Change in plans (kinda long)

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Awhile back, I sold our 2K Xterra in anticipation of receiving an 04 Nissan Titan. We factory ordered it to get the exact options, color etc. and didn't mind the wait. Well it finally came in on Friday and I went over to the dealer after work to pick it up. It was everything we ordered except......it was 4WD. My wife didn't care but I wanted a 2WD for a few reasons. To boot, they wanted to charge me the full difference between the 2 & 4WD! I said no thanks and left fairly pissed off. By the time I got home the sales manager had called 3 times. He said come back in and we would "work things out". Now I like my dealer, they have done very well by me for the 4 other cars I bought there, so I figure I'll hear them out.

Next day I go back with the wife and sit down to hear the sob story. Seems the admin office screwed up the order and speced the 4WD. I said that it was ok and was willing to take the truck, just do something for me to make the difference less painful. $500 was all they would budge. I'm stubborn so got ready to walk. Wife is out in the lot looking at Quests (egads! not a mini-van!) They had just rolled a Green Tea SE off the truck yesterday and had it all cleaned up. She was fairly excited and wanted me to take a look. Sorry, no mini-van in this family. My sales guy offered a test drive so I reluctantly went along for the ride.

Stubborn or not, it now sits in the driveway. Despite the instant 10 point drop in the coolness factor just for being a mini-van, this thing ain't too bad. Lots of bells and whistles and gadgets to keep me busy for awhile but the best feature, the VQ35DE under the hood. I'll spare you all the ramble of neat stuff but will say I'm warming up to it (I will NOT say publicly that I like a friggin mini-van
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). They did do us right by the price, $32770 out the door so it kinda makes up for the Titan screw up.

My nephew just started driving and has wanted my Tacoma since day one. I'm going to sell it to him (a truck has to stay in the "family") next week and get MY new car. 04 Sentra Spec-V (listening Bror?). I've always liked that car. Now that we'll have access to a truck when we need one, and with gas prices the way they are, it makes sense for me to get back into a small sporty car that I like. Take delivery next week, no ordering, it was on the lot
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Thanks for listening, it was long I know
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quote:

Originally posted by eljefino:
-- your nissan dealer doesn't know the difference between 2wd and 4wd.

-- upset by their incompetence, you buy not one Nissan but two from them.


FWIW, my sales guy and the general sales manager have been there for quite some time and they are the ones I have dealt with since day one. The admin boob has been there only 3 months, so in their defense it was an honest, albeit incompetent mistake. Thats why I calmed down and went back. They have always done well by me like I said and didn't think that warranted going somewhere else. The Quest makes 5 and the Spec will make 6. I am pleased with the Nissan product and will continue to buy from my dealer when I need/want another Nissan.

Not the ARX Frank-the Toyota isn't going far. Yes it will be hard to not see it in the driveway, but its going on 9 years old and I really need more room. Single guy with a regular cab and bench seat? No prob, actually good on dates. Married and have a kid? Kinda cramped and nowhere to put stuff. Yeah I know, what is all that space in the bed for? Well I don't like caps and stuff would get wet/stolen. Alas, time to move on
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-- your nissan dealer doesn't know the difference between 2wd and 4wd.

-- upset by their incompetence, you buy not one Nissan but two from them.

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huh?
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huh?
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huh?
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huh?

They are nicely engineered vehicles, good luck with them.
 
shortyb,
Ah, when we sold our Xterra, we found a decent 1997 Rav4 in the area that we bought. It's quite a bit smaller, so camping etc will be a little tougher, but I'm sure we'll manage.

The Quest is pretty neat as far as a minivan goes, and yes, that 3.5 liter is a nice engine. I have no idea on the pricing, but eek...32k for one of those things? Wow...I was cringing when I had the Xterra depreciation mobile...

Would I ever get a minivan? Personally, no, but like you, if the wife decides she wants one, I could see us getting one...heh, but I don't think anybody makes one with a manual transmission any more, so she prolly wouldn't be interested. The RAV4 is nice, but I'm not crazy about it...the mileage is just ok (28-30), but she likes it and finds it peppier than her old Civic.

Good deal on the Sentra, Bror likes his pretty well, I'm sure he'll chime in here soon.

Bogatyr
 
Bogatyr, I would have seen this thread sooner but the title of it was awfully vague. I had to be directed to it by another forum member.
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Geez, shortyb, what happened to the Maxima?
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Last I knew you still had that ... and were trying to sell it to Bogatyr.
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Yes, I like my ‘03 SpecV. It’s OK looking, not something to howl about (like many cars, these days) and is very quick for the price. Unlike some who’ve had transmission and catalytic converter problems, mine has been solid. The shifter isn’t great but it hasn’t consumed a drop of oil to date and I have nearly 18,000 miles on the clock.
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It was cheap and the fact that it has 4 doors increases the chance of an easy resale years from now.

But I was disappointed to see that Consumer Reports has downgraded their opinion of the Sentra based on problems with the ’03 cars and no longer recommends it.
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One thing I don’t care for on the ‘04s is that big “tooth” in the grill. *** was Nissan thinking? P.D. Cunningham has had this on his since 2003. What color are you going to get? My biggest misgiving about my car is that I got black … and not that cool metallic blue which was offered. I couldn’t see it in person and was afraid it would be too bright based on what it looked like in the brochure. Seeing one or two up close shows me the mistake I made.
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Oh, and I haven’t been shopping for minivans lately (thank God) but the worst thing I know about the Quest is the ***** huge Nissan emblem on the back. I was bearing down on one the other day on the highway and, from a distance, thought it might be a UFO attacking some soccer mom and her kids. When I got closer I discovered it was just a Nissan stylist assaulting good taste in general.
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I’ve been sorely tempted to grind off my grill emblem. I could always re-attach it later with little bolts/screws but so far I’ve put it off. Gawsh, it’s the ugliest emblem in the automotive industry today ... and they compound the problem by making them HUGE!
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--- Bror Jace
 
Bror-I hated losing the Max but since we are buying a house, 2 (big) car payments wouldn't fly with the mortgage company. Plus the insurance, taxes, etc. Oh well. The Sentra will be paid for out of proceeds from selling our townhouse. That way we keep any new loans off our credit report til after settlement. Fortunately, we did not take a bath with selling the Max either. A local buyer took it off our hands for 20K. That is about what we owed.

Regarding the Sentra, I had an 02 Spec (ironically traded for the Max) that was absolutely bomb-proof. No oil consumption, transmission was fine, and when they did the recall on the cat/ecm flash, no degredation of the catalyst core was found. I'm with you on the emblem thing, the designers are in the cheap drugs again. Reminds me of when the Beasty Boys were wearing MB stars as necklaces
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. I have found a couple of companies that have prototype grill inserts to get rid of the "bucktooth" and will probably do something like that. I am getting the sapphire blue color. I was skeptical just going by the website color swatches but when I saw it in the flesh, wow. Not too bright, just a cool, metallic, medium blue. I'd better make this one a good decision, won't be getting another car for quite sometime.

Schmoe-Definately a polarizing design, ya hate it or ya love it. I like it because it is bold and edgy. And the divorce thing? Well it was to be her car no matter what, I just had her talked into the truck because we were getting rid of MY car
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T-Keith- Don't know
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I think the Honda, Toyota, and the Pacifica, comparably equipped are even more expensive
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Seems like ALL manufacturers are doing the large emblem thing. Look at Honda and Fords, they are a lot bigger than they were a couple of years ago. OMG, you got talked out of a truck for a mini-van??? Man, that would be the grounds for divorce.
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I've been a die hard loyal Ford/GM truck person and will probably always be, but is it me or is that Titan kind of ugly? Lot bigger, that's for sure.
 
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