Nissan Quest 2004+

stever

You should check the fitment guides at the rack sites to make sure that clips for the Quest are available (or anticipated).

Any load can blow off a factory or aftermarket rack. The rule of thumb is to securely attach the rack to the car, and then tie the load to the rack, and then tie the load (and thus the rack) to the car, usually to the bumpers.

But every rocket box you see on top of a car is just bolted to the rack. I don't like following those too closely. Kayakers are notorious for not securely tying their boats down good either.

As far as maintenance costs, check out the Edmunds Maintenance Guide for predicted repair costs for 5 years out.

Steve, Host

dtownfb

I do believe the Sienna and Odyssey have rubber timing belts but I thought the interval to cahnge it is 100k miles now. Also I don't think it costs $1000 to replace. I see ads in the paper to change the timing belts on Toyota vehicles for $350.

cartagram

My wife corrected me: the Nissan salesman said $600 and at the interval of 60K. The Edmunds Maintenance Guide for the Odyssey has the timing belt checked at 90K, with replacement optional depending on wear 'n' tear of the belt.

Anyways, it was an argument that sounded good at the time!

gg2k2se

Picked up Quest SE the week before a much traveled Christmas. Bad news first - we had a minor roof leak (slow dripping from the passenger coat hook area for about 10 minutes). I'm dropping it off at the dealer today for a fix. I'm not worried, it's a minor issue to me.

Good news, I don't use many superlatives but the Quest feels fantastic. NO PROBLEM with the center console, you get used to it in a few minutes. You can set the brightness for both night and day separately and it was always visible. The controls on the POD are very handy. Seats felt great during a 5 hour drive and my lanky teen was comfortable in the third row. Gas mileage for a fully packed van (5 people, dog, lots o' stuff) was between 20 and 21 mpg for 2 fillups. The trip computer was accurate (unlike my Maxima that overstates its mileage). Speed averaged 65 mph up to 80 at times.

Bose stereo is awesome, better sounding than my Maxima Bose. Good power, roomy, fun and attractive. I'll keep you posted on other news.

bowke28

yes, the honda REQUIRES replacement AT OR BEFORE 90k miles. there is also no warranty on a rubber timing belt, where there IS one on nissan's steel timing chain. as far as roofracks, the honda's is drilled into the roof at the rain gutters. if anyone else drills holes, it negates your corrosion warranty. nissan's will likely be the same, but just isnt available yet. should be soon.

dthobart

I just got an '04 Nissan Quest SE (Smoke/Rouge, DVD Video), and love it.

We put 1800 miles on it over the Christmas holiday, and would have to say that it was a sweet ride.

So, on to my topic - I was wondering if any of you folks had any experience connecting an existing SkyFi Satellite radio so that it would be activated when you select the SAT button on the radion? Apparently Nissan sells a $400 OEM solution, but I'd like to use my existing unit, if possible...

Thanks.

stever

This question comes up occasionally but I don't remember seeing a good answer.

Check in XM & Sirius Satellite Radio for advice and here's one post that is about the only thing that flops up in a search that is remotely helpful:

discofever "Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Oldsmobile Bravada" Dec 4, 2003 8:40pm

Steve, Host

marvinkm

Anyone know what is the minimum credit score to qualify for the 1.9%? Mine isn't very good (~650) so I'm assuming I'm out of luck.

stever

Tell your F&I person that Chase is going below 700 for Subaru purchases. Maybe that'll help knock the rate down some for you.

raybear "Subaru XT Turbo Forester" Dec 28, 2003 12:32pm

Steve, Host

fsmmcsi

The Quest is far nicer than in photos, and the interior, including the instrument pod, is easy to use after just one test drive. Anyone who has not seen and driven one is missing something really nice.

I drove 29,000 miles for business in '03, and need to carry a folding ladder and some smaller equipment and supplies(I own a consulting company which inspects buildings for asbestos, mold, lead paint, and other problems). A minivan makes for more sense than an SUV or pickup.

The flat floor in the Quest is a real plus, and the seats are very easy to operate. I drove a tea green SE with everything except the NAV and DVD. The power rear gate and side doors sound like an extravagance, but after using them it is obvious they will be real time savers.

We also looked at the Sienna (didn't like interior and lumpy front passenger floor), Pacifica (many nice features, but roof too low, so my eyes are level with the top of the windshield, too hard to back up and no reverse proximity sensors, and underpowered), and the new Ford / Mercury (very cheap and poorly thought-out interior).

stevenk1

I have a question about the DVD player.I am thinking about purchasing a Quest SE. It has everything we want on it except the DVD player. I have heard if it isn't installed at the time of production it can't be added later. Does anybody have any info regarding this?

dtownfb

Hogwash!!!!

Purchased Quest S on Tuesday and having DVD player installed on MOnday. The dealership has contracted with a local electronic store to install aftermarket items like DVD players, CD changers, sunroofs, etc. I assume this company does aftermarket work for all Nissan vehicles. $1450 and it is covered under the basic warranty because it is installed by the dealer. The DVD player will be located under the passenger seat like the factory model.

Talk to the dealer. I would go with their person as oppose to a Best Buy or Circuit City only becuase the vehicle has been out for only 4 months. I doubt those places have had much expereince installing electronic items into the Quest. Good luck.

quest4me

I have an SE with SAT on the radio selector buttons and a sticker on the passenger side door post that it is prewired for a SAT radio. Several ???:
1) Where is the recommended install location for
    the SAT tuner.
2) Where is the end of the pre-wired cable that
     is attached to the back of the Bose head
     unit?
3) Are there any known installation pictorials
     showing the addition of a tuner/receiver
     installation on a 2004 Quest?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

bowke28

you both have a little bit of bad information.

steven, yes. a dvd can be added to an SE. if your dealer doesnt know how to get it done, email me. i can refer you to someone who can.

dtown...your dvd player IS NOT covered by nissan. it is covered by the shop that installed the system, and i can tell you with 100% certainty that the dealer did not do the labor.

dtownfb

bowke: You are right. i should have stated that since it is installed at the time of purchase, it does carry a 3 yr/36k mile warranty.

rickpct

Today I drove a Quest (base S), Sienne LE, and Odyssey.

Quest road feel and handling were markedly better than Sienna, on par with Odyssey - except Quest had stiffer steering than Ody (which I prefer)

Windshield glare - big problem- got lots of refelction on a cloudy day - with the light grey interior.

Concur an earlier post that 3rd seat is not easy to pull down - not as easy as the Ody or Sienna.

Center console was VERY easy to get used to.

Hard to read "pod" controls - they are not angled very, and are hard to use. Poor ergonimics here..

Best driving position of any minivan - it really feels like you are sitting in a car. Sienna/Ody feel like you are driving in van.

Engine was loud and harsh sounding - at least for the first 10 minutes - car only had 26 miles on it - quieted down somewhat.

On the highway - the car was not very quiet.

Acceleration is not that great (this is actually a problem with the Sienna and Quest - Ody seemmed a bit faster, but not by much). This is our first minivan purchase - we have a 250HP Saab 9-5 Turbo Wagon - getting on the interstate seemed to take forever so I assume this is the price you pay for getting a van :<

Materials/fit and finish was not up to par v. the Sienna and Odyssey.

The car's looks grow on you after a while. It reminds me of a Citroen (which is funny since Nissan is now owned by a french company..)

Seats - at first they seemed to soft, but actually they get comfortable quickly.

I need to drive another quest - SL - to see if it overcomes some of the items I noted earlier. I think Nissan is probably 1/2 step behind Ody/Sienna as far as minivan design is concerned, with a few tweaks they will probably be leading the pack.

shenkar

"Quest road feel and handling were markedly better than Sienna..."----Yep, I agree. Used to tight steering German cars, so this was comfortable.

"Windshield glare - big problem..."----Hmmmm. I've got an SE with Beige leather, but glare has not been a problem at all. Much worse in our Benzes.

"Concur an earlier post that 3rd seat is not easy to pull down..."----Agreed...but you get used to it.

"Center console was VERY easy to get used to."----Ditto. Took less than a day.

"Hard to read "pod" controls..."----Over time, I've actually found them to be exceptionally easy to use day in, and day out. It's not your traditional layout, but works extremely well, once you've fully adjusted.

"Best driving position of any minivan ..."----I wholeheartedly agree. This is our first van, and I prefer it as my daily driver over our Benzes. The practicality of this vehicle is astounding.

"Engine was loud and harsh sounding..."----My engine exhibits no harshness. May need to drive another one.

"On the highway - the car was not very quiet."----I concur. However, I think vans are noisier than cars in general. Big boxes, with less inside to absorb sound.

"Acceleration is not that great..."----Mine runs like a scalded dog, now that it's well broken in. Very pleasing for a van. This is a detuned Z engine. Utterly reliable, and extremely powerful. I've got 9,500 mile on mine already, and It runs much stronger than when new.

"Materials/fit and finish was not up to par v. the Sienna and Odyssey..."----This has been an ongoing debate. Individual taste affects impressions here.

"The car's looks grow on you after a while..."----I've had nothing but admiring looks, smiles and gestures from onlookers when driving this van. Not typical reactions to a minivan. People seem to love the look. I certainly do.

"Seats - at first they seemed to soft, but actually they get comfortable quickly."----This is an extremely comfortable vehicle, as evidenced by the mileage we've racked up already. A dream on road trips.

"I need to drive another quest." ----I would strongly suggest this.

"I think Nissan is probably 1/2 step behind Ody/Sienna as far as minivan design is concerned, with a few tweaks they will probably be leading the pack."----Hmmmm. I'm thinking that with a few more tweaks, they'll have a world beater in this Quest. But then...I bought one, so I'm biased.(:^))

bowke28

about the 3rd seat. it is not supposed to operate like the honda. thats why it was difficult to operate. proper way:

1) press button on top left of seat.

2) pull tether while holding button in, rolling the seat into the well.

3) reach to the top where the handle is, and pull on it...the seat will drop right in place with a "click".

too many people, and unfortunately, salespeople, try to do it like the odyssey...fold first, then pull. just not designed that way.

ctl1

Your 3rd row instructions have made our new Quest even better! Amazing how much easier it is to use if you follow the owner's manual instructions rather than trying to do it like the Honda.

We just got our silver SL with leather and DVD a week ago, enticed by the 1.9% financing (see post #852). We checked out the competition including the Honda Odyssey and Pilot, and the Toyota Sienna and Highlander. Since my wife is the primary driver, we went with her preference and that was the Quest.

It had the best performance in terms of handling and road feel of any of the vehicles, very car-like with excellent acceleration. She finds the center pod makes all the controls easy to reach and the adjustable pedals make it easy for both of us to find a comfortable seating position (I'm 6', she's 5'1"). Though certainly subjective, she loves the styling. All in all , we are both quite pleased with our new purchase.

laundryguy

I have about 3000 lbs of boat, trailer, and gear - 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? Posted this way back (#498) but apparently no one who looks at this message board had been out yet. My 95 Windstar miraculously continues to run
at 125,000 miles, but will need to make an on the spot decision when it croaks.

laundryguy

frittob

From the owner's manual:

MAXIMUM TOWING LOAD: 3,500 lb (1,587 kg)
MAXIMUM TONGUE LOAD: 350 lb (158 kg)

The Trailer Towing PreWiring Package is a purchasing option ($540 MSRP, $459 Invoice)

I'm looking for a good bicycle carrier to hook on to the towing mount ... any recommendations?

Thx

julizio

Did they happen to extend the 1.9% financing beyond 01/05/04?

I'm in the market and want to take advantage of the offer but haven't had time to get to the dealer.

Thanks.

ctl1

The 1.9% financing offer is no longer on Nissan's website so it's probably expired. You should call the finance dept at one of their dealerships just to be sure. If you're not in a hurry to buy, my guess is that they'll have more financing/rebate offers in the future. The minivan market should become very competitive especially since Honda, GM and Chrysler all have new minivans planned for 2005 model year.

cirruss

Just wondering if anyone had the dealer install the factory fogs on their Quest (as an add on) and possibly how much. I know you can do that on the current Altima, and the entire kit comes with the entire headlight stalk which incorporates the fog sw.

stever

The van got five stars!

New Vans Get High Crash-Test Ratings (TheCarolinaChannel.com)

Side test results aren't available yet (link).

Steve, Host

tsy

I asked the dealer about them at the end of the year but they said the dealer install foglight package was not available yet. I'm not sure if this has changed recently though.

tsy

I have a Sportworks Transport Hitch rack. It is the easiest and quickest to load and unload bikes and very well made, but it is a bit more expensive than other racks. If you have a mountain bike like I do that has minimal space between the top tube and down tube (e.g. rear suspension bikes) the Sportworks may be your only option.

Hope this helps
tom

htrinh

I talked to Nissan hotline yesterday wrt VPP, and also asked the expiration date of 1.9% financing. The answer was Feb. 2, 2004. I was also told it depends on my credit report.

htrinh

I wonder if this is standard for Quest 04 SE model.
I use both Edmunds and Nissanusa to configure
SE with optional packages but neither lists "Splash guard" as an option.
However, when I talked to dealers, one dealer told me it is an option while other did not mention it
as an option.

Thanks in advance for your input, Trinh.

cirruss

Mug Guards on all Quest sold in US is optional. I didn't even realize they had it as an option when I bought my Quest because they weren't listed on the Nissan's website. You should definitely work them into the deal when purchasing your Quest because the 4 mud guards retail for a rediculous $112. Part of the reason it's so expensive is because they are partly painted to the color of the vehicle.

ctl1

While splashguards fail to appear on either the Nissan or Edmunds websites, it was a $140 option on our recently purchased Quest SL. It was factory, not dealer installed as this option is listed on the manufacturer's sticker. I don't know why it isn't on the nissan website - if you try to configure a Maxima on the same site splashguards show up as an option.

vince14

go to:
http://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/ModelAttributes/0,,29774%7C3100- 4%7C,00.html#midpageAnchor

splash guard with retail pricing have been listed for a while.Suggested Retail Price: $54.50 (Front set)
$54.50 (Rear set)
vince

cirruss

I did finally see the mud guards in the accessories section (after buying the Quest), but it doesn't make sense to me that it's not listed when you build your own Quest on Nissan's website. To me, a hood bra is an accessory, and mud guards should be listed as an option in the build. I am going back to the dealer tomorrow to see my sales guy and check whether I can get them at cost. I will install them myself.

htrinh

Thanks to all of you.

I finally also found mud guard at following URL for $109.00 (invoice):
http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/new/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/- 37455#optionalequipment

Really supprised edmunds and nissanusa webpages do not list it as an option to be selected on configuration, except place where Vince found.

BTW, I found this forum is very helpful.
Trinh

frittob

The splash guards are required by some states and not by others. Maybe that's why Nissan doesn't list them as an option.

patrick017

Any suggestions about where I can buy wireless headphones that will work with the Nissan Quest 2004 factory-installed DVD player? I need more than the two that come with the Quest. The dealer unhelpfully suggested "Try BestBuy". Any ideas about stores, manufacturers and price ranges would be greatly appreciated.

mitsub02

Have your tried the Parts Department at your local Nissan dealers? Suggest you call around and I bet that they probably can order them directly as an accessory item. Good Luck!!

frittob

There are headphone jacks on the rear controls.
You could use the 2 wireless headphones and 2 wired headphones.

Just an option you might not have thought about.

bowke28

yes, you can get them in a parts dept. you can also order them online directly from nissan (costs a little more for shipping). i ordered 4 extras for my customer 2 weeks ago, and they arrived after 8 days.

newquestcanuck

bowke28, can you share with us how much your customer paid per headset? I have heard that with other minivans, you cannot get aftermarket wireless headphones and thus I would be forced to pay an arm and leg for what the dealers charge for them from Nissan.

NQC

julizio

Just pulled this from the nissan website, financing is good thru 02/02/04 as mentioned above.
------------------------------------------------

2004 Quest &#151; 1.9% APR financing for up to 60 months for well-qualified buyers!
 
Available APR financing includes 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. $42.50 per month per $1000 borrowed at 1.9% for 24 months, $28.60 per month per $1,000 borrowed at 1.9% APR for 36 months, $21.65 per month per $1,000 borrowed at 1.9% APR for 48 months and $17.48 per month per $1,000 borrowed at 1.9% APR for 60 months on all new 2004 Quests in dealer stock. Down payment may be required. Subject to NMAC Tier I credit approval. Offer ends 02/02/04. See participating dealer for details.

bowke28

are around $55 per set...could vary by dealership by $5-$10 each...just call around. if your dealer's parts guy is too stupid to find it, let me know. ;-)

patrick017

Thanks very much for all of your suggestions. The parts guy at my local dealer was very helpful and ordered them for me for $46 and change per set.

bowke28

glad to hear you got them.

newquestcanuck

Wow that doesn't sound too bad, guess that would be around $70 ea here in canada, hope they aren't much more.

Thanks for the info.

NQC

frittob

2004 Quest SE ...

There are two buttons by the rear window adjustment button:

TCS Off (Traction Control System Off)
VDC Off (Vehicle Dynamic Control Off)

Both buttons deal with reducing engine output (to reduce wheel spin) if the vehicle is stuck in the mud or snow.

Two Questions Please:
1) What's the difference between TCS and VDC (The manual is almost identical for both buttons)?
2) When would I ever consider turning either of these two setting off?

TIA

deepan

From what ive heard

TCS--controls the amount of wheel spin when accelerating by applying the brakes
VDC-- controls stability by monitoring the direction of the vehicle by modulating engine power, brakes etc.

stever

Long-Term Test: 2004 Nissan Quest

Steve, Host

carguy1234

Ouch! Do Quest owners on here agree with all the shortcomings the editors found with the new Quest?

raul4

I have never owned an Ody, Caravan or Sienna and regardless of what is said, as a consumer I have no desire to own one. However, I do own a Quest SL and let me say, "I love it".
My overall comment about the comparisons is the difference between "pretty" and "glamorous" with the Quest being glamorous.
Its about time that someone did something to revolutionize the minivan and I believe Nissan did just that.