[EOS Man]

I'm looking to get a new 2006 Murano in the next month or two. I'm leaning towards the SL Platinum with cafe latte leather, Touring pkg, and VDC pkg. Seems though that the VDC pkg is difficult to find unless you want an AWD...which I don't.

This would be my first SUV...coming from a 1997 Honda Accord which has been flawless. Before I make the purchase, let me ask all you MO owners this:

1. How's the reliability thus far? Would you buy another MO...happy with your purchase?

2. Im reading about window/door rattles, bad wind/road noise problems...do these problems still exist for the 2006 models, would they be show stoppers for you if you were to do it all over again?

3. Gas prices. 'nuff said.

All in all are you happy with your purchase?

I started looking at the 2006 BMW 330i (I know not a direct comparison with a MO)...was lured by the free maintainaince. But seems if you keep the BMWs past their warranty period, maintainaince and repair cost $$$$/yr...besides the 3 series is a bit small for me...back to the MO.

Thank for your inputs.

EOS Man

 

[Mr3Putt]

I'm looking to get a new 2006 Murano in the next month or two. I'm leaning towards the SL Platinum with cafe latte leather, Touring pkg, and VDC pkg. Seems though that the VDC pkg is difficult to find unless you want an AWD...which I don't.

This would be my first SUV...
1. How's the reliability thus far? Would you buy another MO...happy with your purchase?

2. Im reading about window/door rattles, bad wind/road noise problems...do these problems still exist for the 2006 models, would they be show stoppers for you if you were to do it all over again?

3. Gas prices. 'nuff said.

All in all are you happy with your purchase?
EOS Man

EOS, Welcome.

The MO was/is my first SUV as well. I have a 2003 SE AWD. Now in reference to your questions.....

1. My reliability has been fine. There was an issue with the alternator that was fixed under a recall. I also had a problem with my fuel door, it took me 3 trips to get it fixed properly. Other owners have had other issues, I'm sure they'll chime in. I would definitely buy another Murano. Overall I am delighted with the car. It's roomy, drives nice, nice looking and fast enough for this former gearhead (now all grown up and crap). I really like the versatility of the drop down seats and hatch combo. I've hauled lots of over-sized stuff that you couldn't even dream of fitting into a sedan.

2. As far as rattles go, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. No rattles here. As far as road noise goes, I don't think it's any better or worse than any other car. Now, if your comparing it to a beamer sedan, side by side, you'll probably find the MO noisier, but I think you'de need rabbit ears to really be bothered by the "road noise".

3. The Murano gets pretty good mileage for it's size. I imagine a FWD on the flatlands of Florida would do way better than my AWD through the mountainous terrain of Pennsylvania. If you drive "gently" like your supposed too, than you can tweek out some decent numbers. No matter what you're MPG is, it still sucks laying out $60 to fill it up.....

As far as your shopping goes, we have a member on these boards named "Shappy" who can find just about any Nissan ever built. Ask him where your dream MO is and what it costs, he'll find it within minutes.....

Good Luck!

 

[EOS Man]

Re: Re: Advice on buying a new Murano

Mr3Putt,

Thanks for your comments. Another complaint I've jeard is that the ride can be harsh. I have a friend that chose a Highlander over a MO cause the Highlander supposedly hada much betteer ride...I think the Highlander is ugly IMO though.

EOS Man

EOS, Welcome.

The MO was/is my first SUV as well. I have a 2003 SE AWD. Now in reference to your questions.....

1. My reliability has been fine. There was an issue with the alternator that was fixed under a recall. I also had a problem with my fuel door, it took me 3 trips to get it fixed properly. Other owners have had other issues, I'm sure they'll chime in. I would definitely buy another Murano. Overall I am delighted with the car. It's roomy, drives nice, nice looking and fast enough for this former gearhead (now all grown up and crap). I really like the versatility of the drop down seats and hatch combo. I've hauled lots of over-sized stuff that you couldn't even dream of fitting into a sedan.

2. As far as rattles go, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. No rattles here. As far as road noise goes, I don't think it's any better or worse than any other car. Now, if your comparing it to a beamer sedan, side by side, you'll probably find the MO noisier, but I think you'de need rabbit ears to really be bothered by the "road noise".

3. The Murano gets pretty good mileage for it's size. I imagine a FWD on the flatlands of Florida would do way better than my AWD through the mountainous terrain of Pennsylvania. If you drive "gently" like your supposed too, than you can tweek out some decent numbers. No matter what you're MPG is, it still sucks laying out $60 to fill it up.....

As far as your shopping goes, we have a member on these boards named "Shappy" who can find just about any Nissan ever built. Ask him where your dream MO is and what it costs, he'll find it within minutes.....

Good Luck!

 

[njjoe]

EOS Man-

I will try to address your concerns.

1. How's the reliability thus far?
Reliability of the MO is actually very good. Don't be mislead by what you read in this forum. You have to remember that someone will post a problem and the forum members will review and dissect it from many perspectives. Although you may see many posts about a problem that does not mean that same problem is common to a many MOs. Many of the members just take a very active role in reviewing problems. All in all the MO has proved to be a very reliable vehicle.

2. window/door rattles
For all intents and purposes the rattles that were found in earlier models have been eliminated in the current model. The MO is maturing.

3. Gas prices.
That's a tough one. I am not sure how the MO affects gas prices. I guess if every gas station owner drove a Mo they would be happier and might charge a few pennies less per gallon. Better yet, if the oil company execs drove MOs they would not need those mega-profits to pay for their Bentleys and Rolls Royces.

All in all are you happy with your purchase?
I am. And from what I have read from the other members, I think that is the common feeling here.

If faced with your same decision (MO vs. 3-Series) I would opt for the MO without hesitation.

-njjoe

 

[EOS Man]

Re: Re: Advice on buying a new Murano

Another helpful response...thank you

EOS Man-

I will try to address your concerns.

1. How's the reliability thus far?
Reliability of the MO is actually very good. Don't be mislead by what you read in this forum. You have to remember that someone will post a problem and the forum members will review and dissect it from many perspectives. Although you may see many posts about a problem that does not mean that same problem is common to a many MOs. Many of the members just take a very active role in reviewing problems. All in all the MO has proved to be a very reliable vehicle.

2. window/door rattles
For all intents and purposes the rattles that were found in earlier models have been eliminated in the current model. The MO is maturing.

3. Gas prices.
That's a tough one. I am not sure how the MO affects gas prices. I guess if every gas station owner drove a Mo they would be happier and might charge a few pennies less per gallon. Better yet, if the oil company execs drove MOs they would not need those mega-profits to pay for their Bentleys and Rolls Royces.

All in all are you happy with your purchase?
I am. And from what I have read from the other members, I think that is the common feeling here.

If faced with your same decision (MO vs. 3-Series) I would opt for the MO without hesitation.

-njjoe

 

[dmako]

The MO is a wonderful vehicle. I have an early one (Oct 2002 build) with rattles but have fixed most myself.

It has a ton of usable space and I think gas mileage is great for it's size, I get around 21.4 MPG hiway avg 80 MPH during rush hour.

Now a BMW, 3-series, nice (if it's a standard) get a manual and drive it rather than being driven. LOL

I have a 528i (old and used) for the fun driving and doing as much maint. on her myself. But BMW DOES fix the problems. Nissan, well..... you'll see. And another BMW plus, I get over 27MPG!!

Basicly you choose 2 great vehicles, tuff choice.

Room+pratical+fun=MO
Handling+real driving fun=BMW

 

[Enforcer]

Nissans reliability in general is average. It's hard to judge from the forums because most people find and post in forums only when they have a problem or want answers. And then there are those of us that are fans. But judging from other forums and discussions at work, with friends and some online resources, I think the MO reliability has been very good. I think the MO has better reliability than Nissan's average. And as has been pointed out, Nissan support is not Lincoln either. As a company Nissan support is below average.

I didn't have the ticks and rattles on my '03 or my '06. Some that did were plagued with them others found simple fixes. Nissan issued a TSB on this and reports are not as prevalent now as they were in '03.

Here is a good thread with details on the mpg of my '03. Looks similar so far on my '06 which has <2000 miles.

Well I was so happy with my '03 that when somebody went left of center on me and smunched it, I special ordered an '06 and waited the 4 months.

I think it's interesting how people start looking at sporty cars and end up considering the MO. Your not the first to say this. I guess people get to thinking about practicality versus sport. The MO is no Z car but it has been called by some the Z of SUVs. Having both, I can atest to that. As others have pointed out many times here, the combination of sport, utility, good looks, gas mileage and outright pleasure fits me to a T. But, everyone has their own perceptions and desires which is as it should be. My question for you is, have you driven one yet? That was the clincher for me.

 

[Baby_Ear]

My wife and I traded our 2004 MO for a brand new 06. You can do like we did, simply ask the dealer to order one. However, it can up two to three months for the MO to arrive. We (and our family) love the MO - we simply can't just give it up right now.

I hope this helps. Good luck hunting!

 

[lbendlin]

IMO no other car on the US market comes even close to the MO, especially if (like me) you are used to better designs than the average SUV over here).

We were considering a BMW X5 back then (we even took one for a test ride, scaring the dealer to pieces with our braking tests) but eventually the MO won, both for design and price.

We still drive our early 2003 MO, and have absolutely no plans to trade it in for anything, not even a newer MO.

The usual issues - rattle (now fixed through the carpet pads), fuel door (Self-solving Problem after I bumped the MO into a coworker's car at exactly that spot), the alternator exchange. Apart from that - nothing, not the slightest thing.

The only thing that really annoys me is the fuel gauge warning light. Instead of red-blinking it is tiny and orange like the rest of the light, and every other time I roll into the gas station on the last drops of fuel because I didn't see the light come on.

MPG is 18 to 25, depending on driving style. Not perfect, but not bad either.

 

[EOS Man]

Enforcer,
Thanks for the encouragement. Your reasons for liking the MO are exactly mine.....I've compared it to many vehicles, and driven a few, and always come back to the MO for looks, style, engine, CVT, luxury, price...basically bang for the buck. I was bever interested in the boxy Explorer or Highlander type. The highlander is a nice vehicle inside, but exterior is just plain ugly. I believe the Consumer Reports auto edition reports higher than agerage reliabillity for the MO than most Nissans in general.

The new 325i was a blast to drive, but on my 2nd test drive I realized that it was just way too tight inside for me. Went and drove a MO directly after that, and I was like "ahhhhhhhh...."

Nissans reliability in general is average. It's hard to judge from the forums because most people find and post in forums only when they have a problem or want answers. And then there are those of us that are fans. But judging from other forums and discussions at work, with friends and some online resources, I think the MO reliability has been very good. I think the MO has better reliability than Nissan's average. And as has been pointed out, Nissan support is not Lincoln either. As a company Nissan support is below average.

I didn't have the ticks and rattles on my '03 or my '06. Some that did were plagued with them others found simple fixes. Nissan issued a TSB on this and reports are not as prevalent now as they were in '03.

Here is a good thread with details on the mpg of my '03. Looks similar so far on my '06 which has <2000 miles.

Well I was so happy with my '03 that when somebody went left of center on me and smunched it, I special ordered an '06 and waited the 4 months.

I think it's interesting how people start looking at sporty cars and end up considering the MO. Your not the first to say this. I guess people get to thinking about practicality versus sport. The MO is no Z car but it has been called by some the Z of SUVs. Having both, I can atest to that. As others have pointed out many times here, the combination of sport, utility, good looks, gas mileage and outright pleasure fits me to a T. But, everyone has their own perceptions and desires which is as it should be. My question for you is, have you driven one yet? That was the clincher for me.

 

[Enforcer]

Went and drove a MO directly after that, and I was like "ahhhhhhhh...."

Exactly . I like the SE although I really think this '06 has less stiff of a suspension than the '03 had. This '06 is the first time I've caught myself wondering if I should change the springs or struts. Although it may be more sway bar than spring and strut. I don't know, cornering and ride just doesn't seem to be the same. But, thinking I should go drive an '06 SL first to see if it's my imagination. In any event, suggest you test drive an SE, if nothing else than for this:

 

[fireball]

1. How's the reliability thus far?
I traded in an '03 for an '06. I could have gotten another car but I really love the Murano.

2. window/door rattles
My '03 had it but the '06 does not. It's a much, much quieter ride for me now.

3. Gas prices.
Depends really on your driving habits. I average 19MPG according to the onboard computer.

4. All in all are you happy with your purchase?
Very.

Good luck EOS Man, and keep us up to date!

 

[jwmarlowe]

Had Durango, Toyota Highlander. Murano is best so far. I plan to buy another one
Good gas mileage 24-26 Hwy (speed dep)
20-20 city. Blast to drive, seats fairly comfortable. Cool features, good storage.
Tows bass boat better than Highlander.
Problems - none sofar, alternator recal.
Dislike - suspension harsh. Svc dept sucks
Dislike (minor) - Drivers door locks with engine running. Had Svc Dept disconnect
Backup lights poor. Key fob will roll down front windows if you depress the lock button for about 5 sec. It won't roll them back up. If you keep the keys in your pocket you will occasionally go outswide and find your windows down, not fun if it's raining.

 

[junnila]

I have an 2003 49000 km awd vsc sel people stiil point at us after 3 yr's whit e caf. inter. get the most you can afford you will just love it