Time for a new truck!

Escalade was rated the worst large sized luxury SUV in it's class, a rating of 44, lol.

I can't believe OP has it in the running, lol.

We are on our 3rd QX56/QX80.
It did awesome when we got rear-ended, and we recently traded up for the refreshed look of the limited trim in Imperial Black.
Interior is awesome, like driving while sitting on the living room sofa.
Yes maybe overpriced, but shop smart and you can probably get most dealers to take $7-8K off.
My wife absolutely swears by it but now has a reason to keep it for a long time.

The new 2017 Nissan Armada devalued the QX80. I can't believe Nissan would take the rebadging route.
http://www.nissanusa.com/suvs/2017-armada/

Yup, it sucks but what choice did Nissan really have.
Base it off the monstrosity which is the Titan so it can suck (literally) as the least fuel efficient car and worst retaining value SUV in it's class?

Toyota/Lexus does it, not very well, I admit but as a nissan fanboy I hope it works out.
Given how bad the reputation of the Armada has, I'm surprised they didn't just call it a Patrol, and brand it as something with some heritage.

I mean, that IS why people still buy the Land Cruiser right?

Sorry, a little OT
 
I owned a 2011 QX56 (same body as current QX80), and I loved it. Super comfortable/spacious car, great for road trips, and the tech was really nice inside. I did not have the upgraded suspension, which I heard was a huge upgrade in terms of ride comfort. I still love the look of the QX80 (people either love it or hate it), and would love to own it again, but for my purposes, it was too big. I just wish the gas mileage was a little better, as I was averaging 12mpg.

When I was shopping for the QX, I did also look at the GL, and it's also a really nice car. An all black GL550 looks pretty nice, but I've never liked how expensive it was to maintain a mercedes.

When I traded my QX56 in for the FX37, the dealer told me the QX80 was going to get a redesign this year. Might be worth waiting to see how it looks if you want to stay in the Infiniti family.
 
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You end up making a decision? I went with the Mercedes.

1) Cadillac Escalade - not a huge fan of build quality and safety
2) Lincoln Navigator - not a huge fan of build quality and safety
3) Infiniti QX80 Limited Edition - really nice, captains chair option is nice, and 3rd row is usable. But depending on what you are looking for drives too much like a truck and drive/feels it's size, aka feels like a boat. Awesome truck for the money.
4) Lexus LX570 - great build quality, reliability, holds it's value. But the exterior doesn't fit me and the interiors of Lexus I never liked. Lexus also never had any character that I liked either.
5) Mercedes GL550 - I'm biased since this is what I bought. After 2 years of ownership, it's been built proof and actually the service is all predictable - I pre-paid 3 years of service for $1,750. Anything else goes wrong it's covered under warranty. If you buy a CPO (which I suggest), it's unlimited mile warranty! And you can extend it for an extra 2 years (3 years told) on top of the factory warranty, all unlimited.

GL series has had zero traffic deaths and rated one of the safest cars. I can believe it with the AWD system and solid frame.
Record 9 Models Have Zero Driver Deaths, IIHS Says - NBC News

I initially didn't get one with Active Curve, so if you drive without it - you won't miss it. Now that I have a GL with active curve - I can't live without it. If you can find one with Bang & Olufsen it sounds (and looks amazing). The night vision is pretty neat too. If you want Rear Entertainment, get it with your order, or find one with one in it. It'll cost you $4,000 or more to install even if it's pre-wired for a factory system. If you order a new one it's only $1,700 ish.

Go used GL63 if you can, it's worth it for the exhaust note and exhaust tips!

The white is the GL550. The Black is the GL63 or a "B63" (Brabus Widestar B63).
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Wow that sure looks nice haha. I decided the GL would be my second option. So far I am leaning towards the QX80 Limited in white with the brown stitched interior. It really looks amazing and spacious but the only thing thats holding me back are the 2nd row captain seats. I need a bench seat but thats not available for the Limited model. So I'm still in process of my decision.
 
I have two car seats in the bench seat second row. People have to climb in the trunk to get to the 3rd row. That's the only thing I dislike.
 
The 3rd row sits higher compared to the other rows so I agree you do have to climb back there lol. But theres plenty of leg room in the 3rd row, you can fit 3 people. And with the 2nd row bench you can easily manage to fit 4 people. The reason I chose the QX80 is because you don't see these too often so its kind of exclusive in a sense. And the aggresive front fascia really grew on me. If not the QX then the GL is definitely my 2nd option because it has ALOT of power lol
 
The QX is more than what anyone needs and is the perfect choice. I'm actually looking to get a QX56 (the newer body style/QX80) as they dropped in price so much and trading in my minivan for it once I don't need the sliding doors anymore for the kids (once they can open the doors by themselves).

I feel completely safe and comfortable driving the QX56/80.
 
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