Postby DanJetta » Fri Dec 27, 2013 11:51 am
It looks like you've done some great research!
skinny2 gave some great info above and I'll add some that I hope you'll find useful.
We were comparing the 4Runner and Pathfinder as well. We chose the Pathfinder because of the third row and styling (I've always found Toyotas to be so bland). We bought a 2008 V8 LE and, considering its quirks and repairs versus many good points, the jury is still out as to whether we made the right decision. I'm in advertising and Toyota is one of our clients. From a strictly statistical standpoint, it's hard to beat Toyota reliability -- hence the high demand and cost. I do agree with Skinny that Toyota quality today is not what it used to be in the 90s.
Radiator issue: It's hard to tell if the radiator issue has been fixed in the redesigned radiators but I can tell you that there's a direct link between failure and maintenance history. If you buy a Pathfinder that has been religiously maintained, chances are good that the radiator will never fail during the service life of the transmission. I would look for a late year, low mileage model with an impeccably documented service history. Also, keep in mind that you're 100% covered by an extended warranty until 80K miles.
Gas mileage: I was truly surprised by how comparable the V8's fuel economy is to the V6. I use my V8 as a DD from Annapolis to Baltimore (about 35 miles). My route is all highway and mostly flat with mixed traffic and I average about 17 mpg. On our recent trip to Southwest Virginia, we averaged about 18.5 mpg doing 75 with cruise control. On the capitol beltway during rush hour I average about 14 mpg.
Some things I liked about the V8 over the V6 (aside from towing capacity):
- Quieter engine and overall ride
- Heavier feel
- Beefier rear end
- That sexy V8 badge on the door
Some things I don't like about the V8 compared to the V6:
- Not as peppy
- Awkward gearing on the V8's transmission
Some things that bother me now, that I've driven it everyday for a couple of years:
- Underpowered brakes: My wife complains that she feels she has to use both feet sometimes to get it to stop. Maybe I complain about that, too, but I'm not going to admit it for fear it'll make me sound less manly than I am.
- Ride quality: I know it's the nature of the style of truck but it's the topic of conversation with almost everyone who rides with me. It usually starts like, "Wow, your car really rides rough." Tip: if grandma has a heart condition, do not put her in the third row. She will be violently shaken to death.
- Interior rattles: Every day there's a new rattle coming from somewhere. The DVD player, the radio, the corner pillar, the windshield trim, the center console, etc. If you're a religious man, you'll think God is messing with you.
- Cheap pleather: Sit in a "leather" Altima and then a "leather" Pathfinder. They're different pleather. The Pathfinder's interior feels more like the vinyl you'll find the the back of police cars (not that I'd know). It's stiff, scratches easily and lacks support.
- Automatic climate control: Avoid it and get the manual system if you can. On long trips, we are constantly fighting it -- even when using the manual setting. "75°" can be warm, boiling hot or ice cold, depending on the mood of the car -- and it'll change moods on its own while driving down the highway. This leads me to believe the car is definitely a woman.
- Crappily designed convenience features: The heated steering wheel gets red-hot only in certain spots. The radio's speed-controled volume has little to do with speed and more to do with making you think you're going crazy. The rear climate control only heats and cools when Saturn is aligned with Nebular N301-7B (that's once every 38M years). The "comfort exit" feature (the driver's seat slides you into the trunk when you turn the car off) is more annoying than helpful.
- Not a lot of rear storage: Cargo space? Yes. Places to store ratchets, tools and a compressor? No. My old Jetta wagon had a hundred little compartments in the back under the floor and in the side walls. The Pathfinder has one very small and shallow compartment under the floor designed to hold a single toothpick and a single open netted side compartment designed to toss its contents around the trunk when you make your first turn. You're going to miss this coming from the Outback.
All of that said, the Pathfinder has a ton of redeeming qualities that make us glad we bought it. Here are some good points:
- Styling: The car is quite handsome inside and out. I especially love the extended nose in the '08+ models.
- Highway driving: The car is a pleasure to drive on the highway. It tracks perfectly straight, feels rock solid and is relatively quiet. When you have the cruise on at 75mph, you can't hear the V8 engine at all, the wind noise is negligible and road noise is very acceptable (this depends on your tires, of course). My wife and I can have a normal conversation with our "inside" voices.
- The Bose system: I've never been a huge fan of Bose but the Bose system in the Pathfinder sounds really clean and rich. And it gets loud enough to cover up the rattles.
- The truck is quite basic, which makes it easy to work on. Changing brakes and rotors takes about 15 minutes per wheel. In my old Mercedes it took 5 special tools and a guy named Jürgen. Likewise, to check the transmission fluid on my wife's Jetta you need a computer with a $1,200 software package while the Pathfinder requires a 10mm bolt and a napkin.
- Cup holders! The Pathfinder was clearly designed for people who make coffee runs. 4 in the front, 2 in the middle and 2 for the people getting shaken-baby syndrome in the third row.
- It feels like a truck. The driving position, the tall hood, the way it handles all help to make you feel like you're in a man's car. Unlike the new pathfinder, which was designed for people who can't decide between a minivan and a hairdresser's car.
Sorry I got carried away with this post. I'm currently writing an article and am in "writing" mode.