Nissan Armada

bowke28

couple of corrections, but good post...

1. the reason its tough to raise the seats from the 3rd row, is that your not meant to. if you need room and have to lower the seat, you are probably in the rear of the truck...if you need to seat people in the 3rd row, then they can raise the seat as they get in from the 2nd row. the Expedition works the same way w/o the power rear seat.

2.most DVD players are not with the screen...only a few select aftermarket brands. most manufacturer versions place the player in the center stack. this way, mom and dad can monitor what junior is watching.

willimjo

I don't see your comments as corrections, but rather your viewpoint.

If I lowered the third seat from the rear to put a couple of larger packages I just purchased, get home, pull into the garage and unload them - I don't want to have to open the second row door, bend and reach over the folded second row seat to flip the third seat back up - I want the power fold option accessibile from the rear. No "correction" accepted - that's what I want.

I don't need the DVD player taking up 3/4 of the front console in order to monitor what the kids are watching. They only have the DVD's I allow them to have and if I really want to know which one they're watching, I'll ask them.

The DVD system in the Expedition has the player integrated with the screen on the ceiling leaving the full space of the fromt console for Dad's (or Mom's) use. A better design IMO.

Just because some manufacturers have taken the easy way out and put the DVD player in the console or hanging under the dash doesn't mean Nissan can't be as progressive with this feature as they are with most of the rest of the Armada. I realize it may be a matter of personal choice, I just prefer the choice Ford made.

Like I said in my original post - I like the Armada and, depending on where it prices out with all the options I want, I believe it is very strong competition for my initial choice of the Expedition EB. I just wish they had included a couple more features the EB has available and had been more progressive with their DVD player layout. On the other hand, I also wish Ford had included the third row seats with the side curtain airbags.

bowke28

my point about the seats is that after you remove the stuff from the back, you can leave it till someone enters the back seat through the second row. the expedition w/o power seat works that way, the honda pilot, envoy/t-blazer, and every other SUV with a 3rd row seat works that way. its all about physics. if they put the latch in a place that would be easy to reach, you would lose leverage enough to do it easily anyway. someone once suggested a tether strap, but pulling from not much above horizontal wouldnt do anyone any good anyway. keep in mind, the back of these mammoths are quite tall, and anyone under 5'9" will have issues with it. i would give the engineers and designers credit enough to assume they've tried other ways as well.

as far as the DVD player goes, buy one without, and have one installed the way you like it aftermarket.

rsholland

from what I've seen, is not a split-fold unit. I think this is a HUGE mistake on Nissan's part, if it true.

Bob

bowke28

possibly...dont know yet myself, but from what ive heard, the 2nd row has additional functions that the expedition doesnt. i dont know what they are, but we'll know in a couple weeks!

mrwhipple

Was the model you drove equipped with the Off-Road package?

willimjo

It had an "Off-Road" badge low, just ahead of the front doors, so I assume that yes it was. Given that it was a preproduction model, it's possible that it was in some way different from what will soon be in the show rooms.

I'm reading a little into the intent of your question, but the vehicle I drove was smooth on the off-road track, not jarring or unstable at all. The track that was installed for the event was much more radical than nearly any logging road you may encounter. It had laterally sloped grades switching back and forth left to right and a few tight turns left/right while the vehicle was leaning right/left and a few quick ups and downs. But there weren't large rocks or logs you climbed over or extremely steep ravines.

It was a much better off-road test drive than folks normally get prior to buying a 4WD vehicle, but I'm not suggesting the Armada would be my first choice for truly radical off-roading. The very long wheelbase would preclude that.

rsholland

Is that an on-demand system (2WD until slippage occurs), or is it full-time 4WD, shifting power fore and aft "on-demand?"

Bob

rshe

Why is it, the Titan link on the Nissan site is loaded with info (ie lets you configure a vehicle) including pricing info, while the Armada link appears to be 90% BS and 10% info with no pricing or configuration links? The Armada is due out in 30 days, while the Titan is a few months out as I understand it, it just seems backwards to me.

pathfinder13

I was driving in 405 freeway, then I saw Nissan's New pathfinder coming from the other side, I was amazed that it looked way better on the road then compare to pictures. Plus, this vechile is huge and different from any other suvs I have seen. I have midsize pathfinder, but after seeing the armada i might wanna change. Keep it up Nissan!

mrwhipple

Thanks for the info.

I was just curious because the Off-Road package comes with the rancho shocks & BFG tires.

rsholland

http://www.imakenews.com/autospies/e_article000175129.cfm

Interesting that the Quest is being produced on the same line (see bottom picture)!

Bob

bowke28

quest, armada, titan, and the upcoming 2005 pathfinder will be made in MISS.

rsholland

I knew they were all made in the same factory. I just assumed each had its own dedicated production line.

Bob

willimjo

The drive system on the Armada I drove was similar to what is offered by GM. A dash installed rotary switch allows you to select, 2WD, Auto, 4WHigh, and 4WLow. The Auto is 2WD until slippage is detected and the front differential is engaged.

nv32

Is the 2wd RWD or FWD? Has anyone heard the curb weight yet? Thanks.

rsholland

mrwhipple

Does the 4WHigh lock the center diff and distribute even power front & rear, or is it a traction control based sysem?

mkarp

I also saw a silver Armada and a black Titan last night driving in hillsboro nj. The Armada looked great in person, a lot better than the pics on the nissan site. when is MSRP expected to be public?

pathfinder13

in southern cali.

goose1207

The next gen. mid-size Pathfinder will be produced at the Smyrna TN plant, not Canton, MS.

From what I've heard, the Armada will have the same 4WD system as the Skyline sports car that Nissan sells in Japan. This is the same system that is in the now defunct QX4 and PF LE. Therefore, the 4HI would lock the center diff to split the power 50/50 F/R.

goose1207

I'd be willing to bet that Infiniti's version of the Armada will have the features that you identified as lacking in the Armada --the power 3rd row and cooled seats.

dindak

Nissan has had some nice designs as of late and this is not one of them. The truck just looks awful, especially in the middle where the roof line bends down.

Mechanically it may be fine but from a styling perspective the competition all looks better IMO.

bowke28

dindak...it looks FAR better in person...wait till you see it up close. the roofline makes alot more sense then.

rsholland

It's the best-looking full-size SUV on the market. Only the Expedition comes close IMO.

Bob

dindak

I've seen lots of pictures and it's pretty gruesome. None at the local dealer yet as of today.

rsholland

arguing design is a pretty useless exercise for most people. You either like it, or you don't, depending on your perspective. As the saying goes: One man's passion is another man's poison...

Bob

bowke28

they wont be arriving at dealers till AT LEAST the 3rd week in sept.

dindak

I'll go take a look when it comes. You are right, some cars look better in person.

mrwhipple

That will be nice for mud & sand purposes to get that center diff to lock.

Thanks for the info.

mkamdar

I am truly interested in buying the armada but I am not sure what the prices are going to be. Does anybody have the most up to date info? If so, please post here. Thanks.

rsholland

I don't have any info, but I think it's a pretty safe bet not to expect any "deals" any time soon. I expect the Armada to sell for MSRP (or higher) for some time to come. I think it, like the Titan, will be hot numbers, with long lines waiting to purchase. It will be a "seller's market" and not a "buyer's market" for some time. If you're going to be the first on the block to own one, expect to pay top dollar.

Bob

rsholland

the gas prices keep rising. Then the Armada, and every other SUV will go for fire-sale prices.

Bob

bowke28

we are expecting prices in the $32k-$48k range, same as the expedition.

dindak

82 cents a liter up here now vs. 69 cents two weeks ago. Gas prices are out of control.

bowke28

went from $1.35/gal to $1.83/gal here in kentucky over a 3 day period.

mrwhipple

$2.15 - for unleaded in LA, not to mention our vehicle registration has doubled too. It's totally nuts.

nitemask

They finally got a pre-production model at a local dealership this weekend. Loved the looks, loved the space, felt cheap. One of the door inserts was missing, 2 different times, pieces of plastic fell off while opening compartments.

  I really like this vehicle, but am worried about the build quality. I'm hoping this was all due to being a pre-production model. Having my 4th kid, so I have to get a mini or SUV. NO MINI for me, so it is between the Armada and the Expedition.

   Like the feel of the Armada better, but Expedition has the split third seat and the middle 2nd seat can pull forward. The back window can also open. The Armada back window on this model couldn't open, which doesn't seem right.

  I'll wait till the production model comes out and I hope the quality is better.

  For those who don't like the looks. Sorry, it looks tough, and looks a whole lot better than it did in the pictures.

bowke28

pre-production models are always that way...they travel from dealer to dealer, and have countless people climbing in and out of it constantly...also, its actually assembled by the engineers, and believe it or not, the build quality is better off the assembly line.

clpurnell

we are less than 3 weeks away from them being delivered what gives with pricing????

bowke28

im not sure...all rumors lead to pricing being right with expedition, but nothing is official yet.

mrwhipple

Haven't seen any commercials yet either.

jschober

http://www.carseverything.com/content/image/10792/

This link shows the Armada DVD in the ceiling? That's where I want it so maybe I'll pretend I didn't read somebody write that it's in the center console.

dwgutwir

I don't think the debate was over where the screen was, but rather where the slot for the DVD-disc was.

Looks to me, from that picture, that there is no slot in the overhead for the disc - it must be in the center console upfront.

I understand why you'd want to mount it with the screen unit, but for me its great since I have 2 kids under 5. They couldn't reach it from thier car seats, and its easier for a parent to change a DVD in the center console than up on the ceiling behind them.

Maybe this was Nissan's thinking......

clpurnell

That is probably it. Could be frustrating with older kids but with youngsters the best place is in the front. The FX has a compromise and the dvd is in the rear of the center console. that way it is pretty easy for parents and kids to change.

rsholland

would be a deal-breaker for me. As much as I like the Armada, I'd probably opt for an Expedition, just to get that feature.

Bob

bowke28

i understand the value of that, but cant say it would be a deal breaker factoring in reliability and resale values. thats just me though.

nitemask

When I first saw no split, I was leaning toward the Expedition. But after sitting in all seats, the Expedition just seemed blah. We also figured that in a year or two, when Nissan splits the back, we'll see if the seats are compatible and might just replace it.
   Does anyone know if the Armada will have this feature. The Expedition has it and I'm not sure what they call it, but if you lose all your cooling fluid, the computer will run the engine as air-cooled for 50 miles, switching pistons and all, and will shut the engine down before any permanent damage is done.

bowke28

almost every manufacturer has that feature now...but not sure about the new V8.

jschober

7.0s = 0-60 mph. All honda-loving gas-conserving green-peacers aside, this SUV rips.