2011 Nissan NV

[tazman]

Has anyone seen it yet ????
Announced @ NTEA last week...on sale in the fall
3 models (1500,2500HD, 3500HD) and 2 height sizes (55 and 74)
V-6 or big V-8.....
Driver comforts...all lot of um
Nissan Commercial Vehicle NV Lineup
Watch the announcement video
Look like it will be expedite freight friendly .....can handle pallets across the wheel wells
120" of cargo length.....
Will be assembled in Miss.

Thoughts ????
Comments....

Frank

 

[LDB]

It looks like their pickup truck turned into a van. It could be a good option but I think the Sprinter looks better, not that that's how to choose.

 

[piper1]

Looks interesting. I like the idea of a real frame and larger components (brakes, 8 bolt wheels). Looks like Nissan got a lot right with this. I love the idea of the nose like a pickup, open the hood and actually be able to get at stuff.

It's still small. They talk of 300 cu ft of space with the high roof and a Sprinter has almost 550. Hopefully a long body/wheelbase is in the works.

But...the best part is another manufacturer has realized there is a market for non traditional sized vans...this is a good thing!

 

[greg334]

Interesting ...

One WB 146 inches.

One body size, but two tops

Based on the Titan platform so it looks and 'handles' like a pickup.

Supposed to compete with the GM and Ford vans but not the sprinter.

Every shot I saw (press kit and live photos) showed the pallets in the back but seems to be a tight fit.

 

[fastman_1]

I like it, I put it on my short list to look at when I go to buy a new van.

 

[davekc]

Could be a competitor in the expedite world, but I think they need a longer version or a much cheaper price than the others.

 

[ebsprintin]

They just don't get it. Seems everyone wants to compete in the glutted part of the market.

eb

 

[Brisco]

I think this "Van" is going to be pretty dang awesome. Finally another choice other than a Ford or Chevrolet for 1500-2500 series "Delivery Vans" for one to choose from for local inner city usage.

I like the choice of motors too, and I think Nissan may have a leg up over GM in the 1500 series line-up like Ford does because GM doesn't offer a "V8" in their 1500 series any longer. This Nissan 4.0 V6 is a far more superior motor (torgue-HP-durability) than the GM 4.3 is and would probably be a great little motor in that full size van. Fords 4.2 ltr V6 is a decent and durable little motor, but lacks that "ooomph" needed for a full size van.

My biggest worry would be the MPG for use as an "Expedite" vehicle. That 5.6 ltr V8 Nissan offers in their Titans is the worst MPG motor on the market in it's class. Here's a 13 page/5 year discussion over Titans MPG.

What kind of gas mileage are you averaging? - Nissan Titan Forum

Would it do OK as an "Expedite" van? Probably, but knowing Nissans pricing history, the price alone along with poor MPG will keep many saavy Expediters from taking a chance on one. Know what I mean.

 

[aristotle]

I think this "Van" is going to be pretty dang awesome. Finally another choice other than a Ford or Chevrolet for 1500-2500 series "Delivery Vans" for one to choose from for local inner city usage.

I like the choice of motors too, and I think Nissan may have a leg up over GM in the 1500 series line-up like Ford does because GM doesn't offer a "V8" in their 1500 series any longer. This Nissan 4.0 V6 is a far more superior motor (torgue-HP-durability) than the GM 4.3 is and would probably be a great little motor in that full size van. Fords 4.2 ltr V6 is a decent and durable little motor, but lacks that "ooomph" needed for a full size van.

My biggest worry would be the MPG for use as an "Expedite" vehicle. That 5.6 ltr V8 Nissan offers in their Titans is the worst MPG motor on the market in it's class. Here's a 13 page/5 year discussion over Titans MPG.

What kind of gas mileage are you averaging? - Nissan Titan Forum

Would it do OK as an "Expedite" van? Probably, but knowing Nissans pricing history, the price alone along with poor MPG will keep many saavy Expediters from taking a chance on one. Know what I mean.

Saavy? I think you meant savvy. I don't suppose Nissan makes a diesel engine for cargo vans. The Ford E350 Extended can haul 3 standard pallets (42x48). Yes, it's a new entrant into the cargo van market, but size and strength matter.

 

[tazman]

Thanks everyone for you input...

I am wondering the "future" of the Sprinter in the same context as Nissan stepping into the marketplace.....

The MBUSA folks in Montvale,NJ are "running the show" on the Sprinter in the US now...but what of the support structure with partnering with traditional Mercedes dealers...and yes Freightliner has agreed to support the products ...but given their focus on larger units..will they still be around....or want to continue with this line ?????
What is also a consideration...is if they can't capture any more market share...will they just move on (remember the Iveco vans !!! )

With Nissan using a product that will fit in their service bays and use a lot of standard parts...it gives them a little room .....and think about......
the fact they are converting the Miss. plant to producing units...they could easily tool up a larger unit....and perhaps go diesel...or even some "hybrid" option....a year or so down the road....Nissan is also savoring their current status vs. their #1 competitor (Toyo boys)

I sold Fords and Chevys and Sprinters for over 6 years.....and many of the "Chevy/Ford" pickup guys switched to Nissans (which I could also offer)...were very happy....
Sprinter sales were strong...and then started to cost money to repair...brakes and things were twice the price of a Chevy or Ford...tires didn't last long either

I guess time will tell what happens....but given the last year or so we could more of these things coming down the pike...

Good conversation anyway...
it's been awhile since I chatted on the boards....
Tazman

 

[piper1]

What we really need is a GM or Ford van, 6 feet high, 14 to 16 feet long inside with a real frame, standard readily available parts (read cheap), with real truck suspension and axles in it, and a smaller fuel thrifty diesel or gas option.

Is anyone in Detroit listening?

 

[greg334]

There's no doubt that Nissan can fill the gaps left by the "dodge" sprinter and the lack of new products coming out of GM and Ford.

MB is still dealing with the confusion of the consumer - is it a Frieghtliner, a Dodge or a Mercedes. The other issue I have heard about is how some dealers don't want a thing to do with the sprinter and this may leave caps in regions that don't seem to be a good thing.

BUT with that said, Ford seems to be looking at 2013 model year for the real Transit, which will be like the NA sprinter and made to compete with the sprinter. It is almost 7 years behind where it should be and the introduction of the connect may have actually been a resource grabber for them. I heard one of the biggest reasons for a delay has been a fear of a backlash from the loyal Ford van owners and with the new model, they will jump ship to a GM product.

I may be mistaken about this but from what I see and hear I think outside the NA market, or just the US market, the US style van days are seriously numbered.

 

[piper1]

Greg, do you think Ford will beef up the Euro version of the Transit when they bring it here? From what I have seen, which I will admit is limited, the full size Transit looks even less HD than a Sprinter.

I am wondering how the NA market will react to it when they have been used to the Ford product, for all it's faults, still being a true truck based platform. Have they thought about this or am I off in the weeds with this thinking?

 

[greg334]

Greg, do you think Ford will beef up the Euro version of the Transit when they bring it here? From what I have seen, which I will admit is limited, the full size Transit looks even less HD than a Sprinter.

Well I hope so, but their top rating is 4600 kg gross so I would think that looks could be deceiving.

The one thing that I found surprising is the possibilities that the Mexican model may be sold here with the 2.2l diesel and a small duratorque trans instead of the 3.2l diesel. If this happens it will be rather a disapointment for most here who are expecting some performance.

I am wondering how the NA market will react to it when they have been used to the Ford product, for all it's faults, still being a true truck based platform. Have they thought about this or am I off in the weeds with this thinking?

This is what some fear how the US market will react. Some think that if the Fiesta is a success, then they can sneak it in but they are not going to be public about it. The funny thing I think is the strong loyalty within the truck/van program - they treat some of these things as family members.

 

[xiggi]

What we really need is a GM or Ford van, 6 feet high, 14 to 16 feet long inside with a real frame, standard readily available parts (read cheap), with real truck suspension and axles in it, and a smaller fuel thrifty diesel or gas option.

Is anyone in Detroit listening?

In GM's case don't you mean isn't anyone in Washington listening?

 

[aileron]

No Diesel engine with good mpg? I am spoiled by the mpg of the sprinter, so I would need something comparable to make me consider it.

How about a manual transmission?

 

[LDB]

I am getting 17-19mpg in my gasoline Chevy and it's the 2009 with 4sp and 3.73. The 2010 with 6sp should do better I'd hope. I'd have to get 21-23mpg with diesel to have the same cpm for fuel.

 

[greg334]

Leo,
Just because it has more gears doesn't mean it will get better mileage. I understand that the mileage is not coming right from the trans but other changes too. The added gears help a lot but ...

By the way it is about time GM gets into the real world, too bad it is a government company.

 

[LDB]

That's right and that's why I added I'd hope to my comment about better mpg. since it's not guaranteed.

 

[Brisco]

Saavy? I think you meant savvy.

Oops! Ignorant typo on my part!

Quote from Tazman:

I sold Fords and Chevys and Sprinters for over 6 years.....and many of the "Chevy/Ford" pickup guys switched to Nissans (which I could also offer)...were very happy....

But one thing you didn't point out was that when "Gasoline" prices started hitting $4.00-$4.50 PLUS a gallon at the end of '07 - throughout '08, the guys that had switched over to the Nissan Titans who "needed" a pick-up truck for their daily lives/routines/businesses were trading these things in left and right and going back to Silverado's and F150's.

When I came off the road in '07 after diesel hit $3.50 a gallon, I worked local contracts here in the DFW area the rest of '07, all of '08, and half of last year. I was in and out of dealerships (All Makes) and I saw the trend plain as day. At both Ford and Chevrolet dealerships their Used Car lots were stacked with clean low mileage Nissan Titans. Even the Nissan dealerships themselves were discounting the heck out of Titans in their inventories to get them off their lots. I had seen new fully loaded XE Titans that stickered out at $30K PLUS going for $18K that were not selling because people just could not afford a 12MPG truck when fuel was costing them $4.77 a gallon.