, also, I was trying to be reasonably moderate in my choices. I love the van. It drives even better than on my test drive. I just had to go to the grocery and Petsmart, etc. Just had to, you know. I got the leather and the SL upgrade which adds the rear sonar, and the side torso airbags. I got what I thought we'd use the most in our family. It really drives like a dream. So much better than my old Volvo. I like sitting up better. It has so many features on it, too. I didn't notice until today that it has the front shades that extend to block out sunlight in the middle in the front. No hesitation pulling out into traffic. I need to practice parking some in lots with my hubby at night to get between the lines and not on them. The steering is really nice also. I really want to encourage people to test drive them. I expect Nissan to start advertising them more as they are out longer. They really are quiet and solid. I am very happy with it, and want to drive it more and read the manual to learn about the different features.

jchan2 · September 2003

congrats! What color is the Quest?

Nissan Quest 2004+

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