Hello all, my name is Matt and I am new to this forum, however I am a member of a few other forums so I am not new to "forums". I have a 2012 Nissan Rogue SL AWD in Platinum Graphite.
I am coming from a 2006 Honda Accord EXL V6 sedan that I modified to my liking throughout ownership. By the time I traded it in for the Rogue, it had the HFP (Honda Factory Performance) suspension, Ingalls rear camber kit, Polyurethance front bushings, Neuspeed strut bar, Morimoto Mini H1 retrofit with 4300k "XB35" bulbs and Denso ballasts,Nokya hyper yellow 2500k DRL/high beam bulbs, Honda Inspire fog lamps that I modified my USDM bumper to fit, Nokya hyper yellow H11 fog bulbs, OEM Asean 03-05 Accord grill modified to fit USDM 06 Accord bumper, Redline synthetic transmission fluid and engine oil, debadged rear, splash guards, Plasti-dipped "diffuser" portion of rear bumper, removed intake resonator, OEM trunk tray and OEM floormats, JBL GTO speakers, Apexi grounding kit, 5000k LED license plate lights.... And probably a few things I've forgotten.
It was a really great car! With the V6 these cars are true sleepers, and with all of the suspension modifications (And Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires... Not even performance tires) this car could corner better than it looks like it ever could. I did some crazy things in this car at some crazy speeds and it was always buttoned down and tight. Im going to miss it, but it did have a few minor issues, and it was time
Here are a couple pics of the Accord:
Onto my new Rogue.... I initially went to the Nissan dealer to get a 2012 Maxima SV Sport as a natural progression in sportiness from my Accord, however, while signing the papers I realized that a $38k car note is a lot for a 23 year old to take on, especially for a car that does everything my Accord did only "better". All the while getting worse gas mileage and having higher ownership costs, etc. So I thought outside the box a little bit and decided to get something with decent gas mileage for what it is, and some utility built into it, while still being as close to as luxurious as my Accord was....
The Rogue is smooth, quiet, sporty enough for being an SUV with a firm suspension and tight steering (but obviously different from my Accord and I'm still getting used to it a little), and it feels quicker than the 170hp 175lb tq suggests. It has leather, Bose, HID reflectors, nav, 4 cameras (All-around view), and some other things.... I'm going to miss the sports car driving feel and characteristics of the Accord, however I feel that I can justify getting a vehicle with AWD to get through bad weather, a 4 cyl to get decent gas mileage, extra space for whatever I may need it for, etc., moreso than I can justify a big V6 that really is not very economical, 19" rims (even though the Rogue's are 18s), a big hike in insurance costs, and an $8k premium over the Rogue. I like the Rogue for what it is, and I appreciate its car-like qualities. And it is great in snow!
"Out with the old and in with the new":
And pics of the Rogue (Its all stock):
