I can say that John from Zordos was a great guy, very helpful and only too willing to offer assistance and his time. Keeping in mind he gave me the parts and his time free of charge. If I was looking for 4x4 suspension upgrades, he would certainly be on my list for personalised service.
Having spoken with him about a number of things 4x4 and suspension, I could only recommend that you would get great service from him.
...In relation to Nissan Australia, I don't have a lot of good things to say anymore. After 3 years of chasing a fault (severe clunk/banging under certain load situations) via new car factory warranty (extended out to factory 5 year warranty) the 4 year 51 week old D40 Navara, with 1 week of warranty remaining, is declared "must be put back to stock in all regards". Last Friday, that was, must have stock rear spring and ride height. With the rear springs now changed, so have the goal posts!.
After fitting the stock springs (graciously supplied from Zordos for the trial) on Saturday, it demonstrated that the OME rear springs with 20-30mm lift were NOT the cause of the issue, as we have always been aware.
Nissan have now taken a further step to advise they won't look at the issue until such time as the vehicle is unmodified in ALL regards - that means remove ARB bar rear step bar, balance of OME front suspension (all fitted via dealer at new), as well as any other component NOT branded Nissan before they will proceed further to investigate a drive line fault. This is not a highly modified vehicle, just the usual bolt on legal parts typical of the larger dealers 4x4 chain dealers for many new cars at delivery, all dealer arranged...
Pretty rude of Nissan, given 2 different Nissan dealers have been pursuing the fault for 3 years at each of its 6 months services. It was originally raised at 20,000klm and 1 year old. At least a week minimum roughly would usually be given up at each service before we agree to look again next time, and give me my car back!. However at it speak, about 4 weeks in one go. The car has been with dealers for approximately 3 months give or take on this issue over the years for the last 70,000klm of ownership. Each dealer that has viewed this to date has clearly identified it is NOT the suspension, even after some speculation and then investigation. Irrespective, to satisfy their recent excuses, I have made the leaf spring change back to stock springs just to prove the point.
With that done (problem unaffected) , we now see them weasel after other lame excuses... not factory wheels (instead after market wheels matching factory size fitted at new by dealer), not factory matched tyre size (replaced but still within legal size specs), etc and every other lame excuse to avoid responsibility. They have effectively asked the unreasonable now today, put back to 100% as delivered from factory. This has now ben thrown out clearly as an excuse to back out of an issue that was getting too hard to resolve.
To top it all off, the current Nissan state technical rep was a dealership mechanic a few years ago. He spent quite some time looking at the vehicle to try and solve this issue. At the time he looked me in the eye, as we stood under his hoist, and advised it is not the suspension modifications/ear leaf springs. Now in his new role he complies with Nissan's latest word, MUST remove suspension to stock AND all other accessories or all warranty null and void.
His fix back then to the less than 3 year old car, was drill holes in the chassis rails and weld steel bars through them to stiffen them up???? It included him sending it to 2 different smash repair body shops for opinions on the issue. Even the smash repairers that he suggested this to (yes they were asked to inspect and give opinions for Nissan) told me it was madness and DO NOT allow them to perform this to the car. This was all during the initial Nissan 3 yer warranty. Surprisingly I choose to extend the warranty to 5 years as the original warranty was ending, out to 5 years (full Nissan warranty extension). Come forward to now and countless further repair attempts. We are today 1 week from the 5 year warranty expiring. After returning the car form a 1.5 week failed repair attempt with the dealer 2 weeks ago, I chase them to ask where to now? They advise Nissan has shut them down and refuse to consider any further. It is too hard.
Net result for all of this pain. 1 replaced cross member under the transmission (about 2 years ago), not because there was anything wrong, but because that is where the noise was isolated to. 1 front right body mount (about 1 year ago) as that is also close to where the noise in the chassis appeared to be coming from. However the problem remains un-solved. Lots of people looking at it (but not all) have opinions of diff/transmission back lash. No attempts to check/isolate that although I have been told that it feels like the other cars.... so must be ok. Oh and of course is "in spec".
And then today the icing on the cake, Nissan Australia have the hide to advise that I appear to be looking for a quick repair at the end of warranty. It was implied I have "fabricated" suddenly a long history of this issue, as NO technical report has ever been officially logged by either dealerships until just last week. Ironically, at its peak, this car sat for 4 weeks (in one sitting) with Moorooka Nissan, under review personally with the now QLD Nissan State Tech as mechanic, trying to solve this issue. It also spent considerable time with the current dealer looking at it about 1 year ago.
At this point I guess I just concede I bought a car from a "bad brand". I am sure they all have their issues, but this really is one of the poorest processes I have ever seen in customer service.
Shame on Nissan for not fronting up to their responsibilities and I hope they get all they deserve from their past present and future lost customers. Thats enough rant for one night...
PS. If anyone has any good advice in relation to Consumer affairs, I may get the urge to write another extended history report... I understood, advising a costomer outright that replacing tyres (legal size) is thus "modified" and all warranty can be voided as they see fit, was illegal.
