[BenFrank76]

As most say, it's going to be about maintenance (including the previous owner). I purchased my 2006 SE 4x4 for 5500 with 150k miles on it in 2018. I now have 174k miles, have a good amount of fun upgrades and this rig has been really reliable.


Within a few weeks I encountered some issues (I had a dishonest seller and these items didnt show themselves initially, i couldn't see them, the light wasn't on, etc.) :
1. Clock spring failure (no driver air bag)
2. Brake failure (replaced all areas based on learnings in this forum and zero problems since)
2a. Replaced brake booster
2b. Replaced front hubs (speed sensors are built in)
2c. Full brake job all around.
3. Installed lower motor mount bolts (yes, they were missing LOL)
4. General tune up / clean throttle body, replaced plugs, changed oil/filter, changed air filter.
5. changed cabin filter.

Problems I've encountered and resolved since:
1. front CV boots torn
2. Power steering leaks (at reservoir)
3. inner and outer tie rod ends
4. climate control actuator issues.
5. starter relay failure
6. starter failure.
7. squeaky hood

Current problem I have
Oil leak (appears to be oil pan gasket which I'll tackle soon)

Wow that is a lot of issues.

I'll be the first to say it. Pre owned cars are only as good as the previous owner. If you find one you like, have it inspected.
These are great SUVs and are solid but can have issues. Exhaust header cracks which can cause failed emissions and be costly repairs. 4WD is solid but does not have locking diff like the Sequoia.
13-15 are the best years to get for the 1st Gen. As most of the previous issues were worked out. These do not offer the latest Bluetooth/Audio, so streaming music from your phone won't work. Need to do a stero upgrade and they have limited options.

We love ours and wouldn't trade it for many other vehicles out there. The newer generation comes with modern tech, maybe worth considering. Great value SUV with towing capabilities that will impress. Happy hunting. Took me a long time to find a well cared for one.

Exaust header cracks are interesting, just read extensively about those in this forum. You have to hope it happens within the 80k mile warranty mark or you're screwed. Hmm maybe I'll look at even lower mileage Armada's.

 

[Tanks]

Exaust header cracks are interesting, just read extensively about those in this forum. You have to hope it happens within the 80k mile warranty mark or you're screwed. Hmm maybe I'll look at even lower mileage Armada's.

Even If you find one with less than 80k miles, the vehicle year might also no longer be under warranty due to age. I got mine with roughly 80k miles if I recall. I've not had the issue because I'm in dry climate.

 

[BenFrank76]

Even If you find one with less than 80k miles, the vehicle year might also no longer be under warranty due to age. I got mine with roughly 80k miles if I recall. I've not had the issue because I'm in dry climate.

O that's very true. Whats the total cost these days to replace the Manifolds in the best way possible (so they don't crack again)? Also anyone know how much the Air Suspension as I've read that could go to may cost? Trying to estimate the max $ in repairs within the first 5 years of ownership. I'm coming from a Subaru Forester which I replaced the leaking headgasket twice in (once at 85k the other at 160k) for around $2000 each. Still would buy again as other than that is been perfect. So thinking maybe this is the same with the Armada.

 

[Tanks]

O that's very true. Whats the total cost these days to replace the Manifolds in the best way possible (so they don't crack again)? Also anyone know how much the Air Suspension as I've read that could go to may cost? Trying to estimate the max $ in repairs within the first 5 years of ownership. I'm coming from a Subaru Forester which I replaced the leaking headgasket twice in (once at 85k the other at 160k) for around $2000 each. Still would buy again as other than that is been perfect. So thinking maybe this is the same with the Armada.

The exhaust is not cheap, prices range but it's hard to say. From what I understand, it's a one time deal. Do it and enjoy the performance gains. Suspension, swap the airbags and go to Bilstein struts and never look back. Saves money time and is an improvement over airbags. A lot of info on this here.

 

[GotGrit]

At the end of the day, it's about how much you enjoy the vehicle, Doing the maintenance and repairing what needs to be repaired (even if you had to replace the engine, transmission, or transfer case) almost always is more cost effective than buying another used or new vehicle, especially if you've had it long enough to know "where it's been". This has been the most enjoyable vehicle I've owned. Now of course, this is the earlier 1st gen, so if it was to truly take a dump on me, I'd go out for the later years of the 1st gen, move all my suspension over to it, and donate what is left of this one. But something to mention - this was a little beat up, and I paid just over $5k for it. I feel GOOD taking it through the mud, the snow, and scratching the paint across trees . It has 173k miles on it and has proven to be more reliable than my mini cooper that only has 85k on it and the cost of ownership has been so much less.

The initial interest in this vehicle came from taking a ride in a co-worker's armada. I sat in the very back and this is the only 3rd row vehicle I've ever been in where an adult can feel comfortable in the far back. It has nearly the same amount of leg room as the middle and front rows do from seat to floor. I have 4 children ranging from 5 to 18 and they are all comfortable on trips (until I get to the windy roads, but that's a separate problem lol).

Anyhow, long story short - the previous post about 'the car is as good as its owner' is fact. I can tell you that the guy that sold me this car I had trust issues with, but for the price, I was willing to risk it... I paid the price, but even after basic repairs, was 7k and far less than the others out there in similar condition.

GET ONE!

 

[Mancini789]

Hello everyone,
I'm currently in the market for a used car, and I came across a 2013 Nissan Armada SL with a V-8 5.6L engine. The car is priced at $9,900, which is within my budget, but the title status is salvage, which is making me hesitate.
I was hoping to get some advice from the forum members on whether or not I should purchase a car with a salvage title. What are the risks involved? What are the benefits? Are there any specific things I should be looking out for when inspecting a car with a salvage title?
Additionally, I'm interested in any insights or opinions on the 2013 Nissan Armada and its engine. Are there any known issues or common problems with this model that I should be aware of?
Thank you in advance for any advice or insights you can provide.

 

[twinblown]

Have you checked the car fax?.... it may indicate what happened and to what area of the car which can make you decide how bad of an accidentit it had. 2013 is a good year and SL a plus. How many miles does it have?

 

[marctronixx]

Hello everyone,

i did a cursory search and found this -




NISSAN ARMADA 2013 - VIN: 5N1BA0ND5DN607873

to answer you other concerns ,

the nissan armada/qx are very reliable cars. lots of people here have had them over 200K miles. any used car is only as good as its previous owner(s). if you have a mechanic you trust, id let them smoke over the car. they can eyeball anything physical and run a code scanner to see if any dtc's are present. you can read up on any tsbs or recalls by the vin (stop at a local nissan dealer and have them look up the vin in their system to see what data /maintenance records they come up with).