Nissan Pathfinder

meca2

zagm1:Differential vibration have to do with car speed not engine rpm Did you ask a service rep or a salesman? If a service rep told you it might be the diff. go somewhere else. Can you here the vibration if the car is standing still,just the engine running at 1500 rpm? If so raise the hood and listen to the engine at 1500 RPM? I will look in the service manual for more info. But I don't think it's serious
but something simple,heat shield, ect. Just a guess.Steve

aspenwhite

meca2,
No I have not. I've decided to switch to syn at approx.10k and keep using 5w-30 Valvoline All Climate in the meantime. I did replace (actually today) the Trans & Transfer fluid w/Mobil 1 Syn ATF, shifting is defetnetly smoother. I did not flush the tranny, just replaced abt 5 1/2 quarts (all I was able to drain). I also replaced the F&R diff gear oil with 75w-90 Mobil 1 Syn gear lube. Both the Mobil 1 ATF and Gear lube were recommended by the Nissan Tech where I bought my PF. I know that you prefer Amsoil but this guy told me that Mobil 1 Syntethics (ATF & GL-5) are also very good products and since it's avail. at the local store I didn't think twice.-Cheers, AW

rice11

I plan on buying a new PF and have been offered $29400 for a SE 4x4 w/ sunroof,floor mats,tow hitch,side moldings and wind deflectors which is $500 below invoice. How much less should I be able to get it for? Also there is a charge of $300 which is described as MA: that only shows up on the invoice column. Does anyone know what this is? Thanks

smibrad

I have an 01 4x4 LE with Toyo tires. The Toyo's are a very good grade tire. They are excellent for the smooth ride and low road noise. The only down fall to them is that they are bad in the snow. They do not have an aggressive tread. I now have 13,500 miles on my PF and no problems yet!!

rice11

I plan on buying a new PF and have been offered $29400 for a SE 4x4 w/ sunroof,floor mats,tow hitch,side moldings and wind deflectors which is $500 below invoice. How much less should I be able to get it for? Also there is a charge of $300 which is described as MA: that only shows up on the invoice column. Does anyone know what this is? Thanks

crikey

There is another forum, with the Nissan Pathfinder Owners, that is dedicated to accessories. I can answer the floor/cargo mats and Zaino. I use Husky floor liners, which are a perfect fit on the PF. I got the front/2nd row liners and also, the cargo liner. They are in beige, as my interior is beige leather. It has saved my PF from a couple of spills/cleanups already which makes the $130~, that I paid, worthwhile. I also purchased Zaino for my vehicles -- an Acura 1.6EL and the PF. I got the Z1, Z2, Z5, Z6 and Z7. In fact, I just finished polishing both vehicles in time for spring. Zaino works and it does not leave any residue if applied properly -- that is, less is more. A very slight haze is ideal, anything more than that is too much. After the Zaino, both cars look better than brand-new.

draytm01

My 97 Maxima had Toyo's. They were decent, but they were not a US production tire (I think they were called the "A06"s). During the 1st few months of owning this vehicle, I wanted to get a full size spare for the vehicle. Problem was I couldn't find that tire model (I didn't know about tirerack.com then). When replacing these tires at about 40k, I opted for more mainstream Michelins and made the best Toyo the spare.

For cleaning the seat, try that stuff "OXYclean". Pick it up at Costco or some other warehouse club. My neighbor swears by it. Heck, he has even cleaned his house carpets with it.

Good luck - 1 year with my PF 'O1 4x4 and still enjoyin it.

BTW - For all you new PF owners, don't be alarmed when you get in you vecicle this spring and the temp read 130 F. The PF doesn't measure temp. very well (well at least hot temps).

kaczor1

Regarding the use of cleaner, again, use the Lexol, regardless of if you have vinyl or leather. It cleans anything! and keeps it conditioned. It also prevents cracking, etc. and items from drying out. Also, on the Zanio products, some of the best on the market. I use it all the time, I have the Aspen White, which has a pearl like base. Looks great, and keeps stuff from sticking also! I have heard that the liquid glass products www.liquidglass.com are pretty good also, but I still stick with Zaino.

bgritz

eagle30,

You'll love the Pathy. I I had known then what I know now about Canada, I would have made the trip also from Colorado.

The new 3.5L engine scoots up here, even at altitude. My days of 3rd gear/3,700 RPM hell up I-70 evaporated last July when we bought our '01 SE. With a driver only, It'll pull in 5th all the way up to Georgetown. Fully loaded, 4th pulls it w/o breaking a sweat.

20,000+ miles
18 MPG (5-spd)
quiet as the day I bought it!
love It!

Brian

smokey75

Hey, I've seen the pictures of the OEM cargo oranizer & the cargo protector for the PF but have a question. It looks like the cargo protector is just the typical black plastic mat that covers the entire cargo area. But the pictures I've seen of the cargo organizer, in addition to the divided tray, show a small black plastic mat to the rear of the tray. Does the organizer come with both or just the tray.

Thanks...

dennis1950

The mat covers the entire rear area. The rear organizer portion is formed by dividers that can be removed. One problem is that the rear wall of the mat has a rise about 4 inches. So you will not get a flat surface when you fold down the back seats.

This mat will not hold as much liquid run off as the Husky mats which remind me of kitchen dish drying trays.

For me the organizer works best. I got real tired of having all the stuff in the back rolling around.

dennis1950

On cleaning the leather seats, there is a leather care discussion on the maintenance and repair board. The host, Mr. Shiftright, is very knowledgeable and very British. Read through the posts and you will become expert.

Summary is: the products people like are Hide Food, Lexol, Zaino, Vinylex,and MacGuires. Being highly suggestable, I brought all of them. The Hide Food is far and away the best. It is a cream that is rubbed into the leather. Problem is the cream gets stuck in the perforations of the seat. So I use Lexol for the perforated sections. For the vinyl areas, I use Vinylex.

You can buy the Hide Food at Jaguar dealers. It is co-packaged under the Jaguar label and called Hide Care. It also gives you a chance to pretend that you own a Jag.

peaches5

...Nature's Miracle found at pet stores. I use this stuff constantly. My dog had his nails clipped too close and bled on my light gray leather (back in 2000, they used to have light gray leather on PF's ) I didn't get to cleaning it for a few weeks, so when I started, nothing got it out. I remembered using NM on other "protein based stains" (read: pet stains on carpet) and it took it off w/in seconds. Plus it's cheap and you can use it in the wash, in your carpet cleaning machine, etc. And of course, aerosol hairspray gets ride of all ink stains, if anyone's interested )

pathfinder14

Hi I posted in #1783 that my new pathfinder's fog lights are not working. Guess what the dealer got the new pathfinder from anohter dealership and did not attach the fog lamps. It took 5 minutes to fix and I was on my way. Thank you for all the comments.

pathfinder14

hi, I am not sure there is a problem but when I drive my new pathfinder le 4x4 ON AUTO THERE IS A SLIGHT "WOO-WOO" NOISE ON THE WHEELS at or around 60 mph. BUT ON 2 WHEEL DRIVE THERE IS NO NOISE. Is this due to the 4 wheel drive kicking in. Should this be normal. Please get back to me.

fossfate

Hey rice11

I was offered an SE 4x4 with sunroof and floor mats for 28,200 at the dealer about 6 weeks ago. (was not a demo either!)I didnt take it because I want the LE instead. The incentives were the same then as they are now too. I will probably go to Canada to buy.

rob0975

I'll look for OXYclean & Natures Miracle..Hopefully they'll get rid of this stain..
I'll also pass this on to a friend of mine whose
St Bernard frequently spritzes on his seats during long rides..Thanks
-Rob

pathy57

I have noticed alot of money being saved on buying Canadian Vehicles. I was told by a friend the other day that when these vehicles are traded back in the U.S. the value is less than an original U.S. purchased vehicle. Does anyone know about this?

jimxo

Anyone know when Nissan is going to release the next generation Pathfinder?

spargs

MA on the invoice stands for market adjustment. The dealership explained to me that it varies from region to region. However, the MA never became an issue with regard to the final price I paid for my Pathfinder. See my post 1744 for my pricing details.

aris

Full redesign is on for the 2003 Pathfinder.
Hope that answered ur question

Aris

stephentw

I really appreciate the responses to my question regarding accessories and cleaning products. Everyone on this forum are so very helpful and I have learned tons from reading these posts. Thanks to all for taking the time to reply!

Steve
2001 PF LE (Burnt Cherry, Beige Leather)

P.S. Could someone post a link to the Husky liners web site? TIA

oakley5

Hi can anyone please tell me where I can purchase the Lexol and Zaino products??
Also, a few letters of the rear Pathfinder emblem have a rust color. I only had my 01 AWD LE (bronzed gray, beige leather, lsd, ent. system) for 3 weeks and just notice this stain. Does anyone else have this and how can I remove the rust stain?
Thank you in advance for any help

oakley5

My PF didn't come with the in-cabin microfilter. Is this something that the dealer can install and how much can I expect to pay for the installation?

Thanks in advance for any reply
01 LE AWD 1K miles.

smokey75

Hey dennis1950 or anyone else who may know. What I was trying to find out is rather or not the cargo organizer includes the tray & a mat that covers the cargo area or would I have to buy the mat seperate to go under the tray. The pictures show a tray w/ a mat under it.
Thanks...

sbondy

After looking at the myriad of UV's available, we think we have narrowed it down to two: the Highlander V6 Limited and the Nissan Pathfinder EL. Problem is we cannot find any compelling reason to favor one over the other. The Highlander overall feels like a better quality car/truck/sub, but the Pathfinder gives you more features for a similar price. Anyway, I wanted to solicit opinions from those of you who might be interested in helping us make a decision before it drives us crazy.
Thanks

jmtreetop

I think you have a difficult decision at hand. I have a LE Pfinder and I like it so far. The only advantage I can see over the Toyota is the engine power and price. I like Toyotas and had a 4runner previous to the Pfinder. Even though I have not been in the Highlander, I know the Pfinder rides a lot better than 4runners. The Toyota probably is a higher quality built vehicle and if it resembles previous Toyotas, will have a higher resale value in the end outweighing the initial higher upfront costs. Personally, I like the looks of the Pfinder better but I think you will be happy with either one. You will just have to consider what you will be using it for...Pfinder has more clearance, more towing capacity etc.

lawvdn

Hi, Everyone:
I'm not a PA owner yet, but will be. Please help me with info you may have regarding the navigation system:
1. Is it actually available for PA? In Nissandriven site, it is shown at "Interiors", but when I clicked "Build Your Own", it is not offered.
2. If you have one, how much does it cost? Does it greatly help you? Do you like it? Anything you don't like about it?
Thanks.

johnskev

stephentw: the husky liners are available at many car parts stores, some people have used http://www.carparts.com with decent luck, or try http://www.overlander.com

oakley5: for lexol products, i went to http://www.lexol.com/dealers.html and checked out the list there. pep boys is the biggest name on that list. do the same dealer check for zaino products at http://www.zainobros.com/. and "yes", you can purchase and ahve the dealer install the in-cabin microfilter. i'm not sure about price because most people have installed it themselves. it involves removing the glove box, punching out a cutout, and sliding in the filter.

-johnskev

lofquist

OK, I'll chime in here. The only real difference with the Canadian model is the km/miles speedometer and odometer. I'm sure this will bother some people. But you can get that changed. I have a quote for $251 to do it with all new Nissan parts. Otherwise you wouldn't normally be able to tell them apart (besides the Canadian models come with more features standard). The sticker under the hood says the vehicle meets all US (and California) emissions and safety standards.

From talking with Customs in NW Washington they say that the Seattle dealers are buying hundreds of used cars in Vancouver every week. So that car you see on the local lot may be from Canada and you wouldn't even know it. The US dollar hit a new all-time high against the Canadian dollar yesterday.

-Jon
(and thanks to the dozen folks for notes saying they appreciate my "Canada buying" posts.)

karlamn

Just to let people know, I called three dealerships in Canada yesterday and received quotes on a 2001 SE with leather, auto, and sunroof...These SE's also have AWD instead of 4x4, and have all options including mats, LSD, microfilter, etc. They ALSO have a power antennae!! That alone may make me make the drive! Anyway, the quotes (in USD at 1.5528 exchange rate according to Royal Bank of Canada) were $27,235 vs $26,694 vs $27,705. The lowest was from the dealer in Toronto, as jlofquist predicted. These prices include the 2.5% tariff that is not refunded, but not any taxes that ARE refunded. I will be lucky to get a similar model for $31K here in Mpls, but at 3.9% financing I am not sure if the drive is going to be worth it for me...In any case, I wanted to let people know what the numbers look like right now in Canada. If anyone wants to know which price was for which dealership, and who I talked to, I would be happy to provide any further details. I also have a kick butt spreadsheet with my cost analysis comparison and PV of the difference in future cash streams (hey, I am an accountant, give me a break!)!

Karla

kaczor1

Has anyone put new tires/wheels on the 01 Pathfinder LE? It came of course with 16" tires, and the wheels are okay, but would like to put new ones on. I would like to go with a 17" and possibly Michelin tires, all terrain. We do get some snow around here, matter of fact, supposed to snow today!

woodyr1

In December, I travelled to Victoria, British Columbia, and thought I would look for a used vehicle while visiting my family there. Victoria cars are usually rust free, often lower mileage, due to being on an island, and generally much better condition than other areas of the province.

I saw a vehicle while interested me, but it was high priced, much more than book, yet they were giving me below book on my trade. They advised that if I were not going to pay the full list price, a full transport vehicle would be heading to the US, where they could fetch their price.

Due to the low value of the Canadian dollar (for many years now, lower than the US dollar), dealers know they can get top dollar for product, so don't seem to be too concerned about the country of vehicle origin. Fortunately, I live about 250 miles north of the US border, so my new car dealer was not competing with the US market. Had I lived in the US, I would not be concerned about buying a Canadian vehicle, especially if the cost of changing odometer/speedometer was only $251.
Woody

dennis1950

The cargo organizer/mat/tray is one unit. The pictures are deceiving because I thought the same as you, that the organizer was like a separate box with the mat in front of it. Okay, what you get is a large hard rubber mat that covers the entire cargo area. Along with the mat, you get 1 long plastic divider and 4 shorter plastic dividers. The organizer portion is formed by inserting the long plastic divider into slots at the rear of the mat.. 4 shorter dividers are inserted into this divider to form the separations. When you want maximum cargo space, i.e., say carrying luggage, remove the dividers and the entire cargo area is clear.

filod

sbondy, (I owned a 01 PF LE)
The same man served as chief engineer for the highlander and the lexus RX300.

Where the 4Runner is truckish in its ride with some bounce and vibration, the Highlander is more car-like. Runners and Pathfinders are still based on trucks. The Highlander like the Lexus RX300 were designed new.

The PF LE is more expensive but you can actually get it lower because of Nissans deep discounts
The Highlander is not offering any right now

Horsepower for the PF is 240 with 265 torque
Highlander is 220 with 222 torque
I think this is not much of a difference considering that the PF weighs more 4,299 lb vs 3,880 of the Highlander
Gas mileage PF 15/19 Highlander 18/22 (per specs not my test)

In my opinion, if you will just use your 4x4 for daily city driving, the Highlander is more a car like ride
If you are into hard driving in snow, etc the PF or the Runner will be the right vehicle for you. I have not checked this when I looked at the Highlander but I read in the specs that it does not have an extra low gear for rugged off roading

Looks, in my opinion is a matter of personal preferences like color

I opted for the PF LE (my first choice was an MDX beyond my reach) over the Highlander because the price was right for the value it offers (lower than what the Toyota people were giving me the Highlander that can be pricey if you opt for all that the PF has) and two my wife likes the macho look of the PF (over the QX4). For $30k LE you get all the luxuries of auto climate control, heated seats, memory seats, bose stereo system, sunroof, and a lot more that you usually see in a luxury car. (Personally I liked the alloy wheels of the PF better).

Good luck.

dennis1950

Lofquist,
Please accept my apology for my out-of-line outburst yesterday. Your advice on buying in Canada is extremely helpful as well as your other technical/mechanical contributions to this board.

filod

dennis,
very nice of you to offer the apology. I know that each of us have their personal preferences on what topics to discuss, accessories, pricing, problems and others

you are a good person to acknowledge lofquist contributions to this forum. thank you.

tonychrys

"Runners and Pathfinders are still based on trucks. "

I love Pathy's, but this is not true. The newest PFs are built with a unitized body (like a car), not a traditional body-on-ladder-frame truck design.

The unitized body gives the PF it's excellent ride and handling characteristics (when compared to other truck based SUVs in its class). The downside is that long-term, heavy towing (beyond its limits) is not really encouraged.

xplorx4

I just took a look at the highlander specs. It appears to be positioned in the market between the RAV4 and the 4Runner.

For example, it's similar to a minivan (mechanically, that is), but looks like an SUV. It's fundamentally front-wheel drive or full-time all wheel drive. Independent strut suspension at all four corners. This vehicle is a great general-purpose SUV made by a manufacturer with an impeccable reputation.

However, the Pathfinder has other features that the Highlander does not. The features may not be important to you, but here are the main mechanical differences:

Engine power and chassis weight allows for higher towing capacity (5000 lb with A/T)

Fundamentally rear-wheel drive. Has true 4WD with a low range for increased off-road ability.

Solid axle rear suspension, strut front suspension. Creates a car-like ride while still providing decent off-road performance.

The vehicle you ultimately select should be based on the type of driving you'll be doing, and what you really need the vehicle for. If you plan to tow or go off-road (and I don't mean a dirt driveway) the Pathfinder may be for you. If you really need something like a minivan but don't want the image associated with one, then the Highlander might be for you.

However, the creature conveniences Nissan includes in the LE are nice, but then again, the gas mileage isn't all that great. Expect to pay 20-25% more per year on gas expenses than with the Highlander. With gas prices expected to reach over $2.00/gal this summer, it's worth considering.

drew_

oakley5

Johnskev: Thank-you for the info on the cleaning products and the in-cabin microfilter.

Mb0526: On the Entertainment System. Ours appears to be factory installed. I know for sure the dealer didn't install it. You do have to adjust the brightness during a bright sunny day. No skipping so far even when going over railroad tracks. The wireless headset works great. However, it only came with one, but no problem since we only have one little one. And no matter where you sit in the back seat it look OK. At first I wasn't sure about having this option, but now I'm glad because my son really enjoys it and its making our long trips quieter. At least now we're no listening to "are we there yet? I'm bored"

ross_oc_bos

with the 3.9% finishing on Apr 2, does anyone know what the next rate might be?? after all it can only get better the further we go into the year... right? the way I see it is that over the next couple months the dealers will be trying harder to clear the lots.... someone please tell me I am wrong 'cus I can't wait any longer, I want one now-----) LE loaded (without entr & nav. sys) 4x4, what a sweet truck, I am going to test drive tomorrow. Should I start the price war then and there, or wait for a few weeks???

Thx for all the posts, has been very helpful

lofquist

dennis1950,
Accepted. No hard feelings.
Jon

mosher1234

Does anybody know who manufactures the Nissan Entertainment system. Is it Jensen, Audiovox, Recoton, Steelhorse, etc. Is it made by Clarion, like the BOSE radios? I've seen MUCH cheaper systems with more functions for a better price (under $1000 with TV tuner as well) but I'm curious who makes Nissan's

bgritz

I think I feel a group hug coming on here!
:-)

Brian

aris

Clarion mmakes the Entertainment System.

It is 6.4" LCD and comes with 1 wireless headphone and a VCR...
P.S. I really haven't seen anything thats flip-down as big and as nice with a VCR for under $1000... i'm looking to get the Nissan ent. system because its factory installed, and its under the Warranty....
Hope this helps a bunch....
Aris

mosher1234

Thanks aris, I thought it might be a Clarion. I'm pricing a few but what I can do that looks like a factory install would be a 6.8 inch screen, TV with antenna, VCR and FM modulator to play through the stereo and 2 wireless headphones for about a $1000. The TV alone is a nice bonus as I don't have kids yet so I won't be watching movies. It's more for tailgate parties. If anyone is interested, I will let them know.

sirus32

Has anyone replaced their headlight lens cover? Mine had a chip from a rock which has now turned into a hole. Water and condensation is beginning to discolor the inside housing.

The dealer wanted $130 for the lens and $200 for labor.

I figured I could do it myself, it looks rather easy. Is it? Any suggestions or helpful hints would be greatly appreciated.

mbunting

Quick question:

I own an LE without the Entertainment system. It was my understanding that this is a DIO (Dealer Installed Option)...am I wrong?

My wife really wanted it on our PF when we bought back in January (some of you will remember that I almost bought one sight unseen from Carmax in MD?) but we opted to wait until we could actually test drive a PF for the first time before buying.

I could have swore this was a dealer installed option. But I have not asked anyone until now. Can anyone clear this up for me?

I'll probably add a DVD Nav/Ent system in my LE sometime this summer if I can find a good price and a system that I like well enough. Prices are way too high right now on anyhting DVD based for vehicles IMHO anyway. Hopefully they'll start dropping as the technology gets even better.

gulfguynt

To Terrahawk, Selight2, St l.....
I'm a Yank living in US. I want to buy a Canadian Pathfinder at 3.9%. Can I or not? Someone please explain this scenario. We've heard a lot on where to buy Pathfinders, but can I do this? A direct mail to gulfguynt@netscape.net will be appreciated!
Thanks to you all.
Great Forum, keep it up!