Why did you choose to buy a pathfinder?

[volvite]

I too love the Grand Cherokee. It however is a unibody. It is very capable, and it will probably be the vehicle we replace the pathfinder with.

[NVSteve]

2014 Grand Cherokee? buddy of mine picked one up, it is MINT. Lightyears ahead of the path when it comes to technology. Pretty capable off road from what i understand and 20+MPG.

I love my path, but when i get in a Grand Cherokee its night and day.

Too bad the only Jeep I might possibly consider, the GC diesel, is priced way out into stupidity. I have a perpetual headache from all the bitching from friends and family about all the constant problems their Jeeps have. Even the new Cherokee, which Jeep claims is their most reliable/exact-to-specs vehicle they have ever produced, is having problems: 4x4 systems overheating, tranny problems, etc. Not saying that any car is perfect, but my association with the Jeep brand has not been encouraging. Still a lot better than some other vehicles though.

[skinny2]

Too bad the only Jeep I might possibly consider, the GC diesel, is priced way out into stupidity.

Same here. $45k for a far-from-loaded Ltd diesel. Too much coin just to save a few mpg. Plus I'm getting cheap in my old age.

[Zen_master]

Count me in the group likely to replace the R51 with a Jeep GC when the time comes.

FWIW, my experiences with Jeep have not been anywhere near what NVSteve has experienced. Had a couple of XJs and ZJs in the family and all went well over 150k before the usual long-run problems emerged (failed power steering pump on one, catalytic converter on another, front diff seal on another). Between 0 and 75k miles there were few issues. Oh, one XJ had a wiring harness issue. This was due to it being a limited with power everything. Essentially Jeep retrofitted a early 80s workhorse and brought it up to speed with late 90s technology. The wiring harness for power windows, locks, mirrors, etc. became crimped in the door hinge and exposed wire shorted out. Once the wiring harness was replaced it was fine.

[skinny2]

I bought a new '01 XJ about a week after they announced they weren't going to make them anymore. I had always wanted one but was driving a ton of miles then. Within about two years I had 80k miles on it and decided to give it up as it just wasn't the most comfortable thing to be driving that many miles. Only problem I had was a goofy oil pressure sensor that was replaced under warranty. I sold it to the gal the cuts my hair and she drove it for about 8 years and then gave it to her 16yo boy who has done his best to destroy it. I was getting a hair cut awhile back and her boy drove up in my old beast and it looks like it's been used as a demo car so I was asking him about it. Has over 200k miles and hasn't replaced the engine or transmission.

[DanJetta]

I used to say I would never buy another American car based on past experience (particularly Jeep). Then we bought the Pathfinder which has acted like an American car wannabe. I think the key is to buy them newish and unload them just before they get old (65K miles).

Q: What's printed on pages 4 & 5 of an American car's manual?
A: The bus schedule.

[skinny2]

I think we've owned one of just about everything outside the Korean and Brit brands. I would say recently the Toyotas have disappointed the most and while none had major issues they had a lot of annoyances and trips for warranty repairs. The only Euro car I kept long term was a Jetta TDI. The only drivetrain part I've ever replaced (we're talking 23 years of driving here) was a transaxle on a Lexus GX470 at 80k miles. That was very disappointing as Lexus wouldn't give us any goodwill and we had serviced it at the dealership.

I just buy what I want and don't worry too much about reliability. I went into this thinking (knowing?) Nissan was not rated as highly as Toyota/Honda so I wasn't expecting a flawless vehicle. So if nothing else my expectations have been exceeded. I like this thing enough that if the tranny went out tomorrow I wouldn't even blink to throw a new one in it. I prefer to drive this over my wifes Acura any day. "SUV's" are just tall wagony cars these days.

[DanJetta]

Great points and well said. At least the British are still the worst car makers in the world. Actually, the Russians and the French are but those cars aren't available here in the US.

Q: Why don't the British make radios?
A: Because they can't get them to leak oil.

[NVSteve]

I just buy what I want and don't worry too much about reliability.

I typically do as well, with a middle finger salute to all who try and tell me differently. But, I do have my limits. One would be a Land Rover/Range Rover, which are all over the place here. Owner forums are a great source of info & I pay a lot more attention to those than anything else.

[Godzirra]

I do see a lot of Range Rover Sports where I live too. I never noticed them until I purchased one about 3 years ago. It's definitely different than my pathfinder or Armada. It serves it's purpose. I wanted a nicer SUV but didn't want to spend over 100k for a Porsche Cheyanne Turbo S.

I purchased my Pathfinder back in 2005 a few months after I Purchased my 350Z Roadster. I needed to have an SUV to get around for the winter. It was down to the 4Runner and Pathy. I've always loved Nissans so my final choice came with ease. I had great service from the start and I ended up being a repeat customer over the next 8 years. Now, I'm in the market for another SUV or fun convertible.

[dirtygirl660]

I bought my 2011 because I new nothing good would come from the 2013.

[akley88]

i bought my r51 because i had a wd21 before and loved that car. plus the pathfinder is body on frame and ive never had issues with nissan cars that and i couldnt justify a truck to the wife at the time.

i wont be replacing my pathfinder with a jeep. to many family members and friends have had to many issues with jeeps, but i'm torn on the next car either sports car -370z or a diesel truck. either way will keep the pathfinder since it wont be a dd and i can go crazy with it.

[71olds]

Well I had a 06 Mountaineer 4.6 premium that was a disaster.
Disaster the worst car I have ever had by far...
It was so bad I could not sell it to someone.
Well I was driving down the road one day & it started to miss between 2000-2400 rpm It was the last straw & pulled over shut off the code & drove into the 1st steelership I passed

Needed a 3rd row suv with a tow hitch & was not going to buy american again. They had a 2011 Pilot ex-l & 2010 Pathy SE
I was always a Nissan fan (hell I still have my 83 280zx turbo) & my wife Had 3 maxima's in a row till they stopped offering a manual trans) all with good luck.
So after driving the Pathy & Pilot I googled towing rating & as I tow often I opted to go with the Pathy.
I am pretty happy with it. tows fine for me gas milege is just as good as my 2007 Audi S4 Just hit 40k yesterday & had to change my front rotors (only took an hour) & changed the starter at 30k

Biggest complaints Front seats have no contour not form fitting at all I like more side bolster & the engine (4.0) just sounds unhappy is not a pleasant sounding motor.

& I wish Nissan offered a Manual trans in it It's offered in the X & Frontier but no 3rd row suv has one so I am stuck with the automatic.

[RCAR50]

The reason I was searching for a Pathfinder...and finally why I bought one...?

When I was younger, mid teens, my brother owned a 91 dark bluish grey colored 4 door 4x4. It had all the 4x4 stuff, brush guard, step bars, rear tire carrier, beefy tires, etc and I always thought it was so bad a$$. We would go trail riding and do some mild off roading and it felt so capable yet looked great and was comfy on road as well. Ever since that I have always told myself I would get one just like it, but have never found one in great shape at a great price.

As I got older I saw them change body style, kinda stopped following after the mid 2000s, and was really not impressed and since any 91-95 you'd find were trashed by this point I kinda gave up that childish dream.

Then it came to where I was in the market for a cheap yet nice ride so I started looking again and found that even though the old boxy look was still my favorite that the R5s0 were nice too. I stumbled across mine and grabbed it cheap.

Besides I could never afford a 4runner any time soon and I like being a bit different, 4runners and Jeeps and EVERWHERE around here.

[patomwazi]

After growing up with this....
and driving this as my first job....
So after divorce to my Euro wife (so naturally driving Euro cars) i treated myself to my first ever 4x4...needed something that would fit my bike(picked up MTBing so as not to drink my self dead from the divorce) and my camping stuff and that could handle some dune and wadi bashing....chilehood nissan memories came back..never been inspired by Toyotas, found the Euro 4x4 too soft and cannot be abused..Landrover Defenders are good...but pocket munchers to buy and maintain..Jeeps.....well...JEEPS!!...loved the Wrangler Unlimited though but my neighbour keeps mourning about it and all 4x4 garages are full of them so it goes without saying...Xterra found it a tad too small hence ended with the Pathy...stuck in a 2'' OME kit after leaving my bumper and fog lights in the desert and i have been happy since...good price...bottom of the line model with no electric toys inside just the way i wanted it..Had Golf with all the toys...car ran fine but the elec toys just had gremlins in them....the only thing that irks me is...now the car smells like a gym bag...!!!