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I have been told by Nissan Canada, that the 2009 Nissan Murano has to be registered and plated in the U.S for a period of 6 months. Before you can transfer the warranty to Canada. I guess they are doing this as a deterrent to stop Canadians from buying the car across the border. Does anyone provide me with more information on this subject. Is there a way around this issue ? How can you insure a car in the states if you will be driving the vehicle in canada.
You're probably right about Nissan trying to discourage importing into Canada from the U.S. but I'm just not that well-versed in the intricacies of importing-exporting to be able to advise you. The people you want to talk with participate in the Importing Car into Canada from US topic. Please post your question over there and I'll try to prompt them into helping out if they don't jump in right away!
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I'm also in the process of purchasing a 2009 Murano in the States. You will find a lot of info on www.riv.ca; that's the registration of imported vehicles for Canadians. You will find most of the info you're looking for.
What you need to know is that apart from the GST, your provincial sales tax, you have to add a 6,1% tax because the Murano is built outside of North America. In fact, it's built in Japan. Now that I have this figured out, I only need to see what to do about the immoblizer. Apparently, I'm not sure it respects the Canadian NS VAC 114 conformity.
About the dealers selling to Canadians, since they can only sell to customers who have an American address, some ot the dealers will simply get you a P.O. Box address so they can fill out the sales contract and have no problems with the company.
Where exactly do you live in Canada?
I am new to this forum, so thanks all for any guidance.
You cannot transfer music files from CF to MusicBox.
When ripping CDs to the MusicBox, it is not done in real time. A 40 min CD takes about 10 mins, give or take a couple of mins. The CD continues to play normally while the files are encoded and transferred to the MusicBox. If interrupted, it will know not to rip the same tracks twice and will simply resume the ripping process. It works pretty well... So far...
_fitc_
1. Resale value - if you are talking about being "forced" to get rid of the car in a couple of years, you will take a beating no matter which one it is. IMO, this is truly the "red herring" of car buying.
2. Practically speaking, the biggest diffference between these two is seating/maximum cargo space. Highlander max is 95 cuft. vs 64 cuft for the Murano. Only you know if this is even important to your situation.
3. Which features are must have? In my situation, will not buy a car that does not have a passenger power seat. This may seem a small thing to many but this will be our retirement traveling car and I want my wife to be comfortable. In the Highlander, at least, this puts us into a LTD. OTH, I really like the IPod integration and the large "info" screen on the Murano LE. Downside is that it comes with 20" wheels which will be very expensive come tire replacement time.
4. I don't want to be the wife in two years whose husband is saying "I told you so."
You pay your money and take your chances. Both are "new" models and, as CR found out much to their chagrin, basing reliability on past performance can come back to bite you in the a**. Its always a crapshoot, and you will always find disgruntled owners of ANY vehicle.
5. Find a dealer/salesperson that you are comfortable with and who will allow you time other than the 10 minute test drive to spend some time alone in a running vehicle. This will give you a chance to see how all the different features work for you and an opportunity to really look for differences in build quality.
On the Murano, I gain AWD plus low speed 4wd. I give up an eight cylinder engine and a real trunk to hide my stuff. I also give up electric folding mirrors to assist when going into my garage. The Murano is available now.
On the Genesis, I get all the bells and whistles including the folding mirrors, a trunk, an 8 cylinder engine, cool recognition with a newly distributed vehicle, but no AWD which is something I prefer for accessing my mountain home in NC. No avaiability now until August, based upon latest auto-shows and guesstimates.
A conundrum!! Wait for the Genesis in August and see what it really is and how it will really be priced, or get the Murano now? :mad:
Resale Value: This is important to me, as I usually rotate my vehicles in 3-4 years. In my area, Toyota makes up 25% of the new car marketplace, so there is a pretty good market for used Toyotas.
Looking at all the data, the Murano is also pretty decent at retaining its value, but I know that I'll have a harder time selling just because it isn't a Toyota.
Cargo and Capacity: My typical load is one person. Me. So the third row in the Highlander is a nice-to-have, not a must-have. However, I have had times when the ability to haul 6 or 7 would have been handy, so it's definitely a plus that the Highlander has that capability, even though the third row would remain stowed most of the time.
I also have had the occasional need to haul bulky items, which my 4Runner has done well and I'm sure the Highlander would also be capable of doing. With the Murano (or even a Lexus RX), I'm not sure if the sharply raked rear hatch would have been an impediment.
Interior: The Murano is superior to the Highlander in terms of the number of soft-touch surfaces and the overall look-and-feel. The Highlander seems more utilitarian, although it is still very refined.
One example: the Highlander has a dampened glove compartment so that it doesn't just drop on your knees (you'd be amazed at how many others do). The Murano takes it one further by fully lining the compartment so it actually looks nice.
Features: The Murano (LE) offers more luxury-type features -- HIDs, LED tails, rain-sensing wipers, iPod interface, front and rear heated seats, large 7" display, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, memory settings, etc.
The Highlander (Limited) is more, again, utilitarian. It's unique features include the flip-up glass on the hatch, conversation mirror in the overhead console, the center-stow seat, and rear A/C (independent of the front).
Styling: This is very subjective, but I've flip-flopped on my opinion of styling. When I first saw photos of the Highlander, I was disappointed. However, in person, I think it looks good -- it has an aggressive, truck-like vibe, especially with the 19" wheels.
I really liked the Murano in the photos I saw. However, in person, it just hasn't clicked yet with me. I think the 18" rims on the S and SL are too small.
I'll finish later with more observations...
Were you able to get any replies on the warranty? Can you share please if you did?
Here is my (not very good) experience. I know that it's almost impossible to transfer Nissan warranty to Canada but I was ok to have just US warranty. I went down to States and put my deposit ($1000) after I was assured by the dealership that the US warranty will be still valid and I can always come back and get the warranty work done. It was really silly of me. I guess I was two excited to get Murano LE for less money then SL here in Canada. My mistake was that I contacted Nissan US after that, not before. I've got the same answer from them that a vehicle has to be registered and plated in US for the US warranty to be valid. Then I contacted Nissan Canada. They gave me slightly different answer from what they told you. They said that the warranty for brand-new vehicle will be transferred if I register it on MY NAME in US first and then register it in Canada, again on MY NAME. No 6 month period required.
The problem with that is I do not have an US address. When the dealership filled out my purchase order they used my Canadian address, not an US PO box. I guess it's illegal anyway to use PO box. Also when you register a car in US you have to pay the state sale tax which is 6.5% in Washington state.
So, I sent them a cancelation notice and am thinking to buy a lower model in Canada. Also, I think that my deposit is gone.
Any advice please.
P.S.
A couple of days ago I found two after-market warranty providers. One is Lubrico, the other one is Global. The Global agreed to sell the warranty for a new imported vehicle. So this might be another option: to buy an after-market warranty, although I do not know how it works in practice.
Will look forward to your next post.
1. Seems to rev a bit high at 70 mph on the highway. How would that be on a long trip I wonder. I miss the feeling of slipping into high gear.
2. Noticeable wind noise on the highway above 55 mph coming from the left side wing mirror.
3. Gauges are a bit cheesy and cheap, especially those orange lights, but I know that the orange rim lights can be turned off.
4. A lot of glare on the nav screen. Hard to read in sunlight.
5. The driver's seat didn't seem too comfortable to me as there are no or negligible side supports.
These are the only negatives. Otherwise I think it's great and I'll probably get one. If not, then I may go for the new 2009 Acura RL. Boooring but a safe choice.
Maybe these links will tide you over:
2009 Nissan Murano Editors' Model Ratings
2009 Nissan Murano Review
2009 Nissan Murano Consumer Reviews
Full Test: 2009 Nissan Murano LE
Compare spending $2000-$3000 on a factory nav system to spending $500 on a better portable that you can upgrade every few years and you can see why integrated nav actually hurts resale on cars that include it. Residual values are always lower on the same model when the Nav system (or other things like rear seat DVD) are included because these fetish type items go out of date long before the car itself does.
For the record, the Highlander does not require premium fuel, per Toyota's specifications here.
I had family visiting from out-of-town, making our total group 6. We had to take two cars to lunch and to do some sightseeing. This is one of those times when I wished I had the ability to transport 6 or 7 in one vehicle, as it would have made sightseeing easier and more enjoyable.
Of course, how often does this happen? Not much for me (and probably wouldn't happen again if I got the Highlander for this reason).
Continuing on with a few more thoughts on the Murano vs. Highlander:
Price: As I mentioned, I think the 18" wheels on the SL look small compared to the 20" wheels on the LE. Silly, yes. But if I'm going to spend that much, might as well go all the way. If there was a 2WD LE, I'd choose it, but the LE is AWD only. An LE AWD without moonroof will run around $36.9K MSRP. I haven't tried negotiating yet, but I'm sure I could get something closer to invoice, which Edmunds shows as $34.0K.
For the Highlander, I can get a Limited 2WD (Blizzard Pearl, which is an extra $200 option) for $35.4K MSRP. Invoice is $31.3K. Without negotiation, I can get the Highlander for around $32.5K without negotiation (Toyota dealers have a lot of control in my market, so there's not much room for negotiation).
This means the delta between the Murano and Highlander is at least $1.5K, even assuming a best-case at-invoice deal for the Murano. Note: this is all before tax, title, and license.
Reliability: Personally, I'm confident in both Nissan and Toyota. I own a Toyota now (and previously) and haven't had any major problems. Others in my family have had Nissans and have driven them for years without problems.
Both are first-year redesigns. Both are made in Japan. Nissan has had reliability issues with the Titan and Armada. Toyota has had reliability issues with the new Camry and ES350's transmission. Both the previous generation Murano and Highlander (both 1st gens, coincidentally) have good reputations.
Right now, it's still a toss up for me.
1. Haven't really noticed it. The problem is more that I can hit 75+ too easily without noticing it because you can't notice the shift! :-( Cruise control works great and I used that a lot just to make sure I don't speed too much by accident.
2. Didn't observe. The 09 Murano is a very quiet car.
4. Didn't have a lot of problem throughout the trip (I have ~ 1100 miles total on the car now) unless the sun is really low and shining directly from behind the car. I don't think there is much anyone can do with that unless the LCD screen can be tilted. Changing between day and night display mode may help.
Navigation I find is excellent compare to a hand-held Tom Tom that I have in the other car. All the turns and maps have been very accurate for my trip from city to Maryland countryside and throughout New Jersey. The voice recognition works pretty good.
Miles per gallon is about 18-19 right now as reported by the car for mix highway and suburb driving. I haven't measured it myself to see how accurate it is.
We looked at any of the cars you mentioned. Acura RDX is too noisy. Acura MDX is comparable to Murano except the price for a comparably equipped model is probably $5K more, and the nearest Acura dealer to me is quite far. Lexus RX350 didn't like the back center seat where the floor isn't flat, and the trunk area feels smaller. BMW X3 looks horrible, uncomfortable leather. Infiniti didn't look at since I wouldn't like the price point. :-) Mazda CX-7 is noisy, don't find it handle any particularly better than the Murano, the interior is definitely miles behind, and doesn't have all the options of the Murano. Mazda CX-9 is just too big with better interior but still can't touch the Murano. Hyundai and Subura both look cheap.
Also any thoughts on the quality of the audio system?
SL-B - Technology
It appears the cargo space in the '09 murano is even less than that in the Honda CR-V!
The comparison suggests the maximum luggage capacity (I believe it is referring to cargo room with the second row of seats up) as 35.7 cu.ft. for the CR-V and a mere 31.6 cu.ft. for the murano. Similarly, the maximum cargo capacity (seems like this is the cargo room with the second row down) is 73 cu.ft. for the CR-V and only 64 cu.ft. for the murano.
Isn't the murano supposed to be a bigger vehicle? Its exterior dimensions approach those of the Highlander but did the designers really compromise so much on cargo room in order to maintain the vehicle's sleek profile? If anyone could comment on the cargo room in their Murano (particularly with the second row up) and perhaps compare it to a CR-V, it would help. Thanks.
Basically this means that if you planned to load the cargo area from floor to ceiling, you will notice there would be less room to stack stuff up to the top. Otherwise, the difference probably won't be that material.
1. MDX gets slightly worse fuel economy than the Murano but both require premium fuel.
2. Murano still has very poor residuals and since I wanted to lease this car (and pay it off at the end if it is reliable) that made the Murano a harder sell for me. Basically you can lease a base MDX for about the same money down and monthly payment as the Murano LE.
3. Murano LE has backup camera and iPod interface and base MDX is lacking those for $3,000 more... yet the lease payments on the MDX are the same or less than the Murano due to crappy residual and money factor on Murano from Nissan. MDX is roomier, has smoother ride (less jarring over bumps), more power, much longer/better warranty and lower service intervals.
4. Surprisingly, insurance was actually LESS on the MDX than on the Murano for us, not sure why.
All in all I would say the two cars are actually quite comparable, and if leasing they are directly in competition with each other due to current pricing.
The MDX is a great car, but gas prices are playing a factor. According to posts many MDX owners are getting MPG less than EPA ratings, while Murano owners appear to be getting better than EPA ratings.
Also, I currently have a Murano whose lease expires in a week, and I love the car.
It's a tough call, but I'll probably go with the Murano even though the money factor and residual are lousy.
That MDX is one great machine. Enjoy!
If I'm not mistaken the Murano is just like my wife's FX35, says "premium unleaded recommended for best performance" on the gas cap, or something to that affect.
At the end of the day it's probably a wash.
In order to start the car with the Push Button Start your foot MUST be on the brake and the car displays that warning message in the middle of the gauges. You then just press and release the start button once - do not hold it down.
That opening is just to be able to start the car if the battery in the FOB is drained by inserting the whole FOB or if you want to use the outer part of the FOB for a valet or garage and not give them the key inside the FOB that you can use to lock the glove compartment.
Even the dealer couldn't start the car wihout inserting the key into the slot.
Contrary to what the sales people say (surprise, surprise) I'd speculate that all keyfobs are not intelikeys and therefore we must insert the fob to start the car sinc we do not have the tech package unless someone has a different experience.
An easy way to tell if you have IntelliKey is by looking at your keyfob - if it has 4 buttons, you have Intellikey, if 3 - you do not.
The Owners Manual describes the KeyPort on Page 5-11:
Models without Intelligent Key system.
Be sure to insert the key into the key port (1)
before pushing the ignition switch. Make sure
that the key ring side faces backward as
illustrated. Insert the key in the port until it is
latched and secured.
Etc...
_fitc_
_fitc_
I did this with my '04 Maxima that had vibration issues and first Nissan settled by sending me a $2k check and flying out a tech to repair. After several more months I re-opened my case and Nissan repurchased my car for the entire price I paid, including tax (-$2k for mileage depreciation).
It could also be an issue with your rims and not just the Toyos, have the dealer put another set of 20s or the SL 18s and test it out.