Ahead Of the SUV Crowd

I can't say enough about my 1996 Nissan Quest Van. I purchased this brand new off the lot in 1996, and am still enjoying the vehicle to this day. I can't help but laugh at the overwhelming amount of SUV's on the road these days, and how the are used in the same way I use my van, namely commuting to work and picking up my daughter from school. In Seattle, unless you are a skier, people are lucky to put the vehicles in four-wheel drive twice in a year. However, I have saved a few thousand dollars on the purchase price of the van, get better gas mileage, and can fit more people in my van. It feels like I am sitting on a big secret!

The Nissan Quest I purchased is the XE model, with power locks, windows, steering, and air conditioning. The engine is a 3.0 liter V6, which was designed in a joint venture with Ford. (The Mercury Villager is virtually identical.) The interior is cloth, with plenty of cupholders. Visibility is good, with plenty of window space and nothing blocking your view of the road. The rear seat is also removable, which allows for extra cargo space when necessary. The middle seat has a plastic layer on the back, which folds down to make a table for activities on long trips for drivers with children.

I have 56,000 miles on my Quest, and have had no major mechanical problems. Maintenance has consisted of tuneups, oil changes, brakepads, and new tires. The only flaws I have would be the legroom in the front passenger area (my husband is rather tall) and some minor things on the body have been cause for annoyance. We have had to replace a visor, mirror, and a seatbelt adjuster, things which you wouldn't really expect to see any problems.

I plan on driving my Quest until the engine can no longer run. With Nissan's track record, I expect this will be well over 100,000 miles before I am in to see my local Nissan Dealer for a new Quest.