Versatile family vehicle
Pros:
Smooth car like handling. Nicely equipped. Sporty for a Mini-van.
Cons:
A few electrical problems.
The Bottom Line:
I find the Quest to be an exceptional value in the mini-van market.
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Author's Review
We initially were interested in the Quest due to our track record with Nissan vehicles. Also, we knew families who had Quests (94 and 95) and they had given us thumbs up. So in December of last year we found a Quest GXE with 54,000 miles for sale from the original owner. We were targeting a 1996 since that year saw some substantial upgrades. ABS brakes, increased side impact protection, and no more auto shoulder belts to name a few. We paid $10,995.
First of all, the ride is smooth, quiet, and carlike. The transmission shifts smoothly and acceleration is plenty powerful. Visibility is exceptional. Weve taken a few long trips in the last few months and Ive found this van a real pleasure to drive. The 6 CD changer, auto climate control, cruise control, power seats, moonroof, and room to keep the kids separated all contribute to a nice driving experience. I like how the van tracks straight down the highway. You can take your hand off the wheel and go a 1/4 mile before it wanders a bit. No shimmy or vibration.
The Quest-trac seating system gives you plenty of options to configure the van in the best way to suit your needs. Ive found it easy to move from one configuration to the other. The middle seat folds down to a table with cup holders which is neat for the kids to use during long trips. I think well enjoy that feature during camping trips as well.
On the downside, weve experienced some minor electrical problems, most which Im just living with. The steering wheel audio controls are sporadic as are the rear audio controls, both of which I can live without. Im considering replacing the rear audio controls with the cupholder that other Quests have in that cutout. Also, the power door locks have intermittently stopped working. Nissan issued a service bulletin for this. The culprit is often moisture that gets inside the doors and shorts out part of the system. I would imagine if the vehicle could be garaged it might help with this problem. (ours is not presently)
Overall, I believe the Quest to be an exceptional value in the mini-van market. Not only does it give you the basics you need to get your family around conveniently, but also some nice amenities that make a drive in the Quest something to look forward to.
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