BLAXIMA2K4

iTrader: (1)

Well I went to the stealership yesterday for a little browse. Ive been really interested purchasing a Titan. Taking Im trading my Max in for it. I went there looking for a fully loaded crew cab Titan and somehow got convinced into a fully loaded Armada for about $50k. Theyre willing to pay off my Max with a few grand down if I go for the Armada. Total for the Armada will be about $54k. They say Ill be losing money if I go for a cheaper Titan since Ill still owe about $10k on the Max. With the Armada for $50k they said I wont have to worry about that $10k. Ive got a wife and 2 kids now. I figured the roomy interior of a Titan is enough. Do you guys think this is a stupid move? Or is the 7 seater "moving apartment" Armada overdoing it? What do you guys think?

Majestic_MAx05

iTrader: (2)

Hey family comes first.
So what ever fits your fam best.

Would hate to see the max go thoe.

9Nails

Me, I went for the more room for people vs. stuff.

At times, I've filled every seat in my 7 passenger 02 Explorer. And, don't tell CHP this, at times I've had 8 people sitting in my SUV! We know so many families of 4, that an 8 seat car would have been better! If you plan that a trip to "Imaginary Land" and each kid wants to bring a friend, will the Titan work for you? That was how my wife justified our Explorer. The extra seats are actually useful. And we can rent a trailer for anything that we would have needed a truck bed for. I'v folded down the seats and my Explorer swollowed a full sized couch. It's still just as handy as a truck IMHO.

But I also have my Max when it's just my family of 4 and we want to save a little gas.

It kind of sounds like you have your reservations around a large SUV when compared to a Titan. Even though the Titan is a longer vehicle! If you're going to do lots of towing, the Titan is a better choice for that longer wheel base and the option for a 5th wheel solution. If you aren't towing and just hauling lots of family and friends, the Armada sounds like a better match. But you have to make those payments, so its your call!

Killah Kane

I highly doubt that the Titan will be sufficient for a family of four. And the Armada, it is definately a nice ride and very big and spacious, but the gas mileage is one of the worst I've ever seen. I think if I was in your position, the Maxima would be the perfect choice for a family car. My family gets the room of a big sedan, I get to to keep driving a sports car. Everyone wins!

SmokedOutMaxi

iTrader: (2)

i guess the question to ask your self is do you really need all that room? hate to see you go though. you have real nice ride

OmarBadu

trucks are hard if you plan on using it for travelling unless you get a cover for the bed

STARR

iTrader: (1)

I'd look and compare the F-150 and Expedition, even the new Tahoe, and the Sequoia

I've seen loaded Armadas with a sticker for 47k, what make it 50k

edit: I'd go with a QX56,

03SheerMax

I personally would stay with the Max, afterall you have only two kids. Now if you had 4 or 5 kids then yes I would go for the convenience of a 7-seater Armada, but of course you do what you think is best for you and the fam. Good luck either way!

gen2000

You had better consider the great difference in gas consumption of the two vehicles before you buy. Acording to my Nissan Tech. ,who has a Titan, the gas milage gets horrible as the truck ages. Like less than 10 MPG city and less than 15 MPG highway on an 04 .

BLAXIMA2K4

iTrader: (1)

Been there done that. Nissan is my only choice. Sorry but I love the damn things. Ive got an 02 Toyota 4Runner that my wife usually drives but thats what made my decision to never by a Toyota again. Theres just something about them that doesnt please me. Nissan and their products are more appealing to me. Yeah the QX56 was my second option, but why pay $10-15k more for a change in name badges?

Have you ever seen or been in a crew cab Titan?

BadBlackMaxSL

iTrader: (1)

Have you considered a loaded out Pathfinder LE with Navi and DVD. It seats 7 and gets better MPG than the Armada and still has great pickup for a heavy SUV. I have 2 kids, ages 5 and 10 and they love the 3rd row. Give it a try, you might like it. We took a trip to Hilton Head Island last fall with it, @ 2000 miles round trip and it was absolutely fantastic. The wife and kids didn't even get out of their seats for a stretch of @ 7 hours, even for bathroom breaks b/c they were so comfortable. We averaged @ 18 MPG and we were FULLY loaded and drove thru the mountains of West Virginia. The only option I wish it had was HID's.

cvan44

If your family already has a SUV, why would you want 2? I think it is ideal for a family of 4 to have a SUV and a car. If anything, get rid of the 4runner and get the Nissan SUV. Let me throw this in there, how about the Pathfinder? Looks just as nice as the bigger Armada, but alot more economical. Good luck with your decision.

leftfootmax

$50K, Wow! Maybe you don't care about price or depreciation, but that's a lot of money for soemthing that's going to depreciate incredibly. Have you considered a luxury SUV if you're willing to spend $50k? A Lexus GX470 w/ Nav goes for $52.5K (MRSP). It's not as big as an Armada, but definitely a vehicle that will retain's it's value better. I think a fully loaded Pathfinder would be a better choice, but that's just my opinion.

Tek-Niq

iTrader: (3)

I went trough the exact same thing man..

I did some shopping also and looked at the armada. I have my family of 3 kids. I would do it, but at the time the price would have been too much for my current situation.

I'd do it, specially in new england. with it you can expand your choices of toys. instead of that header and cattback mod you want for your max, you can get a jet ski or a boat for the armada lol.

BLAXIMA2K4

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I thought about the Pathfinder also. But when I saw the Titan and the Armada, I knew I wanted one of them. Then the Pathfinder came out. I know if I got the Pathfinder I would regret not getting a Titan or Armada. Yeah we have another suv, the 02 4Runner, but it was just recently paid off. Its kind of nice just having one car payment. Plus I think my span of spending would change if I went from a car to an SUV like Tek says.

KCMAXX

iTrader: (22)

Ive heard the QX is the biggest POS on the road... I would definitly stay away form it. The Armada sounds a little overpriced. Make sure and check alt. routes before the big purchase!

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

Very confused.


I bought the Max as a long term investment car. Major reason was I know I can comfortably fit a wife and 3 children.

Tek-Niq

iTrader: (3)

the smaller pathfinder is cool, but I wouldn't get a v6 suv. I would get a v8 all day.

I can also fit my family in my max nice also, but is also nice to bring people along without having a caravan of cars going with you. I guess it has the ups and downs like any other thing.

I personally would get the armada just cause if I could afford it right now. stillen just came out with a supercharger for it also lol... the max still hasn't gotten one...

Maxium

We all do what we have to... Though $54K is an a$$ load of money to drop on a Armada. --Maybe I missed it but how does one lose money if you choose a cheaper Titan? Is it because the dealer gets you to spend more money on an Armada, which provides more leverage to pay off your Max? Which means you've in turn have really spent more, but 10K more? Common sense says they are moving numbers around. Interested what that would look like on paper, by that see what they are willing to pay for the Max, then use that number to get in the cheaper Titan... If it only worked that way in real life... Good luck!

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

^^you lose money b/c all the payments you made are lost.

The value seems to decline along with the payments (atleast the first year).

depending on when you trade, you may owe more than the current value of your car. Hence you lose money. It's worth the same or less than a cheaper car, plus you should consider all that you invested.

BLAXIMA2K4

iTrader: (1)

Thats pretty much it. You summed it up good.

I already thought that, thats why Im still in my Max right now, lol.

MAXIMA-GHOST

iTrader: (3)

If i was you i would look at a fully loaded Pathfinder, very eco friendly. Also most vehicles will be ready for the Ethonol switch-over tht is most likely to happen around 2010-2013.. Save taht $$$ you would spend on the Armada, and go all out on a Pathfinder or something similiar. GAS Prices are so unpredictiable, that you will be paying for it in the long run. those vehicles (Armada) are better when used in long distances, not short stopped rides. I owned a HEMI Ram that got between 9-14MPG, and was really hurting my pockets. The Armada, is about that in GAS, exspecially when it is aged some.

Do the Math. If you have $$$ and really dont care about that, then go Armada all the way, you will just make more stops at the pump than needed. The value of an Armada falls about 20K after it leaves the parking lot. Its about the GAS, and the new frontier that car industries are moving to. You will see now that 30 MPG is an average that most cars and trucks SUV's are moving too.. Now the Titan/Armada and otehrs with lower Gas Milage, if you have to resell, well..... You will pay for it somehow... IMHO, i would go ECO... Even if you go to a car seller website, you can see that the MAX still holds it value so well.. Thats the reason they are willing to buy your car off so easily, knowing they will still turn a profit.. Plus you are paying them more for a higher priced vehicle, and service charges will apply as well for that 50K vehicle.... Just a thought my friend... Later..

STARR

iTrader: (1)

50k or 54k for an Armada is kinda high, is that loaded and the agreed price of a 60 term payoff.

BlackMax06

Like someone previously stated, a New Tahoe is an excellent SUV.

My mom recently purchased one, and that thing is not only comfortable for quite a few passengers, but very very gas efficient as well. I wouldnt mind having one of those one day when its time for to expand the family. I think the maxima will be just fine for the whole starting of the family, gotta get married and go through all that first

BadBlackMaxSL

iTrader: (1)

What is so special of a V8 compared to the 4.0 liter V6 of the Pathfinder? Here is the Pathfinder Compared to the 06 Explorer V8 and the 06 Toyota 4Runner V8, all roughly the same cost. I think the Pathfinder is right there with its engine power, is over 600 lbs lighter than those other 2 SUVs, gets better MPG, probably better acceleration AND it is a NISSAN with the VQ engine. http://autos.msn.com/research/compar...1005&v=t101825

Maybe I'm a little biased since I own the Pathfinder LE but I can attest to the punch of the Pathfinder's engine and its real world gas economy

jjs

If you are going to get a truck/suv...I would definitely go with a pick-up or variant...meaning open bed in back. The idea of damp, dirty, possibly smelly bags of mulch, etc....plants from nurseries dripping....dirty lumber, etc. in a nice clean SUV just doesn't cut it for me.

Jeffs04SE

although the armada is very nice im a little bias. deffiently look into the crew cab titan before purchasing teh armada. the crew cab has the largest interior in its class. theres a lot of people over on titantalk.com that boast about the size of the interior of the crew cab. hell in my king cab i can sit comfortably back there and im 6'-1". and the gas mileage crap, yeah its bad but i have the tow package and i get 11 mph plus i hammer on it all the time and have a very short distance to and from work.(8 miles total) plus with the truck you have the cargo space and can even tow up to 9500lbs. the armada i do believe is 7000lbs. either way they are both very nice vehicles but i would go with the titan. plus that 5.6L sounds awesome with an exhaust

SmokeMaximus

Yes I owned one for about 6 months. I sold it for the max. I had the 4 door 05 LE smoked Titan. Nav the whole thing. I got rid of it because of gas prices and the problems they were having with them,. 10 MPG is true. That was my avg. It was a nice ride untill the shimmy started, Interior was scratching, rear seats arent leather they are vinyl etc.. My max is much nice than the titan IMO

phips25

I have to agree with others its just gonna cost you more money in gas in the long run.

BLAXIMA2K4

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like some of the problems that were having. Is it just Nissan all around?

SmokeMaximus

I think most of the problems were on the 04, but some carried over to the 05. I think Nissan just came into the BIG TRUCK market and will have some growing pains. I loved the truck but didnt want to go back to the dealer so much. Engine is powerfull, exhaust sounds good, very roomy etc. But I couldn't handle once a week fill ups on a 28 gallon tank. I go the same distance to work and back in my max and it's once every 2 weeks for fill ups. with less fuel. There trying to rape you on the armada. My truck fully loaded cost me 32,000. Only option it didnt have was the sunroof. Stick with the max, and get the wife a nissan quest. Or some sort of mini van.

4MySwee

iTrader: (2)

$50-$54g's? IMHO they are WAY over their market price. Their SUV sales are in the tank because of fuel prices alone. They/you can negotiate a lot. Those bad boys used to go for $32,000 just a couple of years ago. The ball is in YOUR court, not theirs. They need to sell these beasts. If you drag your feet a bit, they will start dropping the price big time. Don't give them $50,000 their lagging SUV sales.....Make them work to sell it to you.

clayman88

iTrader: (1)

I would agree with most everyone else...50K for an Armada seems a bit much. It sounds to me like the dealership is yanking your chain around saying that they'll pay off the trade-in if you buy the Armada, but not if you buy the Titan. You should have negotiated the price of the vehicle before even bringing up the trade-in. I made the same mistake when I bought my Max.

Good Luck with whatever you get and don't settle for something you wont be happy with down the road.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Everyone is missing the true core of the discussion. Are you going to sell your newly installed ActiveTuning Grill????

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Do some research on prices paid, etc. Check out the below thread.

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef25531

SmokeMaximus

What they are doing is tacking what you owe on the max onto the armada, thay are trying to screw you with no lube!

clayman88

iTrader: (1)

Nicely put... Your post would have been perfect if you included this:

BLAXIMA2K4

iTrader: (1)

Yes I agree with what you all are saying. I did some research. I do know that $50k is a lot for the Armada, even if its fully loaded. I told them I wanted a fully loaded LE Titan and the best they said they can do is around $40k . I went on www.carmax.com and found plenty of LE Titans for about $30k. I told them about it and of course they try to throw in the negatives about buying from another dealer. For now the Max is still mine, and until I get what I want Ill maybe come to my decision.

JiuJitsuThug

iTrader: (1)

Stick with the max - I have a kid due in March and have been playing around with going back to an SUV.

I just can't do it - the gas would eat me alive and the max is plenty big enough for my family and is a very safe car IMO.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

And higher insurance and the increase cost in gas all need to be factored into your new note as well...