1st Aug 2005, 10:35
The Serena Minivan may not be 'worth the price' when purchased new, but on the used car market, it can be acquired for a good price. Those looking for a 'bargain' car that can meet city- and some country-side driving needs will find this model to be a reasonable bargain.
8th Aug 2007, 01:41
I just bought a 2002 Serena QR-V with 57000km odometer reading for 1/3 the price of the new one. Yes, the rattling of the door still has to be fixed, and the side panels do look dirty. But overall, it is a bargain ride for the price, and I love how light it feels to drive. The kids love the van, mainly because of the TV I guess. Am still looking to see if I can hook up an iPod Video onto the receiver (says there is AUX input).
The brakes have that sound once in a while... brought it to Nissan for service... they said all OK and just cleaned it...gone...but after a hundred kilometers is back - guess it is just dirt.
Suspension has to be repaired, and am still exploring my options.
12th Nov 2007, 08:33
I agree that buying the Nissan Serena for its full price is not worth it, but buying it second hand at less than 1/3 of its price sure is worth it. I don't experience the hard starting, but do have the annoying whirling noise in the rear air-con. Installed an LPG conversion kit and have been fully satisfied with my weekly fuel expenses. Handling was quite good and it is quite comfortable to drive.
30th Nov 2007, 21:12
Hi, I also bought one last year.. I have a problem though, and I hope you guys can help.. it seems lately that every time I gas the pedal, say on an uphill, the engine is very slow and the engine makes an irritating sound like it is coming from the valve or something. Anyway, I had it tuned-up and the sound seem to have disappeared, but I noticed that the car has become even slower.. Any comments?
7th Feb 2008, 10:32
Good points:
1. aircon is OK
2. read power windows are big and my kids love them
3. VCD is great with kids
4. confortable captain seats in rear
5. can use 91RON gasoline, no need for the expensive 95RON types.
Bad points:
1. rear aircon has whirling sound
2. alternator needs to be replaced after three years
3. engine support broke after four years
4. fuel economy is less than 6km per liter
5. brakes need a lot of maintenance.
21st Dec 2008, 16:39
I do not know where the Serenas you buy originate. I am from Trinidad in the West Indies. The Serena we get are imported used from Japan and they are excellent. We see them as a luxurious vehicle. They are powerful, silent, handle like a car, and have great acceleration. I have driven my brother's Serena many times and have been so impressed that I expect to take delivery of one myself this week. The demand for the vehicle here in Trinidad is growing and I would buy a Serena any day over a Noah, which is the other minivan available locally.
20th Jan 2009, 12:40
I've bought a Serena 2002. Engine sr20. I'm just wondering anybody knows what kind of shock absorber to replace? The suspension is not too good.
31st Jan 2009, 03:25
I bought a Serena model 2002 last Oct/08. 2 weeks ago, the engine did not start. I thought I needed a mechanic to fix the problem, but thanks to my friend who gave me an advice, he told me to open the fuse box and try to press in all of the fuses. Wow!!! Presto!!! One click!!! It did start.
The same thing I do when my A/C malfunctions. Maybe, cleaning is the solution cos my Serena is more than 6 yrs old.
The speed is great, and also the suspension, but there's some noise when the road is rough. But I think it's natural.
It's very convenient to drive, but it's been inconvenient every time the 3rd row seater will using. It's difficult to get in/out. And there's no armrest both to the 2nd and 3rd row seats.
23rd Nov 2011, 19:00
Hi y'all. I almost bought a used Serena 2004 for my mother, as we were looking for a minivan type, but suddenly every person I told about it warned me that it has a transmission problem.
My daughter goes to school with a school bus, and the school bus was a Serena 2004. Lately I saw that the driver came with a different car, so I asked what happened with the Serena, and she said the same thing; that it's sitting at home with a transmission problem. So that settled it, no more Serena for moms.
But after googling somewhat on the net, I found that the Serena comes with either a CVT transmission or an automatic 4 speed transmission. And that the problem child is the CVT transmission! I just wanna know if that is true? Then I will look for a Serena with the automatic 4 transmission. Please help me with an answer!... Thanks.
25th May 2015, 08:40
I have a 2004 model and I have just recently started having problems with it starting. I am having to pump the accelerator pedal a few times then hold it down to get it to start. The engine light now shows up and won't go away, and it's not getting enough power when I overtake and drive uphill.
6th Jan 2005, 02:03
My Serena QRV-R Limited is almost 2 years old now and here are some of my comments;
No, I did not experience hard-starting, not even once.
The gear shifter did not have any problem for me.
The automatic transmission does not engage to drive sometimes, but this is only because the gear shifter lever is not properly positioned, yet. Just gently position it and it will engage.
Oh yeah the brakes do have annoying sound like a metal to metal scratching, but the technicians says all breaks are in good condition. One problem I had with the brakes that I encountered already twice is that the rotor discs get deformed easily. Mine got two times re-facing.
The suspensions are OK except for those dribbling noise.
The sliding doors are heavy for women.
The audio system is OK. The VCD player is likewise quite OK, but could have been better if it was a DVD player for such a price of this minivan. Also, the monitor should have been installed behind the rear a/c unit rather than in front coz it is too near for the 2nd row seat.
The rear a/c unit did not have any problem.
The interior is really not that good. The velvet trims on the doors have black spots that are coming from the inside, I think from the screws. No matter how hard you clean it, it will always be there. Looks very dirty or shall I say really dirty.
The engine is indeed quite powerful. I have tried it on uphills (in Baguio) thrice fully loaded and it went up easily. It is proven.
It is indeed uncomfortable to go in and out from the 3rd row due to the limitation of 2nd row to move forward.
I wonder how the first reviewer liked the 2nd and 3rd row seats to completely fold down flat and turn it to bed. This is because; the seats do fold down, but IT IS NOT COMPLETELY FLAT. The back rest is higher than the seat so it as uneven surface when folded as bed. I was completely disappointed with this feature coz it is not what they had advertised.
Yes, the consumption is 6 km/liter on the average. I wish it is higher.
The price is not worth this minivan.