Picked up an inexpensive minivan today for the wife- 2004 Nissan Quest SE, power everything, runs like a top, has 170k on it. There are a few minor cosmetic issues to fix, but nothing too major. It drives great, no odd noises or weird habits... So, since I don't speak FWD transaxle, what are some of the things to check for mechanical reliability? It's got to last a year or two while we save up for a newer van...
Also, for you mini van geeks- a pic:
Check CV joints for rips and leaks. Listen for "clicking " or grinding type noises, sounds making turns, could be hub bearings. Front tires for abnormal wear. Like any other car fluids check, change etc. Service records if possible. Good luck.
I have a '05 Quest.
The '04 & '05 are known to have the bad plastic chain guides which were later updated to metal. Keep an eye towards listening for chain rattle.
Here is a link to a digital version of the entire '04 Quest Nissan Field Service Manual
Can you read the LCD screen for your odo, fuel guage, temp guage? If not, my build thread will lead you to the $10 fix.
Spend some time with the owners manual to understand the folding of the mid seats. Though not "intuitive" on how it really works, if done right, they fold nearly as well as Chrysler Stow&Go. Not a true flat floor like stow&go but clearly an industry 2nd place.
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It's hard to tell from the pic, but the headlight lenses were foggy to the point of " '50s 6v sealed beam yellow"... yeah, it was bad. New ones are in the budget at some point, but until then, I spent ten bucks at the parts store, and tried out the Turtle Wax headlight restoration kit. They're not perfect, but they're waaay better than they were! Gonna see about finding a bumper cover and some fog lights next...
A drain and fill on the ATF (or two if it looks nasty) is rarely a bad idea.
So, one of the kidlets decided to turn the 6 disc changer into a 7 disc changer. On the bright side, tearing apart the dash, removing the changer, disassembly and removal of discs and reinstalling everything is about a two hour job. On the dim side, CD player no longer works.
Time to start looking for a replacement...
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