blackArmada_DXB

dragonheart wrote: > dixon, hkakash and blackarmadadxb > Guys I don't drag race my car. Actually, I take really good care of my > Xterra. I am retired which means I do not really drive in rush hour > traffic. I have driven standard transmission vehicles all my life including > some very high performance ones and have never encountered any clutch > problems. Hence, whatever you gentlemen may think, no more Nissan for me. I > trust my ability to recognize incompetent engineering and inferior part > quality when I see it. > > > Harry > Thanks for the support buddy. It is a relief to know that at least someone > understands my stance. I really don't understand how my post was interpreted as one supporting Nissan/AWRostamani. I agree with you. No critical component in a Japanese car, nonetheless, should wear out in less than a few hundred thousand miles. Write to Nissan Middle East and express your dissatisfaction.

harry wrote: > Blackarmadadxb > > I test drove the car with the mechanic who did the clutch work, and he said > that these clutches should last at least sixty to seventy thousand which > really do not sound like a lot to me. My Toyota pickup has been running for > more than a hundred and fifty thousand and there are absolutely no problems > with the clutch. Why would I have TWO clutches go bad in less than thirty > thousand?? I have been driving manual vehicles for over forty years and > this is the first problem I have ever had. Sorry, but this IS a problem > with the vehicle. Hey, I am on your side. Its your car and you know how you've driven and maintained it. If you strongly believe it is a problem with the vehicle itself, you should write to Nissan Middle East. A bit of searching will get you their contact information. Not sure if anything will come of it, but it will be better than just ranting to a group of random people here. I don't mean any disrespect, but hey, if you wrote this to the concerned gentlemen at the relevant department(s) in Nissan, you would atleast stand a chance. Also my post was generally about Nissan vehicles. Mass production and the pressure to maintain/service the vehicle with minimal resources will produce bad results. Period. Which is why I urge everyone who writes to this forum with a problem similar to yours to write up to the management and/or consumer affairs department in the UAE. We have to break this notion that the dealers and manufacturers are above the law and/or fair judgement. Also, I don't buy the theory that driving in in half clutch destroys it. If that were the case, everyone would be replacing clutches at a faster rate than going through condoms. LOL.

Not "Toyota Sunny", "Nissan Sunny". LOL.

LOL. No way. Shocks fail first. Springs rarely "fail". Dont even think they can fail in the way described. Over time they lose their stiffness and become soft, but no way springs go soft before the shocks fail. Many other components at play here, like lower ball joint, upper ball joint, tie rods, etc. etc.

While you are in there and removing the air box, get yourself a CAI.. It makes better power and also gives you plenty of access next time you want to change out the bulbs. LOL.

Seems to me that the Defender had a shorter wheel base, bigger tires and more lift compared to the Patrol.

Yes. That's correct. Check your own fluid levels. Insist on receiPts and paper work citing all repair and maintenance done. Get consumer affairs involved in issues you deem unfair. Only you and I together can change the way these vehicles are serviced. Also keep an eye out for the new website launched by UAE government: recall.ae. If you feel that your car has a very serious issue that needs to be recalled, write to the website and make sure it is heard. Legal course is the only way to get things done in Dubai.

Unfortunately, that would mean that he has to stick with a Japenese sedan.

I don't know how you can say Nissans are reliable. Their SUVs suck big time. Maintenance is really high. My strategy from now on is to keep a car till its warranty/ SMC contract expires and then sell it and buy a new car. Period.

He didn't say he had over 2" of lift. If he can avoid spending $680+ shiPping, I think he should.

Front end squeaking while at low speeds and turning which eventually gets worse and causes vibration at high speeds is most likely due to your Ball joints in the Upper Control Arm. Nissans are notorious for that. Making any car off-road capable or not depends on a variety of factors. Lift, Power, Bigger/Wider tires, offroad rating of those tires, suspension travel length, anti-sway bar kit etc. Even with limiting factors, one can always offroad by knowing the limits of your car. I mean, there isn't a machine out there that can climb near 90* verticals for 1000s of kilometers! There's always a limit on the offroad capabilities of a car.

I have Bilsteins on my front and Ranchos in the rear and I have to say that the Bilsteins are in a class of their own. The Radflows and SAWs are a level higher and they can even be rebuilt. So, purchasing them guarantees you a lifetime replacement. In my opinion, getting Total Chaos UCAs are a waste of money unless you are going to do some serious offroading. Of course, if you have coil bucket contact, thats a different story altogether and you will need them.But stay away from the Ranchos. They are rubbish and I cant wait to get rid of them!

The problem is not with the vehicle itself. Unfortunately, the dealers in UAE are understaffed and under time pressure to finish the service and repairs quickly. They tend to overlook some minor details that require work and can be a potential issue in the future. The issue is not just with Nissan. It is also with Toyotas. The huge volume of vehicles and their service time is causing a degradation in service quality. Just buy a brand new vehicle(doesn't matter which one as all vehicles have their issue) and replace it when its warranty runs out. Thats what I have been doing and thats the only way to ensure hassle free ownership. Heat is a killer, but trust me, there are other parts of the world that are hotter than Dubai. Saudia Arabia, certain places in US etc. etc. So, blaming the heat for everything is kind of a cliche and just points to the inefficiency of the Technical Advisor.

If I were you, I wouldn't bother with the built-in navigation system here in Dubai. The roads change frequently, newer roads with Salik are introduced every now and then and your built-in navigation system can easily become outdated. Then the question arises about updating the navigation system. Since, its from factory, the only people who will be able to update the maps will be the dealer, and it will end up with either one of the below: 1) They won't be able to update it citing that they don't have latest maps for UAE/Dubai. 2) They might have it, but charge you an exhorbitantly high amount to get it done. What I would do, if I were in your place is buy a nice Apple or Android phone and get yourself a decent GPS software on it. The Navigon s/w I have on my iPhone cost me like $99 with free map updates. Get an suction type phone holder and you are good to go. Save that money for something useful.

What did you get in the end? A sunny or a corolla?