[Mike]

I am hoping that I can post my driving/work situation and the options I am thinking about on a Titan and get some feed back on whether or not the options I am considering will serve my purposes.

I live on 12 acres with several thousand feet of dirt/woodchip/gravel roads that I drive on regularly. There are some very steep hills that I frequently need to haul loads up. Although part of my property is on a creeks flood plain I have little mud trouble thanks to my trusty tractor. have a tractor with front loader that I sometimes have to pull. My 7 year old daughter is demanding a horse. We have chickens (pets & egg layers) large dogs. We train dogs profesionally for individuals Search and Rescue or other scent work and for Police departments. I prefer the dogs in the bed of my truck in kennels but sometimes...I have numerous construction projects going that require me to haul lumber and building materials. Lots of tools, air compressors... This vehicle will also serve as a family trip vehicle and child hauler on occasion.

I like the SE cloth seats but it seems some options require the leather seats LE. I want the side/top air bags to protect those kids in Atlanta traffic. I am thinking crew cab, big tow, utility package, 4X2, Sliding overhead Rack ( to carry lumber and my canoe), step rail, sliding bed divider. I am unsure if the off road package will help me? I like the fog lights but it appears that I have to get off raod to get them. Apparently adding fog lights after market requires adding wiring to the truck. My experience has been very bad just adding towing wiring to a truck in the past. After 6 years and a zillion times at the shop my current truck still has electrical troubel that they keep blaming on towing wiring that I have paid them multiple times to fix, grrr.

I am especially interested in: whether off road may help me, whether leather seats will hold up as well as cloth, whether or not adding fog lights or step rails after market is a safe bet.
Thanks!

 

[rrumaner]

Mike, I am impressed by the S&R dog training. I am a Search & Rescue Manager and we are fortunate to occasionally have a couple of dogs called out to help us in the rougher areas.

 

[titanjbc]

I'm pretty sure you can get the options you want, without leather or buying an LE.

An SE CC can be outfitted with side/top air bags, big tow, utility bed package, 4X2, Sliding overhead Rack and sliding bed divider. You may have to order the truck instead of buying off the lot, depending on where you live. In the northeast, there wasn't a 2WD to be found.

The fog lights and step rails can be installed as accessories once you receive your truck. From what I understand, the installs are easy. If you get an SE, the wiring for the fog lights is already there, it's plug and play (to use an unrelated term). You will not have to add any wiring.

I can't speak to the usefulness of the OffRoad Package, but I'm sure someone else can...

See this thread for info on step rail install http://www.titantalk.com/showthread.php?t=8976

See this thread for info on Fog light kit install
http://www.titantalk.com/showthread.php?t=8976

 

[geece1]

If your getting the utility bed option (a big selling point for this truck in my opinion) then you need the SE or LE trim package at which point you are prewired for the fog lights. I am sure somebody will correct me if I am wrong but all wiring you need is behind the bumper, and all you have to do is hook up the lights and replace is the switch on the light stalk in the cockpit.

I think if you stick with Nissan fog lights and step rails then your aftermarket expierence will be a very simple affair. Can't say if you go with other brands.

just my 2 cents :cheers:

 

[Mike]

Thanks for the great responces!

Good to know about the fog lights having the wiring on site for SE & LE because the dealer told me different.

I think I am going to start making offers soon on a LE, CC, 4x2 with just two options: Side Air Bags and Big Tow(most of what I wanted is included with the LE). I also plan to get: Utilli-Track Sliding Bed Divider, Utilli-Track Overhead Rack, Floor Mats and Splash Guards but I am thinking my search will be simplified by not including the items that I can get and install myself from any Nissan Dealer or as after market Nissan parts.

Edmunds.com lists this truck with the two options as $30,239 (invoice
c/ destination charge). I plan to call my local dealer who was the most help and offer $30,739 if they can locate the truck in one or two color combos. If they refuse the deal I will start calling/emailing other dealers till I find someone who will make that deal or better.

I am wondering about tax. I am assuming that most of the people here have made the deal and then paid tax and tag over that amount? I have tried getting dealers to do a total final amount but it seems to just confuse things. I am North of Atlanta, GA 7%. I am assuming that I will have to pay that tax and tag fee?

Thanks again for all the great help!

 

[bestatchess]

I got the floor mats but I'm not even using them. I got Husky liners which provide much better coverage.

 

[Mike]

Hmm I have seen praise for these Husky Liners before, are they floor mats and where can I get them?

 

[Mike]

Mike, I am impressed by the S&R dog training. I am a Search & Rescue Manager and we are fortunate to occasionally have a couple of dogs called out to help us in the rougher areas.

Currently I just have some S&R people practising on our fields and the ajoining woods but we are planing on training one or two ourselves. The dogs we have trained for the local PD track real people down all the time but they keep telling me that SAR is different. My experience has been that to many tracking teams are much better at talking about scent work than doing it. I,m hoping that my Titan full of dogs will be out there raising the bar before long.

 

[bestatchess]

Hmm I have seen praise for these Husky Liners before, are they floor mats and where can I get them?

http://www.truckxccessory.com/truckxccessory/2004-nissan-titan-crew-cab-liners-mats.html