NV 3500 Nissan Van as TOW VEHICLE

[OTRA15]

PS -- Apologies for the earlier hiccup.

Here some "Van as TV" threads:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...se-171397.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...le-156975.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...an-161693.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...tv-131695.html

. . . and lots of hits searching this site for "Nissan NV:

https://www.google.com/search?q=niss...=airforums.com

Please let us know your thoughts if you test drive a Nissan NV.

Thanks,

Peter

[on-a-roll]

We're getting a Nissan NV 3500 passenger van to tow our trailer. My question -> I am trying to compare HP, Torque and axle ratio for the same sized engine in different years. When compared and shown by Nissan they do not use the same RPM for measuring the specs. In the real world pulling our camper is the difference in HP and Torque a big deal or not? Following is background information and factory spec comparisons with links to Nissan.

We just put our 2016 RAM 2500 Diesel up for commission sale at local dealer. Spent 2 yrs on the road with our 1974 Argosy 22. Trailer weight 5K. Wonderful first tow experience. But sometimes good times get molded into to new paths and we settled down in Oregon. Hard choice for us, getting rid of the RAM, but the RAM is just to much truck to keep paying for and mainly have it just sitting in the yard now. For the next 6 years we will be summer and vacation campers while daughter finishes school.

So.... needing a second daily driver vehicle capable of hauling our camper and kids, we're opting for a newer van. Most vans if configured properly can pull our 5K pound trailer. We also have two big dogs and need cargo space and room. But coming from the RAM it feels like a tow down grade. So I wanted a vehicle more than less capable. That pretty much set the bar for us looking at the GMC/Chevy 3500 and Nissan NV 3500. We're opting for the passenger vans due to the additional passenger safety airbags, installed seats for our daughter, creature comforts, and these passenger vans can be configured from the factory for towing (external transmission cooler, higher output alternators, wires, tow-haul mode, etc) as well.

We decided on the Nissan NV3500 passenger van. A 2016 and a 2018 are available right now. The only real difference is in 2017 Nissan upped the engine HP/Torque and added an available 5 to 7 speed transmission. Actually looking at the specs for the transmission the "5" has 5 forward and reverse. The "7" has 6 forward and reverse. One year they did not add reverse in counting the number of gears and then in later years they count reverse as a gear and called it a seven speed transmission. In actuality comparing apples to apples 2016 is 5 speed transmission and 2017 is a 6 speed. And there are different axel ratios.

2016: https://nissanforum.com/forum/vindec...AF0AA8GN855424
18,500 Miles

8 Cylinder Engine L/CI 5.6/
Fuel Type Gasoline Fuel
Horsepower 317.0 @ 5200
Net Torque 385.0 @ 3400

First Gear Ratio (:1)
3.83 3.83 min 3.83 max
Second Gear Ratio (:1)
2.37 2.37 min 2.37 max
Third Gear Ratio (:1)
1.52 1.52 min 1.52 max
Fourth Gear Ratio (:1)
1.00 1.0 min 1.0 max
Fifth Gear Ratio (:1)
0.83 0.83 min 0.83 max
Reverse Ratio (:1)
2.61 2.61 min 2.61 max

Axle Ratio 3.54

2018: https://nissanforum.com/forum/vindec...AF0AA2JN853210
25 Miles

8 Cylinder Engine L/CI 5.6/
Fuel Type Gasoline Fuel
Horsepower 375 @ 5800
Torque @ 387 @ 4000

First Gear Ratio (:1)
4.89 4.89 min 4.89 max
Second Gear Ratio (:1)
3.17 3.17 min 3.17 max
Third Gear Ratio (:1)
2.03 2.03 min 2.03 max
Fourth Gear Ratio (:1)
1.41 1.41 min 1.41 max
Fifth Gear Ratio (:1)
1.00 1.0 min 1.0 max
Sixth Gear Ratio (:1)
0.86 0.86 min 0.86 max
Reverse Ratio (:1)

Axle Ratio 3.36

In the real world pulling our 5K max weight camper is the difference in HP, Torque and axle ratio a big consideration or not? Will the 2016 tow just as well as the 2018? Its $20K cheaper! Thanks

[jcl]

Axle ratio only matters if all other things are equal. In this case, one has a five speed automatic and the other has a seven speed automatic, so disregard it.

Torque doesn’t matter in this comparison. Hp might, depending on your preferences. Both have sufficient hp and torque for your purposes. Both will tow fine.

The later model has more hp, likely due to adding direct injection. That DI may result in better fuel economy as well.

It comes down to the 20k, and if the other features/options included in the 2018 matter to you.

[Tuco]

Originally Posted by jcl

Axle ratio only matters if all other things are equal. In this case, one has a five speed automatic and the other has a seven speed automatic, so disregard it.

Torque doesn’t matter in this comparison. Hp might, depending on your preferences. Both have sufficient hp and torque for your purposes. Both will tow fine.

The later model has more hp, likely due to adding direct injection. That DI may result in better fuel economy as well.

It comes down to the 20k, and if the other features/options included in the 2018 matter to you.

Doesn't the 2018 make a better choice as a tow vehicle? At peak torque the 2018 makes 295 HP and the 2016 only makes 249. Also, wont the added forward gear mean the 2018 can become torque limited at a higher gear and speed?

[jcl]

Originally Posted by Tuco

Doesn't the 2018 make a better choice as a tow vehicle? At peak torque the 2018 makes 295 HP and the 2016 only makes 249. Also, wont the added forward gear mean the 2018 can become torque limited at a higher gear and speed?

The question I focused on was whether both could equally tow the 5000 lb trailer. I suggest they can. The newer model may be a better choice if going up a hill faster is important to the poster. But it costs 20k more. I don’t think the 20k can be justified just for the increased hp, but there may be other factors and features that matter to the poster. I would personally like the direct injection, but some may worry about the cost of repairing it outside of warranty. I would want more gears in the transmission, but at what cost? More years of warranty coverage may matter. But I wouldn’t pick either just because of the torque figure, or rear axle ratio.

[n2916s]

The 2016 has the same version of the 5.6 liter V8 that was in my first generation Titan and the same transmission. I towed my 31' Sovereign over 70000 miles with it over 12 years. When I traded it in, it had 213000 total miles on it and everything worked except the CD player. It was quiet, capable and bulletproof. Lots of miles in the Rockies - no problem.

The only costly repair was a replacement of the exhaust headers at about $1000 (the headers on the 2016 should be the improved version)

I am, unabashedly, a Nissan fan -- my current TV is a Titan XD.

The new 5.6 version, which is offered on the XD as well, is reported to be an excellent powerplant on the Titan XD forum but, as was it's predecessor, it is a thirsty beast with most owners reporting 10 mpg towing.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by on-a-roll

We decided on the Nissan NV3500 passenger van. A 2016 and a 2018 are available right now. The only real difference is in 2017 Nissan upped the engine HP/Torque and added an available 5 to 7 speed transmission. Actually looking at the specs for the transmission the "5" has 5 forward and reverse. The "7" has 6 forward and reverse. One year they did not add reverse in counting the number of gears and then in later years they count reverse as a gear and called it a seven speed transmission. In actuality comparing apples to apples 2016 is 5 speed transmission and 2017 is a 6 speed. And there are different axel ratios.

Not sure about the six speed comment. Nissan lists a seven speed, with seven distinct forward ratios. Do they block out 7th on some configurations?

https://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/...-van-press-kit