Warning! Warning! Warning!

I recently purchased a '02 Xterra with the Enthusiast Package and 5 –speed, in green. The Enthusiast Package is a “hard core” option package which includes all of the good mechanical bits with none of the frou-frou, like power windows, locks, sunroofs, solar ashtrays, and lord knows what else, that I didn't want. Since I am planning on driving this truck for the next 10 years and/or 350K miles, I wanted it to be the way I desired, as it is going to be around for a long time. Based on my experience in locating this vehicle, it seems to be something of an unusual combination. Enthusiast Package trucks seem to be few and far between, they are out there, but they all seem to be automatics, or Solar Yellow.

I originally ordered the truck in October of 2001 from a dealer here on Long Island. I was told to expect delivery in mid-December. About a week before the (alleged) delivery date I called the dealer to get the VIN, start the insurance, and to address any of the other last minute details that seem to come up. That, and since they had had my money for two months, and I hadn't heard from them, I was getting somewhat nervous.

Rule Number 1: ALWAYS make your deposit with a credit card, not a check! That way, if there is a problem, you stand a chance of getting your money back.

The first thing I discovered was that my salesman was no longer there, and that nobody had any clue about my sales order. Multiple phone calls later, (“We'll call you right back.” which of course never happens.) I found that the truck was not going to be delivered until late January. When I explained that I was told that was to be delivered in December, I was told by the sales manager that “We never said that.” Many more phone calls later, and they could not locate the truck I was looking for. The impression I got was that the truck had never been ordered in the first place. (A note here – the Enthusiast Package is a great bargain to the consumer. It does not so great for the dealer, because there aren't any other option packages that can be added to the truck, this limiting the dealer's profits, and probably, their incentive to sell the truck.)

Anyway, the negotiations only got tense once, when the dealer said that if the order was canceled they were going to keep my deposit. When I pointed out that the deposit was on a credit card, and easily contested, the dealer's tune changed REAL fast!

I then searched the "net for the truck, and found a dealer with a large presence on the web in Massachusetts. Their add said they even pay your airfare up there! Of course, that only seem s to apply to people buying loaded to the gills trucks, and not me, but what the hey. They gave me a song and dance about being the largest Xterra dealer in the area, that even if they didn't have the truck I was looking for they could always trade for it, because they always had something to swap to another dealer for. Very pleasant, basically BS, but pleasant nonetheless.

This dealer was a little high pressure – they wanted a deposit BEFORE they would search for the truck (and a big song and dance goes with that), but I finally managed to get them to locate the truck for me. It would have to be shipped in, and it would cost me a fortune, but the deal could be done. Another deposit on the credit card, and another delivery date set. A pleasure to deal with these people, but you knew you were being fed a line, but they were SO nice about it, you don't really mind.

Or at least I didn't mind until they called me a few days later to tell me that the dealer who had the truck I wanted changed it's mind and wouldn't do the deal! (So much for the whole rah- rah speech about how everyone was dying to do business with them.) Then they tried to up sell me into another truck they had in stock (Oddly enough, they never mentioned that truck during the initial phone calls), but which was not what I wanted. I told them that since the deal was lost, could they please tell me where the truck was – “No can do,” they said. Hello MasterCard, let's make sure that this transaction has also been credited back to my account....

So now I have had two deals collapse over this truck. I called Nissan Consumer Affairs (the number is on the factory website) and told them my tale of woe. I explained to them that I was looking for a very specific truck, and that at least one dealer knew it was out there, but wouldn't tell me where it was. I asked if they could help me find the truck I wanted. Here I am, I haven't even bought the truck yet, and I already have a case file!

To their credit, Nissan was sympathetic and said to give them five business days. Then I did what I should have done in the first place, and sat down with the dealer locator (again from the factory website) and called every dammed dealer in the Northeast. It took me about 15 calls before I came across Freedom Nissan in South Burlington, Vermont. They did not have the truck, but ran the locator, found the truck, and told me where it was! They made no money from their efforts, but as their sales manager said, “My job is to put you in a Nissan, regardless of where you buy it or get it serviced.” You gotta love their attitude. If I lived anywhere nearby, they would be my dealer of choice, just for their initial approach. They located the truck at Southtowns Nissan, in Orchard Park, NY, which is outside of Buffalo. A mere 500 mile drive from home for me. Yet another credit card deposit, and the deal was finally done. Southtowns was very pleasant, and considering it took them all of 17 minutes to sell and deliver the truck (I clocked it), not bad to deal with. I'll never see them again, as 500 miles each way is a bit far to drive for service, but what the heck.

Of course, no sooner than I hang up with the dealer than Nissan Consumer Affairs calls me back to apologize, because nobody internally is helping the customer service rep to locate the truck. I told the young lady that I had found the thing on my own, and to their credit, they offered to either reimburse me for the airfare to go get it, or to give me a $200 credit towards service. As I plan on doing all non-warranty work on my own, and airfare is cheap, this was of little value to me. To Nissan's credit, we have settled on a service manual and some oil filters.

I must say that though the dealers are nearly universally horror shows (regardless of the manufacturer) Nissan's Consumer Service has come through both times that I have dealt with them. (The first was for replacement of seatbelts on a D21 pickup that was way out of warranty – Nissan got involved without my knowledge and it was done at no charge to me, and when I had expected to pay. I mean, who warrantees seat belts and labor on an eight year old, 175K mile truck?)

Of course, I still have to get any warranty service done here on Long Island, but we'll deal with that adventure if it ever comes up ....

I'm confused. Your profile says you got the 4x4 SE. Doesn't the SE come with sunroof, power windows, power locks, etc... which is exactly the stuff you say you didn't want?

I thought the "Enthusiast Package" was a Dealer package (like the Extreme Package, etc) and not a factory set of options. Help me out here... Why pay the extra for an SE if it doesn't have the "frou frou" ??

My profile says "SE" because I am slightly retarded at times when comes to filling out these forms!

The Enthusiast package is a factory piece - it says so on my Mulroney Decal, and on the website. It includes manual locking hubs and deltes power just about everything else. Go to the NissanDriven site and try building a XE with the package - you'll see what I mean.

Sorry dude, I didn't see your helmet... you know, its not that hard to fix your profile!

I can get manual hubs from the factory now?? Are they Warn, or are they shit? Hmmm.

Profile is now fixed, but I am keeping the helmet - in the week I have had the truck I have beaned myself twice with the rear decklid, so obviously the learning curve is somewhat on the flat side.

Other posts on other sites suggest that the new manual hubs are probably the Warn pieces. I wouldn't know - i am not really a 4WD guru - I bought this thing primarily to tow my racecar (a FV) and because my Miata is not the best thing for a NE winter!

Pish-Tosh... I drove the Miata through two Minnesota winters before giving up. 4 good snow tires is all you need with a vehicle that has a perfect 50/50 weight ratio from front to back. Can't travel very well if the snow gets deeper than 6-8 inches though... thus, the X!

This is not one of the dealers in BOSTON area (north from Boston , to be exsact)?

it sure sounds like a dealer i dealt with, who is not too far north from Boston.

they sure gave me a good deal, untill i smelled something wrong, and started asking alot of questions, and then dark side of the deal came out, which made me cancel my order


but i am sure its just a coisident

A certain dealer on the north side of Boston, in a town named for a cigarette, perhaps? Yes, it sounds like one and the same. Yet, I have seen posts from others who swear BY the place, and not AT it.

As I said in my post - the dealer in VT (Freedom Nissan) was worth their weight in gold, just because of their helpful attitude and utter lack of BS.

Any ideas about reputable dealers here on Long Island?

Maybe , i aint saying noting

Quote:

Any ideas about reputable dealers here on Long Island?

Ken(01salsaX) was telling me about his great experience with one of the dealers here, i dont remember the name , but i am sure he will be here shortly, to answer this question

or join njax ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NJAX/ ) and ask him your self