Nissan Dualis Problems

I wouldn't recommend the Captiva but the Dualis gets The Tick and is good value. 

If you don't want four-wheel drive, save the money and get the front-drive Dualis. The Kia is better but not for average family use.

Take a close look to see if you can determine why it is wearing out so fast. Do you sit close to the wheel and brush against the seat back as you get in and out of the car? A simple thing like rolling the seat back before you get out can avoid rubbing against the seat. Of course you then have to reset the seat when you get back in, and that's inconvenient, but it might be a solution. By all means tackle Nissan over it; the seat shouldn't be wearing as rapidly as it seems to be.

Nissan told us that the clutch in your car showed normal, even wear, but the issue of clutch wear is a tricky one. Clutches are not covered by the warranty, which is fair enough given that they do wear out, but I think owners are entitled to expect the clutch to last a reasonable time and distance before requiring replacement. Having worn out in 38,000 km of normal driving without any towing is unacceptable in my view, and something Nissan, and every other carmaker, should be addressing. In this case it's Nissan that is affected, but it happens with other makes and models. Perhaps, given the overwhelming popularity of automatic transmissions, and the diminishing demand for manuals, they simply don't care. Think about having a heavy-duty clutch installed, that way you should get a decent run out of it before you next need to replace the clutch.

Nissan can’t simply throw its hands up and say there’s nothing it can do about it, it has produced a defective product and it must correct it. Keep the pressure up on the dealer and company, consult a radio expert, and consider going to VCAT.

Clutches seem to be a particular problem with Nissans; you’re not the only one who has come to us for advice. The response you received from Nissan is the one most owners get when complaining about the life of the clutches in their cars. You could pressure Nissan in the hope they will relent and examine the clutch, but even if they did I’m sure you would find that the clutch is worn out. I doubt very much if you would get Nissan to come to the party and cover the cost of a replacement; the best course of action is to install a heavy-duty replacement clutch and a solid flywheel. I would urge you not to install a standard Nissan clutch and dual-mass flywheel, as you are likely to have the same issue all over again in another 40,000 km or so.

Unfortunately, the most likely thing that has happened is that the tyre sidewall has been fractured through hitting a kerb and it’s the rubber outer casing that is bubbling. It’s a relatively common failure. The best thing to do is to strip the tyre from the rim and have a tyre expert inspect it. Once you do that I would expect to see the fracture on the inner sidewall.

For starters, make sure the oil used in the service was the correct Nissan recommended oil. Even if it was have the oil changed again. The spare wheel is a full-sized one, being a normal 16-inch wheel, but because it isn't the same size as the road wheels, which are 18-inch, it is speed limited.