Nissan Elgrand E52 Lowdown

Any keen would-be buyer of an Elgrand E52 needs to consider if they can face some of the challenges that arise when you need to find parking. Although the size of the E52 is only slightly wider than a big estate car, driving around a tight car park can be very challenging.  Going back and forth just to get round a corner to then go very slowly down a ramp can result in some annoyed drivers behind you. The Autech Rider model also has a low front bumper spoiler and a reasonably low side skirt which also means it can be difficult to clear a curb edge.  Most UK car parks have high curbs on the entrance barriers and ramp corners so you will need to go slowly and carefully. When it comes to parking spaces my Elsie is always too long for the space, sometimes a lot (20-30cm) and sometimes only a little (maybe 10cm).  Typically my car will fit into any normal parking space width but it can be tight in those smaller car parks.  On the upside if its a tight space you can always...

This is the first of a few posts that I will try and highlight the differences between the E51 and E52 Elgrand models.  As an owner of an E52 and a keen participant in the Elgrand facebook groups and forums, I have come across alot of posts that make comments about the E52 being 'just an estate car' or 'a Vauxhall Zafira on steroids' or that its 'lost the spirit of what an Elgrand is'.  Its very hard to find much information about the E52 so its also very difficult to show if these comments are accurate or not. I have managed to get my hands on information from Japan that highlights some of the differences.  For this post I will focus on the changes to the size of the Elgrand. Introduced in 2010, the E52 Elgrand made a significant departure from the previous model, opting for a front wheel drive setup instead of the E51's rear wheel drive.  This was a very clever change from Nissan as it allowed them to change the dimensions of the car for better performance...