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Nissan Armada

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Comments

  • kf714kf714 Member Posts: 9
    I bought a 99 Odyssey for list as at the time it was better priced than the competition with all of the discounts and had the 3rd seat that dissapered and the prospect of great resale value. Now as I wait to get an Armada, I see that the Quest which was at list when it came out is now $500 above invoice at fitzmall.com. That is because the quest is a little too quirky and the new Sienna has taken the place of the Odyssey. The same thing will happen here. Not everyone will love the Armada and thus it will not become like the Sienna that has no real negatives until the 2005 Odyssey arrives. Given the fact that there are not as many consumers out there who have 35-40 to spend for a 4x4 as there are folks who can afford a minivan, there won't be as much demand. I see in 2 months the armada going for 1000 over invoice.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    The Armada's debut will be a boon for those considering the Expedition. I'm betting within the not too distant future, you will see some very good prices on Expeditions—thanks to the Armada. If the Expedition's price becomes very attractive, hopefully it will also keep the Armada's price in line too.

    As great as the Armada is, those who really value the 3rd-row seating, will likely go for the Ford. While the Armada may be a homerun, a grand slam it ain't...

    Bob
  • corymscoryms Member Posts: 14
    Has anyone purchased one as of yet and what did they end up paying?
  • shairkhanshairkhan Member Posts: 28
    I wonder how well Nissan executes the Infinity version of Armada.

    Does anyone know when it will be available?
    Pricing info?
    Technical info?
    Photos?

    Thanks in advance for providing any information on it.

    For me the biggest attraction to Armada is its performance. Price, I am pretty sure will come down once the feeding frenzy is over. Nissan, in my opinion, priced it reasonably well for penetrating the already saturated market segment.

    --
    Shair Khan
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    Bowke,

    I belive that nissan/infiniti vehicles offer better alternatives to the cookie cutter toyonda products. However I am in the minority. Nissan for some reason does not have the following the big two have. Same is true for mazda who also has great products. The armada is a nice truck that I have waited for since the idea was out. I also drooled over the FX when it was still a concept and waited 2 years with bated breath until it was realesed. I was obsessive about it. Wanna know how much I paid for a full boat FX35 about 4-500 over invoice. My money does not grow on trees. There are other alternatives. If I wanted to go american I could get the expy EB for 5k under sticker for a base armada. Other than being short some horsepower it offers pretty much everything else the armada does. I agree if someone wants it at sticker and one wants it at invoice I would sell to the sticker crowd all day also. But the kind of people who generally post on boards like this aren't your typical payment shoppers and take negotiations seriously. Me personally I never buy a product from a store that put a ADM fee on any product. That just shows what kind of dealership they are and I won't keep them in business with my money JMHO.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    i agree...toyota offers the MOST boring products, honda is a close second. i do disagree with the mazda point though...almost everything they have is derived from ford.

    you just said: "I agree if someone wants it at sticker and one wants it at invoice I would sell to the sticker crowd all day also."

    whats the difference if someone is willing to pay sticker, and someone else is willing to pay $2500 over?

    then you said: "That just shows what kind of dealership they are..."

    this is hypocritical by definition.
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    Look, it is a free country and everyone likes to eat steak..right? Believe me, if your name was on the sign and you owned the franchise, you would do the same thing. Make hay while the sun shines. If someone sees the vanity of being the first on the block with a new model and is willing to pay for it..let them. FX35 at a nickel over? great. A lot more difficult to get a 45 at a nickel over? why..demand for the product is stronger. Same is true at VW with the T-reg. They are tripping over cheaper 6 cyl. models, the V8 is extremely difficult to get in the right color/equip. As a result, you pay sticker or walk. I am not saying it is right, it is just supply and demand.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    You know what I agree supply or demand. If people are willing to pay it good for them. It just wouldn't be me. I don't know bowke I think there is no contradiction in what I said. There is a huge difference from MSRP and 2500+MSRP. I would sell vehicles for sticker but not over just doesn't seem right charging more than the manufacturer says it's worth plus that is instant depreciation and the poor sap who buys that car is buried for 5-7 years. I on the other hand wouldn't want my customers burried so if they want to come get a new vehicle from me every 24-30 months they can. Also when I "retire" I intend to either sell cars or open my own gravel lot lol. So I do understand your point but I think you can be successful without making a killing on every deal.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    the build your own armada feature now works at www.nissanusa.com
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    vs. long-term relationships...

    I think dealers who use the practice of adding ADMs are: (A) out for short term results and really don't care about building long-term relationships with their customers, and (B) reinforce the reptilian image of more than just a few car salesman. I encountered one just the other day, at a Nissan dealer, no less. I couldn't wait to get out of there...

    Bob
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    Listen, the beauty of capitalism is choice, if you don't want to pay the asking price, go find something else that will make you feel better. Would you rather be in a country where the only offering is a Trabant and you really do not even get a choice of color, let alone price? The "s" in msrp stands for "suggested" for a reason.
    If you want to conduct business and leave money on the table, knock yourself out. But at the end of the day..who is the fool?
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    man you are old school I guess we should move this discussion to inconsiderate salesman because we are getting off topic.
  • shairkhanshairkhan Member Posts: 28
    What I have seen particularly with Nissan dealers is not only the markup from MSRP, but also where they cannot justify (whatever the justification is!)a markup they add useless accessories, for example, rust proofing, stain safe, leather protectant, etc. and charge a ridiculously high price for that.

    The dealer I went to for Armada test drive had "upgraded" the base model with 20" chrome wheels & low profile tires... They plainly looked ugly on the vehicle, made the ride uncomfortable, and added a lot of road noise. The dealer further raised the price by $5000/- for this "upgrade."

    Oh, yes I asked... you cannot get the vehicle without this upgrade!

    Frankly, I don't necessarily blame the dealers solely. The manufacturers also need to set standards for the sake of their reputation.

    --
    Shair Khan
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Yeah, I guess we have drifted a bit here. Back to Armadas... :)

    Bob
  • bmwdougbmwdoug Member Posts: 248
    I just got home from looking at an Aramada LE with sunroof package, not the Technology package. It is a decent looking SUV. To me, the major plus points are the side airbags and overhead curtain airbags, and the option to have a navigation system The leather is not as nice as the leather in the Expedition, Tahoe, or Yukon. And, the overall look of the truck does not have the "cool" factor of those trucks as well. The third seat is worthless, there is NO room and head room is made for a MIDGET or SMALL child. The ride, well, it is like an SUV ride, no better or worse then the Ford or Chevy/GMC. As you can tell, I am dissapointed. There is NO way this is worth paying full MSRP. If you don't care about throwing money away, go ahead and get it. In my opinion, Nissan should be discounting it to get people to try their brand. Again, after seeing it up close, it is not the Holy Grail of SUV's.

    Again, the area where is beats the other trucks is in the amount of airbags. I have not seen any crash tests for the Armada, so I don't know how it stacks up to Ford or Chevy/GMC. If the Ford or Chevy/GMC can match up with Safety in terms of crash tests results then your decision is a no brainer. Go with one of them, because you can save about $4000-$5000, and if you go with a new 03 Ford of Chevy SUV you can save about $7000 for a similiar equipped vehicle. Again, I need to find about the crash tests, if someone has this information, please post it. If the 04 F150 can match the Titan(which I assume is much like the Armada) in safety and is $4000 grand cheaper that is a no brainer as well, save $4000.

    I was really looking forward to the Armada and Titan, so I am dissapointed at what I saw. I wonder how the Titan will be when compared to the F150.
  • pfarmadapfarmada Member Posts: 39
    I respect everyones opinion but I respectfully disagree. I have owned a Yukon XL, Suburban, and Sequoia (Can't speak for the Fords). First,I am very very picky. I own an Armada and in my opinion to date the Armada is head and shoulders above the other SUV's. Better ride, power, handling, braking, finish, perceived safety, interior design, and materials. The Sequoia was trouble free but the GM products were not. Only time will tell about Armadas reliability but I expect it to be good.
  • corymscoryms Member Posts: 14
    I'll have to agree with pfarmada. These trucks throw in so many quality features such as reverse sensor, tire pressure monitor, ride leveling, VDC, weight sensor, etc., that they don't even compare to the Expedition or Sequoia.

    They're good looking and feel solid. If I get over my phobia of paying MSRP then I will purchase one in the next few weeks. Because this seems to be a good truck I may be able to do it.

    I was seriously considering the Sequoia but after taking a close look at both, the Armada wins hands down.

    I have owned Ford Suv's without too much trouble but don't care for the semi-new, Range Rover inspired styling. Additionally, I don't think that Ford puts too much thought into what the consumer wants, they just look in the stockroom to see what fits to save a few bucks.

    Armada is a good choice for the money and will be a fantastic deal at $500 over invoice.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    sounds much like a jaded 3-series owner dissing the G35. Nissan/Infiniti has made the others go back to the drawing board. They are the only ones pushing the envelope. How many times did ford redo the new F-150 tow ratings so the Titan wouldn't trump it (it still does by the way). I don't think it's worth MSRP with the deals available on other models either but that is about the only point in bmwdoug post I agree with.
  • bmwdougbmwdoug Member Posts: 248
    Well, to each his own. I still stay with my post, which states that it is NOT worth MSRP. Now, if it was selling for $500 over invoice, then I would say take a long look. But, there is no way it can match a comparable Tahoe or Expedition at its current price point. A loaded LT Tahoe 4X4 or Eddie Bauer 4X4 Expedition can be had for around $36,000 right now. That is about $5000 to $7,000 below a MSRP Armada.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    I agree that's why rsholland and I was saying that there have to be some discounting on the armada. I can get a fuuly loaded expy 4x2 5.4l for less than the price of a no option PFA. A sequioa limited loaded is about the same price as a base LE so I agree. I do think it is a great truck on it's merit it just needs some competitive pricing.
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    A loaded '04 Expedition EB(dvd/nav/roof/ad. trac) retails for around $49.2k. There is about 9% real markup as well as a $2k consumer rebate. On a good day you could get this vehicle for $43k, not the $36k you are touting. While there are good deals on oddly equiped leftovers, lets compare '04 apples to '04 apples. If you compare similiarly equiped vehicles transaction prices, the all new Armada is really not that much more expensive then the heavily discounted American iron. Care to talk about resale?
    I am not knocking the American metal or the EB, I own one and am quite happy with it. I better be considering what it isn't worth!
  • haironghairong Member Posts: 153
    How many times did ford redo the new F-150 tow ratings so the Titan wouldn't trump it (it still does by the way).


    You must have not heard the whole story,
    pf_flyer "Ford Sandbags Nissan" Sep 29, 2003 11:36am

    Even Titan's design chief had accepted the "result". However, in the mean time, he felt honored that Ford had to use market tricks to fend off Nissan's newest entry into the full-size PU market.
  • nitemasknitemask Member Posts: 33
    It all depends on how much competition there is in the area as well. Just talked to a Nissan dealer in the local area and told him I'd be buying in December but was curious what they have to test drive. They have a 4x4 LE (not sure of what all options), no addendums, and he's already willing to go below MSRP.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    ok that is still 43 compared to 48k for a loaded PFA a difference of 5k. I live in houston and don't need 4x4 I got a qoute in the middle of the model year for a expy 5.4l 4x2 with roof, dvd, side curtains and power seat for 33.5k sticker was nearly 42k. a base armada 4x2 run 34k. a similar LE would run low 40's so apples to apples it still loses on value. Resale is an unkown an if we look at pathfinder vs explorer values it is about a 3k spread on similar vehicles so it still comes out in favor of the expy. Why don't I get the expy I think the interior, drivetrain and 2nd row room is superior to the expy and I like the looks better but I am NOT going to pay full boat for one.
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    A PFA LE with the sunroof package is just under $43k. Again, a similiarly equiped EB retails for about $46.3k. Back out the above mentioned numbers and the transaction price is roughly $40.1k. My math shows a delta of about $2800. Now factor in a slightly higher residual for the PFA (say 4%) and the difference is a g-note. Far cry from your six grand.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    2004 ford expy eb 5.4l 4x2

    with the following
    power fold 3rd row
    captain seats
    sunroof
    dvd
    rollover curtains
    MSRP 43380
    Carsdirect price 36537
    Edmunds TMV 36935

    PFA LE 4x2
    with micro filter
    floor mats
    splash guards
    DVD
    sunroof
    MSRP 41850
    Edmunds TMV 41586
    differnce ~$5000
  • ronshanronshan Member Posts: 20
    I test drove an Armada LE and did not see any instrumentation that would make me believe that each tire is being individually monitored. I believe what Nissan has done is installed the cheap (and IMO, ineffective) ABS monitored system. I am told the ABS systems monitor all four wheels and detects low pressure if one of the tires is low (based on RPMs?). However, if all four tires are low, you will not get an alert. I have also read that the government is reconsidering whether the ABS type systems will deemed sufficient to meet the tire pressure monitoring system mandate.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    i work in a dealership that owns not only nissan, but ford as well. you are STILL comparing an '03 expy to the armada. here is what i found:FORD:

    http://www1.forddirect.fordvehicles.com/Dispatch.jsp?xefrAction=2- 8&__action2=&.CurrentState=ConfigPage&xefrProd=314351- 0&statetoken=

    NISSAN:

    http://www.config.nissanusa.com/Dispatch.jsp?state_token=2%3A7%3A- nissan%7Carm%7C2004%7C2%7Cc/Dgt/fHA%7CEAAgghAAA%7CEAAAghAAA%3A402- 18&lc=true&seq_id=7&.CurrentState=Config&.NewStat- e=ConfigVehicleSummary&_scrollPos=109

    this gave me an MSRP in the ford of $42725, and you cant get both the load levelling rear suspension, AND the advancetrak. you CAN get both in the armada...as a matter of fact, its standard on the LE to have both. i did not include the power 3rd row to keep comparisons even. the armada has an MSRP of $39350. we are ALREADY $3375 to the good. now...the ford has a $2000 rebate, so that makes the difference $1375. this is classic ford thinking...price it $3000 over what its worth, and give back $2000 of it. nissan is trying to price the vehicle RIGHT AT what its worth, instead of the dog and pony rebate show that does nothing other than ruin resale values.

    also remember the differences that the ford CANNOT make up for with options:

    1)ford has no 3rd row airbags.
    2)ford cant have both things stated above
    3)ford is STILL underpowered
    4)nissan tows alot more
    5)if PF and explorer's difference after 5 years was $3000, then use the same equation, the armada/expy should be around $4000 difference...but wait...the PF has a rebate and the armada does not...this helps the armada hold even stronger.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    those are 04 models and I built what I would buy. Personally the load leveling/advance trak isn't a big deal. Those two vehicles I listed are both 04's and what I would buy. Yes the ford msrp is more but it has almost 4k between invoice and sticker and they are selling either at or a couple hundred over. I agree the PFA has more features and is the truck I WANT. However I won't pay msrp for it bottom line. The 5k I can save up front on what I want might make up for those defiancies. Unlike previous vehicles I plan to keep my full size truck a long time so not as worried about resale. Don't get me wrong I like others here really like the Armada. We think it is the best in class and would pay some premium for it. But most of us won't be a taker at current price levels. go 500-1k over invoice and I might have one.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    let me ask you something...have you ever bought a vehicle that you didnt want because of the price? i have seen it happen MANY times. you may pay less for what you dont want, but every LESSER penny you spend will carry regret with it. if you get what you want, even at a slightly higher price, you will love every penny spent on it. this is car sales 101. the point is to get the customer on the car they want because they will be happier and refer more business, regardless of price. so all im saying here is that you shouldnt short-change your happiness. if the armada will make you happier than the ford will, isnt it logical to be willing to spand a little more for it? also, if MSRP holds for longer than you think it will, you will be kicking yourself then thinking "shoot! i could have got one right away for the same price!"
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    you are a good salesman I grant you that :) However so am I so I know that the market will cool off. For my FX I got exactly what I wanted at a price I wanted and will (Eventually) do the same with the Armada. I bought the FX 3 months after release and I love every second. I wouldn't have liked it anymore if I spent more and got it earlier. I'm not the guy that wants it for Invoice - holdback - the dealers first born. I usually offer invoice + XXX or a price I can live with. When I am ready and dealers have The exact vehicle I want I will make my offer. But I always have alternatives. If you lock yourself into a vehicle with out looking at alternatives most times that is when you suffer the most regret.
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    Purnell clearly bought the 35 because of the "deal"...again, with the 4.5 offered on the better model, who would want the 35 other than the price shopper?
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    i think even less money could have been spent on an almost identical model, the murano.
  • shairkhanshairkhan Member Posts: 28
    Anyone, any info on FX 56?

    Pricing, options, std. features, etc?

    Thank you for you input.

    --
    Shair Khan
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    they havent even chosen a name for the thing yet...i assume you mean infiniti's version of the armada. in that case, people have been calling it a QX56...just so others know what you are talking about.

    no, there's no info on it yet...they dont even know when it will be released.
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    .....It does not matter. In fact, it does not matter what kind of equipment it has or even what it looks like. As soon as it is available at $500 over invoice, we all know who is going to buy one.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    please post only once...im tired of looking at your message after i already told you that there IS NO INFO!!!
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    Go to the Infiniti site, that is about as much info as is available.
    Without assuming too much, most of us here are intelligent, sensible adults. As a result, posting questions more than once is not necessary.
    Thanks for coming in today.
  • shairkhanshairkhan Member Posts: 28
    Wow! People are sensitive here.

    I must have somehow missed the response to my previous post, and I apologize for asking the question again! It certainly was not meant to insult anyone's intelligence... There are other people around who do a good job at it!!!

    Thank you.
    Take it easy, and have a nice day :)

    --
    Shair Khan
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Wow! People are sensitive here.

    It's not a matter of sensitivity. It's a matter of good manners and FOUR postings of the same message borders on spamming - which is a violation of the Terms of Use.

    tidester, host
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    Nah the 35 met all my needs at a good price. I'm pretty lucky I won't have to buy anything from you guys. I would have paid more for the 35 because I wanted it but this was the dealers offer. Also got more on my trade than I paid for it new. So did I buy it because of the deal hell yeah whats wrong with that drove all the way from houston to dallas to get it. I asked the local dealer to come within a grand of it and they couldn't. When I got to the dealership the car was prepped signed the papers and was out of there in under an hour. That is how a dealer should do business you guys could learn something.
  • clpurnellclpurnell Member Posts: 1,083
    the FX45 is the only model with any incentives on it the 35 has no incentives and is still going for more than I paid. So much for the 45 being the hot one.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    i learned that they unnecessarily gave away a hot product when, obviously, you would have paid more. personally, i will sell a vehicle to make a mini deal, but you (my customers) WILL give me the opportunity to ask for more before i give it. they left money on the table, and you would have been just as happy at $1000 more with the same efficient process.
  • shairkhanshairkhan Member Posts: 28
    "It's a matter of good manners and FOUR postings of the same message borders on spamming."

    I tend to agree with your statement! What "FOUR postings of the same message" are we talking about? Am I missing something?

    I never posted a message 4 times, at least intentionally. I went through all my messages again and could not find the same message repeated four times.

    --
    Sincerely,
    Shair A. Khan
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    #405, #407, and #410 were all the same as #402...he deleted them.
  • shairkhanshairkhan Member Posts: 28
    Ladies & Gentlemen,

    Thanks for pointing that out. Now I know why everybody was upset... I would be too! I don't know how the heck that happened. I only posted the message once. I just thought everyone was a bit too sensitive on this board, or may be they did not like my opinion.

    Anyway, I apologize again for any inconvenience this may have caused.

    --
    Sincerely,
    Shair A. Khan
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I never posted a message 4 times, at least intentionally.

    It is possible that using your browser's "refresh" button will cause your most recent message to be duplicated. You can avoid this by using the "Recent Messages" link below.

    In your case, the fact that the postings were distributed over a considerable interval of time raised suspicions.

    tidester, host
  • bbug1bbug1 Member Posts: 76
    What is the competition to the Armada?
    I ask this because I want to give it a fair chance. I currently own an 03 Honda Pilot and have been thinking it may be too small for my family. I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Armada at our local dealership. Finally looked at one yesterday. It seemed really large on the outside. I felt so let down as soon as I pulled on the handle. It felt cheap. The interior space was pretty good, but the materials inside felt very cheap. Not what I had expected. The third row bench does not split and it was a hassle putting it up. The second row seats were all somewhat reclined, so we had to adjust each one to get the bench up. The third row offers seating for 3, but it didn't have a headrest for the rear center. On top of all of this there was a 5k markup. The extra $ only made me pick the vehicle apart and it does not seem to be worth it. I know some people think that Hondas are boring, but when I got in my Pilot, the interior, the handles, it just felt like it should.
    I will test drive the Armada this weekend and see how that feels and if it is better than the Pilot, maybe I will consider it...after the $frenzy$
  • ronshanronshan Member Posts: 20
    Motor Trend has a small blurb on the Infiniti QX56 in this month's issue. MT states that the QX56 will come with permanent AWD, different body panels for a more aggressive look and a more luxurious interior. MT estimated the price range to be $42K - $50K. Additionally, the Armada has a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty; the QX56 has a 4 year/60,000 mile warranty. My question now is why would I want to spend $47,500+ on an Armada LE (w technology and DVD pkgs) when I may be able to get into a QX56 for the same money and a better warranty?
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