Chris C
Member
Well, it has been an interesting 4 years with the Navara, but it’s time has run and it is going early next month (Nov 2015)
A run down on the good, bad and ugly, all just my observations from 4 years of using my ute for 95% of my driving time.
Good Points:
Fuel economy: For how I drive, the accessories I have fitted it is very good. I will miss that.
Average for last 44,000 km is 8.1 lts per 100 km, it averages 13 lts per 100 towing a 2.1t duel axle Jayco caravan (full height) at speed limit.
Reliability: 176,000 km, it has NEVER let me down, it has gotten me home every time, I had one warning light, once.
I had some erratic power loss issues early on, but sorted it and never looked back.
Comfort: Given it was a few year old design when I got it in Aug 2011, it was still one of the nicest twin cabs to drive, the cab layout is nice, plenty of extra’s and all appears to work pretty well. I have been in new XLT rangers, 2015 Colorado’s and a few others, None are head and shoulders above it, the Ranger ride is harsh, but the Navara was very soft and bouncy on stock suspension.
Off Road ability: This one surprised me, on the beach, it is a beast, climbs like a mountain goat, big long soft hills are climbed easy, very impressed.
I go shooting a few times a year, always loaded up, never misses a beat, the place we go is very steep and rocky on a clay base, Navara eats it up, towing heavy trailer full of wood, all too easy, it really did surprise me how well it goes off road.
Not so good: The things I didn’t like list.
Headlights: They are crap, I tried many different bulbs, I have adjustable headlights ones, just not happy with them, low beam is very poor on drivers side, a huge hole with zero light in it.
Brakes: Not only a Navara issue, all small Jap duel cabs are the same, drum rears and smallish front discs don’t inspire confidence when loaded or towing.
Stereo: No Bluetooth audio streaming is a joke too, no USB input either, the ST got a better stereo than the STX, who wants a 6 disc CD player, I haven’t bought a CD since early 2000.
The UGLY: The things that really P#*%*d me off.
Built Quality: Small thing like Pipes and hoses not mounted into their clamps fully, Pipes rubbing under the engine bay, causing rattles that drove me insane trying to track them down.
I had a low power/erratic power issue for over 30,000 km, it was sending me crazy, Nissan service were useless, it nearly got me killed twice when it died in the ass half way through overtaking. It was only a long, frustrating afternoon pulling apart every electrical connector and cleaning them to try and solve the issue, let me find it.
The rod from the variable vane turbo actuator had NEVER been fitted to the turbo arm. Hard to explain, but the actuator rod was just on sitting on the turbo arm, it spent most of its time in the Boost position, but it would at random times, drop all boost, only turning off the car and restarting it would fix it.
To fit the arm I had to unbolt the actuator, to allow enough travel for it to fit, there is next to zero clearance, there is no way it had fallen off, it was just never fitted. I would love to know how many are driving around like it, I have seen one more Navara like it since fixing mine. VERY Poor, very dangerous.
3 minuted to fix but put a very sour taste in my mouth regarding Nissan.
Will I buy another Nissan? Not likely, not unless they come out with something pretty amazing, the new NP300 doesn’t do anything for me, it is even “softer” then the D40.
I did not like the Navara for a long time after buying it, I was very annoyed with it for the reasons noted, I was annoyed with myself for buying it with driving it. After I sorted the rattles and power issues, I started to enjoy it, it does everything I ask, but a very sour taste remains towards Nissan, mainly due to the poor service.
I will miss it, I think.
By the way, If anyone want to buy it, it is available until the middle of next month, when it will be traded in.
176,000km
Mods as per signature.
$15,500. Has Aug 2016 NSW rego.
A run down on the good, bad and ugly, all just my observations from 4 years of using my ute for 95% of my driving time.
Good Points:
Fuel economy: For how I drive, the accessories I have fitted it is very good. I will miss that.
Average for last 44,000 km is 8.1 lts per 100 km, it averages 13 lts per 100 towing a 2.1t duel axle Jayco caravan (full height) at speed limit.
Reliability: 176,000 km, it has NEVER let me down, it has gotten me home every time, I had one warning light, once.
I had some erratic power loss issues early on, but sorted it and never looked back.
Comfort: Given it was a few year old design when I got it in Aug 2011, it was still one of the nicest twin cabs to drive, the cab layout is nice, plenty of extra’s and all appears to work pretty well. I have been in new XLT rangers, 2015 Colorado’s and a few others, None are head and shoulders above it, the Ranger ride is harsh, but the Navara was very soft and bouncy on stock suspension.
Off Road ability: This one surprised me, on the beach, it is a beast, climbs like a mountain goat, big long soft hills are climbed easy, very impressed.
I go shooting a few times a year, always loaded up, never misses a beat, the place we go is very steep and rocky on a clay base, Navara eats it up, towing heavy trailer full of wood, all too easy, it really did surprise me how well it goes off road.
Not so good: The things I didn’t like list.
Headlights: They are crap, I tried many different bulbs, I have adjustable headlights ones, just not happy with them, low beam is very poor on drivers side, a huge hole with zero light in it.
Brakes: Not only a Navara issue, all small Jap duel cabs are the same, drum rears and smallish front discs don’t inspire confidence when loaded or towing.
Stereo: No Bluetooth audio streaming is a joke too, no USB input either, the ST got a better stereo than the STX, who wants a 6 disc CD player, I haven’t bought a CD since early 2000.
The UGLY: The things that really P#*%*d me off.
Built Quality: Small thing like Pipes and hoses not mounted into their clamps fully, Pipes rubbing under the engine bay, causing rattles that drove me insane trying to track them down.
I had a low power/erratic power issue for over 30,000 km, it was sending me crazy, Nissan service were useless, it nearly got me killed twice when it died in the ass half way through overtaking. It was only a long, frustrating afternoon pulling apart every electrical connector and cleaning them to try and solve the issue, let me find it.
The rod from the variable vane turbo actuator had NEVER been fitted to the turbo arm. Hard to explain, but the actuator rod was just on sitting on the turbo arm, it spent most of its time in the Boost position, but it would at random times, drop all boost, only turning off the car and restarting it would fix it.
To fit the arm I had to unbolt the actuator, to allow enough travel for it to fit, there is next to zero clearance, there is no way it had fallen off, it was just never fitted. I would love to know how many are driving around like it, I have seen one more Navara like it since fixing mine. VERY Poor, very dangerous.
3 minuted to fix but put a very sour taste in my mouth regarding Nissan.
Will I buy another Nissan? Not likely, not unless they come out with something pretty amazing, the new NP300 doesn’t do anything for me, it is even “softer” then the D40.
I did not like the Navara for a long time after buying it, I was very annoyed with it for the reasons noted, I was annoyed with myself for buying it with driving it. After I sorted the rattles and power issues, I started to enjoy it, it does everything I ask, but a very sour taste remains towards Nissan, mainly due to the poor service.
I will miss it, I think.
By the way, If anyone want to buy it, it is available until the middle of next month, when it will be traded in.
176,000km
Mods as per signature.
$15,500. Has Aug 2016 NSW rego.
