Did you recently rush to buy a new vehicle before tariff-related price hikes? A reporter is looking to speak with shoppers who felt pressure to act quickly due to expected cost increases; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com for more details by 4/24.
Nissan Murano 2005 and earlier
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
After a year of looking, I decided to buy a Murano just before Christmas, but held off until after the holidays to start serious shopping. As luck would have it, the process went much faster and better than anticipated, and I ended up striking a great deal for a loaded Murano SE with Nav on Monday. The dealer was able to locate exactly the color combination I wanted (Polished Pewter exterior with Cabernet interior), located the car within 200 miles and delivered it to me by Wednesday.
I haven't had much time to learn the features and capabilities, or to take it for any extended drives (mainly just to work and back), but I love it. It's everything I expected and more. This is one great vehicle!
In addition to the Murano, I seriously considered the Volvo XC90, the Toyota 4Runner and the Honda Pilot. Everyone's opinion is subjective, but I found the XC90 nice but a little to much of Mommy-mobile (nothing wrong with Moms, but have you noticed how many of the discussions on the XC90 board center around child seats?). The 4Runner is a great truck, but I didn't need or want a truck...and I couldn't justify paying for features like down-hill assist that I would likely never need. The Pilot turned out to be so boring to look at (and so underfeatured...e.g. no heated leather seats), I couldn't bring myself to even take a test drive.
Anyhow, I'll share my experiences with the Murano as I rack up more time and miles. Love it so far!
Steve, Host
4 cyl fwd Highlander can buy for 24,000 Quick order package to get keyless entry and few other things. This is 700 over invoice sticker of 25,878.
V-6 fwd Murano SL can buy for 27200/no options.
Think Murano will win it also has side safety curtains. That is 1700 off sticker or 600 over invoice. Sticker of 28.917
While I'm sold on the Murano, I'm still debating between the SE or SL. Can you describe for me the difference (in your opinion) between the ride of the SE vs the SL?
I'm coming out of a 00 Maxima SE so a firm ride doesn't scare me but all I've been able to find here in the midwest (to test drive) are SL's and they seem to ride pretty firmly to me.
Care to share how great a deal you got?
(I'm shooting for about 8.5% off MSRP.)
(1) The only place on the vehicle exterior where you can use a key is the driver's door. There is no keyhole for the hatch, and none on the passenger side.
(2) The Bose unit has a nice speed-sensitive setting so that it boosts the volume as the vehicle speed increases. It works reasonably well, although it is a little slow to increase volume. But when the climate control cranks up, the fan noise is tremendous. The same computer knows how fast the fan is running, why didn't they make it sensitive to that too?
(3) There's no way to open the hatch from the inside. No remote release, no release on the hatch itself. Also, no release for the fuel door.
(4) Here in the snow belt, we have been blessed with a mild winter but recently had a chilly day (15F). As I was leaving the parking lot from work, alarms started going off... the low tire pressure warning system told me that I had four flat tires! It was delivered to me on a mild day at 31 psi in each of the tires, I hadn't topped them off yet, and with the cold temperatures they had dropped to 25-26 psi. PV=nRT!
(5) Double-clicking the keyless entry system unlock button unlocks all the doors. But you have to wait about a second in-between both presses or it doesn't see the second one.
(6) There are two trip meters associated with the odometer, which are independent of the two trip meters on the central (non-nav) display.
(7) There is no instantaneous MPG/DTE display.
(8) The central (non-nav) display shows audio information on top, user-requested information in the middle, climate info at the bottom. But user-requested information will not stay on (e.g. it times out after some tens of seconds).
(9) The sunroof open at any setting other than tilt-up THROBS LOUDLY.
Silver SL AWD, VDC, about 4.7% off MSRP just before Christmas, insurance increase was nominal ($16/mo).
Tried tapping various places to reproduce the sound; there is a 12" x 4" plastic panel top center in the hatch (possibly access to replace the CHMSL bulb) that sounds about right, and the storage wells on either side of the spare sound about right too, but we can't find anything obvious.
Suspecting suspension or perhaps an unused connector is dangling from a wiring harness somewhere. Anybody else have an idea what it might be, or have the same noise?
I generally think that extended warranties are a bad idea. But they are a part of doing research. carmax quotes extended warranties for the Murano as: extend b-to-b from 36/36000 to 60/60000 ($1049), to 72/100000 1299, and 84/100000 ($1499).
These are Nissan warranties, not 3rd party.
Anyhow, I called for a quote on:
SL AWD
Cold Pkg
Dynamic Control Pkg
Leather Pkg
Premium Pkg
Moon Roof
Floor Mats
Navigation
They were correct with the following (per kbb.com):
sticker: 37561
invoice: 33718
carmax :$34028
I may tweak this config in the next day or two before I order. For example, the cargo cover looks pretty good (I forgot to get it include in the quote).
Also, I'm still debating the AWD. I live in Huntsville, AL. So snow isn't really an issue. But I thought (hoped) that AWD would help prevent torque steering. Anyone know how this AWD mechanism compares to others (for ex the Infiniti QX4)?
I went with the SE simply because I was able to get exactly the options I wanted (everything including navigation) and, as luck would have it, exactly the exterior/interior color combination I wanted. And, the price was right (at least for me)...at about 7.4% off of MRSP. You can probably do better, but I got this deal without any "rough and tumble" negotiations.
BTW, I also had low tire pressure (see post 774)almost immediately after picking up the car; I suspect the pre-delivery prep missed this. The tire pressure monitoring system really does work!
Ppower
Ppower
(2) The Bose unit has a nice speed-sensitive setting so that it boosts the volume as the vehicle speed increases. It works reasonably well, although it is a little slow to increase volume. But when the climate control cranks up, the fan noise is tremendous. The same computer knows how fast the fan is running, why didn't they make it sensitive to that too?
On my Altima, there is a setting to adjust the sensitivity of the speed-sensitive volume control so you can control how quickly it increases the volume with speed. Check the owner's manual if you find that it is not increasing the volume enough.
(3) There's no way to open the hatch from the inside. No remote release, no release on the hatch itself. Also, no release for the fuel door.
So how do you open the hatch and the fuel door? Hatch is probably from the key fob, but what about the fuel door?
(5) Double-clicking the keyless entry system unlock button unlocks all the doors. But you have to wait about a second in-between both presses or it doesn't see the second one.
That is standard Nissan operation. You might also discover that you can roll down the front windows by holding down the unlock button on the keyfob for 5-10 seconds.
(7) There is no instantaneous MPG/DTE display.
Same on my Altima. The MPG display is cumulative from the last time you reset it.
The car was an SL with SUNROOF!!
I don't know what the factory is thinking. In all the brochures they say you can only get a sunroof with the leather package. At least that's how I read it.
The dealer I visited (about 35 miles away) had two vehicles with cloth and sunroof.
I had hoped to see the cabernet cloth (or leather) but they didn't have any.
As of this weekend the two dealers closest to my home have a total of three Muranos. I've been told a new shipment is expected in the area on Wednesday.
I'm still sold on ordering through the broker and waiting. The dealer with the cloth/sunroof Muranos was offering them at $800 off MSRP.. but that's still too much IMO.
I know what you mean about the tire pressure monitoring system. I drive about 30-35k per year and had a system from a company called SmartTire installed on my Maxima.
Best modification I've made to the car (except maybe the Front Strut Tie Bar) and it will save me a lot of cash (in tires)in the long run.
It also has a nice reassuring/calming effect when you can check your tire pressure from the driver's seat!
It never ceases to amaze me how much the tire pressure changes in such a short time in relation to the outside air tempature.
Ppower
As far as MPG, I haven't been monitoring city vs. highway, but overall I have been getting 23.5 (mostly highway driving). The MPG seems to drop dramatically when the engine is cold or when driving in the city. I suspect Nissan's 20 MPG city estimate is off at least 5-10 MPG.
The Murano is the "spotlight" vehicle in the ad on the main edmunds.com page. Lots of links....
Steve, Host
They don't have the fancy option selection features of sites like kbb.com. But you can simply post what you want and they will reply (probably within a couple of hours) with the price. You could also just call them. The quotes I've gotten have been from $310-$370 over invoice.
Same on the Murano, and per the manual I have it on the highest setting.
So how do you open the hatch and the fuel door? Hatch is probably from the key fob, but what about the fuel door?
Hatch has a hidden handle centered just above the license plate on the outside. You just pull it up and open, a very natural operation... but it has to be unlocked first (double-click unlock on the fob or one of the front doors).
Fuel door is unlocked the same way (double-click), but you then need to push it in at the rear edge to open it (like a push-push cabinet door). Very counter-intuitive.
You might also discover that you can roll down the front windows by holding down the unlock button on the keyfob for 5-10 seconds.
Yep, that was in the manual too. I didn't list it as a quirk because I thought it was a cool feature!
Other owners should check this to see if it is common to all Murano's or something out of whack with just some of the CVT tranny's. Check your mileage ! If it is common to a lot of these vehicles but not all, we can complain to Nissan and get them to issue a service bulletin to the mechanics who no absolutley nothing about this transmission.
Also, today I had them adjust the auto headlight off timer. At first they said it could not be adjusted (even though the manual says it can), then I encouraged them to call Nissan and they did and 10 minutes later the service guy calls back and says, the least delay time is 30 seconds or we can have no delay. I went for no delay because I am tired of people telling me I have left my lights on when I get out of my car.
Other than this, the vehicle is solid and great.
By the way, I bought my SL AWD the day after Christmas and was able to get $1,000 off sticker, which I thought was pretty good for a new model just released in December here in So Cal. Also, other than the fact that the front cup-holders won't hold two drinks at the same time, I find the Murano to be head & shoulders above every other similar vehicle when it comes to quality & well-thought out amenities. I haven't had one bit of buyer's remorse with this vehicle, the first time ever with a new car purchase.
1. CVT service. The Nissan folks seem unable to answer what the service interval is and WHEN... So I went to Audi (who has had CVT on its A4 and A6 for about 6 more months than the Murano has been out).
Audi service guy was very helpful. Says the system only requires fluid service every 40,000 miles (on an Audi) and that the actual components are meant for the life of the vehicle. No other service required.
2. Tires. At this point, Goodyear is the only maker of this tire and they're only making it for Nissan. My local tire guy can special order the tire at $155 a piece (plus mount and balance) and he says he thinks Dodge will soon make a vehicle with a similar tire. Hopefully I won't need a tire for a few more years and the price will come down a bit.
Fyi.... Cookie.
Is the displayed mpg in the digital read out accurate or do you have to always check it with a hand held calculator. I will drive again and see if I notice the drag. Thanks for all the good info here.
Also is there no way to open fuel door from inside---saw one post that mentioned that.
Would like to buy Pewter with Latte/tan interior/cloth but apparently that is not an option. So black with Latte/tan may win this time.
http://www.infiniti.com/
By the way, you won't notice the drag when the car is cold. I believe there is a computer that controls the CVT and won't let the CVT kick in until the engine reaches a certain temp. You may notice that the engine revs higher when cold (the owners manual says something to this affect and that the car should be driven at moderate speeds until warm). When accelerating cold, RPM increase is noticable. When accelerating warm, RPM increase is minimal thanks to the CVT.
The drag I have noticed is only when I take my foot completely off the gas when the engine is warm and when traveling between 15 - 30 mph. As far as the accuracy of the dashboard display MPG, I haven't checked but have seen other posts saying is is about 1 MPG too high.
Click the key FOB twice (unlocks all doors) then push the fuel door to open. Not a problem for me.
Overall I am pleased with the Murano. The drag is a bit anoying but less noticeable the more I drive (not sure if correcting itself or I'm just used to it). My only regret is that I didn't shop around now that everyone is posting what great deals they got.
Thanks
It can't hurt to email Nissan North America (or call 800-NISSAN1) and register your complaint about the VDC/TCS packaging. I'm ticked off in principle, but because my wife wanted leather/roof anyway it's a moot point in our decision. It's still crazy to charge $4800 (essentially) for what's billed as safety feature...
Hey, muranoslfwd do you experience the drag in "D" and "S" positions or only the "S"?
Neohk, I too would also like to have the VDC package broken up and available in parts. I don't want the VDC, but do want the tire pressure monitor with an AWD.
Ppower
Thanks
Ken
On my SL AWD, the D position is Drive and I do not experience any significant engine drag. Taking my foot off the accelerator results in a very gentle deceleration, indistinguishable from what happens in a conventional 5-speed automatic. The Ds position is immediately to the right of D and is the performance setting. In this setting, the engine is kept up in the powerband, so when I take my foot off the accelerator there is significant drag and slowing of the vehicle speed. There is another setting below the Ds setting marked L, and I can't remember what the manual said about that.
I can't say if the AWD and FWD versions operate exactly the same.
Is it possible that you're in Ds instead of D? They are very close together in the shift gate. In D, with an engine warmed to operating temperature and cruising on a level road at 30mph with no wind, you should see around 1200-1400 RPM with just you in the car. In Ds, the same conditions you should see double those RPM or more.
neohk,
No issue at all with reflected glare from the dash, if you have the charcoal interior like mine. Other colors might be a problem, because if I put a piece of paper on the dash it is quite visible in the reflection. Don't know about XM w/o Bose or the towing question.
Ppower
Thank You Kindly,
J. Fred Muggs
I hope to get a Sheer Silver SL(Like the SL wheels better) with Charcoal Leather, Sunroof and HID lamps soon.
I am definitely driving in "D" and experience around 1200 rpms at 30 mph. If I take my foot off the gas at say 20 mph I experience the drag and then as soon as the speedometer drops under 15 mph the rpms do a quick bounce (drop then raise) and the drag is no longer there.
Another thing I have noticed is that when I turn the engine off, smoke will slowly waft from the tailpipes for 30 - 60 seconds. I have never noticed this in any other car I've owned and don't see it when my coworkers park there cars. One coworker just took home a new 350Z last night and he said he noticed smoke as well.
Let us know when you get one!
Water and water vapor (thin white mist) is expected and normal and could continue briefly after key-off. I can tell you that the only visible emissions from mine (950mi) after key-off is a dribble of water. I certainly have not noticed any smoke as long as I've owned it.
However... and this is a biggy. The Bordeaux ONLY comes with Cabernet cloth or leather. This model had the leather. And I can only describe it as basketball color!
It's so orange and shiny I almost gasped when the dealer opened the door. Those who like this interior enough to buy it will be driving a unique car indeed. I can't see Nissan selling a lot of these. I've not seen the cloth, but I can't imagine it being any less "loud."
The Bordeaux exterior is lovely and would look beautiful with a tan interior. Maybe Nissan will come up with that next year. Sigh..
I guess Pewter is my best option.
Ppower