Thinking of possibly purchasing a Murano

[orangetd88]

Hi, newbie here. Just wanted to get your opinion overall on the Murano and how well some of the older models have held up over the years. I love the Murano and will be in the market soon for a new vehicle. I really want a crossover, and really like the FX35 as well. Just not sure if that would be worth the extra $ or not.

Your thoughts?

[nafddur]

Just wanted to get your opinion overall on the Murano and how well some of the older models have held up over the years.

I have an 04 SE that will be 5 years old in 2 more months and has 65K miles. It has been problem free, other than 3 (relatively painless) recalls. They were for the alternator, gas tank shield, and rear seat belt sleeves (to prevent chafing of the belts).

Wear items I have replaced to date, all within the past 10 months, were the battery, tires and brake pads. All of these could have gone farther - especially the brakes which were only about 1/2 worn out at 65K miles. I did the brakes myself for $50, the tires were $590, and I splurged on the battery (Optima red top for $120). I also recently spent my first $ at the dealer, to have the 2 accessory belts replaced and antifreeze flushed ($200).

We'll be driving our Mo from MA to NC (again) in a couple more months. So far, so good.

[orangetd88]

Thanks for the input. I'm used to dealing with brakes wearing out easily, so hearing that is a major plus. Doesn't sound like you've had any issues outside of the ordinary. That is great to hear.

[onceajrzgrl]

Hi, newbie here. Just wanted to get your opinion overall on the Murano and how well some of the older models have held up over the years. I love the Murano and will be in the market soon for a new vehicle.

Your thoughts?

Hi- had an 05 mo SL that I leased and had no issues at all except for normal wear and tear...it was a 3 year lease...had about 45000 miles when my lease ended...had to replace the battery @ 3 year mark...1 recall where they had to install a guard for the fuel tank, but other than that, i was happy...i have an 09 mo SL now...when my lease ended, the dealer gave me a better deal on the newer model with my maintenance plan incl in the monthly amortization. Do your research when you are ready to buy...i'm forever changed by Nissan and would never drive anything else...i don't think its worth to spend the extra $$$ on the Infiniti... good luck!

[nafddur]

Thanks for the input. I'm used to dealing with brakes wearing out easily, so hearing that is a major plus.

As with all other cars, driving style impacts brake wear on our Mo's as well. You'll see others on these forums who got far less than the 65K miles we got, and you'll see others who got more.

As I explained earlier, with a combination of city/highway driving, my pads still had life left in them when I changed them. They might not have gone as far as the original brakes on my current (95) Maxima - 92K on the fronts and 132K on the rears - but I'm confident they would have gone to 80-85K easily. In fact, the Mo rear pads are tiny, and (as with lots of other SUV's these days) were on track to wear out before the fronts.

My daughter and her spouse drive differently than my wife and I. They burned up the pads on her Quest in 30K miles. Fortunately (for them), brake pads are cheap and easy to change.

[Czarny_Orzel]

While I can't give you reliability information like the other here, I can give you a comparison idea. We traded our 05 Lexus RX for an 09 Murano LE, this after doing a lot of research on various crossovers. We reviewed and tested the Q5, the Venza, the MDX, and of course the 'new and improved' RX. What we found was that the handling and the interior of the Murano put all the others to shame, which the possible exception of the Q5 (and it’s a close call there). Now the Audi was fun to drive, but, it's smaller inside, controls are less than user friendly, and Audi wasn't dealing at all, basically here's the price, take it or leave it.

We bought our Murano LE at the beginning of last month and have had ample opportunity to take several trips. I'm astounded by the quiet ride (easily rivals the Lexus), and comfort, reasonable fuel mileage (we’re getting almost 24 MPG on the highway). It ain't bad looking either as opposed to the chipmunk on steroids look of the new RX! And, you’ll never lose it in a parking lot, cause nothing looks like a Murano, but a Murano!!! At any rate, we have not regretted our choice at all.

[orangetd88]

I actually drove an 09 Murano for a few weeks as a rental a few months ago while car was in the shop. I loved it and it is what turend me onto the crossover genre in general.

Needless to say, the rental place wouldn't have gotten it back had that been an LE with the navi. LOL

[Czarny_Orzel]

We have the Navi as well as the tech package, and I love it! You can teach an old dog new tricks after all! I'm even getting comfortable with the voice recognition - which works amazingly well. Baring anything unfortunate, we're very pleased with our Murano, and although I will admit to missing the Lexus Experience, I'm sure not going to miss the $150 oil changes.... Well, almost, we still have our GS AWD, which we will not give up - it's a wonderful sporty sedan with all wheel drive! How come Nissan doesn't come out with an Altima with AWD??

Anyway, back on topic - the new Murano is superbly screwed together, and fun to drive - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Cheers!

[orangetd88]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm leaning more toward the Murano. Seems to be the better deal.

[Desert Rat]

Haven't had our '07 for long, but we like it a lot.

[Flexdog6196]

I bought a 2009 LE in March. I have owned 2 Navigators and the Murnao is the best driving vehicle we have ever owned. Handles off road very well and the highway is where it excels. Plenty of room for 5. Love it. Good luck in getting what you want, hope it works out.

[Timmbo]

I think the '09 Murano is the best all around vehicle available for the price! You certainly can't go wrong.

[govols0511]

I owned an 03 SE for 6 years with no major problems and it was a great vehicle to drive. I then traded it in on an 09 LE AWD. While I'm happy with the ride and the way it drives, I don't think it was built with the same quality. Some cheap parts were used, and I have already developed an annoying rattle in the center console are (after 3,000 mile). Not so sure I would recommend the 09 at this point, although I will give it more time as I do love the Nissan products.

Doug

[brainguyus]

I've had my '09 for 14 months. It's an SL with all available options. I love the car and have never regretted my decision. It's the smoothest, quietest vehicle I've ever had and the gas milage is great for its size.

The only thing Nissan could have improved on is the paint. Due to the water based paint you'll notice more nicks on the front mask than you would otherwise. This seems to clear up after a few months since (I assume from what I've read) it take much longer for the paint to cure. You may want to go with a lighter color if this will bother you and you don't feel confident using a touch up pen.

Other issues I've had are...

1. Throttle body whistle. There is a service bulletin for this. This was quickly repaired by Nissan. I guess that any new Murano should already have this resolved.

2. Radio pre-set scan issue. There is also a service bulletin for this. Dealer had to update my audio software. This should also be resolved for the current Muranos.

3. I've had the check engine light come on 3 times since I've had the car. The code specified a small evap leak but the dealer could not locate until I left the car with them overnight with less than 1/4 tank of fuel. (of course, the light would always go out when I would go to the dealer ). I finally got around to dropping it off with them a couple of weeks ago and it turned out to be a small bypass valve that would only fail intermittently. A small quick fix.

[orangetd88]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I really like the Murano and it seems to be the better option as far as pricing goes. I am still shopping a bit and am probably gonna wait another month or two when the 10's have hit the lots in full swing and see what kinda deals I can get then.

[viperdoc]

I know my input is a little late, but I bought an 09 SL 3 months ago, and was torn between it and the FX as well. There were definitely things about the FX that would have been preferable, but nothing worth the $11k price difference. The FX does ride more like a sports sedan (in other words "bumpy"), it does out accelerate the murano (by 0.5 seconds to 60 from most reviews I read), and does corner better than the murano (skid pad difference was .03 G). Performance wise there was not an 11K difference in my opinion. The styling of the FX was much more aggressive than the Murano, and driving an infiniti does come with it perks- free loaners, extra year of warranty, etc. Honestly, if it hadn't been for the visibility issues in the FX I would have gotten one. The hood on the FX is SOOOOO long (since it is on the FM platform, I believe), I had a heck of a time seeing what was in front of me, particularly when I was trying to get into and out of driveways. The door sills are VERY high as well, and while it does make you feel more like you are in a sports sedan, I had a really hard time feeling like I wasn't going to hit something that I couldn't see. Also remember that the interior of the murano is virtually indistinguishable from the FX (due to ALL the same interior materials).

And since the reason I was getting rid of my G35 coupe was for the ride and quietness- both of which the murano excels in- it was an easy decision. And with the money left over, I upgraded my home theater system.

[orangetd88]

Not late at all. I still have yet to make a purchase, and will probably wait another month or two.

[kerrton]

For the extra $11 grand I would assume that the Infinity will have better build quality, more sound deadening material, and what abou the powertrain, do you prefer the CVT over a conventional auto? However, the Murano gets better gas mileage I believe. Also consider resale value, and ths depends on how long you typically keep your vehicle for. The Infinity of course also gives that unique image - it's a rare vehicle and turns heads when you go by, whereas there are thousands of Muranos on the road, but again that depends on how much you value owning a unique vehicle like that. Oh, also consider the cost of maintenance and parts/repairs, as Infinity could be more expensive (not totally sure, just something to check into), and the size of tires is something to consider, excessively large and oddball sizes are more expensive to replace. Good luck.

[orangetd88]

I really liked the CVT and the overall feel of the Murano when I rented one a few months ago. It's what made me consider it in the first place.

As for the "wow" factor...where I live and work, I see as many FX's as I do Murano. I am not trying to wow anyone here. LOL