[Halo]

Hi all. New to your forum, first post and all. No doubt it will be redundant, but I couldn't find a thread with exactly the questions I had.

I'm close to buying a Murano for my wife. I'm planning on going SE/2WD. Beyond that, I have a few questions for all you owners out there. No, I'm not going to ask if you like that car, I'll take that as a given, but...

1. Seems like everyone has "except NAV" in their sig. Any reason why NOT to get the NAV? I realize that a PDA with GPS will do the same thing, but is there something specifically problematic with it?

2. Now that you've had the car for a while, is there an option that you wish you had picked?

3. The 2004s still have the chrome grill which doesn't appeal to some (including me). Does anyone have experience with, say taking to a body shop to color match? Aftermarket grille etc?

4. Any trends I should know about as far as when taking delivery of the car (I read wheel alignment issues in FAQ, anything else?)

Thanks in advance!

 

[hfelknor]

Hi all. New to your forum, first post and all. No doubt it will be redundant, but I couldn't find a thread with exactly the questions I had.

Welcme to the forum. I'll give a cut at it.

1. Seems like everyone has "except NAV" in their sig. Any reason why NOT to get the NAV? I realize that a PDA with GPS will do the same thing, but is there something specifically problematic with it?

No. No problem with it. It's just simpler to say rather than Premium package, Leather Package, sunroof, Dynamic Vehicle control, Traction control.

2. Now that you've had the car for a while, is there an option that you wish you had picked?

I don't know about the other guys, but no, I got it just the way I wanted it.

3. The 2004s still have the chrome grill which doesn't appeal to some (including me). Does anyone have experience with, say taking to a body shop to color match? Aftermarket grille etc?

Grill doesn't bother me very much. After I see what others do, I may change it.
There just isn't a lot of aftermarket for the car and likely won't be for awhile. But becaus ethe grill is "controversial" i guess it will be first.
There was one on Ebay that was uglier than the one that comes with the car IMO......

4. Any trends I should know about as far as when taking delivery of the car (I read wheel alignment issues in FAQ, anything else?)

My car was delivered perfect.
Usually the FAQ becomes obsolete as we go along on issues like that.
As Nissan finds something wrong and comes up with the fix, they institute it on the Assembly line.
In the case of the Alignment, I don't think it os valid anymore as they merely had to tighten up their QC.
On "most" rattles, they were gone by the born on date of 6-03 for instance.

Thanks in advance!

Hope this helps. You will get different opinions I am sure.

Homer

 

[esemes]

firstly..........

welcome..... im too new here... itsa helpful site!!!


things missed out on:::

XM SAT.... research it.... luckily, the 2k4 will have it as an option, but the 2k3 simply doesnt. I was told by my dealer (several imes) all i had to do was call a number and have it activated.... not at all tru on the 2k3's....... update though.... today my dealer told me he was gonna try and get me the g35 receiver, and harness, at NO cost....... we shall see... the new owner survey still sits here, unfilled out

SE sport tuned suspension..... sour grapes!! i wasnt even told there was a difference b/w the SL and the SE suspension.... oh well, i guess now i will jus upgrade the suspension with a penske or the like setup

VDC - TCS (vehicle dynamic control / traction control system) an interesting option i was (again) unaware of .... since i have the AWD model, i was told the FWD only gets the VDC feature..... this i guess i have no aftermarket recourse on....


TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR.... no idea here really.... have no real opinion on it, just making you aware that its a feature the MO can have


whew!! enuf!!

good luck, and happy hunting!!


sms

 

[jpburk]

There's no reason I can think of NOT to get the NAV system. It's a great toy, you get a much better-looking display screen, and it's invaluable in guiding me to places I need to go. If you can afford the extra cost, GET IT! You'll never regret it.

I got my Murano with just about every bell and whistle Nissan offered....except the cold package. Not much call for that down here in Florida. I only wish the dealership (and Nissan corporate) had been more truthful about the satellite radio and had done more to help us get it installed in our '03 Muranos. Otherwise, I love the heck out of this vehicle! :2:

Jeff

 

[Doombringer]

I have the Nav system and it kicks booty. I think the reason for "everything except nav" is because many folks bought their Muranos off the lot, and very few come with Nav unless you specifically order it.

As for options I'd like.. I got everything, so I'm very pleased. I would still like to see some things Nissan didn't include, like puddle lamps and maybe a rear-view camera, but those are mostly nitpicks.

 

[esemes]

There's no reason I can think of NOT to get the NAV system. It's a great toy, you get a much better-looking display screen, and it's invaluable in guiding me to places I need to go. If you can afford the extra cost, GET IT! You'll never regret it.

I got my Murano with just about every bell and whistle Nissan offered....except the cold package. Not much call for that down here in Florida. I only wish the dealership (and Nissan corporate) had been more truthful about the satellite radio and had done more to help us get it installed in our '03 Muranos. Otherwise, I love the heck out of this vehicle! :2:

Jeff

doom's spot on here..........

most dont come with the nav sys's, and most of us choose from the lot (in order to get the internet pricing, i had to do jus that) which made the nav system not an option.....

 

[Halo]

Hey thanks for all the replies.

Even though I like the idea of NAV, in reality we would use it so infrequently that it just doesn't justify the price.

Thanks for the tip on the XM radio.

There are still a few '03s left on the lots with deep discounts which is nice.

 

[TikiMan]

1. Seems like everyone has "except NAV" in their sig. Any reason why NOT to get the NAV? I realize that a PDA with GPS will do the same thing, but is there something specifically problematic with it?

Well I DO have the Nav, and all I can say is it is worth it if you find yourself nosing through the Thomas Guide a good deal of your weekly drive (like myself). If driving around your known area and to and from the same work place is your deal (which I am sure is most common), then the Nav is just a $2k whistle.

2. Now that you've had the car for a while, is there an option that you wish you had picked?[/B]

I got everything on mine (including Nav), so the only things so far that I wish my MO had aren’t offered.

3. The 2004s still have the chrome grill which doesn't appeal to some (including me). Does anyone have experience with, say taking to a body shop to color match? Aftermarket grille etc?[/B]

So far some of the dealers are selling a $275.00 aftermarket stainless steel upgrade grill option. I am sure more will options will come out as more MO's are sold.

4. Any trends I should know about as far as when taking delivery of the car (I read wheel alignment issues in FAQ, anything else?)[/B]

So far all I have heard about is tire pressure issues on newly arrived MO's from Japan. They have been shipping them with 55 lbs of pressure, when they really should be 33 lbs.

 

[hfelknor]

ALL japanese cars ship with about 55 pounds of air in the tires.

I don't see them on the Murano, but remember those big ass hooks that used to be on the jap cars front and rear?
Well that is how they secure the cars to the boat deck.
They pack them in so tight (maybe an inch or so between cars) that they can't have them bouncing around. So they overinflate the tires to keep the tires from flexing.
The port thinks the dealer is going to reset the tires, the dealer thinks the port should do it.
In the end it is the dealer's responsibility to deliver a properly prepped car.
Some , apparently miss this critical step.

Nissan recommends 33 pounds all around.
That's what I run, but I would consider it a minimum.

Homer

 

[Nfilippelli]

as for an option i wish i got,
i would have to say it was the Nav,
i could have waited another few weeks,
and paid a little more and gotten nav as well.
but i was too impatient, i wanted my MO now dammit!

all in all tho,
this is best car... suv... umm... rocket ship with big ass wheels,
ever.

-Nerf

 

[dmako]

I have NAV at first I didn't want it to save some money but when I got my lowest price, I insisted on NAV and got it.

It works great!

 

[Enforcer]

1. I agree with what everyone has said. I can add this point of view. I have the NAV on my Z. I am disappointed with the map detail. But, I love the stock look. Glad I bought it because there just isn't a lot of room in the Z. However, my handheld Magellan has better map detail around here. Other areas are probably better. I am of the opinion you can get better aftermarket than the Nissan/Zenrin NAV. In the MO, there is plenty of room to add an aftermarket unit if you want it. This is what I plan on doing. If you think you might want the color LCD stock NAV system though, buy it installed from the factory. It costs 3X+ more to have the dealer install it after the fact.

2. No, but there are some I wish were available.

3. If there is a good custom shop near you, they can do just about anything you want. Personally, I prefer the stock grill over the two other aftermarket ones I've seen. What I like about the MO grill is it is unique.

4. Yeah, see the PDI thread. Alignment continues to be an issue on the 2004 Z's. I can't say for sure and certain it is a continuing factory quality problem...but it IS a continuing problem. And it isn't limited to the Z or the MO or Nissan for that matter. A friend of mine bought a Cobra and another bought a Chevy truck that had to be aligned too. Some believe the carriers are throwing the alignments off by the way they strap them down. Others believe the docks are doing it by the way they "drive" the cars off the boats. All speculation. Just drive it and feel how it handles, if it seems wrong, have the dealer check it.

 

[CVeeT]

Just make SURE get the options you want, it is either impossible to add ( like VDC) or prohibitivly expensive to add (like NAV).

So take a good look at options and bite the bullet and buy it.

I regret now having NOT gotten the Factory NAV.