Postby DanJetta » Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:25 pm
The nice thing about the pathfinder is that it's pretty basic and easy to work on. An independent mechanic should be more than capable of diagnosing and repairing it. If you want a warranty on parts and work, go to a place like Firestone. I've had decent luck with them and they're waaay cheaper than the dealer.
A factory Nissan radiator is $600, and I can't imagine a dealership using an aftermarket part. Add 4 hours of labor, fluids and shop supplies and you hit $1100 pretty quickly. An aftermarket radiator is $250 and an independent will have no issue popping it in. I'm somewhat handy and I did mine in 4 hours.
i hated my Pathfinder the whole first year I owned it but it grew on me — and yours will grow on you, too. It has character. There's a "kink" period where it seems like you're pouring money into it constantly and then, suddenly, it gets better. Last month I was driving home from work and I thought, "Wow, I haven't poured money into this truck in like three months!" And then a piece of trim fell off. And before I could get it, the guy behind me drive over it.