[ayroque]

Just wondering what the popularity is of the MO is different areas? (Don't include ones that you see on dealer lots.):bonk:

 

[KSmurano]

Still pretty rare sighting here in KC & I drive 22 miles to downtown each morning.
The only regular sighting I have is that my next door nieghbor bought one 3 months after seeing mine!
At least his is the pewter, I don't think he knew that the SS's were the fastest!

 

[hfelknor]

I doubt that they will become overly common.
Recent sales numbers showed that Nissan may, or may not, sell 50K units in NA for the 2003 model year.

50K units is virtually a niche car.
Highlanders will sell 3 times that many, in this, their third year in the market.

50K units was the original target, so it is obvious that the Murano was never intended to be a volume car.

So we get some side effects.
Good thing - some exclusivity. you will not see every soccer mommy driving one
Bad thing - aftermarket add ons will be few or nonexistent. just not enough potential volume to gear up too much.

How will sales be going forward?
If I knew I would be rich.
But I "think" there have been a tad too many niggling problems, there have been a tad too many articles about a hard ride, there has been a tad too many things like unavailable SATs, Wheels, replacement parts.
I "think" that selling more in 04 will be an uphill battle. I think they should be pleased if they can match 03 sales.

Just some thoughts as I go to take my Exclusive Murano to lunch (The guys really like riding in it!)

Homer

 

[KSmurano]

hf - it looks like sales are really climbing pretty good.
At there August pace it would be 78k MO's per year!
And the last 2 months have average sales increases of 15% per month.

Nissan News Sales Figures:

August '03 = 6,188
July '03 = 5,027
June '03 = 4,720
May '03 = 5,568
Apr '03 = 4,436
Mar '03 = 4,386
Feb '03 = 3,347
Jan '03 = 2,734
Dec '02 = 1,747
Nov '02 = 307

Everyone one of my friends really like my MO & I still have total strangers coming up to me & asking me about it.
I have never had a car &/or truck that has created this much positve response.

 

[ayroque]

I think that the MO will continue to grow in popularity. The first year sales may have been a bit slow because, let's face it, the MO is a little ahead of it's time and it takes some people more time to digest. I do have to disagree that there has been much negative press on the MO. Most mainstream publications say quite positive things. Also, the average person doesn't do much research before they buy a car anyway :ucrazy: (as unfortunate as that may be, and at the risk of offending anyone, I will keep my comments to myself about specific brands of automobiles that would have gone the way of the wind if people did do research) .

All in all, I'll be honest, I really hope the MO doesn't become the next Accord of the SUV/cross-over/spaceship market, one of the reasons I bought it was to have something not everyone else has.:claphead:

 

[Kris]

ayroque

I could not agree more. Let's hope the MO will be "something"

 

[Halo]

I average about 1 per day on a very short commute. Although I am very impressed with the car, I would rather NOT see 4 MO's in every parking lot I stop at (think VW Jetta...). Sometimes I can go an entire week without seeing another S2K

 

[rlb330]

Someone in my apartment complex has one that I see from time to time. He bought it within days of me getting mine because I saw it parked in front of his building with the sticker in the window around the same time I bought mine.

I finally saw somebody in it today. They were leaving the complex at the same time I was. I pulled up beside them at a red light and the driver smiled at me.

 

[rtking]

They're everywhere in SoCal

Just driving from Seal Beach to Huntington Beach, I saw 5 either parked or on the road. I'm bummed that the exclusivity is slipping, but as long as I'm behind the wheel of one, I don't care!

Bob K.

 

[i<3mymurano]

i see them ALL the time in vancouver, bc. mostly silver ones. ive only seen one blue, at most dealers here in vancouver they do not carry the blue one for some odd reason.
theres 5 MO's altogether in my neighborhood of 4 block radius!!!!

 

[hfelknor]

Ksmurano
It would appear that sales fell off dramatically in September.
Sales were down to 4644 or down from August by 25%.
Whether it is from lack of models avaiable (Production shut down in Aug I believe) or some other factor is hard to know.
It looks like the Murano will fall a bit short, or just barely hit, 50,000 units for the year when all the sales are in.

I must admit to some disappointment.
It appears that Nissan spent all year just learning how to build the 03 and incorporate the "tiptronic" into the 04. This is the very same transmission enhancement that was supposed to be on the 03.

However, they really never addressed the SAT, The DVD, or the Cross Rails, during the entire year. And although the volume is not satisfactory, I guess we can say that they finally got "most" of their chrome wheels delivered.

I hope that we can "maintain" sales, bring out the missing pieces before EOY and look to product improvement for the 2005s.

Hopefully, when we all go to trade in or sell our MOs (About 6-7 years for me) the Murano will still be in production. Owning an orphan can be hazardous to your financial health.

BTW, I see about 1-2 a day now, here in Ft Myers Florida.

Maybe the more that are sold, the more that will be sold, via word of mouth, especially since Nissan Marketing has apparently cut the Murano loose. I haven't seen a Murano ad or commercial in many moons.



Homer

 

[dklanecky1]

I think when you calculate a full 12 months of sales (including November 2003), the Murano will be well over the 50,000 unit number.

I could have sworn that the original sales projection for the Murano was estimated to be 30,000 for the first 12 months?

Has anybody got any links to substantiate or refute that statement?

12 Months
US Murano Units % to Total

Oct-03 4,999 10.4%
Sep-03 4,644 9.7%
Aug-03 6,188 12.9%
Jul-03 5,027 10.5%
Jun-03 4,720 9.8%
May-03 5,568 11.6%
Apr-03 4,436 9.2%
Mar-03 4,386 9.1%
Feb-03 3,347 7.0%
Jan-03 2,734 5.7%
Dec-02 1,747 3.6%
Nov-02 307 0.6%

48,103 100.0%

 

[hfelknor]

http://www.infinitihelp.com/Nissan/News/expansion.htm

"Collins said Nissan will target sales of 100,000 pickups during its first full year of production. Sales of the Nissan and Infiniti full-size SUVs are expected to eventually hit about 55,000 units combined. The Murano will add another 50,000 in sales, while sales for the Quest, the replacement of the current minivan, will hit about 80,000 annually, he said. "


Homer

 

[dklanecky1]

Thanks!

That's pretty amazing that a company can introduce a vehicle with as polarizing exterior style as our Murano's have and provide a sales estimate that is virtually dead on for it's first year of production.

The article says "first full year of production" so they'll actually exceed the 50,000 units number by probably close to 8-10% when a full month's November 2003 sales are included.



:4:

 

[hfelknor]

I think Nov sales are over.

Remember they don't count dealer sales.
They count NNA sales.

I doubt seriously that NNA has any MOs left.

Do you really think new 2003s are arriving at the dealers????

I don't.


I do think that they hit their mark.

One doesn't quibble over a few hundred cars.

Homer

 

[Mr3Putt]

I've had my MO 3 weeks. The first night I had it, another one parked right next to me at a very small restaurant. Since then, I've seen 1. I keep looking for them on my daily commute, as well as parking lots, etc. They are very few and far between here in Pittsburgh.

I was in Las Vegas last week, I wanted to show one to my friend, so while waiting to see the "new" Treasure Island show, about 3,000,000 cars drove down the strip. Only 1 was a Murano. I have no problem being one of the few folks with this ride. I think it's the best kept secret on the road.

By the way, when in Vegas, DO NOT waste your time at the "new" Treasure Island show. I thought it would never end.:23:

 

[jaak]

I typically see 3-6 a day, and have noticed it's harder to spot the silver ones, as they tend to blend in with the other silver vehicles. (Sorry you silver owners, I love the colour and almost got it myself!)

I was walking through a parking lot and didn't know I was near a silver MO until I was right behind it. It had a silver minivan on either side and it just blended in!

So I suspect there's even more than I've spotted, because silver is very popular. Seems like half of them I see are silver. It's got that German SUV look in the silver (But better!).

Speaking of which, I love the Porshe, but is the back end butt ugly or what?