2004 Nissan Quest LX review from North America

Only problems thus far (135,000 kilometres in Northern Ontario winters) have been:

-brakes needed to be changed recently due to general wear out & steering shake upon braking. All is fine since replacement.

- Minor adjustment to rear door lift.

- some front & rear suspension components replaced under extended warranty (160KM).

- read my story about Japanese vans and make money!

I own a small business that uses 3 minivans for staff travel around Ontario (a large area, salty roads in winter, blizzards, & frosty pot holes.) We started with Caravans (engines & transmissions rebuilt by 70,000km), then Windstars (head gaskets shot by 80,000km among numerous other problems). Having run a fleet of 20 full sized vans in the 70's I had become used to not expecting more than 3 to 4 years reliable life out of vehicles built by the old Big 3, especially in our climate & rougher road conditions.

So paying a loan on a vehicle was bound to be an ongoing expense to the bottom line of our businesses forever, because it seemed that just as a vehicle was paid off, its reliability for servicemen & salesmen to be on the road for extended distances was not worth the risk/hassle/cost in down time.

Then someone suggested I try a new Honda Odyssey in 2000, which I did, even though it cost a few thousand more. It ran very reliably. When our Windstar gave up at 88,000km I decided to try a Toyota Sienna 2001. It too runs great. I purchase them new to drive myself & then pass them on to my manager & salesman after they are paid off.

So keeping with the trend, the next van was a new 2004 Nissan Quest (might as well try all the `Japanese' designed vans, although many are built in North America). The Quest has 135,000Kms & I drive it now.

In the end of this story, all 3 have been great vehicles. The 2000 Odyssey has 270,000kms & has been utilitarian & bulletproof, no repairs other than brakes, although not a particularly fun drive.

Likewise for the 2001 Sienna at 250,000kms. It still rides as softly as the day I drove it of the dealer's lot, a bit too soft for my liking, but still bulletproof.

The 2004 Quest has been quite reliable thus far, although I suspect it is not built as strongly as the Honda or Toyota (but it has more features for less money). However the Quest is by far the most fun to drive. The massive mid seating space makes my elderly mother & mother-in-law thank me profusely when we take them on Sunday drives. I haul paper products everywhere I go & with the mid & rear seats folding into the floor it is terrific for my back. (I threw my back out years ago removing a Caravan seat). It flys like the wind, handles great & has a good sound system & quiet interior even at 130kms per hour. That Maxima engine is like Northern Dancer, the racehorse.

As for straight business economics I look at this way.

The Japanese vehicles were all paid off in 3 years. The Honda & Toyota have been nearly repair free. I can't believe their resale value as well at least in Canada. (We'll see how well the Quest does).

In the old days we could never get out from under those loan payments - just as a vehicle was paid of it was too unreliable to keep for commercial purposes- so we had to buy yet another one.

With the Japanese models mentioned, they actually each make us money in that we are not having to pay our ongoing loan/lease payments every month for replacement vehicles as was common practice in years prior. Maybe that's why the Yellow cabs in New York city are switching to Toyota vans?

Where previously I'd be paying about $2,700 per month in payments ongoing year after year to keep 3 reliable vans on the road in harsh conditions, I've earned that much back each month in direct positive cash flow by buying Japanese vehicles that run payment-free for years. Ask me how my staff feel when I give them a paid off vehicle to use that is worry free. Their problem now is that these 3 vans have been so good - that they won't be getting my current one for a long time.

PS. I also have a 1996 Dodge Ram diesel that I bought new to haul my boat & junk. The repair file on it (not the engine, which is phenomenal) is 3 inches thick. I've stupidly paid at least double its purchase price in repairs just to hear that Cummins roar to life each morning. Would I love to have that engine in a new full sized Toyota Tundra!!