Here's the deal. Last year I bought a used 87 Wrangler. Wife wanted a 4wd to get down the drive with. We live in Northern Michigan, 1/4 mile dirt private driveway. Mud, snow, sand and the occasional down tree all might meet you on the way to the mailbox.
Anywho, the blasted Wrangler is a great little wagon, but what a gut buster! Those 4 leaf springs can bounce your kidneys right out of ya! So I inherited the stump jumper and was tasked to find an "appropriate" ride for my bride. When we met she was driving a sedate little Sahara Wranger YJ, so why she thinks a 3 inch lifted 87 with 30 " wheels is not appropriate, I'll never no!
Did she mature while I regressed??While hunting the budget lots this spring, my little lady spied a nice 96 Pathfinder. It looked too good to be true. Glass all there, the paint immaculate, one owner, good rubber, exhaust good, mechanically sound. Took it for a ride. Interior spotless. Engine seemed doggy, brakes soft. But it shifted great, all the electrical worked, and every lightbulb on the thing lit when it was told too! Even the rear wiper wiped, and stopped on command.
Ok, this is not my first non-american engineered ride. I owned a Saab, used and abused, and it cost me many a pizza to keep it running back in college. So you can say I've been a little leary in owning any vehicle that needed parts imported. But its a different world now, isnt it? Besides, SHE is the BOSS.
So, reluctantly, the Pathfinder was bought. I put shocks and struts in. Dumped the oil and filter, new air filter and new plugs. Once I flush the transmission, the transfer case, the diffs, the coolant and get new brake pads and shoes, the contest begins.
I figure by this fall we'll be ready to rumble. I want to compare mileage to mileage, repair to repair, performance to performance. Her Pathfinder already beats my Wrangler in comfort, audio, paint, rideability, air conditioning, tinted windows, fuel delivery, and all around sensible engineering. But will it start without fail, without a boost, without cussing, tool tossing, and/or tire kicking?
I suspect her Nissan will, without protest, and it will prove to be a very reliable ride. I will let you all know the ups and downs of this endeavor, if you so desire. Tommorrow I'll post some photo's, once I figure out that process.
I have to say when I did the work described above, I was continually impressed with how well the truck is put together. I think the word is "intuitive". I mean to say the parts went together correctly, the first time. There are so many hints on the car, I truly think it was engineered by mechanics who actually use their hands for a living.
Talk to ya!
