Nissan CVT rant - from the people who know them best.

[RicerX]

I can't believe you'd let your wife get a Pathfinder knowing all the issues it's got, along with the MASSIVE depreciation it will have.
Some things affect you too, you know!

This is absolute truth. However, with recent developments, her being set on a Pathfinder after the list of potentials I'm tossing at her is an extremely unlikely scenario.

In other news, my 2017 Rav4 rental is mostly terrible. XLE AWD trim. The one thing it does is have going for it an infotainment system that doesn't take fourteen years to boot up and rear seats that fold down in such a way that you gain nearly a foot of vertical space because they go into the floor. The Rogue is terrible at that.

Over the last couple months I've driven a couple rental cars. A 2017 Altima SR was one of them... it was AWFUL. I remember the Altima being somewhat nice... that car has ZERO that is good about it. What a cheap piece of junk.

[Kompresshun]

Will say this... knock on wood, our 2015 Rogue is fine, but the powertrain warranty expired on it last week (already hit 60,000 miles) so it's likely we're trading it soon (need something bigger anyway). I need to get my Titan back and settle with insurance before I even visit that. In light of such, we have begun test driving nearly everything but a Nissan. The Mazda CX-9 is absolutely fantastic and might even be my top pick for a three row crossover in that segment. She really likes the Pathfinder and at the end of the day, if Momma really wants that, that's what I'm buying her, but the second it begins to give us trouble and leaves my wife and kid stranded somewhere, the jig is up. It will get ONE chance and one chance only, and that's only if I've exhausted all other options. Right now, the Acura MDX, CX-9, Pathfinder, QX60, and Toyota 4Runner are among those we have driven and liked, and I'd entertain the Infiniti because Infiniti knows if their customer service sucks they'll just get finished off by Lexus and the Germans. They can't afford not to take care of their existing owners. Nissan can, for now.

The CX-9 is such an awesome SUV for the money. Out of everything else you listed, the only thing I’d have a hard time not picking over it would be the 4 Runner, but only if it were for me to drive. The wife would get the CX-9 easily, because she loves everything about her CX-5 aside from lack of cargo space. Mazda keeps knocking it out of the park with every new model IMHO. I can’t wait for the new Mazda 6 with the CX-9 engine to drop.

The Pathfinder died with the R51 bro. I wouldn’t touch a new Pathfinder with a ten foot pole, James’ d!ck, and you pushing

I'm genuinely impressed by what they showed in Detroit last week. The brand new Titan is now already a full generation behind those trucks... that didn't last long at all. Their updates are absolutely superb.

Same here. I would have no issue driving a Ram at all. Dodge really has had my attention for a couple of years now and I keep liking what I see. Still a little hesitant to own one, but they make a lot less boring crap than Nissan currently does.

[wa-chiss]

In other news, my 2017 Rav4 rental is mostly terrible. XLE AWD trim. The one thing it does is have going for it an infotainment system that doesn't take fourteen years to boot up and rear seats that fold down in such a way that you gain nearly a foot of vertical space because they go into the floor. The Rogue is terrible at that.

Please tell me more about your mostly terrible Rav4..... keep in mind it's a rental, rarely driven like someone owns it.

[RicerX]

In other news, my 2017 Rav4 rental is mostly terrible. XLE AWD trim. The one thing it does is have going for it an infotainment system that doesn't take fourteen years to boot up and rear seats that fold down in such a way that you gain nearly a foot of vertical space because they go into the floor. The Rogue is terrible at that.

Please tell me more about your mostly terrible Rav4..... keep in mind it's a rental, rarely driven like someone owns it.

Ah yes, I never considered that it was a rental car. Silly me! I take it all back!

Now that’s out of the way...

The interior has more hard crappy plastic than Nissan’s current lineup does. It’s laid out in an extremely awkward way. The shifter gating is stupid. There’s little storage. The door cup holders barely work because they’re too close to the seat. The extra room you gain in cargo space comes at the expense of the gas tank, resulting in less than optimal range. I have yet to hope for 300-350 miles out of a tank, and I can get 350-400 easily in our Rogue in combined driving with similar driving habits. (That said, the 6 speed transmission in the RAV4 is programmed better than most anything else from Nissan - it WILL downshift if you think about adding throttle. I will give them that). It utilizes a similar throttle mapping Nissan is happy with using (80% actual throttle at 20% pedal) in an attempt to mask the fact that it has no top end power for its size and weight.

I’m not a tall guy, and there isn’t a good seating position that I have found in three weeks. It sits awkward and feels awkward. The seats are hard (but somewhat supportive). The leg room in the front row is awful, and the awkward setting position throws my knees into the dashboard no matter what I try. The key/fob combo is unnecessarily large and not designed for people that keep their keys in their pockets. The rear camera is more exposed to the elements than anything else I have driven with a backup camera, resulting in one that is mostly unusable if it starts sprinkling outside before you even get out of the out of the neighborhood.

The list is longer, but those items are on the “keeping it in mind that it’s a rental” list.

[wa-chiss]

The interior has more hard crappy plastic than Nissan’s current lineup does. It works, is put together in such a way we see few noise concerns with it (not saying there aren't any)

It’s laid out in an extremely awkward way. Opinion

The shifter gating is stupid. Another opinion

There’s little storage.Eh, I guess I can agree with you there

The door cup holders barely work because they’re too close to the seat. Really more for a "Bottle" of water as depicted in the picture on the door panel. No issue here

The extra room you gain in cargo space comes at the expense of the gas tank, resulting in less than optimal range. I have yet to hope for 300-350 miles out of a tank, and I can get 350-400 easily in our Rogue in combined driving with similar driving habits. We get 300 regularly, would be nice for 350-400 though.

(That said, the 6 speed transmission in the RAV4 is programmed better than most anything else from Nissan - it WILL downshift if you think about adding throttle. I will give them that).
LOL, If I had a dollar for every customer that complains about it downshifting on hills, I wouldn't have to work on Toyotas. It IS a 4 cylinder after all.

It utilizes a similar throttle mapping Nissan is happy with using (80% actual throttle at 20% pedal) in an attempt to mask the fact that it has no top end power for its size and weight. I wonder if you might have it in "SPORT". Otherwise, in ECO it feels the opposite. 20% throttle at 80%pedal, but at 81% pedal, let's downshift 2 gears. I hated that Toyota doesn't offer the 3.5 in the RAV anymore. Those with the AWD were FUN to drive.

I’m not a tall guy, and there isn’t a good seating position that I have found in three weeks. It sits awkward and feels awkward. The seats are hard (but somewhat supportive). The leg room in the front row is awful, and the awkward setting position throws my knees into the dashboard no matter what I try. At 5'7" I can't drive it with seats full rear like I can on most Toyota cars or SUV's. I don't reach the pedals with any amount of confidence that I could manage to press them enough for the car to do what I want it to. My Sister is 5'11", still has no problems driving it comfortably.

The key/fob combo is unnecessarily large and not designed for people that keep their keys in their pockets. Believe it or not, it's actually smaller than the last model. lol.

The rear camera is more exposed to the elements than anything else I have driven with a backup camera, resulting in one that is mostly unusable if it starts sprinkling outside before you even get out of the out of the neighborhood. Not once have I heard this complaint.

At least you don't have any "REAL" concerns with it. I mean, I was worried you had some actual issues with the car when I saw your post instead of some jargon on how it's not your Rogue. That's really what I meant about keeping in mind it's a rental. I wonder if you can take it back to the rental company and ask for a Rogue.

[RicerX]

At least you don't have any "REAL" concerns with it. I mean, I was worried you had some actual issues with the car when I saw your post instead of some jargon on how it's not your Rogue. That's really what I meant about keeping in mind it's a rental. I wonder if you can take it back to the rental company and ask for a Rogue.

Where the f*** did you think you were, a Toyota forum?

Let me know what doctorate I need to be qualified to give an opinion. Sorry it triggered your Toyota defenses. At the end of the day, I have driven a RAV4 for three weeks, and every break I got to drive my wife’s Rogue was wonderful. Imagine my elation when I get my truck back. It will probably match yours when you get back to the loads of Patagonia-wearing, mocha-sipping Camry drivers stopping in for a top up of washer fluid at your service bay in the morning.

Thanks for stopping by!

[wa-chiss]

Not at all, looked to me like I was in general chat. Not once did I ever state or insinuate you can't have an opinion. Obviously I stated mine, you got offended.

If you're done, I'm done......

[Bubba1]

I appreciate the insights into the RAV4. I just looked at a new one at an auto show and put it my shortened list for my wife's next car. my neighbor also has a Rav4, though hers is an older one with a stick shift - nice. unfortunately I don't think manuals are available anymore on Rav's. I also agree that the shift lever action seems unnecessarily annoying. And the shorter range is something I did not consider, but will now. Thanks.

[wa-chiss]

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-rel ... able-cars/

http://www.jdpower.com/cars/articles/ca ... s-and-suvs

I'm in the business of seeing the worst side of a lot of cars. I've done engines and transmissions on Toyotas, in fact I have a 2800 mile tundra with what sounds like a #4 rod knock sitting in my stall at this very moment. Awaiting approval or a decision from Toyota to tear down or replace. (I hope a tear down cause it pays me more). I aslso worked at an "Auto Group" with a nissan dealer previously and saw absolutely FAR worse in their quality than I have with Toyota. I'm talking transmissions multiple cars a month, engine leaks (Toyota has some too), and Interior that on the surface appears higher quality than say Toyota, but in reality is not. Rattles, squeaks, broken panels/pieces, and fitment issues all to name a few. Longevity isn't the category I'd give Nissan. According to most, if not all, companies rating cars for reliability, you don't see many Nissans on the list. They're there, but few make the lists. Definitely no Rogue in the ones I've seen. The Rav4 on the other hand, almost always on the list.

No amount of incentives could get me to buy any new model Nissan. I would not hesitate to buy any new Toyota (apart from the iA (Mazda 3) or the CH-R (new model with little garage time to gauge real world reliability) I wouldn't even consider buying a used Nissan made within the last 10 years. All this is only My opinion and worth less than $0.02

I laugh at all those J.D. Power commercials that state "Initial Quality" or "Predicted reliability". Those meanings have zero effect on me.

[centralcoaster33]

Wow wa-chiss, that was weird. You asked for RicerX's opinion, he kindly obliged, instead of thanking him or respecting his opinion, you broke it down into pieces and belittled, ignored or questioned the legitimacy of each part. You're right, you didn't insinuate he can't have an opinion, you straight told him his opinion isn't "REAL" and insinuated he's a fool. You're behavior is offensive by definition, therefor it's quite understandable that he is offended. Asking someones opinion and then shredding it to bits is a jerk move. You, being the good guy I'm sure you are, might want to read the posts again later, agree to disagree, and consider apologizing for the behavior (especially in your own circle of 'friends and acquaintences').

That is my opinion and suggestion. It's so off topic and kind of a rant, but seeing these posts really bugged me this morning.

In an attempt to get sort of back on topic, yeah, I can agree that Initial Quality and Predicted Reliability are as useful as tarot cards and reading bones (YMMV). CVTs seem like they were unleashed on the public unfinished and unrefined. We'll get used to them as they work out the kinks perhaps as if we're guinea pigs in a real world testing ground. Kind of reminds me of how software is released before it's finished, simply because updates and patches will be along the way (typically pushing subscription licenses). In my memory, it used to be that crap being released before it was finished would ruin a business, now it keeps them afloat. I don't like this new way.

[wa-chiss]

Wow wa-chiss, that was weird. You asked for RicerX's opinion, he kindly obliged, instead of thanking him or respecting his opinion, you broke it down into pieces and belittled, ignored or questioned the legitimacy of each part. You're right, you didn't insinuate he can't have an opinion, you straight told him his opinion isn't "REAL" and insinuated he's a fool. You're behavior is offensive by definition, therefor it's quite understandable that he is offended. Asking someones opinion and then shredding it to bits is a jerk move. You, being the good guy I'm sure you are, might want to read the posts again later, agree to disagree, and consider apologizing for the behavior (especially in your own circle of 'friends and acquaintences').

In no way is this an excuse, but It's amazing how a bad week can affect your mood so much. I've honestly had only like 3-4 hours of sleep a night for the past week. My wife and I have a 2yr old boy (sleeps all night thank god) and 9 month old twin boys who are teething and won't sleep unless being held. I spent the later part of the week at work with headphones in and not talking to anybody to prevent my frustration coming to the surface. So yeah..... it finally came out.

RicerX, I give you my apology. I hope I can convince you I really am a nice guy, I just vented in the wrong way to someone who didn't deserve it.

[RicerX]

Wow wa-chiss, that was weird. You asked for RicerX's opinion, he kindly obliged, instead of thanking him or respecting his opinion, you broke it down into pieces and belittled, ignored or questioned the legitimacy of each part. You're right, you didn't insinuate he can't have an opinion, you straight told him his opinion isn't "REAL" and insinuated he's a fool. You're behavior is offensive by definition, therefor it's quite understandable that he is offended. Asking someones opinion and then shredding it to bits is a jerk move. You, being the good guy I'm sure you are, might want to read the posts again later, agree to disagree, and consider apologizing for the behavior (especially in your own circle of 'friends and acquaintences').

In no way is this an excuse, but It's amazing how a bad week can affect your mood so much. I've honestly had only like 3-4 hours of sleep a night for the past week. My wife and I have a 2yr old boy (sleeps all night thank god) and 9 month old twin boys who are teething and won't sleep unless being held. I spent the later part of the week at work with headphones in and not talking to anybody to prevent my frustration coming to the surface. So yeah..... it finally came out.

RicerX, I give you my apology. I hope I can convince you I really am a nice guy, I just vented in the wrong way to someone who didn't deserve it.

Being a Dad to a two year old who got about 2 hours of sleep last night after working overtime all weekend, I GET IT. Thankfully, bitching on a car forum about silly opinions is a far better alternative that other less healthy/destructive means of dealing with stress and lack of sleep, so if that's the worst it's gotten, you're doing ok.

We're good. Hopefully you get some rest soon.

[rowlands57]

Excellent post. To help any possible future buyers from making the CVT mistake let me add that my 2011 Rogue suffered a failure. The 'support' from Nissan was pathetic. They even extended the warranty for previous models of the Rogue and cut off a year before mine. Same POS CVT I'm sure, but for some reason no help offered under that plan for the more recent customers. So I'm out of pocket for the fix and installation of the proper cooler that should be on all models with this transmission right out of the factory. Cost cutting at it's finest, good job Nissan!

A Nissan will never cross the threshold of my garage in the future; and I hope this thread saves some poor soul down the road avoid the same fate of all the folks on this thread.

[wa-chiss]

In no way is this an excuse, but It's amazing how a bad week can affect your mood so much. I've honestly had only like 3-4 hours of sleep a night for the past week. My wife and I have a 2yr old boy (sleeps all night thank god) and 9 month old twin boys who are teething and won't sleep unless being held. I spent the later part of the week at work with headphones in and not talking to anybody to prevent my frustration coming to the surface. So yeah..... it finally came out.

RicerX, I give you my apology. I hope I can convince you I really am a nice guy, I just vented in the wrong way to someone who didn't deserve it.

Being a Dad to a two year old who got about 2 hours of sleep last night after working overtime all weekend, I GET IT. Thankfully, bitching on a car forum about silly opinions is a far better alternative that other less healthy/destructive means of dealing with stress and lack of sleep, so if that's the worst it's gotten, you're doing ok.

We're good. Hopefully you get some rest soon.

Awesome. Yes, I was able to get a full 8 that night. Thanks to family stepping in. My mother in law, who's also our daycare provider, took the twins for the night.

[wa-chiss]

Excellent post. To help any possible future buyers from making the CVT mistake let me add that my 2011 Rogue suffered a failure. The 'support' from Nissan was pathetic. They even extended the warranty for previous models of the Rogue and cut off a year before mine. Same POS CVT I'm sure, but for some reason no help offered under that plan for the more recent customers. So I'm out of pocket for the fix and installation of the proper cooler that should be on all models with this transmission right out of the factory. Cost cutting at it's finest, good job Nissan!

A Nissan will never cross the threshold of my garage in the future; and I hope this thread saves some poor soul down the road avoid the same fate of all the folks on this thread.

Unfortunately, Nissan isn't alone in this business model. I'm sure all do the same, I know Toyota gives warranty enhancements (extensions) for a lot of things that could be deemed wear items for anyone. Like they now cover u- joints for Tacoma from like 07-12 for 12 years unlimited milked. Just did a set today on an 09 with almost 200k miles. Toyota footed the bill. But 1 day out of 12 years, "sorry you had your chance." I've done dashes in Camry, sienna, and 4 runner all for cracking covered by a warranty enhancements.

But then, when we see a common problem rooting about, nothing from Toyota. Not one word about it.

[LIBRILZ]

Crazy. I have had a Z32 300zx, S14 240sx, Y33 Q45, a 97 and 2001 I30, and none of them have had their transmissions replaced, The Q45 was starting to show some issues with it's transmission, but it could've just needed a new filter or something. The car had 275K on it anyways. And both the I30s had over 200k without any engine or transmission problems..looks like I'll be sticking to the older Nissan products, or Infiniti, although as a recent owner of a Y50 M45, there are some areas I notice cost cutting or areas the car lacks in compared to my old 01 I30, hell the I30 and Q45 had a better sound system in my opinion

[centralcoaster33]

We got a Versa a few years ago and it has a normal automatic and seems pretty solid. It's for the wife and she didn't want a stick. Looking at the current Versa's, I don't see the old automatic available anymore, just CVT or manual, so we'd have to find and buy something else.

My Toyota Camry goes through oil like crazy. In just 3K you can't detect a drop of oil in there. There was a recall where you take it to the dealership and they measure the amount of oil lost over 1K miles, then might rebuild your engine to replace the bad piston rings. Yeah, the dealership pretty much makes sure you don't loose that much oil during their testing. If I'd bought the thing full price, I'd be hiring a lawyer to look into the shady dealership, but the car was a steal of a deal and I'll just add oil until it falls apart.

Between emissions, safety and zero effort to educate drivers, new cars will continue to get crappier and crappier. And inflation is just cutting into their inherent value anyway. Why would anyone want a new one? Perhaps as a foundation to build something cool I guess, or just not caring in the first place.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Why would anyone want a new one?

There's still a few good cars out there. I'm pretty satisfied with my newest purchases (C7 vette and Ford Focus ST... both stick shift), however I really can't find anything in the pickup market that interests me. EVERYTHING is WAAAAYYYY too huge right now. Even the newer midsize trucks are too damn big.
The Frontier, which is almost old enough to buy cigarettes and p0rn is actually starting to become appealing just because everything else is so damn massive. Even that truck is too big though.

Anyway yeah, I worked on an 09 Altima tonight (wheel bearing, brakes, etc). Took it for a diagnostic spin and the CVT is acting funky. Doesn't seem to want to disengage coming to a stop, makes the engine bog/almost stall, etc. Told the owner I wouldn't put too much money into it, which apparently made her upset cos she just bought it. Ooops. Oh well.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Even the newer midsize trucks are too damn big.
The Frontier, which is almost old enough to buy cigarettes and p0rn is actually starting to become appealing just because everything else is so damn massive. Even that truck is too big though.

This so much.

The Frontier would be great with the 5.6 (which would also improve fuel economy) and the fact that the parts are 100% already tooled from the Last Real Pathfinder means there's no excuse for Nissan not doing it.

The Colorado is Too Damn Big and doesn't come with the 5.3 or the 6.2. Yes, the HFV6 is a great motor, no it's not suitable for a larger-than-midsize truck. And yes, the 2.5 Duratec is neat, but it's not for everyone.

The new Ranger will also be Too Damn Big and, being a Ford product, will come with tiny turbo motors. If we're lucky, we'll get the 2.7 Ecoboost in addition to whatever turd of a 4-cylinder Ecoboost they slap in the crappy base-model. If we're unlucky, we'll get the old awful 3.5 that never seems to find its power even though Ford claims it makes a ton.

The Tacoma is a mess, and has the same problems as the Frontier in addition to the identity crisis that Toyota has given it as it tries to simultaneously civilize and truckify a dated truck that was never very good at either (previous Tacomas were great, current model is meh).

Thank Satan Dodge killed off the Dakota years ago. What a waste of steel and crappy Jeep V8s.

The Perfect Truck For Me would be a truck the size of the last Ranger, with an LT1, fully-boxed frame, solid axles at both ends, a regular cab with compact storage behind the seats, a long bed, 4WD with an actual t-case shifter (no electronic s*** with solenoids to fail in 10 years), a cloth-and-plastic interior that I can hose down guilt-free, a 6 speed manual, adjustable bucket seats with tilt-telescoping wheel, and 2-4 speakers. I don't want a gorram luxury truck but I DO want good ergonomics.

[AZhitman]

Go grab an 87 Toyota SR5, swap in a proper engine and trans, and drive it until you're 90.

[AZhitman]

Other than the incessant whining about the Frontier platform being long in the tooth, I can find no fault with it. Our 05 was just so ridiculously good - at everything.

Enough so that we just ponied up silly money for a 14 Xterra.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I friggin' loved the Frontier I rented a while back. No single item was outstanding but the whole package was excellent. The ONLY complaint I had was that the VQ40 gets V8 fuel economy and doesn't quite offer V8 torque. Of course, that's true of all midsizers, so I can't fault the Frontier for it specifically. But a VK56 would sure have solved that issue.

I don't think My XR500 would have come close to fitting in the shortbed (mine was a crew cab or whatever Nissan calls it) but I wouldn't get four doors if I bought one, so that's not a big deal.

Go grab an 87 Toyota SR5, swap in a proper engine and trans, and drive it until you're 90.

I have had two truck projects on my mind lately:
1: A mid-90s Ranger prerunner with an LS or LT swap.
2: A turn-of-the-century Silverado prerunner.

I also want something with 4WD for winter and serious work-offroading, so maybe a prerunner Ranger AND a mostly-stock Silverado or Ram?

[Kompresshun]

The VK56 does swap into the Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra but I don't know that I'd bother. It's fuel economy isn't much better. It still is one of my favorite platforms though and my Pathfinder has been a fine example of that. Unless Nissan finally grows a pair again though, it will likely get replaced with a Toyota next time sadly since they are the only ones left that have a clue how to make something rugged that isn't massive. Hopefully that won't have to happen for a long time though.

Heck, my 94 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 feels like it has a stronger transmission than most Nissan garbage and Dodge transmissions of that era were pretty awful.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The VK56 does swap into the Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra but I don't know that I'd bother. It's fuel economy isn't much better.

No, but it's not WORSE, despite making SIGNIFICANTLY more power. THAT is the point. I'm not talking about an engine swap. I'm talking about Nissan doing things right (or not) in the first place. Should be a factory option. Why put a smaller motor in something if there's no benefit whatsoever? Displacement is not the inverse of efficiency and I wish automakers would quit acting like it is.

[AZhitman]

It is. I have both, but you're right - it should have been more than an experimental low-production automatic-saddled SUV.

Our Fronty got 16-20mpg, and the Titan gets 15-19. I drove the Fronty harder (since it handled way better).

To be fair, absent the automatic, the 4-liter was plenty of power for the Fronty... enough such that she'd boil 20's all the way thru first and chirp 2nd hard.

[Kompresshun]

The VK56 does swap into the Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra but I don't know that I'd bother. It's fuel economy isn't much better.

No, but it's not WORSE, despite making SIGNIFICANTLY more power. THAT is the point. I'm not talking about an engine swap. I'm talking about Nissan doing things right (or not) in the first place. Should be a factory option. Why put a smaller motor in something if there's no benefit whatsoever? Displacement is not the inverse of efficiency and I wish automakers would quit acting like it is.

I wish it were an option too, but it doesn't appear they're ever going that direction. Obviously most of the automakers aside from Dodge give a s*** about real power across their lineup.

Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep may still not be a favorite, but they're sure not shy about dropping fun powertrains in vehicles you'd never expect to have them. Just seeing them drop the 6.4L V8 in the Durango and the Hellcat into the Grand Cherokee in the past year alone is evidence of that. They may be heavy, but that Jeep is a bad b**** for a family hauler.

Our Fronty got 16-20mpg, and the Titan gets 15-19. I drove the Fronty harder (since it handled way better).

To be fair, absent the automatic, the 4-liter was plenty of power for the Fronty... enough such that she'd boil 20's all the way thru first and chirp 2nd hard.

My Pathfinder averages around 14-15mpg, but i'm hard on it most of the time too, so I can't exactly be upset at it.

Honestly, even the automatic isn't awful for what it is. Once I threw a tune on the Pathfinder and removed wide open throttle restriction, it has a lot of damn balls for a 7 seat 4x4 SUV. It surprises a lot of people, even at 157k miles. Would I like more power? Of course I would, but getting the horsepower i'd want in a package like the Pathfinder isn't cheap or easy so i'll live with my measly V6

[RicerX]

My 17 Titan Pro4X is getting 15-17 around town if I'm not completely flogging it (That's usually good for 12 so far). The key is the transmission - the 5AT in the Frontier is pretty ancient. With the Frontier at roughly 1000lbs lighter than the current Titan, just stuffing the 7AT with its ratios would be a nice update. Add the V8 to it? MONEY. Nissan won't do it because I imagine it would probably cannibalize Titan sales, and they're all in on the Titan right now.

I got the Titan because I wanted the room in the cabin for car seats and the extra power (it fits my long game for getting back into a sports car better too - I will not outgrow this truck). The fuel economy (auto to auto) was a wash between the Frontier and Titan. So for around 10% more money (with incentives on the Titan) I could have a truck that accelerates better and brakes the same, but has more hauling/towing capability, better interior capacity, better warranty, and better overall equipment? It was tough to justify a Frontier for my needs. Yeah, going from a Q50 to a Titan was complete and utter culture shock, but so far, I know I made the right move. The only full sized half ton on the market that outperforms the Titan in driving dynamics is the F-150 ecoboost with the 10 speed, but in 10 years of crap in and out of the truck bed, I think the Titan will win the long game over the aluminum Ford box.

The Frontier is a great truck, but needs some love... though I don't have faith in Nissan giving it the right kind of love. I'd be wary of them trying to cut into a Honda Ridgeline niche and build the next Frontier on the Rogue platform.

[Kompresshun]

I've been torn with going to a truck myself eventually - likely when the Pathfinder finally wears out. I really enjoy driving crew cab 1/2 ton pickups, but i'd likely have to give up two of my vehicles to own one, simply for space at the house. Other than that, I find myself really at home in them. Considering where my career is heading, i'm likely going to need a truck at some point regardless.

It just honestly makes zero sense to buy a Frontier sized truck IMHO, when for just a little more you can step into a much larger truck, with a V8, more cargo space, and more towing capacity. Even the Tacoma, Colorado, and Canyon make very little sense. I can get a Silverado for maybe $3,000 more than a Colorado, so why in the heck would I buy the smaller truck? Plus if i'm buying a smaller truck, why in the heck am I buying a truck in the first place? Which is why I originally bought the Pathfinder... I didn't see any sense in paying what mid-sized trucks were going for and I did not really want a full size truck at that time because everything I could afford had 150k+ miles on it.

I'd be wary of them trying to cut into a Honda Ridgeline niche and build the next Frontier on the Rogue platform.

You shut your whore mouth

[Ace2cool]

Why would anyone want a new one?

There's still a few good cars out there. I'm pretty satisfied with my newest purchases (C7 vette and Ford Focus ST... both stick shift), however I really can't find anything in the pickup market that interests me. EVERYTHING is WAAAAYYYY too huge right now. Even the newer midsize trucks are too damn big.
The Frontier, which is almost old enough to buy cigarettes and p0rn is actually starting to become appealing just because everything else is so damn massive. Even that truck is too big though.

Anyway yeah, I worked on an 09 Altima tonight (wheel bearing, brakes, etc). Took it for a diagnostic spin and the CVT is acting funky. Doesn't seem to want to disengage coming to a stop, makes the engine bog/almost stall, etc. Told the owner I wouldn't put too much money into it, which apparently made her upset cos she just bought it. Ooops. Oh well.

Funny story, we traded in an 09 altima for the sentra. It was absolutely worse than the sentra. The CVT didn't do anything "weird" like the sentra but just didn't feel right. Just no power and lack of response. Of course it was coupled to the horridly underpowered 2.5L.

[Desert Rat]

Ah, the topic of trucks.....Just don't wheel a D40 very hard. The front axle is an aluminum R180 and stresses will crack them like an egg. When they switched over from the D22 platform, they added 85HP and put in the smallest axles they could find. The D44 rear seems to hold up OK (unlike the Titan axles which have had tons of failures with guys who actually use the trucks to tow the rated amount). This would only be due to the fact it's a smaller, somewhat lighter truck that typically isn't used for heavy towing.

Frontiers are still OK trucks but they don't compete with the Tacoma in resale. Not even close. You'd have to get a smoking deal on one to make the Frontier purchase worth while, and then plan to drive the wheels off it. If you are a trader inner, the Frontier is a terrible deal compared to a Taco, no matter how good the truck is.

I too wish the solid front axle would come back. I've SAS'd a few D22s myself, and we've got literally hundreds of them over on N4W that have been SAS'd over the years. You'd think manufacturers would notice this. Jeep is at last making a Wrangler pickup in 2019 that satisfies almost all my wildest dreams about what an OEM should do. The problem with it is that it's still a fricking Jeep.

Toyota got the mini truck exactly right from 1979-1985. It's the gold standard. Underpowered but otherwise basically bulletproof and simple as they should be.