MyLittleWonders Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Does anyone have a NV? We are seriously considering one now that there are five kids. I currently drive an Odyssey, which I love, but between strollers, easy-ups for soccer games, Costco trips, and anything else we do (plus usually some sort of road trip in the summers), it is becoming an extremely tight fit. Oldest is 14 and 5'6" and youngest is newborn. We will be hauling kids for some time. Of all the passenger vans, the NV is the only one we are considering. Any opinions? Oh and what color do you have if you own one. ;) (We'd donate dh's very old Civic and he'd take the Odyssey. We'd have two family cars but I'd be driving the NV and it'd be the go-to family outing car.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 I test drove one and didn't much like it. We ended up going with the 10-passenger Ford Transit, which is a little smaller. So far, after 6 weeks and a 3500-mile road trip, we're happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 (edited) I have one and love it. It also handles well in the snow. Much preferred over the other van we test drove. Tons of space! I have the Java metallic and it is my favorite color. We decided to go with the fabric seats instead of leather and they have cleaned up beautifully from vomit and soda spills, both. They repel water like nobody's business and are super comfy. Lots of leg room in each dos too and with the back row out we can fit six bicycles and helmets with room to spare. Edited November 22, 2015 by Arctic Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 We bought a 12 passenger Chevy Express. Didn't test drive any others because this one came up at a great price. It's a 2013 model. We went from a 2008 Town & Country to this van. I love the extra room. I miss my automatic sliding doors, climate control, and now that it's cold the auto starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 I know someone who had one for about a year and traded it in because it felt too big for her to maneuver. They look gorgeous but they aren't in our price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torikei Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 I love my NV!!! It drives well--even handles snow well. You can be very creative with the seat arrangement. Spend the money for the technology package as the back-up camera and navigation are awesome. It's very comfortable to drive and I would much rather take it than our luxury car. There are only a few places that I've found it difficult to navigate--mainly extremely crowded parking areas. Driving in the city isn't difficult once you get used to it. I like being able to see down crowded city interstates. It took a very short time to adjust to driving it. We bought it in St. Louis and by the time we were 45 minutes down the road we had adjusted to size and turn radius. I really can't think of anything I don't like about it. It is rear wheel so although it handles well in snow--don't expect it to handle like 4-wheel drive. Good luck and enjoy, Tori 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 (edited) No, but I really want one! Too bad they cost four times what my minivan cost us. If any of you decide to sell yours in a few years, hit me up! ETA: That was a lot of exclamation points. Sorry for enthusing all over everything. I took some out. Edited November 22, 2015 by Entropymama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hypatia. Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 (edited) We moved from a Toyota Sienna to a Nissan NV about 6 months ago, I love it! We could all technically fit in the Sienna, but it was cramped and a pain to get everyone in and out. I was worried about driving something that large but it didn't take long at all to adjust. I'm able to park it without being "that guy" crossed over the lines in the parking lot now, though I do usually park farther back. I love being able to have a seat between each of the kids (in a row), it makes for much more peaceful rides. I miss the automatic sliding door on the Sienna. Getting the infant in and out is not as convenient as it was in the Sienna, that's probably the biggest drawback. I have my infant in the first passenger row, and my oldest helps get her in and out. We did get the one with the leather seats because it had the rear-view camera. That was a must for me! We have a blue one. You've probably already seen it if you're considering the NV, but I found this review helpful when we were researching. eta: ok, I thought it was going to post the link, not the actual video. Sorry about that! Edited November 22, 2015 by Hypatia. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2read Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 We don't have that model but we have an Infiniti M35 (made by Nissan) and just bought a Nissan Armada. Nissans get excellent quality and reliability ratings. Our car is 8 years old and we've never done anything but routine maintenance on it. The last time we bought a Ford vehicle there was always something wrong with it...mostly sensors and computer system problems. I would definitely go with the Nissan. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 We've had our NV 1.5 years now (before the Ford transits were available) I love it. Not as many perks as the Sienna had, but big:) I miss my automatic sliding doors on both sides & windows that go down in back & the fold down into the floor seating:( Terrible in snow (I'd always had AWD before), but with studded snow tires, it was a huge improvement, without them, you could barely turn around in a flat parking lot & could not get up our inclined driveway at all. It's huge though, & awesome! Get the tech package for the back up cameras. Drives good. Took just a few weeks to get used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) I'm glad to hear pretty positive experiences! We don't get snow and lately very little rain, so that's not a concern. The hugeness is a concern, but the commercial dealer guy at our local dealership is looking to let us rent the one we would presumably buy, so that's a plus. He said he's hoping to have one in by the end of the year. We had no idea they were that hard to get. Our top color choices are the artic blue metallic and the Java metallic, but we'd do black or silver too (dh really likes the black; I lean more towards the silver as a third choice). Edited November 23, 2015 by MyLittleWonders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Our top color choices are the artic blue metallic and the Java metallic, but we'd do black or silver too (dh really likes the black; I lean more towards the silver as a third choice). Don't get black!! Black vehicles are hard to keep clean and get super hot in the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I only have four kids and I want one. I think DH would only agree if I agreed to have more babies. I'm not sure that's happening, but maybe a deal could be struck. ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) Does anyone have a NV? Any opinions? Oh and what color do you have if you own one. ;) We have one. We've had it for 2-3 years (?). It's black - there wasn't much of a color selection, because it's only sold at certain types of dealerships and they had a limited #. We had to buy it at a Nissan dealership that sells commercial vehicles. So, everything was limited. Negative stuff about the vehicle: 1. It was about the same price as our minivan was. We have a base model, though and the minivan was a higher-end Grand Caravan. The minivan had so much more - heated seats, automatic doors, DVD player, etc. The base NVP is very base. 2. You absolutely have to have a back-up camera put in it. There is NO - and I mean - NO rear visibility whatsoever. We paid to put an aftermarket back-up camera in before we would even leave the dealership. 3. There is poor visibility on the sides of the vehicle - you have to use the side mirrors constantly when you're merging, changing lanes, etc. I am really cautious when I change lanes. 4. I cannot park like a normal car - I have to pull through two open spaces so I am just able to drive out of the space. If someone parks behind me, I can't open our trunk. So, I park pretty far when I go somewhere. 5. It does not fit in most parking garages. It also doesn't fit in most home garages. We have to leave ours in the driveway. 6. Our side door has always had issues. You have to slam it to get it to shut all the way. 7. Everyone stares at us. Oh, and they make weird comments about it, too. People have stopped me several times in parking lots and asked me what it was. One weirdo asked me if it was a stretch limo (and he was serious). Um, no...? :confused: People that you know will say, "Oh, I saw you at Target the other day...", because the vehicle is so noticeable... 8. You have to remove seats to have any kind of trunk space. We pulled two seats out, so ours seats 10. There are 7 of us, so we have 3 open seats for their friends (or Grandma - Lol). 9. When we bought ours, they said it was considered a commercial vehicle, so we couldn't get a normal loan for it. We had to deal with a bank that made loans for commercial vehicles. Also, we refinanced it about a year ago...and same thing - we had to find a bank that did loans for commercial vehicles. Positive stuff about the vehicle: 1. It was significantly cheaper than the suburbans and Ford excursions (or expeditions - can't remember which one) we were looking at. That was our first choice. We couldn't even find an Excursion and it seemed like every Suburban was full-loaded/out of our price range for some reason. 2. It is hands-down the most comfortable vehicle I have ever ridden in. We drove it from Texas to Illinois and it was incredible. I've ridden in the back with the kids and there is a ton of room. The seats are very comfy. My kids never complain. My oldest two kids are adult-sized and they have no problem in the back. My son is supposed to be about 6 feet tall and he should be fine back there. Also, we also have a baby in a gigantic carseat - no problem...a kid in a booster seat and everyone somehow fits in there. 3. It handles very well if you drive carefully and give yourself some good stopping distance. We drove it through a horrible ice storm last year - with pick-up trucks and cars spun out everywhere - and we made it home safely (it took forever, but we made it). 4. It's probably one of the safest vans out there. It has airbags everywhere and the back seats have headrests so the passengers are safer. When we were researching the van, they were saying most of the full-size vans have safety features that are about 30 years old. Nissan put much more into the safety features for the NVP. 5. I heard it retains its value really well if you trade it in - which it seems like our Grand Caravan was practically worthless when we traded it in. 6. Good turning radius. I'm able to do U-turns if there are two lanes open. 7. I just remembered another thing... You don't sit on the engine like some of the other vans. If they do repairs on the engine, they don't have to drop the engine or anything. They just lift the hood and everything is accessible. So, repairs are supposed to be cheaper than other vans. Edited November 23, 2015 by Evanthe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) Good points evanthe - you brought up some stuff I'd forgotten. I agree you have to have a backup camera but I've had no issue with side visibility and I'm only 5'2" - you just have to lean forward slightly to see out the side window for merging, and have your mirrors well adjusted. It has normal and wide angle mirrors so that's a huge help. You do stand out in one, but there are probably a dozen of them up here in Anchorage. Be like us and put really obvious decals and license plates on and you'll stand out even more :D The door issues were mostly fixed in later model years, but our 2015 does rattle a little going over ice. We are trying to figure out if it was bad dealer prep (our dealership sucks but they were the only option) or if it is something to be fixed. It is under warranted which helps immensely. The technology package is worth every penny. We had to special order ours and added in all the trimmings that could come on the non leather model, and it is nice to have additional parts like the towing package and navigation. I haven't had an issue with parking - I back into every spot and that solves the issue by and large. One or two lots are small enough I benefit from pulling through but that is their design more than me. Any parking garage that can accomodate an eight foot vehicle is fine - some can, some can't. Edited November 23, 2015 by Arctic Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnniePoo Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 They look so cool I told DH i'd willingly have 3 more kids just to justify them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnniePoo Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I only have four kids and I want one. I think DH would only agree if I agreed to have more babies. I'm not sure that's happening, but maybe a deal could be struck. ;) We had almost the same conversation! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 The door issues were mostly fixed in later model years, but our 2015 does rattle a little going over ice. We are trying to figure out if it was bad dealer prep (our dealership sucks but they were the only option) or if it is something to be fixed. Yeah, ours makes this weird squeaking noise when we hit bumps on a rough road - and I'm not sure if it's the door or the seats! Probably TMI, but for about a year, Kid #4 kept telling us that a family of crickets somehow got into the van, lived under my seat and were making that noise. :leaving: (My kids are really weird) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Hahaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Getting the infant in and out is not as convenient as it was in the Sienna, that's probably the biggest drawback. :iagree: I forgot about that. Our baby is in the first passenger row, too (in the middle seat). With the rear-facing carseat, it is really difficult to get the baby in and out. I always feel like I'm turning the baby at a weird angle mid-air to get him in the seat. Also, after getting the baby out of the carseat, I usually have to sit down on the floor/edge of the van holding the baby and then lower my feet to the concrete (geez, I sound like such a loser). I'm also 5'2", so I do feel like I'm climbing when I get out of the van (I think they said our van is 7'2"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 :iagree: I forgot about that. Our baby is in the first passenger row, too (in the middle seat). With the rear-facing carseat, it is really difficult to get the baby in and out. I always feel like I'm turning the baby at a weird angle mid-air to get him in the seat. Also, after getting the baby out of the carseat, I usually have to sit down on the floor/edge of the van holding the baby and then lower my feet to the concrete (geez, I sound like such a loser). I'm also 5'2", so I do feel like I'm climbing when I get out of the van (I think they said our van is 7'2"). That's where our baby is and we have a similar issue. I've debated taking out the passenger seat next to it and putting it in the back row so I can just walk right in, but so far I just have ended up kneeling on the booster in that closest seat and getting him in fine. It is a weird angle, I think because it's a reach compared to a shorter vehicle. But it hasn't bugged me enough to acutely solve :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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