One good thing that I want to share is that the fuel is ok; so far in 7156 miles the average is 22.10/gallon. Not so bad; isn’t it.

One recommand is that the doors won’t be locked automatically after you drive or start the engine.

Over all I will give my 2007 Murano SL a score of AA-. It is a good car.

As for the Murano, just bought an AWD ‘07 last week. I LOVE the smooth transmission…I guess I’m beyond the need to yank my neck and body around when snapping gears…I never speed; learned years ago to just leave the house earlier; and besides, the moron that races away from the light will be waiting for you when you get to the next one.

The Murano has GREAT leg room (I’m fat) GREAT rear room (my 13 year old son is already wearing a size 14 sneaker…) and is WAY more comfortable and easier to enter and exit than my 2000 Chevy Tahoe Z71 which it replaced. The fit and finish are tight (as one would expect from Nissan) and we’ve been VERY happy with Nissan’s quality in the past. My wife has a base line Sentra 1.8 which she bought brand new (05 model) in October of 04; it now has 220,000 miles on it and still drives like new…except she’s on her 3rd set of tires (yes that’s right ONLY 3 sets…Goodyear triple tread, rotated every 6 weeks along with an oil change…which is about 7500 miles…yes she drives a lot).

I am looking foreword to using the AWD in the snow…none yet, but it has ample room, gets MUCH better gas mileage than the Tahoe, and quite frankly is designed better. For the price, the Tahoe was a bit of a disappointment…too many squeeks, cheap brake release lever broke often…ALL window motors replaced more than once…sorry Chevy, it was a letdown.

Do you have any idea what you are talking about? This is nonsense. Have you even driven a CVT equipped vehicle, let alone a Murano? There is no struggle going up hills – unless there is a technical problem with the transmission. The whole point of a CVT is it can adjust the gear ratio for the situation seamlessly – which it does. No rubber, no slip, just goes. Better fuel mileage also. Nissan has converted its entire product line of cars to CVT – and more makers will follow.

However, imagine that the gear is like a rubber attached between two pulleys-the gear cannot suddenly jump from one torque band to another like convetional A/T and nissan EGR valves, just like the bike’s. Hence, the problem with Murano and Audis.

It’s also truly a rough slough on the reality of most US highways that are for the most part in mediocre condition and rough. I was exhausted after a road trip in my A4, but goddamit loved the Bose sound system. So my quest has been for a road car that doesn’t cost a fortune, doesn’t look like I belong to the Sopranos, or the mini-van crowd, and has a great sound system. My choices would be a Mercedes, or Lexus, or Lincoln Town Car, or some other monstrosity for true long distance driving, but then having to be laughed at for driving a retiree’s or police-wannabe car. Having said all that, I also don’t want to be cast with the mini-van crowd–gakkk! Lexus is also a great car but the cost is just too much for me to justify in a car. It’s great to spend the money but just ridiculous to throw it out the window for my ego. Audi, Mercedes, Lexus and BMW are always going to be there for that, and I can always go back to them when I need to be stroked.

Regarding the original review, I’m not sure where the reviewer lives, but we live in a major market, where our interstate system has a lot of trailer trucks. These days sitting in a car is like being a target so the SUV is where we want to be, up off the road more than a car. Again, the cost for an SUV either puts you in something ugly and low mileage, or in the poor house. I’m going to probably buy the Murano because it’s just about perfect in so many ways. Anybody who thinks we’re making a mistake please let me know. This is going to be our first Nissan, so we taking a risk on something we know little about.

What are my options? Most of the SUVs on the market are overpriced, expensive, or ugly, and a lot are pushed out for people who need approval from other people. I think the Infinity SUV is a cartoon car too, but having said that, most of the new Nissan line looks like cartoon cars–I told my wife that the other night in the dealer showroom! I had my fun with my Audi, but at the end of the day I need something today that gets us up off the road for safety, is able to work with real highways in the US, and is distinctive looking without being boring. I priced out a VW Tourage, and yes, it’s sharp and manly, but also 10K higher in price than the Murano, and less features. I can’t find a single SUV in the same price range as the Murano with as many features. I also went through two transmissions in my Audi, so I’m a bit apprehensive to jump back into another VW product.

So along comes this Murano thing. My wife and I are in our late 40s and each has definitely different tastes, but amazingly we agreed on the Murano. I don’t need to race track every stop light and impress the ganstas in their fast-and-furious beer-can-mobiles, I need something that can give us maximum gas mileage and allow us to go shopping without the trauma of where to put things. My Audi was simply ridiculous for most of what we need a vehicle for, and so the Murano has so many things to like, and the sound system is excellent. The A4 also was not as quiet on the road as the Murano. I know this is comparing apples to oranges, but the money spent is similar. If there is some reason we shouldn’t get the Murano other than being able to race track on city and interstate, please let me know.

I would suggest you may want to consider more than just looks. The seats may be nice but you may want a bit newer model if you are concerned. These cars should go well over 100k miles but the 2003 is the first Murano model year and are only just now showing any age related issues. A used car should be checked out well by a mechanic YOU know and trust. Period.

Also, a similar vintage Rav4 is a 4 cylinder and the Murano is a 6 so fuel consumption will be different. Basically, they are quite different vehicles.

I have a suggestion – I would certainly try another dealer or see a competent independant with the necessary OBD computer equipment. This is neither normal nor suitable (or safe) behaviour. Some dealers have better technicians than others – way better.

:)

Most car savants recognize that the basic classes of vehicles are quite clear on body style, and each body style comes in a variety of sizes. How tall your vehicle sits or where the engine sits does not define your vehicle body type. Driveline and structural underframe don’t define a vehicle body type, although it is rare for heavy work vehicles to be functional without a dedicated frame to handle heavy loads.

- a Utility Vehicle is a tough vehicle designed for general work, including towing. example: International Scout, Chevy Blazer, Willys GP. They used to be all two-doors, though modern Jeeps and Tahoes now have 4 doors plus a hatch in back.

- a Sport Utility Vehicle is a utility vehicle on steroids (like “sports car”). example: Lamborghini LM002, Porsche Cayenne Turbo. most vehicles advertised as “SUVs” are actually quite anemic UVs or wagons.

- wagons are 5-door cars with generous luggage space, usually not designed to tow heavy loads

- sedans are 4-door cars with a relatively smaller luggage space than a wagon

- coupés are sedans that have been “cut” to a two-door configuration

- hatchbacks or “shooting brakes” are 3-door cars with relatively generous luggage space

- trucks are open-bed vehicles designed for hauling and towing

- vans are tall vehicles with side access doors designed for hauling and towing

- a roadster is a car without a roof

- a convertible is a car that can be converted to a roadster

- a targa is a car with removable hard roof panels

- a limousine is a stretched luxury vehicle

and so forth. Coachbuilding terms like Landau and Brougham seem to have become obsolete.

Thus, a CUV is one of the above, USUALLY A WAGON.
A “crossover” is one of the above, USUALLY A WAGON.
Please discontinue using stupid newfangled terms for vehicle types that have existed for decades. In most cases, your fat, tall, oversized wagon is neither sporty nor utilitatian at all. Stop kidding yourselves.

Seems to be either love or hate. I can’t think of many that have been soooo controversial. …and, (including a near-brush with a car design career), I’ve been contemplating these things for most of my 48 years.

(Full disclosure: I rather dig it… admire it even! …I’ll spare the reader a detailed argument here for my already revealed subjective bias…)

As for the FX45 and the Murano appearing to be “badge engineered” twins…

It does remind me of the startling similarities between another Nissan, (nee Datsun), the 1976 F-10 (aka 120A FII coupe), in comparison to the 1935 Auburn 851 “Boattail Speedster”… See?: headlights, taillights, shiny hubcaps on all four (4) wheels?… Mere coincidence? I think not.

Test drive them both and you will see what I mean. We bought the FX35 it was no contest.

As I said before, lots of people don’t like this car, it was built with that in mind that it’d put alot of people off. I just happen to be one of those that really likes it (aside from the CVT torque sucker)

Lots of customers told me it was ugly and I accept that. It’s not foreveryone.