Why we will part ways with our Rogue

[jhrain]

I am very sad... we are going to find a way to sell our Rogue. Not sure exactly when, but there are too many issues now that drive myself and my partner a little nuts.

1. Constant rattles throughout the interior a. Drivers side A and B pillar b. Drivers side dash speaker cover c. Console (we've even had Dealership address through SB) d. Passenger Seat. Dealership clearly hears the creaking and popping, and said it's a known issue, no suggestions e. Back Seat connectors rattle, we've subdued with small foam pieces but they are a work around solution f. Panel covering the spare tire (the back panel, not the tray

2. CVT Rattle that dealer has refused to address. Opened complaint with NISSAN and spoke to Regional Director who said the CVT's aren't failing so Nissan has chosen to do nothing else.

3. Lower Sill scratching. Yes, we could try the 3M Tape Solution and may still do so, who knows.

4. Gas Mileage that has gotten WORSE, not better, since we've purchased the car. From 25MPG down to 21.5 (driving is the same, fuel is same). We're talking mileage that is calculated after each fill-up (habit I got into waaaaaaaay back in high school). a. Dealership says vehicle is running exactly as designed and has been maintanted very well. b. Dealership has also confirmed nothing on diags when plugged in

5. BOSE Stereo is either of poor quality or the speakers are junk.. sure, might be an easy fix to replace them and see.. but why should anyone experiment with speaker replacement if the head unit isn't performing they way one would expect with the words BOSE written on them.

6. Last and the most critical for us... we just returned from our first long term road trip and after 1 hour the seats are painful. Our butts hurt.. period. There were 3 in the car taking turns driving and NONE of us could explain why on driver and passenger seat fatigue and eventually real discomfort.

2008 Rogue SL AWDMileage: 13,972Tires: Original

We have not decided yet when or how to sell this vehicle. We're not sure yet what to replace it with. We love the shape, space and driving dynamics and there isn't anything out there except the Infiniti version that meets what the Rogue provides.

We will probably lose money but I've tried all the fixes recommended through these forums and I'm not too crazy about NISSAN's recent change on the whole CVT issue. I don't understand why I have to have a complete failure before they will care.

If there was a way for me to address the seating issues, I would consider keeping our Rogue longer.

Cheers

[philipa_240sx]

Sorry to hear about all your troubles jhrain. It seems you just have not had any luck with your Rogue. I have not personally experienced many of the problems you have been having.

Good luck on your sale and future vehicle.

[koolyce]

I think the seat issue is totally personnal. I have a Rogue 2009 SL AWD full leather and I love my seat and I did some driving over 2-3 hours without any problem.

For the others issue, sorry to hear that.

[jhrain]

Koolyce... that's awesome to hear..

I'm 5'10", 195. My partner is 5'7" and 150 and my sister is 5'3 and 119lbs.

The lack of thigh support and the seats not being very deep were our biggest complaints. I think it's awesome that you have never felt the pain we three felt....

Gosh, I wonder if there was some modifications made to the insides of the seats at some point? If yes, they haven't been documented. Consider yourself lucky then...

We are going to miss this car. We LOVE how it drives and handles. When it's not creaking or making squeeks it's great car.
Modified by jhrain at 11:26 AM 8/3/2009

[sheaitisnotso]

Hi jhrain, sorry to hear about your disappointment with the Rogue. I'm 5'9", 170 and happen to think my 09 sl leather seat is very comfortable. I've taken my Rogue on a couple trips around 4 hours each way and had no problems.

As far as the random noises go, it's kinda funny because I drove an Xterra, which has a crack in the exhaust manifold by the way, before my Rogue and it was so loud all the time. Now with the Rogue being so quiet on the road I do hear little creaks here that I'm not used to but I don't think as bad as what you're describing.

Best of luck in your search for a replacement.

[Couz]

I get the interior creaks also, its not that bad but I'm really picky when it comes to this stuff.

I'm currently getting one coming from the dash area going over little cracks on the road here and there.

But what bugs me more is that this issue comes and goes, in the morning I hear nothing but it seems that these days it happens when it gets really hot outside, point being its so intermittent that I won't bother bringing it in because I know the creaking or ticking noise won't be occurring when they test drive it so why bother.

Cars have so many parts and they often do things depending on factors like weather etc...

I doubt I'll ever have a car that is 100% quiet, my old Acura made tons of interior noises due to that plastic interior, the Rogue is much the same, tons of plastic combined with heat or cold...

[philipa_240sx]

...it's kinda funny because I drove an Xterra, which has a crack in the exhaust manifold by the way, before my Rogue and it was so loud all the time.

Too funny, for some reason the Nissan VG30/33 motors (used from the 80's till the the last gen Frontier/Xterra) had issues with exhaust manifolds. Either the studs break or the manifold cracks. My '87 Pathfinder had the former... broken studs.

[takeshi]

Gosh, I wonder if there was some modifications made to the insides of the seats at some point? If yes, they haven't been documented. Consider yourself lucky then...

We haven't had any trouble with ours (even after a 3,000 mile road trip) and ours is a 2008. Sorry to hear you're having problems with yours!

We do have the driver's side speaker grille rattle and another from the dash.

As for the Bose sound system, well, Bose isn't high end despite how it tends to be packaged as the "high end" factory audio option on some makes.

[zakmartin]

With the exception of the CVT problems you're having, pretty much every car in this price range will have the same issues you're complaining about. I've found that one of the Rogue's downfalls is the fact that they've done so much to insulate the noise in the cabin, that even the slightest creaks and rattles are very apparent. If you look under the carpet on the floor, you'll see just how thick the noise insulation is.

As far as the seats are concerned, it's definitely a subjective judgment call. Compared to my 350Z, the leather seats on the Rogue are downright luxurious. I've never been uncomfortable in them, even on VERY long road trips. This was something I paid a lot of attention to on the test drive, since a good seat makes all the difference in the world. I decided to forego this concern when purchasing the 350Z in light of all its other positives. I can't drive the Z for more than a few hours before my back aches.

Also, compared to a lot of other cars I test drove, the Bose system in the Rogue is actually pretty good. The Bose in my 350Z was garbage, and I ended up gutting and replacing the whole thing. Generally, Bose does not deliver the premium sound they advertise, but all things considered, the soundscape isn't too bad in the Rogue. I think it has a lot to do with the improved quality of the front dash speakers at the A-pillars and the center front speaker.

Buyer's remorse does suck, and yes, you will lose money on the re-sale. Just remember to keep all the issues you're having in mind when you're hunting for your next car, and also remember that creaks and rattles usually show up well after the first test drive. Good luck!

[jhrain]

With the exception of the CVT problems you're having, pretty much every car in this price range will have the same issues you're complaining about. I've found that one of the Rogue's downfalls is the fact that they've done so much to insulate the noise in the cabin, that even the slightest creaks and rattles are very apparent. If you look under the carpet on the floor, you'll see just how thick the noise insulation is.

As far as the seats are concerned, it's definitely a subjective judgment call. Compared to my 350Z, the leather seats on the Rogue are downright luxurious. I've never been uncomfortable in them, even on VERY long road trips. This was something I paid a lot of attention to on the test drive, since a good seat makes all the difference in the world. I decided to forego this concern when purchasing the 350Z in light of all its other positives. I can't drive the Z for more than a few hours before my back aches.

Also, compared to a lot of other cars I test drove, the Bose system in the Rogue is actually pretty good. The Bose in my 350Z was garbage, and I ended up gutting and replacing the whole thing. Generally, Bose does not deliver the premium sound they advertise, but all things considered, the soundscape isn't too bad in the Rogue. I think it has a lot to do with the improved quality of the front dash speakers at the A-pillars and the center front speaker.

Buyer's remorse does suck, and yes, you will lose money on the re-sale. Just remember to keep all the issues you're having in mind when you're hunting for your next car, and also remember that creaks and rattles usually show up well after the first test drive. Good luck!

Wow.. I'm sure your intentions were kind, but I never solicited your free advice.

Are you kidding with the comment that every car in this price range will have the same problems? We've had 11 cars in 20 years.. My 1998 Honda Civic EX with 231,000 miles on it had NO squeeks or rattles. Our 1993 Sentra SE 2-Dr... more than 200k on it.. not a single interior squeek or rattle. 2002 Honda Pilot.. same.. I could go on and on... Some were MUCH less expensive.

I think Nissan did some great things with the Rogue. It just seems unifinished in the squeeking and rattling department... what a shame.. we will miss our Rogue.

[kerrton]

Good discussion. I would like to point out that you did solicit advice or at least discussion when you decided to post some strong opinions about problems you're having. No big deal, I'm glad everyone kept respectful.

I really wonder if your Rogue has some abnormal manufacturer defects because I get no rattles, squeeks whatsoever from the interior and I'm as picky as they come. I did have some noises outside the vehicle from the hood that was adjusted to solve the problem and some loose plastic shroud, but the interior is quiet. Also, complaints regarding interior squeeks are very rare on this forum so I really wonder if your interior was just built on a Friday before a long weekend??!!! Good luck with the next vehicle.

[zakmartin]

Wow.. I'm sure your intentions were kind, but I never solicited your free advice.

The minute you hit the post button, you solicited everyone's free advice. There's no need to be rude or obnoxious in your response.

[RogerRouge]

Wow, could anything else be wrong with your Rogue? I have 26,000 miles on our Rogue and can't be happier. Last fall we traveled 3,600 miles with five adults and loads of luggage. Put a basket carrier on top and off we went. I have had some pretty nice autos (Acura Legend, Cadillac Fleetwood, 2001 Acura Integra GSR and others). Deciding on the Rogue, I test drove the Rav, CRV, Forester and found the Rogue the best handling, steering, driving position, and brake feel. One of the deciding factors was the thigh length on the front seats and the width of the seat backs. The 3,600 miles trip confirmed the comfort of the Rogue. My wife and three small women in the back truly was a great test and the Rogue performed great. I do hear a noise in the CVT and have accepted it as a normal function. We drive often over mountains, and coming down hill the CVT uses it's "brain" to increase rpm's creating drag and reduces brake usage. Love it. Our Rogue is tight, fun to drive and looks great. (Except for the front, so I put a front black "bra" across grill. ) The only problem we have had is the air bag light sometimes will not go off. The sound system is a poor example of Bose, but hey, It's a cheap ride!

[crayb]

I agree that automotive interiors are better insulated now so it seals in noises that we previously didn't hear.

Every car is going to have some noise, none of them are completely silent. I've found the best fix for squeaks, rattles, etc. is the knob located on the stereo marked "volume".

Ray