Versa owner looking for a Safe, Secure SUV for my Girlfriend

[NY.AD.MAN]

Hey guys,

I'm originally from up North (Baltimore, D.C., New York), and my girlfriend needs a new car BAD! Currently she has a Nissan 240SX (1995 S14) and we're moving back up to Washington D.C. before the end of next year!

What I want to know is a couple things:

- How do you guys like your Rogues after a bit of ownership?- Is there anybody who already has aftermarket wheels?- How's it handing up North?

Thanks, it's been a stressful look since she doesn't like anything usually (within our price range), but she liked the Rogue...

[SkiHound]

If you go through this forum you'll find some threads on likes and dislikes. I have a little over 2000 miles on mine and overall I'm very happy so far. Probably my biggest dislike, and it made me think about buying the car, is the rear window and rear visibility. The side mirrors are fairly large and if adjusted to the driver it's not a big problem and I've gotten used to it. But rear visibility is not as good as in some other vehicles I've driven. I think the trip computer is too small (I am far sighted) and not real convenient. I miss not having a little tray on the left of the dash for coins and tokens (previous vehicle had it and I miss it). There's quite a bit of engine noise when accelerating fairly hard, though that's true of most 4 cyl vehicles. The glove box is so large you could get lost in there. Why is there no automatic shut off for the headlights? OTH, I really like the way the car rides and drives. We've done two fairly long ski trips already and my wife and I have both found the Rogue very comfortable. I test drove the major competitors (CR-V and Rav4) and think the Rogue handles much better. It's just more fun to drive. And while there's some engine noise under acceleration we find the vehicle very quiet at cruising speed. Some folks have some issues with the interface on the Bose audio system, and while it won't compete with a high end aftermarket system, it blows away the sound systems of competitors in this price range. We've found the keyless entry system very convenient. Overall, the positives far outweigh what I perceive to be fairly minor negatives. None of the competitors in this price class are without flaws. Long term reliability is yet to be determined but if my Rogue is reliable in the long term I'm confident I'll be very happy with it.

[NY.AD.MAN]

Thanks for the info!

We did drive and absolutely loved the feel of the Rogue! I also could really appreciate the innovative styling, but I am weary of buying an SUV. The visibility is one issue that I'm not comfortable with.

My girlfriend has already hit a gas station pole when driving a car, I'm worried that without ample visibility, she'll hit something much more expensive... Personal responsibility accounts for most, but I don't want to increase the chances.

Also, what about inclimate weather conditions? How well does it handle, and has anybody put wheels on it, I want to see what it would look like.

[Derango]

Also, what about inclimate weather conditions? How well does it handle, and has anybody put wheels on it, I want to see what it would look like.

It handles well in the snow up in New York state, so I'd imagine it could handle anything that DC could throw at it. I was there on vacation in March and they were freaking out about a "blizzard" that dropped a total of 1 inch of snow on the ground.

Unreal coming from Upstate New York

[SkiHound]

In terms of inclement weather. I don't have a lot of experience yet. We went up some fairly icy driveways on our last ski trip and it cruised right up. We had some somewhat slippery roads one day and it seemed to handle it well. My take on AWD on bad roads is that it can be a double edged sword. I've driving a front wheel drive on some really awful roads with lots of SUVs passing me. But it always seems that the majority of cars in the ditch are all wheel drive SUVs. They can give a false sense of security. They certainly help you get going and keep going, but it doesn't help you stop. I do think the VDC could help if you get in trouble on bad roads. Real winter tires wil really improve the performance of any vehicle on icy/snowy roads. That said, I think the Rogue will be pretty decent on bad roads.

[lozen13]

All us Iceback Canadians who are driving in real winter conditions love it. AWD makes the difference. Your Girlfriend will love it

[lewtrek]

- How do you guys like your Rogues after a bit of ownership?- Is there anybody who already has aftermarket wheels?- How's it handing up North?

-had it 3 weeks not, and wifey loves it-the 17" wheels that come with the SL package are nice-handling, awd, braking are great. I feel much better knowing she's driving the rogue then the versa that she wanted to buy.

[Lakerfan1975]

1. I'm loving my Rogue. Have had it since Thanksgiving and can truly say that I have no major complaints.

2. Still have stock tires, but they are doing the job...even in snow.

3. I live in Colorado Springs, Co. and we've gotten probably 6+ inches of snow in the last week or so. I love how the Rogue handles the snow. Starting with 50/50 power to front and rear wheels really makes a difference. I love watching all of the FWD cars around me trying like mad to get some traction. I really haven't felt any slippage in any situation so far but I'm also not out there trying to be a race car driver in icy conditions either. If you drive like a sane person in this car you won't have any issues.

Note: I really don't have this problem with visibility that people are complaining about on this forum. If you know how to use your side mirrors and peak over your shoulder before a turn you'll be fine. I read about this issue before I even test drove the Rogue and found myself wondering what people were complaining about. I'm sure there are Suv's with more visibility out of the back but it isn't so bad that I find myself thinking about it.

[NY.AD.MAN]

Well, you guys have been awesome! Thanks for that...

We went by the dealership and i started talking with the salesperson and he gave this speech about how the Rogue is so new they couldn't possibly give a discount (which is bull, I used to be a car salesperson)...

...after two hours, I got him to 20K out the door for an SL with the wheel package and bluetooth!

Still waiting for confirmation of the vehicle, but I may end up being a new member of this Forum!

Girlfriend loves it, btw!

Still, I'm a Nissan fanatic, so I won't be buying Honda or Toyota any time soon, so I can safely say the the Rav4 and the CRV are no longer on the list...