I am looking to buy a used Pathy between the years of 2006-2009. I am trying to figure out the pros/cons to any specific year or model. I have read that some of the 2005-2006 models had issues with the timing chain? Are there any significant problems with the 2007-2009 models? Here is what I am considering. I have found a 2009 SE w/ 23,500 miles for 22K... That price is actually below the NADA.(Probably because it was a rental) All of the Pathy prices are below the NADA price. Why is this? Any advice or tips would be great. Thanks for the help.

I just bought my '08 in late December and did a lot of shopping around. I did my best to avoid rentals because I'm just not a fan. They were cheaper though so you can weigh the pros and cons there. One con for me was the rentals usually had no extra options (most were S models anyway). I landed on a very low mileage '08 private party SE with lots of extras and I ended up paying about $500 more than the best deals I could find on off-rental SE's at a dealer lot.

I decided I wanted at least an '08 to get the slightly improved interior, updated exterior bits, 9" LCD in the dash, and some other extras. I would also bet there are some less-subtle improvements to some of the weak points on the earlier models. That's usually standard during a mid-life refresh.

I don't know about NADA....that's not usually the best guide IMHO. I buy and sell a lot of vehicles (some personal, but tons through my company) and I usually look at Edmunds and KBB private party values. If you can get anywhere near that number from a dealer you'll be alright. KBB retail is way overpriced as is NADA. Edmunds dealer price isn't usually too far off either but I like to drive a hard bargain if I can.

That is the exact reason why I would prefer to get a 08 or 09 model. I am having a hard time finding ones around here (MN) that are not rentals. They are all ranging from 23k miles to 35k miles and all around $23k. I am pleased they made the passenger air bags standard on the 08 SE. Do you know if they still recommend bypassing the tranny cooler in the newer models? Are the Pathfinders able to go 130,000 miles without any major problems?

I'm not sure on the tranny cooler issue. I've been reading about it but so far haven't confirmed if the '08+ work the same way. Doesn't look to be a big deal either way. I'm sure they CAN go 130k miles without major problems....pretty much anything can do that these days. Some folks say Dodge is horrible but I've got over 200k towing miles on mine with the biggest problem to date being u-joints. I buy about 40 new vehicles a year for my company and we have many with 100k+ and they're generally abused like any typical fleet vehicle. Most are Chevy or Ford trucks.

Patience is a virtue when buying a vehicle. I lucked out on the Pathfinder as I was shopping 4Runners diligently (lots of rental returns there too, none with tow package) before I realized how uncomfortable they were. Found a couple rental return Pathfinders I liked but didn't really want that. One clearly had bodywork but nothing on the carfax. Decided to wait until after the holidays and then Christmas eve someone posted a used one on CL. Said they were going to trade it the day after christmas on a new car for their wife and they were trying to make a few bucks. I pounced as it was a well equipped SE with only 14k miles. $23,500. Probably could have done better if someone was truly desperate to sell...but it was a good enough deal and mint for the most part. Wish it had side airbags and Bluetooth but that would have been pressing my luck a bit much. This one has moonroof, bose, backup cam, and a remote starter.

Im also in the market for a pathfinder. Our local dealer usually has a good supply use pathfinders, but most are 08-09 SE that were rentals. I personally do not have a big issue with this. They have just enough options and usually are certified by nissan so you have tons of powertrain warranty. My dealer also has a pretty good deal on a black 07LE, but it has some body dents and the passenger leather seat has some discoloration. Not sure if it is fading or something was spilled. I could wait but I need to find something within 2 months. Thought?

I have read that rentals really are not as bad as their reputation. They usually have had all the maintenance preformed and regular oil changes. I think that if you find one with low miles and it is a good buy, pull the trigger. I would say that if you are not 100% happy with that 07 I would wait. I plan on having this for many years and I don't want any regrets. The side air bags are a huge factor for me. The Pathy has great ratings in the crash tests but if you don't have the side air bags you have some head/neck risks if you get t-boned.

Would have preferred side bags but wasn't enough to throw the deal for me. I never found a single used '08 with the side bag option (obviously because most were rentals). If I was hauling the kids around much in this I would have held out, but 90% of the time it's just me. With my daily commute, odds are I'll go head-on with a truck anyway. Kind of wish I would have bought a full-size (Armada/Tahoe/etc) but the Pathfinder handles pretty good.