After 8 years in a full size, moving back to a mid-size - Recommendations?

[Todd780]

If a bigger camper is in your future I would def stay full size. The Expy is a good solution if you don't require the bed for anything.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I also just browsed the Nissan Armada. Very interesting...looks like it has the chops (380 - 400 hp and 8600 tow capacity) to pull a trailer and would definitely fit in the garage.

I've heard mixed things (OK negative things) about Nissan's quality reputation ("the Japanese Chrysler") but I have to admit that wife and I have each owned a Nissan (2012 Altima Coupe for her and 2002 R50 Pathfinder for me) and never had any issues at all.

Seems like the Armada is the "poor man's Land Cruiser." What is the overall rep on them?

ADDED: Cool thing about the Armada is that most of them come with the built in trailer brake controller. That's a big plus for me.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Biggest issue I'm seeing on the used market is that so many of them are black. Living in a desert I refuse to own a black vehicle. I have the same issue with the Tahoe/Suburban. Why do so many people like black as a vehicle color? It's awful!

 

[Todd780]

I also just browsed the Nissan Armada. Very interesting...looks like it has the chops (380 - 400 hp and 8600 tow capacity) to pull a trailer and would definitely fit in the garage.

I've heard mixed things (OK negative things) about Nissan's quality reputation ("the Japanese Chrysler") but I have to admit that wife and I have each owned a Nissan (2012 Altima Coupe for her and 2002 R50 Pathfinder for me) and never had any issues at all.

Seems like the Armada is the "poor man's Land Cruiser." What is the overall rep on them?

ADDED: Cool thing about the Armada is that most of them come with the built in trailer brake controller. That's a big plus for me.

Ask @PetitFrereArmada about his experience with one.......

Really like the looks of them. But based on personal experience with Nissan (Altima coupe 2.5, '03 Xterra S/C and R51 Pathfinder) I will never own one again or recommend them. Which is too bad. Cause aside from the Armada, the new Z is a beautiful car.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

I also just browsed the Nissan Armada. Very interesting...looks like it has the chops (380 - 400 hp and 8600 tow capacity) to pull a trailer and would definitely fit in the garage.

I've heard mixed things (OK negative things) about Nissan's quality reputation ("the Japanese Chrysler") but I have to admit that wife and I have each owned a Nissan (2012 Altima Coupe for her and 2002 R50 Pathfinder for me) and never had any issues at all.

Seems like the Armada is the "poor man's Land Cruiser." What is the overall rep on them?

ADDED: Cool thing about the Armada is that most of them come with the built in trailer brake controller. That's a big plus for me.

The Nissan Armada is a great bargain vehicle. In my opinion, it is the best most affordable large 4x4 V8 out there. I like the way it is described as the poor man's Landcuriser.

I have owned 3 of them. Well, 2 Nissan Armada and 1 QX. I have only good things to say about my 2 Nissan Armada. I do not have a lot of good things to say about my QX. But I would buy a Nissan Armada again in a heartbeat.

If I decide to buy a 4x4, it will be a Nissan Armada SL. Now it depends on if I will by used or brand new. It is a great bargain whether new or used. In fact, I just looked at a brand new 2023 Nissan Armada SL and got a quote of $59,000 DRIVE OUT. If I was in the market for a brand new 4x4 right now, I would pay $59,000 for it.

The Nissan Armada is the only full size V8 suv that I currently know of that is offering huge discounts.

I am part of the Armada forum and the Nissan Armada has been tested and proven that it can last over 300,000 miles

Another somewhat good thing is that it loses its value a lot. So a lightly used one with low miles can be bought for a pretty good discount.

 

[AbleGuy]

Nissan also has one of the best warranties in the business.

But I don’t know if that’s because that’s what they need to do to get you to buy one these days, or if that’s because they’re so confident in the quality of their vehicles and that they’ll last a long time without any major problems.

 

[COAKXterra]

I’ve got 220k on my 07 xterra. She still purs like a kitten after a lot of hell it’s been put through, did timing chains at 200k. Minus the smod issue, the only things that have gone wrong with it have been due to my stupidity.

So yeah. I’m a fan of Nissan. Or at least the xterra.

 

[ExpoMike]

Biggest issue I'm seeing on the used market is that so many of them are black. Living in a desert I refuse to own a black vehicle. I have the same issue with the Tahoe/Suburban. Why do so many people like black as a vehicle color? It's awful!

100% agree with you on this!!!!

 

[luckyjoe]

EDITED TO ADD: I wonder what the "standard" depth for a garage is? I know it has varied over the years but I would have thought by 1994 (when this house was built) it would have been at least 20 feet. Does anyone know? Or is there even a "builders standard" for garage dimensions? Or is it something that varies by region?

I don't know if there is a standard, but before our current house was built, I asked the builder to extend the 2-car garage. It was about 19ft standard and he added on 8ft, plus 8ft-clearance doors. This gave me tons of room against the inside wall for a large workbench and storage. To do that now would require extending the roof line and concrete floor.

Our new house has the garage 90-dgrees to the main house, so extending length was a big-$ architectural item. So, I just added a bay - now 4-bays, 22.5ft physical depth with 9ft-clearance doors - what I could not get in depth I get in width.

 

[Todd780]

I don't know if there is a standard, but before our current house was built, I asked the builder to extend the 2-car garage. It was about 19ft standard and he added on 8ft, plus 8ft-clearance doors. This gave me tons of room against the inside wall for a large workbench and storage. To do that now would require extending the roof line and concrete floor.

Our new house has the garage 90-dgrees to the main house, so extending length was a big-$ architectural item. So, I just added a bay - now 4-bays, 22.5ft physical depth with 9ft-clearance doors - what I could not get in depth I get in width.

Not sure if there is one either. But I find it funny homebuilders don't take that into account more.
I mean what is the number 1 selling vehicle in North America?
How long has it been the number 1 selling vehicle in North America?
That should give an indication what the average home buyer would want to accommodate in their garage...

Answer by the way is F150. If home builders built a garage that would house it, that garage could also house any other half ton....

 

[plainjaneFJC]

Not sure if there is one either. But I find it funny homebuilders don't take that into account more.
I mean what is the number 1 selling vehicle in North America?
How long has it been the number 1 selling vehicle in North America?
That should give an indication what the average home buyer would want to accommodate in their garage...

Answer by the way is F150. If home builders built a garage that would house it, that garage could also house any other half ton....

It’s really a matter of economics- homes are priced by square footage- or largely compared against each other in that way- so a larger garage can be a selling feature but being a few feet larger isn’t generally noticed.

 

[AbleGuy]

Not sure if there is one either. But I find it funny homebuilders don't take that into account more.
I mean what is the number 1 selling vehicle in North America?
How long has it been the number 1 selling vehicle in North America?
That should give an indication what the average home buyer would want to accommodate in their garage...

Answer by the way is F150. If home builders built a garage that would house it, that garage could also house any other half ton....

X2.

New home builders seem to be penny pinching idiots who for years have been completely ignoring vehicle purchase trends. They shave costs by building garages that are too small and also frequently construct driveways too short to allow you to a park full sized truck on!

We searched forever for a new place in the SW years ago and drove our realtor crazy immediately walking away from home after home he showed us because of these parking problems. I eventually wound up selling my 3 year old full size, ex cab, long bed 4x4 just so we could buy a damn home in the neighborhood we preferred. Sheesh!

And now 15 years later we’re looking for our next place to land somewhere up in the PNW and we’re still running into the SOS!

I blame 😁 this on those people who only use their garage to fill it up with everything but a freaking vehicle, accumulating and hoarding all the unnecessary crap they’ve somehow convinced themselves that they still need to hold onto, because it’s these guys who have convinced the tightwad home builders that No One uses their garage for parking anyway!

 

[Todd780]

X2.

New home builders seem to be penny pinching idiots who for years have been completely ignoring vehicle purchase trends. They shave costs by building garages that are too small and also frequently construct driveways too short to allow you to a park full sized truck on!

We searched forever for a new place in the SW years ago and drove our realtor crazy immediately walking away from home after home he showed us because of these parking problems. I eventually wound up selling my 3 year old full size, ex cab, long bed 4x4 just so we could buy a damn home in the neighborhood we preferred. Sheesh!

And now 15 years later we’re looking for our next place to land somewhere up in the PNW and we’re still running into the SOS!

I blame 😁 this on those people who only use their garage to fill it up with everything but a freaking vehicle, accumulating and hoarding all the unnecessary crap they’ve somehow convinced themselves that they still need to hold onto, because it’s these guys who have convinced the tightwad home builders that No One uses their garage for parking anyway!

Right?? I even noticed houses built in the 70's having the same 20x22ish garages. What cars built then would have fit those garages? lol

 

[calicamper]

I also just browsed the Nissan Armada. Very interesting...looks like it has the chops (380 - 400 hp and 8600 tow capacity) to pull a trailer and would definitely fit in the garage.

I've heard mixed things (OK negative things) about Nissan's quality reputation ("the Japanese Chrysler") but I have to admit that wife and I have each owned a Nissan (2012 Altima Coupe for her and 2002 R50 Pathfinder for me) and never had any issues at all.

Seems like the Armada is the "poor man's Land Cruiser." What is the overall rep on them?

ADDED: Cool thing about the Armada is that most of them come with the built in trailer brake controller. That's a big plus for me.

Couple of friends have them. The engine is solid. Mileage is pretty terrible compared to the GM/Ford options. They have issues with electrical stuff and our area nissan has pretty much died after the company leadership went to crap and nearly went chapter 11 which is sad given I have always liked their stuff. Low mileage, newest possible at a screaming cheap deal might be worth it. But older ones can have lots of non power plant issues that are difficult to get fixed.

 

[calicamper]

X2.

New home builders seem to be penny pinching idiots who for years have been completely ignoring vehicle purchase trends. They shave costs by building garages that are too small and also frequently construct driveways too short to allow you to a park full sized truck on!

We searched forever for a new place in the SW years ago and drove our realtor crazy immediately walking away from home after home he showed us because of these parking problems. I eventually wound up selling my 3 year old full size, ex cab, long bed 4x4 just so we could buy a damn home in the neighborhood we preferred. Sheesh!

And now 15 years later we’re looking for our next place to land somewhere up in the PNW and we’re still running into the SOS!

I blame 😁 this on those people who only use their garage to fill it up with everything but a freaking vehicle, accumulating and hoarding all the unnecessary crap they’ve somehow convinced themselves that they still need to hold onto, because it’s these guys who have convinced the tightwad home builders that No One uses their garage for parking anyway!

In 73 my parents built their house. The garage was specifically 25ft wall to door so it could fit the pickup or 18ft ski boat. Yup standard tract house garage is typically 20ish feet deep.