Nissan Problems

And the car industry is not immune from being saddled with these potentially damaging problems.Apart from Ford's recent problems with brake hoses and brake booster valves on E-Gas Falcons the other ‘big two’ carmakers have had their fair share of recalls.Holden has had five recalls for its VE Commodore and Statesman range since its introduction in 2006, involving things like fuel vapor lines, fuel lines and defective valves on LPG cars.ToyotaToyota had a range of recalls for its Camry, HiLux, RAV4, Yaris and LandCruiser over the past three years. Most, like a headlight dimmer switch on a Camry, have been minor. Others, like the potential fire hazard stemming from a poorly installed insulator pad on a Yaris, raised alarm bells among some customers.NissanLast week Nissan was forced to recall 11,743 Maximas and 4972 Muranos because of a vibrating air intake in the engine bay.AudiEven the luxury German brands are not immune. Last year Audi had to recall its TT for a piece of rear side trim in its cars that unless fixed, could potentially injure passengers.Mercedes-Benz This year Mercedes-Benz has recalled its M-Class off-roader for a possible glitch in its electric rear hatch. It was also forced to recall S-Class sedans fitted with active body control because of problems with the front lower ball joints on its suspension. On some high-mileage vehicles, the front suspension could fracture on rough roads. Faulty left and right windows in the Viano van also required the replacement.BMWOf the German carmakers, BMW has fared better. It has not had a official government recall since 2006.Volvo Volvo has had three recalls this year of its S80, XC70, V70 and new XC60 for engine cooling fan problems and windscreen wiper problems with the S80 and XC70.JaguarJaguar, once widely ridiculed for its poor quality cars, has come a long way over the past few years. Jaguars these days have no less, or no more, problems with recalls than some of the other luxury brands. Last year it experienced some minor problems with the XF range involving wiring and rear seatbelts.In all cases, recalls by carmakers are handled quickly and responsibly. If you want to check out whether your vehicle has had a recall, go to www.recalls.gov.au

Unlike the magazine's 4WD Of The Year award, which only looks at vehicles that are new or significantly revised in that year, these annual accolades look at all the 4WDs on the market. In fact long-time champions dominate these awards but sometimes even long-time champs are forced to step aside. Best Value for Money

The SUV phenomenon started back in the 1970s with intoxicating images of peaceful places far way from the hustle and bustle of the city and has since become a tidal wave that has flooded our every day lives.The weekend getaways to the beach or bush have given way to the trek of a lifetime for baby boomers who have taken to the open road in huge numbers, but the SUV has also set down roots in our towns as more and more families turn to it for day-to-day family transport.SUVs, or Sports Utility Vehicles, like the Nissan X-Trail have become the enduring phenomenon of modern day motoring and there’s no sign they’re going to lose favour with car buyers any time soon.MODEL WATCH With the evolution of the SUV have come a number of variations on the theme as carmakers have striven to meet the expectations of a wide variety of buyers.What was once a rough, tough four-wheel drive designed to do the hard yards in the bush is now a jacked-up wagon with town manners that struggles for survival once the black top stops.Most carmakers give their SUVs the look of an offroader, but it’s what’s underneath that separates them from the real bush bashers. Nissan attempted to give the X-Trail, the compact soft-roader SUV it launched in 2001, a degree of off-road credibility with its smart drive selection system.A dial on the dash allows the driver to select their desired drive for the conditions. Select ‘2WD’ and all the drive is directed to the front wheels for regular driving when the rear wheels are just there to keep the back bumper off the bitumen.When the road was wet and slippery there was the ‘Auto’ setting, which engaged the centre viscous coupling and drive was electronically distributed front and rear as needed. For more tricky going the drive could be locked, which set the torque split at 53 per cent to the front and the rest to the rear. It was effective up to 30 km/h. It was a pretty good compromise that delivered decent smooth-road manners and reasonable capability off the road.The X-Trail’s four-cylinder engine was on the money when it came to output, which ensured it had plenty of performance available under the right foot when desired. The double overhead camshaft engine delivered 132 kW at 6000 revs along with 245 Nm at 4000 revs, which was enough to have it doing 100 km/h around 11 seconds after launch.X-Trail buyers had the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed auto, the latter being the choice of most townies. Manual gearboxes are normally preferred for control when driving off-road, but even in auto form there was good control of the gears.Inside there were comfortable seats and roomy accommodation for five, although the centre rear seat passenger had to make do with a lap belt only. The dash was rather unusual with the dials located in a centre cluster, and there was a second glove box located ahead of the driver. The rest of the controls were housed in the centre console along with a couple of drink holders and other switches, including the drive mode control.IN THE SHOP As with all SUVs a check underneath is mandatory. Any time an SUV is driven off-road it’s susceptible to damage from sand blasting or flying rocks, so check for damage to the underbody, suspension, drive shafts, and exhaust system etc. If you find no damage it’s a good bet it hasn’t gone off the black top. Few SUVs actually do, the most severe use they are usually subjected to is the school run.The X-Trail is generally robust and reliable if serviced according to Nissan’s recommendations, so check for a service record to make sure it has actually seen the inside of a workshop. Servicing is even more crucial if a vehicle is used off-road, even if it appears undamaged from the experience.IN A CRASH Dual front airbags provide protection for the driver and front seat passenger, while standard ABS antiskid brakes and EBD electronic Brakeforce Distribution kick in when things are looking like going pear shaped on the road.AT THE PUMP While its performance is impressive for an SUV it’s fuel economy isn’t bad either. Average drivers should be able to achieve 11.0-11.5 L/100 km around town, and better on the open road, which is quite good for an SUV. There are owners, however, who are unhappy with the economy, but the X-Trail is in line with the average SUV. LPG systems have been developed to meet the demand from some owners who want to save on fuel expenses, and these work well.OWNERS SAY Neil Ricketts reckons the X-Trail’s engine is powerful, but also economical. A keeper of fastidious fuel consumption records, Ricketts gets around 11 L/100 km around town and 8.5 L/100 km on a trip. He particularly likes the X-Trail’s versatility, as on a trip it can go places a normal car can’t. He’s had it on the Bloomfield track north of Cape Tribulation, which involved creek and dry riverbed crossings and last winter being exempt from carrying chains he was able to drive on snow and ice in the NSW snowfields without any problem. The extra traction also comes in handy in wet weather driving in the city.LOOK FOR • User-friendly drive mode system• All-wheel drive security• Good performance• Reasonable fuel economy• LPG systems availableTHE BOTTOM LINE A good blend of town manners and bush capability makes the X-Trail a good family all-rounder.RATING 80/100

You have to wonder about car companies that dump a name that has become popular and replace it with a name that no one knows. Ford did it with the Laser, a top selling small car, and then had to watch as its small car sales dropped dramatically, and Nissan did it when it replaced the popular Pulsar with the oddly named Tiida.The Pulsar nameplate dates back to 1980 and over the years earned a reputation for solid reliability, good value for money and economy of operation. By the time the N16, the last of the line, was released in 2000 it was a well-equipped, good-sized small car that performed well, was economical and gave little trouble.If it had a problem perhaps it was that it had become tired. It was a car for those of us with grey, or no, hair, and not hip enough to appeal to younger buyers.MODEL WATCH The N16 Pulsar sedans were built in Japan and were the first launched in 2000, while the five-door hatchbacks came from England and arrived in the middle of 2001. It was no beacon of contemporary style, admittedly, but it was good looking with pleasant proportions and clean lines. Perhaps it was too ‘nice’ and didn’t have the sort of edge young buyers wanted.There were four versions of the sedan at launch, starting with the LX and working up through the ST, sporty Q and luxury Ti. When the hatchback came a year later it added ST and Q versions to the range.Like all cars the Pulsar grew larger over time and the N16 was quite a bit bigger than the models that went before it, but that extra size translated into decent interior room. Rear passengers may have suffered a little for space, but those in the front seats enjoyed generous room. Like the exterior there was nothing flashy about the Pulsar’s interior. It had everything you wanted, was laid out logically, and was comfortable.Mechanically the Pulsar was quite a conventional front-wheel drive model. There were two engines on offer. The LX entry-level model had a 1.6-litre double overhead camshaft four with fuel injection, which gave 83 kW and 140 Nm.It was an economical engine, but the 1.8-litre engine that powered the rest of the range had a little more zip and made the best buying. With more performance, thanks to its 92 kW and 161 Nm, the 1.8-litre enabled the Pulsar to stay on the pace in the heavy going around town. Both engines were available with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed auto.On the road the Pulsar was light and nimble making it a breeze around town and easy to park. Out on the road it was quite composed with a supple suspension that was able to soak up most of what was thrown at it without being upset. The ride was compliant and comfortable for a small car, and its handling was well balanced and secure. It was a good all-rounder.IN THE SHOP The Pulsar has a good reputation for build quality and reliability. Nothing serious seems to go wrong with them, which makes them a good used car buy. When checking look for a service record to make sure of a regular maintenance routine. The Pulsar engines have a chain taking care of the cam timing so there’s no servicing needed.Many Pulsars were used by the rental industry, which usually means they accumulated kilometres quickly and were sometimes driven by uncaring drivers. Bear it in mind that any Pulsar with a higher than normal odometer reading could well have been a renter. Negotiate hard to lower the asking price on a car that appears to have a rental background.IN A CRASH All models have a driver’s airbag, but some also have an airbag for the front passenger, and ABS anti-skid brakes.AT THE PUMP The N16 is generally an economical little car, and well worth considering if you want to cut your fuel bills. On average it should do around 7.5-8.5 L/100 km in general use.LOOK FOR • Pleasant looks• good performing 1.8-litre• low fuel consumption• well built• little goes wrong• good all-rounderTHE BOTTOM LINE Well-built and reliable small car that will cut your fuel bills.RATING 78/100

It might be the last letter in the alphabet, but ‘Z’ is the first that comes to mind when thinking of the great sports cars Nissan has made over the years. It came into being with the great Datsun 240Z sports coupe in the early 1970s and has continued to identify the company’s sports cars ever since.Today it’s used on the 350Z, Nissan’s current sports car that first hit our roads back in 2003. When launching the 350Z, Nissan’s then managing director, Leon Daphne, said it was the company’s “halo” car, designed to represent the “heart, soul and passion” of the company.MODEL WATCH The 350Z continued the rich history of Nissan sports cars dating back to the iconic 240Z. With two doors and seating for two the 350Z is not a car for the family. It’s the car owned by those without kids, or those who want a second fun car for the weekends.The 350Z range was made up of three models: two coupes and a roadster. The Touring Coupe was tailored more to those who wanted their sporting motoring with a slightly softer edge than its Track Coupe cousin. It came with leather trim, drilled alloy pedals, Bose sound system with six-stack CD player, and rolled on 17-inch alloy wheels for a suppler ride. The Track Coupe had all of that, but had a more defined sporty edge with 18-inch alloy wheels, bigger disc brakes and electronic stability control.The Roadster could be transformed from a comfy and secure coupe to an open top cruiser at the push of a button, when the power roof would fold down out of sight.The 350Z’s power came from a wonderful 3.5-litre double overhead camshaft V6. When asked it would willingly deliver to the tune of 206 kW at 6200 revs and 363 Nm at 4800 revs. Down low there was plenty of torque on tap, whether you just wanted to cruise along without changing gears, or if you wanted to slam your foot to the floor and race through the gears.The 350Z was superbly tractable at low speeds, but ask it for its best and it would pin your ears back like few others. If you wanted it would reach 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and race through the 400-metre dash in 14.5 seconds.But it wasn’t just a straight-line hero; it really came into its own on a winding country road where you got to experience its full performance repertoire. Buyers had the choice of a six-speed manual, which was criticized for its less than precise gearshift, or a five-speed auto with a paddle shift manual mode. Final drive was fittingly delivered through the rear wheels.The 350Z boasted an almost perfect 50/50 weight distribution. It was marginally heavier on the front than it was on the rear, but the near perfect distribution was one of the reasons the 350Z had a wonderfully balanced chassis.Underneath it had independent all-alloy suspension front and rear, speed sensitive power steering and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. There was also a raft of electronics to keep a watchful eye over proceedings. All models had ABS antiskid brakes, brake force distribution, brake assist, and traction control. On top of that the sporty Track Coupe also had stability control and more powerful Brembo brakes.Inside, the 350Z was snug. There wasn’t a huge amount of space to stretch out, you felt surrounded, but there was a sense of security and plenty of support if you wanted to push things to the limit.IN THE SHOP Generally the 350Z is trouble free with few problems coming to the surface in the first few years it has been on sale. The earliest cars now have around 60,000 km on the odometer if they’ve been used daily, but there are a number that have been reserved for weekend use and haven’t got as many kays under their belts.The wonderful double overhead camshaft V6 is robust and doesn’t appear to give much trouble at all. It does, however, require PULP or better to be used. Likewise the transmissions and drive train seem robust and reliable. The chassis generally is standing up well, although there are some reports of high tyre wear.IN A CRASH The 350Z’s safety package was comprehensive, with all models having dual front and side airbags, and the Coupes also having curtain airbags. Add to that a responsive chassis and powerful brakes, with an extensive array of electronic driver aids, and the safety package is an impressive one.OWNERS SAY Greg Bird has owned his 350Z for the last four years, but has used it as a weekend car and it has only clocked up 35,000 km. He says it’s easy to drive, whether driven down to the local shops or hard around a racetrack. The steering is razor sharp, the handling great, while the engine has good torque and a good spread of power through the rev range. It’s also been economical, and utterly reliable. He’s not so rapt in the rear visibility, which he says is poor, the interior noise level, and the high level of front tyre wear, which he says was fixed under warranty.Derek bought his 2003 350Z Touring second hand when it had done 14,000 km and sold it when it had 35,000 km on the clock. He says it was the best car he’d ever driven. It had great performance, and loved corners and straight lines, and he loved the firm ride. The fuel consumption was 14.2 L/100 km around town and around 8.5 L/100 km on the open road. His only complaints were a squeak in the driver’s seat and the cheap look of the interior plastics.LOOK FOR • chunky styling• sizzling V6 engine• good road holding• responsive chassis• powerful brakes.THE BOTTOM LINE Good looking thrill-a-minute sports car with a great engine and agile chassis.RATING 80/100