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Nissan Quest 2004+

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Comments

  • thedibsthedibs Member Posts: 13
    I was wondering if it was advisable to change the oil in the Van after the first 1000 miles.

    I have had to do this with other cars I have owned but the documentation that came with the Quest does not say so.
  • shenkarshenkar Member Posts: 159
    When I picked up my SE 13 days ago, the salesman (internet sales manager, to be exact) said that the first oil change would come at 3,750 miles (which is what the service book says). He then walked me over to an assistant service manager to schedule this service, and was visibly embarrassed when the service guy offered up that the oil needs to be changed TWICE before this 3,750 mile "first scheduled service". Go figure...
  • shenkarshenkar Member Posts: 159
    To the Edmunds team for the inspired and generally accurate review of our much beloved 2004 Quest they just put up on the home page. Keep up the good reports guys!
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    I assume the rear panes are fixed, right?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Full Test: 2004 Nissan Quest

    And here's our Feedback Form if you see any errors or omissions (like the crash test results; I guess they mean there's no NHTSA test result, but the Quest got a "good" in IIHS testing).

    Steve, Host
  • jamestrenjamestren Member Posts: 15
    I am having such a difficult time deciding whether the money is worth it for the extra features. The SL w/ upgrade/seat pkg/leather/DVD/floor mats/running boards is about $32,080 MSRP. The SE with similar specs is MSRP at $35,730. Thats over $3500 difference for the following features:

    5-speed transmission
    Vehicle Dynamic control
    Automatic on/off headlights, fog lights, and puddle lights
    17" wheels
    Bigger tires
    Tilt down in reverse side mirrors
    Power sliding driver side door
    Roof rack side rails
    Roof rack cros bars
    Skyview roof
    Sliding glass sunroof
    Dual zone ATC (temp) with in cabin filter
    Memory for drivers seat/mirrors/pedals
    265 Watt Bose Stereo (opposed to 150)
    In dash 6-disc changer
    Ten Bose speakers (as opposed to 8 "premium")

    These are a lot of good options. However, I am also trying to stay realistic on price. Any thoughts on whether the SE will keep this type of gap when it comes to resell time? Are these things worth the extra money?
  • stephenwbstephenwb Member Posts: 15
    You forgot the overhead console in the SE that goes along with the SkyView windows.

    We just bought the SE, and I went through exactly the same process you're clearly going through.

    Sit in the back of the SE and you'll be sold. Those SkyView windows and the console in the roof will do it for you. That, and the memory seat pushed me over the edge.

    Also, keep in mind that the price difference you're looking at is MSRP, and popular as this van is, the supply is still good enough in most areas of the country (at least in mine) that you can get it close (~$500) to invoice, not MSRP.

    As for the resale value: who knows? This is a completely new van, and clearly liked by people much more than its predecessor, and the SkyView is clearly a big selling point (see the Edmunds review). How long are you planning to keep it? If it's more than 6 years, how concerned should you really be about resale?
  • shammond1shammond1 Member Posts: 15
    The power sliding driver side door was a must for us. We have an infant and it didn't make sense to have my wife get out and walk around to the other side of the van to use the power feature of that door. The memory seats are nice if both you and your spouse are signifacantly different in height. Also the passenger gets a power seat in the SE. I think once you surpase 30K in vehicle price one shouldn't be worried about resale and what not. If you plan on having it for 6 plus years then splurge because chances are you are stuck with it for a while and you might as well be comfortable.
  • thedibsthedibs Member Posts: 13
    After I read somebody had problems with this I started looking and noticed I could not see it.

    Then, I took my "Polarized" Sun glasses off and saw the reflection. So... , it seems like "Polarized" Sun glasses will do the trick. In my case, I ordered my prescription sunglasses "Polarized".
  • quest0804quest0804 Member Posts: 18
    I broke the passenger side rear view mirror. The assembly is good just the mirror is broken. I placed an order 7 weeks ago. Not received it from Nissan. No ETA either.

    Feel bad that Nissan couldn't plan for parts supply. These things are common and they don't have enough supply even after 3 months of their car running on road....
  • thedibsthedibs Member Posts: 13
    I have an MP3 player (Apple iPod) and was wondering how I was going to hook this up to the Quest stereo.
    I have the FM method as it does not sound right and the stereo of the Quest does not have an aux input in the radio itself.

    Then... it just clicked! If you have the DVD option in you Quest you can actually connect your MP3 Player to the AUX in the DVD player. The sounds is Excelent via the DVD into the Quest stereo system.

    With the Apple iPod in the car is like having a 600xCD changer in the car ! (like 6,000 songs or more).
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    try another dealer...sounds like the order was never placed. if your dealer insists that the order is in, ask for nissan's parts supply # and call yourself.
  • quest0804quest0804 Member Posts: 18
    I got the mirror finally. Need to install it now.
  • LDegrelleLDegrelle Member Posts: 74
    I notice that the Quest and Pathfinder use same engine. Also noticed that when Pathfinder is on TV commercials it has a nice 'rumbly' noise to it. Does the Quest have this kind of sound? Would be cool to have a minivan that sounds like a sports car!
  • catlady245catlady245 Member Posts: 19
    Hi,

    In my opinion, the newly designed Quests "central control panel" is just to awkward to punk down $27,000 and then find out that you just can't get used to it. If they just made a vehicle with the Quest drivetrain and handling with the Toyota's fine finished interior, the decision to buy would be slam and dunk.

    For most of the van owners, it's a second vehicle for a family of young children and parents in the 20's, 30's or early 40's. Spending 27,000 to 40,000 on a second car that is unusual and a new model year is in my opinion quite a risk.

    I called Nissan's 800 information line and they said there is NO REBATE in the pipeline, especially since this is a new model.

    I think for the our one income family who needs a van for young kids and older parents, I will buy the Dodge and maybe in four years seriously look at the Nissan again.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    quest is similar in exhaust note, but a little more muffled...not alot, though.
  • shenkarshenkar Member Posts: 159
    Would you blow off a Manx or Siamese just because the are different, and don't look like your everyday cats??

    Similarly, you shouldn't just dismiss the Quest just because it's not a clone of every other mini-van that's been built over the last 25 years. I applaud Nissan for taking the road less traveled and bringing something special to the market.

    My 2004 SE is the first mini van I have ever owned, and there is no way I would have bought it if it were just like every other minibox out there. I'm not your typical van buyer, mom, with kids. I'm a man with a wife, and an empty nest. My tastes run to Benzs', Porsches and Jaguars , and I've had plenty in my time (including 3 now), but I bought the SE cause it was the most stylish van on the road. The admiring looks, positive comments and questions I get every day, make me glad I purchased this van. I think you probably would too, if you gave it a try.
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    First, I agree with shenkar above. What is wrong with trying something different? Besides, Nissan did not invent the center IP pod. Saturn uses it, as does Toyota and Panoz. I think Nissan was hoping to make the Quest a little different to attract buyers who would not have considered a mini van before.

    Second, the folks at Nissan through the 800 number would NEVER tell you if there was a rebate coming in the future or not. They want you to put the phone down and go out to buy one RIGHT NOW. They don't want you to wait a couple of weeks. Chrysler is doing the same thing right now as well. After the first of 2004, their vans will have a fold flat third row. The 2004 model vans in the showroom right now do not have it and Chrysler is not saying ONE SINGLE word about the fact that it's coming. Why? Because they want you to buy one RIGHT NOW. Nissan is possibly doing the same thing with you.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    as i agree with uga and shenkar, i have to disagree with uga on the rebate thing. nissan is actually GOING AWAY FROM the rebate game, a'la honda. they want to match the product lineup of toyota with the marketing savvy of honda to ensure better resale value. the new products for this year will likely NEVER have rebates. honda does fine, and always has done fine without rebates.
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    You may be right. I never said Nissan WAS going to offer a rebate on the Quest in November. I just said that Nissan is not going to tell you "No. Don't buy a new Quest today. Wait two weeks so you can get one with a $3000 rebate. Oh, and while you're waiting, be sure not to test drive any other vans as we would hate for you to change your mind on the Quest all together." I just said they want you to buy today--no waiting. Also, your comparison with Honda is not quite accurate. Hondas are among the most sought after vehicles on the market. Accord is #1 or #2 every year. They sell hundreds of thousands of Civics as well. Odysseys are just now selling at a discount. There is a wait for Pilots in most of the country. None of these things are like what Nissan faces. Nissan may be going the way of Honda as far as rebates goes; but, Nissan is no Honda.
  • jamestrenjamestren Member Posts: 15
    Since I was the original poster of the post, I figured I would throw my hat back in the ring. Everyone at Nissan outside of the first guy I spoke to is denying any rebate at all. Also, even the first guy never gave me a date, he just said to wait another month or so. This could mean December too. I think he offered the info becuase he understood my position and wanted to be honest with me. I am 25, have 2 kids, expecting twins, and I could really use a break in any form. I think he understood what I was getting at and that is why he told me. But... Everyone else is denying it with all their might. One dealer even promised me that there is nothing in November, making me think that if there was a rebate, December is more likely. The twins are not due for a few more months, so I may wait till December to try to buy end of year anyway. He did indeed offer me advice to wait a bit though. Anyway, if you want a Nissan now, go buy one... They are great and I cannot wait to get mine. I am just gonna wait... Good luck to all!
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    i sold hondas for 2 years up until this past march. the reason hondas have such great resale value is because of 2 major factors:

    1) they dont play the incentive game

    2) they dont sell to fleet buyers.

    nissan is trying to emulate honda this way. nissans quality and reliability are arguably equal to honda and toyotas. until the last 12 months, their lineup has been limited, and they played the incentive game with the domestics. other than resale value right now, i see very little difference in the 3 brands. as a matter of fact, honda is now the one with the limited product lineup. nissan introducing the armada, titan, and murano, and with the pathfinder, xterra, and frontier due a redesign for 2005, they will have the most extensive and fresh product lineup on the market. each redesigned or all new vehicle will sell with no incentives, and cease to be sold on the fleet/rental market. the vehicles that have already adopted this are:

    2004 maxima
    2003 murano
    2003 350Z
    2003 350Z roadster
    2004 quest
    2004 armada
    2004 titan

    the ones that will adopt this policy soon:

    2005 pathfinder
    2005 xterra
    2005 frontier
    2006 sentra
    2006 or 2007 altima

    there are also a few vehicles with no name due out in the next year or so:

    2005: mini-ute
    2005: compact coupe
    2006 or 2007: mid-size coupe

    within the next 3 years, a rental company that wants nissans on their lot will have to go to the local dealer just like they would if they wanted a civic.
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    Wow, it must be nice to live on a trust fund! About to have 4 kids at the age of 25 AND you are looking to buy a $30k+ vehicle? My hat's off to you! Seriously, I have 3 kids and they're killing me. Since you have time to kill ("a few months") then no need to rush. Nissan just might come out with a rebate after all. You may be able to get a mean year-end closeout deal on another van or something. Good luck to you!
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    Again, you may be right. However, Toyota is just as varied now as Nissan will be in a few years and they sell with rebates. I just think Honda has everyone fooled that if you buy one of their products you will be able to drive it for 300,000 miles without doing more than changing the oil every now and then. That's why folks line up to buy them. As of right now, Nissan doesn't have that reputation. In the next few years, if I were Honda, I would be looking out for Hyundai instead of Nissan. But, that's a topic for another thread. I wish Nissan nothing but the best for the new Quest--and the Titan as well.
  • catlady245catlady245 Member Posts: 19
    So you are saying that Chrysler is releasing a redesign three months into the model year? While I would be interested in a GC with a folding flat third row, don't you think the PRESS would know about this new design.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Rouge leather interior looks and feels like some cheap furniture you could get at KMart.
         Kia Sedona leather feels and looks more luxurious.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The press does know about DC's fold-flat rear seat coming in early '04. The reports I've seen have pointed towards a spring release rather than right after the first of the year. I first saw it reported in USA Today a few months ago. It's also been mentioned in the 2004 new car previews in the auto mags, e.g. C/D. So it's no big secret anymore, it's just that the DC dealers understandably won't be volunteering that information to buyers.
  • lumbarlumbar Member Posts: 421
    Aren't they usually the product of a need to stimulate demand and move cars?

    It seems to me it's one thing to have a strategy of not offering rebates and another thing to meet sufficient sales targets so that rebates are not necessary.
  • catlady245catlady245 Member Posts: 19
    Thanks for the update on the Chrysler/Dodge minivan redesign. Our family has just started the search for a minivan and have gathered all the info from the Edmunds site. There was nothing about the change in the future vehicles site.

    Still I wonder why they would change in midyear and especially since this is their 2oth anniversary and the special edition with the removable 3rd row are in the showrooms.

    I also wonder if they are going to change anything else with the vans. Of all the vans, the Chrysler vans seats have a perfect fit for me. I hate to see them design like the Toyota's with the huge seats.
  • raul4raul4 Member Posts: 95
    I am celebrating the one-month anniversary of my beautiful 2004 Quest today. I have driven it 636 miles and the mpg is up to 16.8 - so says the computer.
         I enjoy taking it for a drive each day and the more I drive it, the more I like it. The design of it is truly revolutionary (just as the ad says) both inside and out. I hope that I like it as much a year or two or three from now as I like it today.
         Yep, it is the greatest minivan that I have owned thus far.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    DC has to add the folding third-row seat to be competitive with the '04 Quest and all the other vans that have this popular feature. DC and Kia make the only vans that lack the fold-down rear seats. It must be a big deal for buyers, or DC would not go to the cost of refitting their vans in between generational changes. If DC can get this into their vans by next May, I might look at them when my GCS is off lease. Right now vans like the Quest, Sienna, and MPV are more attractive to me, along with the Prius as an intriguing alternative. I wonder too if DC will make other changes early next year (like the Quest's folding center seats perhaps), and if they will be labeled 2004.5 or 2005 models.
  • beckyhabeckyha Member Posts: 4
    I've seen a silver with gray cloth interior and a golden color with beige leather at the dealer. They haven't had any other quest vehicles in stock and no large real samples of the exterior and interior color choices. Looking at a 2"x 2" photo or leather or color in the brochure is not helpful. Since our 96 Windstar is still drivable, were not in a huge hurry so I have time for the dealer to locate what I want. Meantime, we are selling our 2dr very loaded Explorer because with 2 young kids and newborn twins on the way, my husband would not be able to pick up/transport all 4 kids in the car. I have been spoiled by the leather in the explorer--so much that I chose leather for my family room couches. I like how spills run off and gooeys wipe up easily compared to our cloth Windstar. But I've heard mixed reviews about the Quest leather look/feel and wonder whether I should spend another 1,300$ (inv price.) to pamper myself when cloth works just fine. Can anyone recommend cloth vs leather or a interior/exterior color combo that looks nice and hides kid dirt? Any color to avoid? Also, do you think I should wait til Dec based on the rumor there may be a Nissan Factory rebate?
  • jamestrenjamestren Member Posts: 15
    Okay, I almost fell out of my chair when I read your post. First off, we also have two kids (3 yrs and 11 months), we are also expecting twins (April), and we too are selling a fully loaded Explorer (4 door ltd in our case). We actually had it sold and the buyer backed out of the deal. Anyway, I found a website where I can order a rear-facing 3rd row for our Explorer, so now we are considering selling my little work car (Cavalier) instead. As far as the leather, we are tied at the hip to it too. No question we are gonna get leather because of the ease of cleanup. If not for the leather, I'd probably be redoing our seats completely. If you can wait till December, you are likely to find a better deal even if the rebate does not happen just because of dealers trying to hit end of year numbers and such. As far as color goes, the Smoke Black is just too cool. It really looks good on this minivan and it gets a lot of looks to. I saw one at Walmart a few days back and decided that is our color for sure. Good luck with the twins and good luck with the Quest!
  • shammond1shammond1 Member Posts: 15
    We have the beige leather and I don't think it looks or feels cheap. I don't know what else to say.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    the SE quest doesnt come with cloth...if you get an SE, then leather is standard...do you mean SL?

    lumbar...

    there is a significant difference in the goals of honda and toyota. honda doesnt care whether its #1 in sales or not. the accord is regularly right with the camry for #1. sometimes getting it, and sometimes not. wouldnt you agree that if honda offered rebates that they would blow the camry away? they also could do fleet sales and REALLY put the competition down....but they dont. their goal is to make money, regardless of how many cars they sell. if they are #1 in the process, then thats gravy. nissan is attempting the same. they have a goal to sell 100,000 titans a year. if they only sell 80,000, they will back off production instead of build more and offer money to buy unwanted vehicles. (ie. ford)

    nissan wants to make money, not feed their ego. if they end up #1 in the process, then that will be gravy.
  • stephenwbstephenwb Member Posts: 15
    Does anyone know if it is possible to get an aftermarket DVD player installed in an 04 Quest SE that has the sound go directly into the sound system instead of using a hokey FM transmitter?

    It's a long story that I won't get into now, but I'm in the middle of a "discussion" with my dealer about the way they installed my afermarket DVD player (part of the new car deal), and I'm VERY unsatisfied with the sound quality.

    bowke28, I'd like to email you about this since I'm pretty sure you know the answer, but your email hasn't been working for the last two weeks or so! If you read this, please send me email.

    Anyone else who knows what my options are, speak up!
  • janwunchenjanwunchen Member Posts: 2
    I bought a New 2004 Quest. SL with DVD $540 under dealer invoice (there is no dealer's add up options) plus free etch window and paid only tax and MV Documents fee. I got 3.89%Apr/5 years car loan without any bank fee or attoney review fee.
    I feel good about it. If you like to know the dealer and sale rep.'s name. Please e-mail me.
  • waydethebladewaydetheblade Member Posts: 9
    Does anyone out there know anything about the Quests' windshield glare? I've noticed when the interior is rogue, it doesn't glare as badly as beige; however, I haven't test driven the vehicle at night and am not sure how distracting the windshield glare would be. Thus far, I've noticed that it's the biggest distraction for me. I am also concerned about the a/c and heat flooring problems. Otherwise, this vehicle seems very well made.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    yes you can do it, but im not sure who is able to in your area. what they would do is wire it through the 'SAT' button.
  • actdactd Member Posts: 12
    janwunchen, please email me the dealer and sales rep info to actd@engineer.com. I'm looking to buy a silver SL with leather package within the next few weeks. I can tell the sales rep we are cousins since we have the same last name. :o)

    Thanks.
  • beckyhabeckyha Member Posts: 4
    I'm still looking for more leather and cloth owners to weigh in with their opinions on the durability, clean-up, and overall appearance of the cloth vs leather (context being 4 small kids--and we plan on keeping the minivan a very long time.) I saw the biege leather and it did look OK--anyone seen/own the rouge? Do either leather colors come on the smoke (which I also haven't seen but have heard looks nice)? It is funny, jamestren, what we have in common for cars/kids, however I must say that I am not as close to 25 as I would like to be and my husband is even further!!! Luckily my kids are 6 and 3, so the 6 year old can give some help when these twins arrive! As for waiting til Dec, I'd only do that at a hint of a rebate as my dealer is willing to sell the SL right now at 100$ over invoice which I am quite pleased with and would feel a little weird pressuring them for and even better deal (the 100 over offer is through a affiliation with my employer). As it is, the dealer spent a long time checking into whether we could buy the cross bars for those "sled runners" the call a "roof rack" as the cross bars aren't standard on the SL and aren't listed as an option either. That, in my opinion is the most bone-headed "design" choice Nissan made on thier lower level Quests. How in the heck are you supposed to attach a luggage tote to your roof without cross bars? Anyhow, once we finally got word that we can purchase the cross bars for the SL, we decided to buy it (eventually here). Good luck to you and your family and if you hear any other hint of a rumor about a possible rebate from Nissam in Dec., keep me posted!
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    there will not be rebates on the quest. people are so spoiled by the DC incentive programs. for those of you not familiar with the import manufacturers, they RARELY provide these incentives. as a matter of fact, honda never has. i would venture to guess nissan wont either on any of its new or redesigned vehicles.

    becky, if a rebate is all you are waiting for, you might as well pull the trigger. i would grab the leather. much easier clean-up. also the quest leather seems more durable than other leather.
  • pulisubspulisubs Member Posts: 39
    We have leather interior in our 4Runner. Numerous spills and other stains from our 13-month old son were wiped away with a single sweep of a wet paper towel :-). Made the choice extremely easy when we bought the Quest.

    The Quest leather is very comfortable, although Toyota's leather seems smoother than Nissan's. Our '97 4Runner's leather has a luxury feel to it that I didn't find in the '04 Quest.

    We had a cloth interior Camry a few years ago and the stains from a coffee spill remained forever.

    My only concern with leather is does a car seat leave any tears/dents/depressions in the seat? We switched from the rear-facing infant seat to the regular child seat (that doesn't have a base) and it seems to be making impressions in the leather. Any experience in this regard? (I think this problem would happen even with a cloth interior)

    I'd still go with the leather for the comfort and ease...
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    "My only concern with leather is does a car seat leave any tears/dents/depressions in the seat?"

    thats why i mentioned the fact that the quest leather seems more durable. i think it would resist these things better than more "plush" leather.
  • uga91uga91 Member Posts: 1,065
    Put a towel under the car seat.
  • hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Didn't the old, cheap naugahyde also resist dents better than plush leather in the same manner the Quest leather would?
         The cloth seats of the Nissan Quest are far more attractive than the cheap looking, striped "Rouge Leather".
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    and doesn't look as bad as the "Rouge Leather" you keep talking about.
  • spoiledleo1spoiledleo1 Member Posts: 9
    If you guys can, get the SE fully loaded. I finally found one last week, Smoke, not Smoke/black, with the tan interior. Wish they would have offered a gray interior, but that will probably be next year or so....

    Everyone loves the van. People come up to it and say, "This doesn't look like a mini van". Everyone has said that. It is weird...I am showing it to people like it is my 2000 Prowler.

    People are very interested in it. It looks great in and out and the SE really pampers you. The sky view roof is awesome. That is what first attracted me to it, then the 2 tv screens, and then the pod. Then of course the outside. Great lines to it and the 17" tires really complete the package as far as getting it away from the mini van look.

    We got the running boards on it as well, as I said fully loaded. At first I thought that was a dumb idea, but after seeing one with them on, decided it completed the look. At night there is a light that runs the whole length of the board and looks really cool.

    I have had two Ody owners say they like this better and wish they would have waited.

    Good luck on your decision and your family. I would jump on the $100 over invoice and put a towel under the car seat. Had cloth in our Durango a few years ago, and it makes as much of an impression as leather could. The only difference is that I didn't put the towel down on that one, and I have it in the Nissan now.
  • pulisubspulisubs Member Posts: 39
    Thanks for the towel suggestion. We've started putting the towel under the car seat...

    spoiledleo1, we have the running boards too and we didn't notice the illuminated stripe on the first day. But when we did notice it, it was really cool. The whole van lights up wonderfully in the dark. Love the aircraft-style 'cabin' lights as well...

    The van is FAST. It takes a while for me when I get back in my 97 4Runner to adjust for the lack of power (240hp vs. 187). Merging and overtaking on the freeway is a breeze...

    We've started noticing some rattles but only after I put the 3rd row seat down. Could be the headrests from the 3rd row seats stuffed into the black bag they provided. I'll have to put the seat back up and drive to check.

    I've long been a Toyota fan. Was almost ready to buy a Sienna. Thanks to VPP, I bought a fully loaded Quest. After driving it, I know this van rocks. It has character, and is so much fun to drive than the Sienna, in my opinion.
  • kf714kf714 Member Posts: 9
    for our leather seats in one of our cars, I have bought vinyl car mats in the color of the seat and cut out a square to put under car seats, matches the seat and holds up fine for long time instead of ugly towel.
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