Considering a pathfinder, but I would like input

[Tsunade_Hime]

Hi all,

I've been looking to get an R51 Pathfinder for quite some time. To make a long story short;

I'm looking to get a 3rd vehicle. I have a '96 Nissan 240SX which is great but winter it's awful, my fiance drives my 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek. The Crosstrek is great, but living in the DC metro area, we got pummeled with like 3" feet of snow, and well the Subaru did ok. We've been talking about getting a mid sized SUV, and I want something with 4WD and body on frame, and something with a 3rd row. This basically limits me to 2 options; the Pathfinder and the 4Runner. The 4Runner is near impossible to find with the 3rd row, and is a heck of alot more money than the Pathfinder. I've always and still have a soft spot for Nissans.

So yes I've been reading around, I know all about the crappy radiators, and the dying transmissions. I had planned on if I plunk down the money on the Pathfinder to just straight up replace the radiator and do the bypass mod. Is there anything else I should look for when buying one used (I'm looking to buy an LE model, they are roughly 8-12k with anywhere from 100-150k miles). I know the VQ40 is a really good and solid powertrain.

Also how is it daily driving the Pathfinder? Real world MPG? I honestly want a body on frame 4WD SUV that just goes, doesn't get stuck anywhere, and we cart around kids quite often so the 3rd row would be nice. I had looked at the VQ40 vs the VK56, but the V8 gas mileage look atrocious and seems like the V8 Pathfinder and V8 Armada gas mileage is no different.

[smj999smj]

Best years to get are 2011 & 2012, as the major problems were worked out by then. I have a 2006 LE and a and live in central VA and have had no problems with snow. I replaced my radiator as preventative maintenance about four years ago. When I purchased it with 84000 miles five years ago, the previous owner had already had the fuel sending unit replaced and the upper timing chains replaced, which are the other two problems that commonly occur on 2005-2010 models. The rear springs are a bit soft, so, anyone "in the know" installs Airlift 1000 air bags and usually replace the rear shocks with Bilstein HD's. U-joints are also a common problem, but not a big deal to replace. I get, combined average, 17.5 MPG. When I'm on a long trip with a lot of highway driving, I can get about 21 MPG, running about 75 MPH with cruise control and on regular unleaded gas. I've been happy with mine, overall.

[Kestral]

I came from a 2006 Toyota 4Runner the 4Runner was tough as nails a great truck that I put around 200,000 miles on before I sold it. I now have a 2012 R51 Pathfinder mine is a base model I think its called an (S) or something I purchased it used with 7,000 miles and I think they were hard miles since it was used as a rental at a Nissan dealership and we all know how rentals are taken care of!

I now have 43,000 miles trouble free miles on my Pathfinder and I must say I like driving it mush better then my 06 4Runner it has a much better seating position it is more comfortable to drive seems to have significantly more power when I tow my 5,000 camper (both have the V6) as well as tows better overall (Much more stable on the highway) there is more room in the back seats as well as the third row seats (both my trucks have them). With the third row seats down there is much more room to fit whatever in the back in the Pathy as well as tie downs to tie stuff down something the 4Runner did not have. Overall usefulness of the R51 Pathfinder in my opinion is it is a much more useful truck!

As for snow I never felt my 2006 Toyota 4Runner was all that great in the snow no matter what tires I put on the truck. The problem being that you cannot shut off the traction control off on the 2006 4Runner there is no button to do so and the tc kicks in at the slightest slip and the truck will just stop dead! its so much fun just when you need to pull out into traffic and it stops dead! not so Fun! you could override it by flooring the gas but then it would just spin wildly and that was not good either. The Pathfinder not only has a switch to turn TC off but I never need to since the truck allows some slippage before it kicks in it works much better. Pick a good A/T tire and you will be good to go in the winter. Hope this helps

[Kestral]

Some other facts.. I was changing my oil on my R51 Pathfinder this past weekend and I noticed the PF has little rust not like my 06 4Runner at its 4 year old point had a significant amount of rust on the frame of the truck. Also the frame looks to be much more "Beefy" on the PF and when loaded up with gear and many people you can feel it on the road the PF is much more stable.

The only thing better on the 4Runner is where the oil filter is The V6 on the 4Runner has the oil filter right on top of the motor and its easy to change. The PF not so much.

[my_kris2ffer]

pathy 2010 - 2012 is your best option. i had 2010 V6 LE for couple of years and thanks god so far never had issue.
with a regular oil and maintenance, any car will last longer