[Ferio]

Here is a scan of how the left-side camera system works.

http://www.nissanmurano.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=2065

I will post additional scans of a walk-around and different engine data. There are 2 engines offered here - the 3.5 liter and a 2.5 liter version with standard automatic tranny.

 

[chimpanzee]

Hey Ferio, I am waiting for the MO to come to Singapore some time in September. The dealer will also be bringing in the 2.5L model so I am interested in the difference in the spec. between the 2.5L and 3.5L. The dealer can't tell me anything other than that they will bring in both 2.5 and 3.5L model.

I realized yours is a JDM model and I have seen them in the parallel importer's showroom. The one I saw in the PI is a 2004 model. It comes with DOCH in-line 4 cylinder with VVT 2.5L engine, Bi-Xeon headlamp and front fog lamp, rear privacy glass, color LCD monitor with left-side and back camera, driver's power seat with lumbar support, left/right independent control on air-con, Bose sound system with 7 speakers but no intelligent key. I didn't know they have the front camera as well.

Please post some pics once you have got your MO.

 

[Ferio]

I didn't know they have the front camera as well.

Please post some pics once you have got your MO. [/B]

The package you mentioned is pretty much what I am getting. I added the roof rails and moon roof package. One of the few maker options available. I will post pics once I take delivery.

I wil scan the engine spec info tonight and post. I have an automotive magazine that comes out monthly and featured the Murano. Each issue features a different vehicle.

The front fender cameras are an option - about $1,100 US dollars. They feed into the navi screen. You can see a description/pics here:

Link -> http://www.nissanmurano.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=2056&papass=&sort=1&size=

The only problem is that they are not accessible via the steering wheel controls.

 

[chimpanzee]

wow! :runaway: US$1,100 for the front camera! The pic in your catalog shows a black hole on the front side of the car. I believe you will have two - one on each side? Will it look ugly with the black round thing on each side (if your MO is not black)?

 

[Ferio]

wow! :runaway: US$1,100 for the front camera! The pic in your catalog shows a black hole on the front side of the car. I believe you will have two - one on each side? Will it look ugly with the black round thing on each side (if your MO is not black)?

The picture shows the Gold one which is what I ordered. There is a camera on each side.

Link-> http://www.nissanmurano.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=2056&size=big&papass=&sort=1

I dont think it is too bad. The lenses are covered and actually pretty small.

I got them because the streets here are very tight. The diagram on that page is not an exaggeration. Many intersections like the one shown have mirrors, but in areas where I live most do not. If I only use the camera a few times a year it will be worth it.

One other option I have is one of the small boxes on the lower left corner of picture. That is a transmitter/receiver for Electronic Toll Collection. The larger box is mounted in the glove box and contains the IC card. The cable you see has a small black module at the end of it. That is the antenna for the unit and gets mounted on a corner of my dashboard - usually near the windshield. The other small block on the dash is for the IR link to the national traffic control system for updates on traffic conditions. It works with the FM system. Between the 2 I can see traffic conditions on my route and the navi system can actually plot around congestion either automatically or by voice command.

I will post pics of this stuff in operaton when I take delivery.

 

[Ferio]

The engine on mine is the 3.5L with CVT. The 2.5L is really underpwered and revs really high.

 

[Ferio]

Here is a scan showing the engines available for the Muranos in Japan. There are specs and graphs for power and torque.

Link->http://www.nissanmurano.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=2066

 

[dkfchan]

Transmission is different also. CVT for 3.5L and 4 speed auto for 2.5L.

 

[chimpanzee]

The engine on mine is the 3.5L with CVT. The 2.5L is really underpwered and revs really high.

When you say 2.5L is really underpowered, what kind of road environment are you running it on? The reason why I am asking is that in Singapore, the road tax difference between a 2.5L and a 3.5L is quite big (US$1,100 vs US$2,500 a year).

In Singapore, the roads are basically flat with no hills or mountains. I was thinking of getting the 2.5L if it is not really THAT underpowered. I guess I would not know until I test drive one.

 

[Ferio]

When you say 2.5L is really underpowered, what kind of road environment are you running it on? The reason why I am asking is that in Singapore, the road tax difference between a 2.5L and a 3.5L is quite big (US$1,100 vs US$2,500 a year).

In Singapore, the roads are basically flat with no hills or mountains. I was thinking of getting the 2.5L if it is not really THAT underpowered. I guess I would not know until I test drive one.

We have a similar engine tax system also. The engine classes are really sliced and diced with the best deals coming on 600cc engines. But to get the power you see a lot of these little cars with turbos standard.

I was on flats. It would be OK for running around town or cruising but is awfully slow on acceleration. The 2.5L/4-speed puts out 120kW(163PS) with 245Nm of torue vs the 3.5L/CVT at 170kW(231PS) and 333Nm of torque.

Gas useage (combined) is about 7-8km/l on 3.5 and 8-9 on 2.5l. The reason for the small difference is simply that drivers are hitting the gas harder to get the machine moving. This is according to my dealer and some other online sources here.

There is no external difference between the 2 engine configurations. In fact, there is no model marking other than the Murano name plate on hatch.

We have really short on-ramps and the 2.5L would definitely be straining to reach speed. Plus we have a lot of hills and mountains in my area and I occasionally need to go up there on weekends. My current 2L CRV def has a hard time in places.

 

[Ferio]

It's at the dealership!

They are delivering to my office at 10:30AM. Just 19 more hours till I have her!

They flat-bedded the vehicle from the regional center where the options were installed to the dealership for final prep and cleaning. The plastic is still on everything inside.

The small dot on the front fender is the front camera. There is another on the left.

Looking forward to the first drive. Just wondering how long it will take to get the smile off my face.

New car and a week-long holiday here. hmmm.....

 

[chimpanzee]

Re: It's at the dealership!

They are delivering to my office at 10:30AM. Just 19 more hours till I have her!

They flat-bedded the vehicle from the regional center where the options were installed to the dealership for final prep and cleaning. The plastic is still on everything inside.

The small dot on the front fender is the front camera. There is another on the left.

Looking forward to the first drive. Just wondering how long it will take to get the smile off my face.

New car and a week-long holiday here. hmmm.....

From the size of the parking lot, better get the dealer to put side moulding on your MO's real quick.

Congrats on your new ride.

 

[Ferio]

ThAnks. Looking forward to that first drive.

And here is something strange/funny.

In Japan the license plates are all numbers. You can get a custom plate that is whatever number you want. Of course some numbers are taken such as all the same digits or certain lucky combinations (ie. 0777 - winner in pachinko or slot machines).

Anyway, the top line is the prefecture (state) and vehicle class. The main line has a sequence character (Japanese hiragana character) followed by the registration number (4 digits separated by a dash between the 2nd and 3rd).

In Japanese the characters are phonetic. And the character for my sequence? Mo. Followed by my custom number.

I just about fell out of my chair laughing when they faxed over the registration info.

And according to the vehicle info from the dealer - I have the 3159th Murano delivered inside Japan.

 

[zebelkhan]

Re: It's at the dealership!

Just wondering how long it will take to get the smile off my face.

Never....that is if your alternator does not fail, your car does not stall, CD player does not stop working,and there are no rattles or tics. But even then, it will come back real soon....so no worries.

 

[Ferio]

It's here!

Never....that is if your alternator does not fail, your car does not stall, CD player does not stop working,and there are no rattles or tics. But even then, it will come back real soon....so no worries.

I hope that does not happen. But Japan is famous for its customer service.

Side story: My girlfriend ordered a Christmas gift from a company in Tokyo. There was some confusion regarding payment and they emailed her and said payment was not received. Needless to say this did not go over well considering that she a) had paid and; b) Christams was in 3 days. This resulted in a very one-sided phone call to the company where they did a lot of listening and admitted they had made a mistake. The next day she got a call from a representative of the company saying "I am at the train station in your town (about 1.5 hours from Tokyo by train) and how do I get to your apartment?"

They had taken an express train up here and then took a cab across town and delivered the gift (wrapped) and a formal apology.

The train fare and cab cost almost as much as the item.

Back to the car: It was delivered at about 10:35. The salesman apologized for being late (original appointment was 10:30 but he got caught in holiday traffic). A quick run through the systems and payment (in cash for the down payment) and it was mine - and the bank.

Found something interesting about my navigation system. If the main computer detects a malfunction in the car it will automatically find the nearest Nissan dealership so you can bring it for repair. That plus the free CarWings (like OnStar) gives a real secure feeling.

CarWings lets you talk to a live operator who can locate just about anything for you and then download the info to the navigation system in the car. This feature is free for first three years and about $40/year after that. I also have a function called AutoDJ which has about 100 "channels" of downloadable information including weather and news. This alll works via the hands-free phone system that attaches by a cable to my cell phone. I will post a pic of the phone also.

The book to run the navi and related systems is about 3/4 of an inch thick. That may not seem very much but consider that Japanese kanji results in about 30-50% of the same space required for English. There is another book just on the basic operations of the car.

I will post pictures of the various systems over the weekend.

Now to do a bit of driving....

 

[TheGymKid]

Re: Re: It's at the dealership!

Let us know how many nights you have come close to sleeping in your Mo !!

 

[zebelkhan]

Re: It's here!

If the main computer detects a malfunction in the car it will automatically find the nearest Nissan dealership so you can bring it for repair. That plus the free CarWings (like OnStar) gives a real secure feeling. CarWings lets you talk to a live operator who can locate just about anything for you and then download the info to the navigation system in the car. This feature is free for first three years and about $40/year after that. I also have a function called AutoDJ which has about 100 "channels" of downloadable information including weather and news.

NICE!

 

[grfg8r]

Ferio,
Please keep us informed, it's a real treat to read how the rest of the world operates. More pics PLEASE!

 

[jaak]

Ahhh... It's just so cool to see Muranos outside of North American now...

Please, lots of pictures!

 

[Ferio]

Ahhh... It's just so cool to see Muranos outside of North American now...

Please, lots of pictures!

Will do. Wil post more scans later along with a walk-around of the AWD version that was posted in a magazine. Then I will start with the pics of mine plus a picture and description of a GPS Radar Detector. <-- Not kidding. This detector has its own GPS system and knows the location of all the radar traps in Japan. You can update it via PC from a website from manufacturer.

The car is at my apartment now. Just fits into parking place. It is amazing - this car is the same size as a Harrier (RX-300) but has a lot more interior space.

I picked up my girlfriend last night for first ride in new car and dinner. We were walking out to the car after dinner and she just stopped walking and said "Wow! That car is really big." There was a pause and she added "And it has a big butt!"