Nissan Pathfinder

ralsidewinder

I have an SE, so I can't speak to the A/C question. But to change the sides of the cassette, hit the "tape" button on the top of the unit while the tape is playing.

Regards,
-a.

tbobby

My dealerships service dept charges me $10 per oil change for the life of the car. I pity the fool that pays $50.

hmamontov

Hello

Guys, does somebody know when Nissan is planning to start new PF? I've read some information on www.freshalloy.com and accordingly to them the new PF is going to be in this year (MY 2003). If so - it's time to buy PF, isn't it?

dinsdale1

I have a 2001 LE with auto transmission. We plan on towing our boat this summer, which with trailer weighs about 4000 lbs. The dealer says the vehicle comes standard with a transmission cooler. For those of you who have done some trailering, is there any need for after market coolers? Thanks.

bigorange30

What dealership do you use? Most oil costs almost $10 for an engine full. I have never seen even a Jiffy Lube charge less than $16.99 and most places are now about $24.99 these days. I bet he's not even changing your oil, just telling you he is and charging you $10 to make you wait in his waiting room. However, I would like to use him if I could check him out.

wildcorgis

I guess $50 is a lot to pay for an oil change but the convenience of a loaner car is worth at least $25-35. Some people may be pretty busy and the free loaner may be helpful. I've hung around a Lexus dealership during repairs and it was very nice. Helped myself to free sodas and snacks, valet service, luxurious waiting room and all transaction are done sitting at a desk . I'm sure you pay for that treatment as well. My father in law sure liked it and didn't balk at all at the high prices for repairs.

I've read on the Highlander (HL) site that some people with RX300 wanted to get their oil changed at Toyota dealerships because it was cheaper and the engine is identical to the HL.

Hey "The Whistler"!, How did the tranny work go? Hopefully it was some software glitch and not a transmission replacement.

Hapy Pathfinding!!!

Steve

wildcorgis

Maybe that's just for oil and no filter? Nissan dealer here charges $19.99 and promises 30 minute wait. I think dealers like to charge low price oil changes and then recommend other services you might need.

Happy Pathfinding!!!

Steve

tbobby

All Star Nissan in Baton Rouge Louisiana charges $10 for an oil change. That's for filter, oil and labor and I've watched them do the work. No niceties that the Infinity owners get, like a loaner and eggs benedict, but i keep myself occupied bothering the salesmen while I wait. Next time I go in I'm gonna try to test drive the new Z. Have had the oil changed there 5 times since I bought the car and the price has always been $10. I was mailed a flyer about a week ago telling me to bring the car in for it's 7,500 mile service and they listed a lot of stuff that I find ridiculous. May have been a typographical error, but they said 7500 miles is the time to change the fuel and air filters. Am moderately confident they meant to "inspect" those filters. We all know what "inspecting" involves.

crikey

Have had the oil changed there 5 times since I bought the car and the price has always been $10.

Wow, for a car in the 7,500 mile range, that's quite a few oil changes. But for $10, I would have probably done the same. Eggs Benedict...funny

Speaking of maintenance services, I'm approaching 15K and it's gonna cost $235+ for this service. Is that about right? I don't have the breakdown of the service but it should be consistent with what the owner's manual suggests.

bigorange30

Well, everything is a wash then. I get my oil changed every 7500 miles (manual frequency) instead of your 1500 mile frequency so for your 5 oil changes I have one. Therefore, 1 oil change for $50 is the same price as 5 oil changes for $10 each.

xplorx4

I found this site to make some interesting claims about oil change intervals and oil quality. Can anyone comment about Amsoil's claims?

I do my own oil changes, generally because I don't trust shops to do it correctly. I've heard of places not replacing all the bolts when reinstalling the splash guard, or even using the wrong-threaded bolts, stripping the holes. Mostly though, they tend to do a poor job of cleaning up the spilt oil around the filter, which inevitably ends up making a spot on your garage floor.

Here's a cost breakdown for my changes:

4 qts Mobil1 synthetic x $3.50/qt = $14

1 Purolator PureOne oil filter = $5.99

Total cost (excluding time): $19.99 plus tax

I should add that using synthetic oil has improved my 97's fuel economy by about 7%.

crete

xplorx4 - I tired your link but got message "Unable to locate server". I see you reside real close to my area. What kind of increased mileage are you getting? Would Mobil1 be a good choice for my new '02 LE for better gas mileage. I'm in my third tank full and so far getting 14mpg in city traffic. Do you have a recommendation for a shop nearby that uses this type of oil or do they all offer this brand?

crete

Can anyone tell me why on my '02 LE Path, that the "3.5" identity badge is not on the rear liftgate door? Just the "LE" badge. Did they stop placing it on the '02 models for some cosmetic reason? I know other car manufactuers are trying to distinguish their models by Letter/Number badges ex: Acura 3.2TL, RX300, etc.

xplorx4

Try this link instead. The previous one didn't have "www":

http://www.bigskyoil.com/save_money/save_money.htm

Since I change oil myself, I don't know which shops carry the stuff, or what their markup would be. Most oil-changer shops are happy to charge you $24.99 whether they put 4 quarts of their own Pennzoil in your truck, or if you give them your $14 worth of Mobil1 you bought yourself at Pep Boys. Costco, where I buy my oil, sells a 6-pack of Mobil1 synthetic 10W-30 for around $21. I think Wal-mart might also carry it, too.

Anyways, I used to get between 13 and 14 mpg, and after switching to Mobil1 synthetic in both the crankcase and the tranny, I'm getting a consistent 15.5 to 16mpg (roughly 270 miles between fill-ups)... If I keep my freeway speeds below 65, I can get up to 17mpg, though. Bear in mind that my mileage is far below others on this forum because my 1997 4x4 LE is heavily modified.

stever

I used to enjoy following these boards:

Synthetic motor oil

Engine Oil - A slippery subject Part 2

Haven't had time to keep up lately but some interesting stuff in there, and the more I read, the less I knew about oil! (I'm still using dead dino in my Nissan every 7,500 miles, so guess I haven't been convinced - yet).

Steve
Host
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crete

I'm into the third week of ownership with my '02 Path LE and I noticed a blueish tint on my Beige leather seat. Upon closer examination I've determined that the blue color dye from my bluejeans has rubbed off on the leather. I looked at another Path LE and found a different grade of leather (richer, non-perforated). Did nissan downgrade the leather in the '02 models?

In perfect timing I just got a letter from my dealer saying I can get the ext & int protection coating for paint and leather at a package price of $488. I feel this is wasting money, so I hope there is a cheaper product out there that can provide the protection I need and for now what is the best product to use to clean up the blue residue?

normp1

Any feedback on the following would be much appreciated. I put an offer yesterday on a 2002 pathfinder at a dealership close ( 100 km) from where I live. I determined the Invoice pricing added the delivery charges calculated all the taxes and added 300 dollars profit over and above. The dealer gave me a song and dance that he needed at least 1000 dollars over invoice and a combined documentation fee and glass etching( for anti theft ?)of 299 dollars ( total of 1300 dollars). Obviouisly I walked and today heard back from the original salesman that they could go down to 400 over invoice and 299 admin and etching for a grand total of 699 dollars over. I still think this is too high but would appreciate hearing any feedback from those who have purchased recently.
Many thanks !

wildcorgis

ralsidewinder—thanks!, I hit every button on the radio except that one!.. figures.

hmamontov -- I thought I read somewhere the PF was going to change in 04 but I can’t remember where. IMO the PF is a great buy. It’s not real "hot" like the Highlander, MDX, CR-V, Xterra and even the 4Runner. So dealers are willing to bargain and you get a lot for your money. I wonder if the Xtrail will steal sales away from the PF? I don’t think the Murano will because it’s targeting a different crowd. One who stays on the road and prefer cars to trucks.

crete—I think the badge is just to distinguish between the model years. I’ m trying to determine year of PF’s by the different grill patterns. My heart dropped when my wife informed me mine didn’t have that badge when I told her it did. I had to check under the hood to make sure it said 3500 V6 on the manifold cover to make sure I wasn’t taken.

Normp1—I read a Consumer Reports article where they did a do it yourself glass etching kit that performed as well as the dealer’s for $50. $300 sounds like an awful lot. I get confused when people write $ over invoice. Is it the dealer’s invoice? or the factory invoice like what’s found on Kelly Blue Book? But if you’re talking Canadian $ then converted to US, $440 sounds like a good deal!

Happy Pathfinding!!!

Steve

brian60

Crete,

I use Luxol Leather Cleaner (found at local auto parts store) before I apply Hide Food (found only at Jag dealerships) to my 99.5 PF's seats and I'm really happy with the results - they're still soft to the touch after 2.5 years of CA sun. My seats are the older non-perforated grey leather seats, but what's good for Jag leather must be good for PF leather.

stockstiming

I see by your web site description that you located the inflation valve inside your wheel well. I don't see the hose in your picture. Can you explain a little on the details of mounting it in that location, such as how you attached the valve to the wall, hose routing, etc.? Thanks.

woodyr1

Hi Norm:

I bought my Nissan from the same dealer with whom you made an offer. There were stickers on the windows regarding glass etching, but I refused to pay for it, as I was not interested in glass etching as a security measure (perhaps the immobilizer key and the factory security system are adequate). I bought the vehicle, and they did not register the glass etching.

As an aside, the dealer is ok, and I was able to negotiate a good deal.

Woody in BC

normp1

I just made a deal on a silver chrome Chilkoot edition with our dealer in Kamloops.
Unfortunately they wouldn"t budge on the etching/doc. fee but when all was said and done I got it for $300 over invoice (established from Carcost Canada) plus of course the $299 fee for etching and doc. ( a ripoff I know) for a grand total of $599 over invoice. I figure that if I had faxed other dealers I may have saved $ 100 - $150 bucks but I'd have to travel to pick it up and servicing at Kamloops may have been uncomfortable. Would appreciate a comment Woody1
re-deal (albiet rather late at this point). Good to here that they have been ok to deal with.
Unfortunately they came with Bridgestone Duellers which I have read are not the best. Any comments re tires ? Thanks guys, I have really appreciated this forum and people like you guys that take the time to help others.

xplorx4

I drilled a hole in the bracket, and routed the air hose behind it, looping through some holes in the frame near that location. The air hose from the valve runs towards the center of the truck, and follows the brake line down to the differential, where it connects to the right and left-side hoses.
I hope that helps.

pondfull5

Is true what they are saying about this Amsoil?.

Can any one on this forum this attest to this testimony?.

Hi Everybody.
Thanks in advance.
full5.

woodyr1

Hi Norm:

I had received prices from about 5 dealers on an '01 Pathfinder XE about 13 months ago. I was driving through Kamloops in March 2001 and noticed a new dealer which had not been there the last time I passed by. He had a few units in stock and was anxious to get his name spread around, and offered me the best deal I had received from any other dealer I had contacted. (I had a 95 Pathfinder to trade, so the price difference was of interest to me).

I have been happy with the vehicle, and agree that the stock Duelers did not serve me well with the winter driving conditions. I live in the Cariboo, about 250 km from Kamloops. I purchased a set of Bridgestone Winter Duelers in December and was very impressed with their traction. I am trying to locate spare rims to mount them on the Winter Duelers.

Let me know if you need anything else.

PS Had the Chilkoot been available when I purchased, that would have been my choice.

stockstiming

Thanks, xplorx4. I'll check it out.

I was thinking of putting it inside the Pathy since the only reason to have it would be 1) to check the gage accuracy at the minimum, or 2) to use it if the compressor failed on me.

wildcorgis

Thanks for the kind words and I too, am very appreciative for all the help that I've received on this site. When I bought my PF, I made sure it had the Bridgestone’s on it because I thought it to be the superior brand. The other choices were the Dunlop Grandtrek and some Toyo brand. Originally I thought the car I was purchasing had the Toyo's which I knew nothing about. So, I made it a condition (written) that the Bridgestone’s were to be put on. They didn’t care at all but I had to do it before 600 miles. The reason I brought this up is because after I researched the tire I found a lot of negative reviews especially from this forum. The other review was at tirerack.com where it got a very low score for "would you buy them again" If I lived where there was bad weather condition I may have changed the tires but so far they are okay. Maybe if you change your mind, the dealer might switch them? Normally once you drive home with your vehicle they are less accommodating.

Personally with only 1500 miles, I can only give a very preliminary review. The temp and traction rating on the tire are both B’s and the treadwear is 180. Granted I have limited knowledge of truck tires and these ratings are provided by the manufacturer and can vary widely. Those values aren’t great. The tires are quiet with no roar or hum. They do seem to lock up quite easily and corner poorly which may occur with all truck tires. It never snows in San Diego and this season we only got 2.5 inches of rain so tires aren’t as important to me but to our northerly neighbors it might be very critical to have good performing tires.

Happy Pathfinding!!!

Steve

meca2

pondfull5: What are they saying about Amsoil? It
is the best oil. They also make the best oil and air filters.

stever

Before we go too far down the Amsoil, Schaffers, Mobile One or Dead Dino path, check out the Synthetic motor oil discussion.

Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

stockstiming

My first post with this title didn't make it, so I'll try again. (I'm adding the * thingy.)

I've got the Dunlops on my '01. From the time I first drove it, it has wandered on the freeways. The dealership wouldn't do anything about it except rotate the tires. Up until this problem I've been very happy with Nissan, mostly because of the Twin Turbo I used to own, but the way they handled this problem s*cked.

andy1961

I have a friend with a 1999.5 PF going back on lease with relatively new aftermarket tires 245/70-16 Pirellis mounted on the factory alloy wheels.

She claims these tires have improved winter traction (I live in Minnesota) and have a quieter ride than her original Toyos.

I have the original Bridgestones with 21K miles and have never been impressed with their dry or winter handling nor their ride.

Can I do a simple tire/wheel swap? Any issues with the wheels or the tire size? Thanks!

Andy

wildcorgis

I do not profess to be an expert on tires but I will state some simple facts that may or may not help. 2002 2WD QX4's which in previous discussions are proven to be mechanically identical to a Pathfinder have 245/70-16 tires. They have an upgrade option that has 245/65-17. The tires you have are 255/65-16. So I would assume that if Nissan switches tires, it would be okay. There may be a little difference in the speedometer readings that they adjust for. The 2002 PF tire size for the SE and LE are 255/65-16 and 245/65-17, resp. and I thought you could swap between them. Sorry for all the numbers but hopes this helps a little.

By the way what model Pirelli's are they?

Happy Pathfinding!!!

Steve

jmsmithbc1

For all the recent tire talk, take alook at post 4727.

drdigger

Is there a way to connect a TV receiver to the DVD player so that it displays on the flip down screen? Is this possible? I know you can connect a game console (e.g. Playstation 2) to the back of the DVD player. Any help would be appreciated.

crete

I've read a number of posts about tire quality and if you have a chance visit "Tire Rack.com"

http://www.tirerack.com/

Here you can search for all types and brands of tires for your vehicle and view buyer feedback on quality. The Michelin's seem to be the most favorable on a Pathfinder for All-Season Tires.

I've read good & bad about the Bridgestone Duelers depending on the the type of weather you drive in.

colinj1

I need to know what the paint color is on the following part # 63810-2W307 (fender flare). I was given a different # from a different dealer 63810-2W309. I'm guessing the last three digits represent the "color code" eg. sierra silver (KR4)

Thanks for your help.

bigorange30

I didn't know you could connect the Playstation into the DVD player. Does that work with the original Playstation also? I actually wanted the Playstation 2 in my QX4 instead of the DVD player but that was not offered. I do have a Playstation and would like to put it in if I can. Have you done it? Any problems or issues with it?

andy1961

They're not Pirellis, but Wild Country APT.

Andy

colinj1

Woodyr1 - we bought an XE in August last year, just curious - what did you pay for your pathy? (standard or auto?)

shark715

I also wondered why they eliminated it on the '02's. I had assumed it was on the '01's for marketing reasons as the new engine in '01 was so much more powerful than previous years, and Nissan wanted to tell the world. Before '01, the reviews had always been pretty positive other than repeated comments that the PF needed more power. Perhaps it was dropped on the '02 because the new engine is now old news? Just speculating. Interestingly the '01 QX4 did not have the 3.5 badge even though the engine is identical mechanically.

woodyr1

It was probably a cost saving measure. 2000 Pathfinders had exterior door locks on both passenger and driver doors. For 2001, they dropped the passenger exterior door lock. All models of the 2001 Pathfinder had the cargo cover, I believe, but not so with the 2002's.

Every penny counts, pure speculation!

crete

It may seem that it is somewhat of a marketing reason as to why they took it off the '02s. But you would think that since the newer 3.5 engine got great reviews and contributed to the re-birth of the Path, that Nissan would still want to let you know its out there. By taking it off its saying, we don't want to mention it anymore.

I don't see how it could be much of a cost saving move, as compared to door locks that have to go through the door body component and require some moving parts The badge just mounts on. For the cargo covers, I know on my '02 Path LE the cargo cover came as standard item along with the cargo net.

Maybe as someone said in an earlier post, they just wanted to further distinguish the new 02 model from previous years.

bigorange30

Some of you have asked me about the new 2002 and its temperature gauge accuracy. This is what I got today.

It was 89 degrees where I live in SC as stated on the weather channel at about 5 pm this afternoon. I saw this was just after getting out of my QX4 after driving it home from work. The Temperature gauge was reading 91 degrees just before I stopped the car.

I will give you another reading this summer when it gets hotter.

niel39

I currently own a 2000 Maxima but I need a bigger roof to carry my bikes and kayak. Ergo I'm looking at getting an SUV. There is one thing that really bothers me on my Maxima and that is the headrest. I find that it is angled forward to a degree that does not let me put my head back far enough to always be comfortable. I believe the PF has pretty much the same seat. In my previous Maxima ('89) this was not a problem as the headrest did not have the same forward tilt. Does anyone know if I can replace the headrest with a different one and where would I look for just a headrest.

Thanks, and if you don't mind can you respond also to my address in my profile as well as to ng.

nismofreak

Wow! I haven't posted in awhile but here goes:
I do believe the reason for the 3.5 on the '01s was due to the fact that the 3.5 and 3.3 were in the same body style (1999.5 - 2000) and since the 2001 sold very early in the 2000 calender year, it would lead to confusion in the market. I also think that this is why in the '01 owners manual listed the fuel requirement for both engine sizes. The '02s are now different enough in style (all models have colour keys bumpers, etc.) and only have one engine for the body style.

My question to the '02 owners: what does Nissan state as the fuel requirement for the '02s? I would imagine that the owners manuals only list the 3.5 liter motor.

-nismo

nismofreak

Pathy fans,
Last summer when my '01 was much younger, she was parked in my garage. Now that space is occupied by my racecar and associated crap. I have notice that in these two past really hot days with my Pathy parked in the roasting sun, she will not turn over at the first crank. Do you guys think that I am getting vapor lock? I haven't tried opening the gas cap first as I thought that it was a freak occurrence but is has now happened two days in a row.

Thoughts?
-nismo

hondga

Does anyone know why they haven't put the LATCH child seat security hooks in the '02 Pathfinder? Other manufacturers have done this already. Thanks!

pitrott

Bigorange30,
As for hooking up a game sys to the DVD player, Yes it works like a champ (keep's the kids from asking are we there yet ). But you need to buy a power converter at about $70.00. I took the P-Finder to Fla and it worked fine. Now for the Rest of the Group, Does any one have the Nav Sys i Need some Help!!!!!!!!
R
PIT

wildcorgis

The manual does only list the 3.5 L engine and it " recommends" premium fuel for better performance. There has been some discussion here if it is real important to be using premium gas.

I’ve heard it’s pretty hot in some parts of the U.S. Probably a lot warmer than in So. CA. where it is only in the low to mid 60’s. Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t vapor lock only happen in cars with carburetors? That said I had an 84 Toy Celica that would not start right away when the weather got hot. I had to hold the gas pedal to the floor and crank and release it when it lit. Most of the time it took 5- 10 minutes to work. It had fuel injection and I took it to various dealers multiple times and they could not diagnose the problem even though they could duplicate the problem.

Happy Pathfinding!!!

Steve

mazadi

Are you sure the 2002 Pathfinder does not have the LATCH system? I know my 2001 has the whole system, including the anchors and the car seat clip ins (although very few car seats are adapted for the clips).