Nissan Murano 2005 and earlier

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Comments

  • firstnissanfirstnissan Member Posts: 5
    Had my '03 MO for four months now. Everything is ok except took for 3500 mile oil change and had dealer order new seat rack to stop rock when accelerating and braking. Main reason to post is the mph spacing on the speedometer. The spacing is such that the most used speeds such as 50 to 70 mph are so bunched that it not so easy to see what speed you are traveling. I don't know why the mph spacing on the speedometer face isn't spread out for something up to 120 not the 160 as shown. We all know this car could never go 160 mph. Does this bother anyone else?
  • firstnissanfirstnissan Member Posts: 5
    I wondered the same thing. My MO was built in November '02, arrived in NC January '03 and I bought October '03. Everything seems ok except for my post above. But how can a dealer afford to keep a car on their lot this long?
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    None of the dealers in the Midwest have any 03's still on the lots. Matter of fact, I haven't even seen a new 03 for sale here since mid November.

    Sounds to me like the dealers where you live weren't dealing on the 03's very agressively since they arrived.

    I also don't think the 200-300 under invoice at this point on a year old vehicle is anywhere a good price (or they'd be sold already).
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    i know a place that has quite a few 2003s. midwest, too...
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    So share the location, at least City and State?
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    email me and i can tell you. ;-)

    if i share it on here, i will get in trouble.
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    E-mails on the way but I think you'd be OK to divulge what City and State your talking about, just not the specific dealer's name.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    It's okay to provide the name and town of the dealership. We ask that you NOT provide contact information including the names of salespeople, phone numbers and so on.

    tidester, host
  • patp123patp123 Member Posts: 1
    I live in the northeast (New England), I am interested in buying a Murano. I have driven it several times & love it. I wanted to get people's input on how the AWD handles in the snow & how the CVT performance is in the cold. I have heard complaints about CVT tranmissions(not Murano specifically) that cold weather could be a problem (performance). Much Appeciated..
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    sent you the information.

    since the hosts know that im a salesman, and the 2003 muranos are in my city, they may take issue with it.
  • dmmakoskidmmakoski Member Posts: 72
    Lets try this again.

    I live in Connecticut, nuff said for cold weather this year. The CVT has worked flawlessly (knock on wood) so far and it's been -7.

    AWD has worked good but on bad days I take the bus to work so it's hard to comment.
  • gerapaugerapau Member Posts: 211
    I live in Ottawa Canada and we have been having some very cold weather lately. The temp has gone down as low as -25F (dmmakoski, -7 would feel real warm right now) and we have had no problems with our Murano. When really cold the transmission is a bit louder then when it is warmed up but that is probably the case for every car when it is cold like this.

    As far as the AWD is concerned, it seems to work fine. We haven't had a whole lot of snow (it's too cold to snow) but the Murano was fine with the snow we have received so far. The only problem I have is not being able to find any winter tires for our Murano. Also, remember, this is a heavy vehical and although the AWD will get you up to speed quicker it will do absolutely nothing to help you stop.
  • ek01ek01 Member Posts: 37
    Ours has performed flawlessly. Control, visibility and operation has been very good. The only design defect is the fact that the windshield wipers cannot be lifted up to clean off the ice and snow buildup.
  • zoo_bzoo_b Member Posts: 18
    Hey bmerchant....
    I finally picked up my Murano SL in white. It finally arrived after many weeks. It's been great so far and I already got compliments from passerby saying that I have a really nice car the first day I drove it to work. I've only got 100kms on it.....too bad I sprained my ankle and can't drive for at least a few days. It's such a great car to drive in stop and go traffic...I can actually modulate my speed just with the accelerator. Awesome.
  • oreokeoreoke Member Posts: 14
    I'm in Oklahoma City and the dealership with the most on the lot at end-of-year had 12 '03 models and NO '04's. It was weird. And I picked up mine (build date Feb '03) for $300 under invoice. It worked for me. :)
  • bmerchant1bmerchant1 Member Posts: 11
    zoo b, you have been waiting forever. Congrats to you and best of luck with the new ride. Can't believe I have 1000 miles on the odometer. This is the most fun vehicle I have owned and always take the long way on a drive.
    Please e-mail me at merchantb@bellsouth.net
    Have something to discuss but not on the group.
    Bob
  • peeetepeeete Member Posts: 136
    Test drove one yesterday and I impressed. I own a G35 and I was shocked how similar they drive (same engine of course).

    I do have a concern about the big blind spot on the right rear quarter. There appears to be no way to look over your shoulder to see for a lane change, and I cant imagine how parallel parking must be. The big mirror is a help of course, but I think at best it will be a major relearning of lane change technique. Has anyone also run into this?
  • zoo_bzoo_b Member Posts: 18
    Well I thought that was a problem originally too. But now that I've driven the car for a day or two, I realized that looking over shoulder isn't going to work since the car is so high anyways. If a Miata or Mini is in the blind spot...looking over the shoulder is still useless. Therefore, you need to adjust the mirror a bit farther out that usual. So the way the rear quarter window kick up isn't a really big issue with a car this tall anyways.
  • golfnut10golfnut10 Member Posts: 2
    Although we live in fl. we travel north to some of the snow areas and were wondering how the 2 wd murano handles in the snow? Also, Looking for information on the ease of use of the navigation system. Seems like the acura and honda vehicles are easier to use. Any comments?
  • dmmakoskidmmakoski Member Posts: 72
    I have AWD so will not comment on the FWS version. But the navigation is very intuitive to use. On another Murano site there was a pool on the navigation system and it was overwhelming on how good a system it is.
  • wilsoniiiwilsoniii Member Posts: 19
    I can't comment on the 2WD in snow, but I can throw my opinion in about the navigation system. Having never used a navigation system prior to purchasing the Murano I was skeptical that a database covering the entire US could be easily accessed using a couple buttons and a tiny joystick. After using it for almost a month I can honestly say that I am quite happy with its operation.

    The navigation system lets you use a virtual on-screen keyboard to enter in pertinent information (name, address, point of interest, or a selection from the address book you create). Instead of having to navigate the full keyboard, the nav system figures out only those characters that are possible given the information entered so far. For example, after you enter the first letter of the city (San Francisco), the computer may realize that only the letter a, o, t,... are possible. After you select the next letter it may give you a list of only 3 possibilities to select from which significantly reduces the data entry time.

    There is definitely a learning curve for using the navigation system, but once you understand the system you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.
  • oreokeoreoke Member Posts: 14
    I'm waiting for some blasted snow and ice so I can try the AWD system. While I'm waiting I'm wondering what it will be like when the system takes over and transfers some power to the rear wheels. As anyone with slippery weather experience knows, sudden moves in any direction can break you loose and send you God knows where! So -- how does the Murano behave at that telling moment? Is it a nice, easy, transfer or should I expect some squirrelly behavior for (only) a moment?

    Thanks!

    O-O
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    I have a 03 SE AWD and we've gotten about 8 inches of snow here in SE Wisconsin in the last couple of days.

    I have 12,xxx miles on my Murano and used the AWD switch for the first time a few times in the last couple of days.

    I've only locked the AWD when starting up in a few places that looked really slippery, and had no problems getting moving.

    Once I got up to speed (say about 20mph), I switched off the AWD lock.

    I have yet to notice the AWD kicking in or out while I'm moving so either it's really efficent or I'm not paying enough attention to notice it.

    I'll get more opportunity to try it out later today as we're getting more snow right now.
  • gerapaugerapau Member Posts: 211
    I have had lots of fun driving my Murano in slippery conditions and you never notice when AWD kicks in. The only thing you should watch is that if given enough gas the back wheels will spin (if you don't have traction control) and even with the front wheels gripping you can end up having the rear end slid around a bit. To me this is a plus since it brings back my days of driving RWD cars.
  • abereanuabereanu Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 04 model and it's supposed to be prewired for the XM radio. I want to have one installed, but after talking to the dealer I realized that they have not installed one yet.
    I asked them for the install manual and it looks fairly involved, including adding another outside antena, drilling, etc. Has anyone out there installed one in theirs? Any comments?
    Thanks
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    Not true!

    If your Murano is prewired, then all you have to do is attach the tuner to the end of the pre-wire cable and then attach the antenna to the tuner.

    No drilling is required as the antenna is simply stuck on the top of your Murano (very strong magnet and adhesive).

    If the dealer charges you for more than 2 hours of labor, they're cheating you.

    I'm sure you can install it yourself if you have any basic tools and mechanical skills.

    Here's a web site that will take you through the process. This web site also includes the addition of the pre-wire cable since the 03 Muranos were not pre-wired.

    http://muranosat.avapl.org/index2.html
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,242
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  • vsromanvsroman Member Posts: 95
    I am considering the Murano and this past weekend I rented an SL for 3 days. I was very impressed with the ride quality and interior space. A couple of things do concern me and I wonder if they bug anyone else?

    1. Lights on the Transmission stick, at night it is very tough to read. Not a deal breaker but slightly annoying.

    2. Seems to be a hesitation in the 20-40 mph range.

    It's a strange problem as the overall power seems excellent, moving from 50-80 is a snap! Even, the overall 0-60 is good. However, it may be just enough to keep me from buying.

    Does this hesitation occur in the SE version as well?
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    1.) what "gear" you are in should also be displaying in front of you just below the speedometer so there is no need to look down to confirm, just look straight ahead, day or night.
    2.) My SL has no hesitation in the 20 to 40 mph range nor in any other range to be honest. I suggest you drive another Murano there just to confirm that this is a one-vehicle-specific problem.
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    Like dweiser said, not an issue once you realize the important indicators are right in front of you on the dash.

    My Murano (03 SE AWD) is a (relative) rocket from about 10mph up to and beyond legal limits. Don't know what was wrong with the one you rented but in Ds, it absolutely moves out (for an SUV).

    What else are you comparing?
  • just4fun2just4fun2 Member Posts: 461
    When you drive a rental anything, you have to keep in mind that people will not treat a rental as they would their own car. Rentals are abused on a daily basis and might have problems that aren't fixed right away. It is good that you rented one for more than one day to see if it is really for you or not. A ten minute test drive isn't enough to tell if you can live with it or not.

    Take a new one off the dealers lot and see if it acts like the rental. I believe that you will see that this isn't the way they all work.
  • vsromanvsroman Member Posts: 95
    To answer some of the comments...

    1. I did notice the display on the dash but just would have liked the letters to be better illuminated on the shift, not a big deal though.

    2. I am also considering the BMW X3 and the Inf FX35.

    3. I agree that a rental is always prone to driver abuse (like mine as I was admittedly giving it a workout :)

    Renting the car for several days definitely altered my opinion. The Murano is WAY more SAV than I expected. I drive a BMW 528i and I was very surprised at the premium feel, and this was in a basic interior. I have to believe that when I go test drive a loaded, premium, leather SE, than I will be even further impressed.

    However, I still may go with the FX for the following reasons:

    1. Better looks, just my opinion.
    2. More power, faster, better road handling.
    3. Better warranty - 4 yrs b2b 60K miles
    4. Better Dealer Service - tend to get that with the premium labels.

    BUT, I do like that cargo space in the Murano...

    I am planning to go test drive both the FX and Murano back to back and then I will make up my mind. I did calc a savings of about 4K if I go with the Murano and that is a consideration.

    Thank you all for your input!
  • vsromanvsroman Member Posts: 95
    "the confused wind-up of the CVT made the Murano feel sluggish at takeoff."

    I think this is what I noticed as well. Reading more of the review, it bothered them more than me, but seems as though it is an issue.
  • zoo_bzoo_b Member Posts: 18
    For your concern about the shifter illumination, you can adjust it along with the dash lights with the button on the side of the dash.
    As for the CVT being confused, I would have to suggest it is a throttle issue. Mine does not hesitate through that speed you have mentioned...unless you are not really applying much pressure to the gas pedal. I know this because I have had experience driving the Murano slowly cuz of my injured foot.
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    Very different vehicles. One a FWD and one a RWD platform.

    The Murano has significantly more room in the shoulder measurements than the FX35 (IMO) and the ingress/egress from the rear seats in the FX is very difficult due to the way the wheel arches cut into the door opening.

    Now if it was just me and one other passenger, (read no kids at home) I'd have the FX instead of the Murano but alas, that's just not the case for another 6-7 years.

    If you live in an area that experiences snow, you'll probably want to invest in a set of dedicated snow tires, even with the AWD version.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    for the $4k difference, you can get a 100k mile warranty, pre-pay all your maintenance, and slip a couple hunskies to the service writer to make sure you are taken proper care of. ;-)
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    What about loaners for service and warranty work?
  • tomalexmtomalexm Member Posts: 6
    I have an 03, but have realized only 15 MPG (According to the onboard comp) in daily rush hour Washington dc traffic. This is a far cry from the EPA's claimed 20 MPG city. Anybody else with bad mileage?
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    To tomalexm. Go to the problems board. You will find many recent messages re: gas mileage.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Here's the link: Nissan Murano Owners: Problems and Fixes

    tidester, host
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    the top extended warranty through nissan provides that...ask the F&I guy.
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    "I have an 03, but have realized only 15 MPG (According to the onboard comp) in daily rush hour Washington dc traffic. This is a far cry from the EPA's claimed 20 MPG city. Anybody else with bad mileage? "

    It's pretty well documented that the EPA estimates are estimates and that they are only in place to allow consumers to compare vehicle to vehicle as far as mileage expectations.

    The Murano is a 4000 lb vehicle and as such takes a lot of energy to get moving from a standstill. Once it's moving however, I can get 25-26 mpg easily ay a steady 35-40 mph which is city driving for me.

    What kind of mileage did you expect to get in rush hour or were you getting with your previous ride?
  • batfish7batfish7 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, Everyone!

    Until January, I drove a Toyota 4Runner (SR5, manual, '97). I stopped driving it because of a skid that a guard rail stopped, damaging both head lamps, the grille, and the windshield. The 4Runner is still being repaired, and I've been driving a rental 2004 Murano, SL, AWD for a month. Today is my last day with the Murano, but I am definitely going to buy one.

    A week after picking up the rental Murano, I drove it in conditions similar to (perhaps a bit more icy) the conditions in which the 4Runner skidded (in the FWD mode; I was shifting into 4WD when the skid occurred), and the traction/handling of the Murano was superb. I really don't want to return it to the rental company later today, but I must.

    Just wanted to let you know that I will be soon become a Murano owner. Driving the Murano for a month has convinced me! The AWD seems more than adequate, so despite the recent accident, I don't plan on adding the VDC package --seems somewhat redundant.

    Anyway, it's good to join you.
  • rossygrossyg Member Posts: 2
    Hello everyone! I'm new here and I've enjoyed reading all (well most of) of the posts.

    I fell in love with the Murano when I saw the first commercial. Now I'm ready to buy one! I'm considering the SL AWD model by the way.

    Questions:
    Does anyone have the cloth seats? How do you like them? Do you think it "cheapens" the vehicle?

    I'm not crazy about leather seats but you have to have them in order to get heated front seats....I haven't been able to look/touch the cloth seats b/c my dealership only has leather!

    What's up with the packages? Why do they have to bundle things so? I don't care for a sunfroof but if I want Y, it comes with X. Is there any way to break up the "packages"?

    Thanks!
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    the cloth is actually one of nissan's better interiors. the murano is rich inside with or without leather. unfortunately, you cant break up option packages, but the power sunroof is always a stand-alone option...if you dont want it, dont get it. good luck to you.
  • marvindmarvind Member Posts: 16
    Hi Everyone,
    Just wanted to share gas mileage and driving experience with other owners of Murano. I drove the Murano SL 2WD today for a total of 300 miles. The road travelled was combination of highway,rural and some city driving. About 200 miles was driven on I-85 and I-40 and the rest in rural roads with some city driving in Winston-Salem/ Greensboro, NC. Altogether a very pleasing experience. The Murano is a very quiet vehicle and fun to drive. The CVT was a big surprise as it handled extremely well. Downshifting on gradients up or down was awesome. The Bose audio system is really a treat to any music lovers ears. The overall mileage for this trip was 24.3MPG with regular unleaded fuel. So far the fuel consumption in the city was 18.4MPG. I think the above values are pretty good considering the Murano weighs about 4000 pounds and has a 3.5 L engine that developes 245 HP.
  • jeannierjeannier Member Posts: 4
    I'm looking at the '04 Nissan Murano brochure and the specs indicate that heated seats are available on both SL and SE.

    My new Murano is arriving in 2 weeks (can't wait), is an SL and is coming with heated seats (as standard).

    Could be that the Canadian and U.S. specs may differ slightly?
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    Canadians have no option choices on either model (except sunroof) while Americans can order several different configurations with differing levels of equipment.

    Here's the Nissan USA web site if your interested in comparing the choices:

    http://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/ModelHomePage/0,,30966,00.html

    and the Canadian version:

    http://www.nissan.ca/en/buying/configure/default.asp?modelCode=L6- TG14
  • onie1onie1 Member Posts: 6
    Just bought the Murano and i think we got a great deal.
    Silver SL AWD Touring Package Dynamic Control Package Floor Mats Spalsh Guards Cargo Area Protector for $31,912 before taxes. We'll see how it holds up.
  • homeounerhomeouner Member Posts: 145
    On the message center menbers talk about looking into the inventory list of various Nissan cars. How do you do this? I have had no luck in finding this list. Can any one give me some advice on this.
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