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Nissan Pathfinder

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Comments

  • eagle30eagle30 Member Posts: 28
    (Jon) thanks for the info about the deals in Canada. I have your e-mail and will contact you before I purchases. (starchecker) the best offer I got was with the John Elway dealership. I have the Ford X Plan which will allow me to purchase a Ford and anything Ford is involve with 3% above cost. I went to Tynans in Aurora, ok but not the deal I wanted. I went to Empire and by the time I walk out, my vains where about to pop out of my head. They wanted me to write them a check before he would submit my offer to the sales manager. To make sure I am serious the saleperson tells me.After giving him a piece of my mind, and having info with me from Edmunds.Com the tune change. This is after they had offer to sell me a SE a few 100 off MSRP. If Empire Nissan call me today with a deal I would walk away. Ok back to the ? you ask. Since I have the Ford Plan, I was allowed to talk to the Fleet Manager. Here goes, for the LE with leather, sunroof and the bells we got to $31,154.00. SE with leather, sunroof and the bells $30,514.00. SE without the leather, but with the sunroof, $28,555.00. Now this was just straight talk, I just wanted them to crunch the numbers for me. I believe when I am ready there is a beter deal waiting for me. The Fleet Manager, left me with a feeling that when you are ready we are going to make this work for you on your terms. Plus there was the $500.00 rebate still to add in, and the 3.9%. Also they where going to pay the taxes, that was the only thing that left we feeling really insecure. Why would they pay the taxes? OK sorry for rambling.
  • starcheckerstarchecker Member Posts: 28
    Eagle 30 and bgritz thanks for the input. I went to Tynan's Nissan in Aurora, looks like I can get the PF LE with everything but the nav and entertain system for 31,300. This looks like 300 over invoice plus the 400 ad fee minus the $1000. They would go 4100 off one with those toys, which is close to the $5000 off in NH when you consider giving them the $300 profit and the ad fee which they dont have in NH. I got my Nissan Sentra SE 01 from him for 50 below Invoice plus part of the ad fee. The sales guy, Don Parker, is great so I don't mind giving him $300 over invoice this time when that's his upfront price. I know some zealots out there would go nuts about the ad fee, but I haven't found anyone that will take much of that off, and after awhile it just becomes a game. That's cool that you can get such a great deal out of Elway Nissan. To the general public they wont touch their no haggle price which is about $1300 over what Don gave me right off the bat. Anyway I feel pretty comfortable with that deal unless someone can convince me they can get no ad fee out of a dealer in Denver without resorting to name calling. It's kind of a lot more car than I was originally looking for but the deals now are great and the mountains are calling since my wife and I love camping and I just got a large telescope that needs an SUV to haul it to the jet black mountain skies to really perform so I don't know what to do. It sure has been reassuring seeing all the positive posts on this site. You guys are great!

    I will let you know if we get one.

    PS bgritz you are right the engine on this thing will flatten out I-70 west no problem, especially compared to the 4 cylinder altima it will replace!!
  • kevinmackevinmac Member Posts: 5
    I'm making my first new purchase in a while (I have 1991 Maxima) and believe the 2001 LE Pathfinder is my choice. Anyone know what changes there will be for the 2002 Models?
  • pat01pat01 Member Posts: 23
    I bought essentially the same vehicle, (2001 PF LE AWD) all features except nav and ent, for 31050 on February 26 in Wisconsin. After I signed, a competing dealer called me and said he would beat my offer (of course, too late). You can do better. There are several posts on the list at the end of February with others who have bargained a similar or even better price. Good luck!
  • path63path63 Member Posts: 8
    I just picked up my new pathfinder with a micro filter installed. Does anyone know where it is located and how it is changed? Also I was planning to have the grille/brush guard installed. The dealer informed me that it can be painted to match the color of the vehicle(sahara beige) or leave it (as black) it match the color of the trim. Does anyone have it on their vehicle and how does it look?
    Also I would like to purchase a bike carrier for the roof rack. Besides the 'Anklebiter' (price $134.00) sold by nissan, are there other vendors?
  • beefchuckbeefchuck Member Posts: 5
    RE: Saw your post about the price of your LE. I got a quote of $30427 on a 4x2, with leather, hitch, micro filter, floor mats, body side molding. Edmunds states invoice is $29,211. Should I expect the dealer to sell at invoice of $29,211?
    I am not aware of any special rebates or incentives in Texas.
    Thanks
    txbluenote

    Absolutely. Let the dealer know that you have options. Prices in Canada are much cheaper (not that we are considering this option), gas prices are still high, and the dealer across town or state is offering 28,500 on the same vehicle. These options can be played around with to get you a better deal. Check what other local dealers are offering. Let them know the same thing. I played around with these same ideas to cop my deal. Oh yeah, don't forget to mention that in Canada pathy's have power antennae and AWD for relatively the same price. They really want to make a sell so you are in good shape.

    Good luck,
    The beefchuck
  • dawatdawat Member Posts: 5
    We'll be picking up our new Bronzed Gray '01 PF LE w/ mats, deflector, microfilter on Monday. We got it for $100 over invoice and are very satisfied and excited. Now we just need to find the best wax, sun shade, cargo mats, fabric protectant, and cheapest premium fuel!! Just like bringing a new baby home... :)
  • mosher1234mosher1234 Member Posts: 7
    I need to remove the radio in my 2001 Pathfinder LE (to get to the antenna wire to install a RF modulator) I know that there are 2 screws at the bottom of the dash to remove the front panel. Mine are covered by the wood dash from the factory. Is there another way? Also, I read that the 2001 Pathfinders are prewired for the entertainment system. Does this mean that the antenna wire has an input somewhere near the back? Any information would be greatly appreciated!
  • sanandtonsanandton Member Posts: 342
    I have removed my radio and changer before in my 01 PF LE 4x4. It is really very easy. You need to remove the wood trim around the air vents at the top of the stack first. It is held in with clips. Be careful not to break the plastic or scratch it. Try a rubber coated flat head screw driver. Once you remove the top trim, it will expose two screws at the top of the bottom piece of wood grain trim. Remove these. As I recall I didn't have to remove any screws at the bottom. If I did, they were accesible directly. Try looking under the dash for any screws. Once the top screws are out, then the larger woodgrain panel is then held in by clips as well. Once you have the woodgrain covers off, the rest is a piece of cake. Be careful, proceed slowly, as it has been about 7 months since I did this. It is possible that I did forget a screw or two. Good luck.
  • jrp99jrp99 Member Posts: 1
    I am currently negotiating a price for a new Pathfinder SE 4x2 without leather and without a sunroof. The MSRP is 29,500+/-. I currently have the car under contract with a refundable deposit for a sales price of 26,600 +Tax Tag and Title. This will be a cash purchase with no loan or lease. Is this a respectable deal based upon what everyone else is seeing. One final note I am located in St. Pete Florida.

    Thanks
  • kbehnkekbehnke Member Posts: 60
    The lease on my '98 Pathfinder SE is up in June and I'm not sure what's next for me. I like the new PF, but the premium fuel requirement has me looking at other models. I was considering the Dodge Durango because it has the 3rd row and is a little bigger. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with both the PF and Durango and would like to share their thoughts. I know several people that have a Durango and they love it. I'm still a little worried about the reliabity of a Chrysler product though. Thanks.
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    Both the Durango & Pathfinder are great vehicles. I am about to purchase a 2001 Pathfinder LE & the fire department I work for uses Durango's for command vehicles, so I have some experience with both. I think it's going to come down to what ever vehicle you like best, but I wouldn't worry about the fuel. Our Durango's average about 13mpg. So even though the PF takes premium fuel, their fuel cost are probably fairly similar.
  • rob0975rob0975 Member Posts: 17
    Hello,
    My 2001 SE is about 6 months old now and i was looking over the window sticker recently along with the PF brochure book..I was reading anout limm slip differential in the brochure but didnt see it on my window sticker..Is this standard with all PF's or is it an option that i dont have..If it is an option,is it something i should look into getting??I also noticed that my window sticker mentioned heated outside mirrors..However when we had freezing ice/snow here I recall them not melting/ridding of the ice unless i chipped at it with a scraper..Is there a way to turn them on??BTW I used the Oxiclean and it worked great on the seats!!!I noticed one option that i have is in cabin microfilter..What is this??
  • arianna17arianna17 Member Posts: 4
    HI everyone!,
    I just signed a contract yesterday for a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4 in Sierra Silver.
    I got the floor mats
    in cabin microfilter
    body colored side moldings
    front grille guard
    taillight guards
    rear push bar
    upgraded car alarm
    plus destination and ad fees
    I paid $28,688.68 after the $500 rebate and I also got the 3.9% financing.
    Is this a good deal? I live in Brooklyn, NY
    Thanks
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    LSD is not standard on any PF, it's an option. I doubt you could add it, it's pretty integral to the transmission...but maybe someone else knows better about this.

    The heated mirrors are turned on by a button. The large button to the left of the radio with the heat symbol (next to the hazard light) will turn on the heated mirrors and the rear window heater. They will turn off automatically after X minutes (15? 20?...chk the owner's manual).

    The microfilter in a filter in the ventilation system that cleans the passenger compartment air as it circulates via fan use. It can be replaced when 'used up' (filled with....dust or whatever).

    Tom
  • kbehnkekbehnke Member Posts: 60
    What exactly does the cabin microfilter do? Is it some type of allergen filter for air coming in from the outside? How often does it need to be changed and how much does it cost to replace?

    Thanks.
  • akmehtaakmehta Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased 01 PF LE with the brushguard installed. The total cost was 48000 canadian ($30500 US). This was including all taxes. I am upgrading from 1992 Maxima Broughm. I was quite happy with Maxima and it was time to get an SUV. With the added HP's this year made my decision easy. I test drove Lexus, Mercedes, Toyota, Ford SUV's before deciding on this purchase.

    I used APA (automobile protection agency) in Toronto to give me dealer invoice price. and i paid $850 Canadian over invoice. No haggling the purchase took 2 minutes and i was out of the lot. They had my color LOL. I was charged $699 can. for the Brushguard which i wanted for sure. To give it more rugged and masculine look :-))
  • gulfguyntgulfguynt Member Posts: 3
    Arianna17: did you say you got it in Brooklyn, NY? What dealer? Did you get the LSD also? I've found most of those dealers crooked. Please tell of your experiences. Where in Bklyn do you live? I was born & bred there.....Howdy neighbor! Contact me at: gulfguynt@netscape.com. WOW!
  • lcoronadlcoronad Member Posts: 2
    li_Sailor,

    LSD does come standard with the 5-speed manual which is available on the SE only. IT is an option with the Automatic.

    Now for prices the wife and I are looking at getting a 2001 SE 4WD 5m. The best price that we have been able to get so far is $27,450 here in Northern California. I also checked up in Canada for a SE which has everything that we want standard and the price up there is $36,165 canadian dollars= $23,119.90 US. Might be going up there..
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    Right...forgot about you manual tranny guys...we don't hear much about them here. Rob0975, have to amend my answer if you have manual...it's an option on the SE w/auto tran but std on the manual.
  • duperduper Member Posts: 127
    I took my 99 Pathfinder and a friend's 2001 off road for the first time and was surprise of what I found out about the truck. The part-time 4x4 system pergformed flawlessly. I was able to get through most of the terrains with 4-hi and only use 4-lo twice when climbing steep inclines although I don't think it's needed. My friend's 2001 did pretty well and I didn't think he ever shifted into 4-lo (his is not the AWD model). The clearance and approach/departure angles are sufficient enough to climb some small hills withtout scrapping while my other friend's Durango's bottom scrapped.
    The suspensions were stiff enough to whiz through some terrain that I thought might be rough, there was no bottom out. My goal was to hit only easy green trails but ended up (accidently) on some more difficult trails but was able to get through without any problems. Overall, I was impressed and surprise with the truck's performance.
    Here's the link to some pics that I took.
    Hollister Hills
  • sanandtonsanandton Member Posts: 342
    If you want quality and joy of ownership the odds are greatly tipped in your favor if you go with the PF. This board is one of the most positive on Edmunds. It is rare to see a disgruntled owner here. I think we have had one owner talking buy back in over one year since I have been following these post.
    Contrast it to the Durango boards. Plagued with problems and frequent mentions of lemons etc.
    If Lisa aka "luvboxers" (bulldogs) is still lurking she can provide her personal testimonial. She owned a Durango witch was bought back under lemon laws or traded at a major loss (can't recall exactly). She then bought a new 01 PF and raved about quality and value of the PF.
    As someone else mentioned compare 13mpg of the Durango to the roughly 17mpg of the PF, and the gas issue is easily in the PF's court. Yes the Durango has more room, and may tow a little more (don't know this for sure). But the 240hp 01 PF engine is smooth as silk and very quiet.
    Still loving mine after 1 year and 12 k miles. I have owned 14-15 cars in the last 8 years and have not been as satisfied with any of them (except my 99 Accord) as I am with the PF.
  • woodyr1woodyr1 Member Posts: 142
    From my recollection, all Canadian 2001 Pathfinder's come standard with limited slip differential. This is appicable to both the manual and automatic transmission models. Go to <http://www.nissancanada.com> for features on the Canadian models. There is differences between the same model in the two countries, such as power antenna and roof rack.


    Regarding the PF vs the Durango, I believe I read on the Edmunds test drive that the PF had a one second better acceleration time in the quarter mile than the Durango.

  • scottc3scottc3 Member Posts: 137
    I just picked up the LE and surely like it a lot, as I bought it. In testing the headed seats, they do not seem to get very warm. In review of the manual, it states they are thermostat controlled.. turning themselves on and off! This seems strange.. how are your headed seats? Do they get real warm or just so-so. I can tell when they turn off, then back on.. but my other cars get much warmer and stay on all the time.

    I drive up a slight hill getting up the driveway. When stopping there for the garage door to open, the car rolls backwards down the hill (no break applied), all the way to the bottom, with the engine going.. it's like the auto-transmission is not enguaged at all.. when idling. Anyone else notice this? My other cars would hold the position when idling.. no roll backwards.

    Thanks

    Scott
  • duperduper Member Posts: 127
    On thread #1922, I have some pics of the Durango and 2001 Pathfinder offroading. I had drove both vehicles and while the Pathfinder engine is so snappy, smooth and quiet, you can't deny the growling power of Durango's V8. Both performed very well off the pavement, but due to longer wheelbase and low clearance, there are places that the Durango scrapped but the Pathfinder when through without a hiccup. I heard alot of problems with Durangos, but so far my friend's truck is trouble free, while the 2001 (and mine 99) were taken in for shimmy problems.
    I think everyone here agrees that the ride on the Pathfinder is much better, but the Durango is not that bad either. It's all depends on what you really like. Test drive and compare.

    Good luck
  • kbehnkekbehnke Member Posts: 60
    Thanks everyone for your opinions.

    I estimated my gas cost for a year for both the PF and D, and even with premium fuel it's still cheaper to drive the PF(I figured 14 mpg with the D and 17 mpg with the PF). So I feel better about that. I was browsing the D message board and you're right, there is a lot more discussion about problems than in here. I don't think there's any question that the PF has an edge in reliability. Aside from scheduled maintenance, I've only had my 98 SE in for service once. The 96 Dodge Avenger I had previous to that was in the shop once every couple of months with a different problem. The other thing I found out is that the D only has 3 more cubic ft of cargo space than the PF(88 vs. 85), so even though the D looks bigger, it's not by much. Gee, can you tell which one I'm leaning toward?

    I posted my next question in the finance board, but didn't get much of a response yet so I'll throw it out in here. Has anyone had experience with returning a lease vehicle with excess miles? I ended up having to travel quite a bit for my job last year and put on almost 3k miles/month for a while. Needless to say, I'll have about 65k miles when my lease expires in June which is 26k over the limit. It would cost me about $4k in mileage charges to just return it, so I was planning on buying it at lease-end and then try to re-sell it. The buyout price is a little over $20k, which is more than what it's worth(roughly $18k market value). Either way I'm expecting to take a loss, but I'd like to minimize it as much as possible. Does anyone know if dealers are willing to negotiate mileage charges if I'm willing to do business with them again?

    Thanks again.
  • brentm1brentm1 Member Posts: 4
    I am trying to decide if I should get the Navigation System on the 2001 PF LE that I am planning on buying and would appreciate anyone who already has it on their PF's input.

    I have been told that you cannot do much with it unless the PF is in Park, is this true? Can you reroute yourself, find points of interest, etc.? I realize that this should not be done while moving for safety reasons but if there is someone in the passenger seat...

    I assume there is a subscription service to keep the CD database updated (for each region), how often are updates sent out and how much do they cost?

    How much detail is provided when outside of the "detail coverage zones"? Just major highways?

    Anyone had anything go wrong with the system? Repair costs?

    Do you feel that it was worth the extra $2K?

    Thanks!!!
  • goblue96goblue96 Member Posts: 33
    Thanks to all in the forum. Because of you all I have just purchased a Pathfinder 01 LE with everything! Now it's time to tinker. I just replaced the headlight bulbs with PIAA SuperWhites (looks great, we'll see how long they last), and added all my Yakima stuff. My next project is to replace that pathetic moped horn with something more representative of such a fine, thirsty vehicle. For you regulars (li_sailor, sanandton, crikey, steveinwashington, etc..) do you remember anyone changing their horns? I know I saw a post about it a while ago, but I can't find it anywhere. BTW I'm only looking to replace with a "deeper" sound, not an air-horn. Thanks again, you guys rock.
  • sanandtonsanandton Member Posts: 342
    Is the current market value or "trade in " value higher than the quoted residual? You may be better to trade it in a little early if the dealer you are buying the new vehicle from will give you at least lease payoff. Then you don't have to worry about the miles. I have done it in the past with good results. Good luck.
  • pathstarpathstar Member Posts: 201
    I've got "truck" electric horns (they come as a pair - two frequencies that clash). Very loud, very effective, and there's lots of room for them behind the grill. Use a horn relay, tripped by the voltage that goes to the standard horn. To get real fancy, put in a switch, one side is the standard horn (excuse me please) and the other side the truck horns (get out of the @#$&amp;%$ way!!). Got the horns at an industrial parts supplier.
  • npathfindernpathfinder Member Posts: 21
    As far as the Nav system overall, I think it is great. I live in the Pittsburgh, PA area and it is very detailed. Points of interest, banks..you name it and it has it. If you are plotting directions to a location and you make a wrong turn the system will re-route you. It has helped me a few times.

    You get one updated CD with the system then if you want to purchase additional CD's they are $ 150.00 a piece.

    When you are outside the "detailed coverage area" it has all major roads and some minor roads. It does not have any points of interest.

    Overall I feel that it is great, I only wish that it was DVD based so that the entire country was on one disk....Let me know if you have any other questions..
  • goose1207goose1207 Member Posts: 113
    I had a 99.5 SE on a 36 mo. lease. I changed jobs and ended up driving 70 miles a day, instead of the 10 miles to and from the train station. Get the current lease payoff figure from NMAC (it is less than the total balance of remaining payments). I ended paying $1900 (no wear & tear charges incurred) to terminate it after a year and a half. At the rate I was going, it would have cost me more than $1900 in excess mileage if I had kept it until the end of the term. I had already hit the mileage allowance. I ended up buying an '01 LE from a different dealer because (1) they had a better deal, (2) the service at the lease dealer was horrible and (3) I had inherited an old jalopy that I needed to get a decent trade-in value on.
  • skips2skips2 Member Posts: 52
    I test drove a 2001 PF LE for the second time. Here are my observations. By the way, currently, I own a 2000 Maxima GLE which I love. Hence, I have no axe to grind against Nissan.

    1. Nissan is heavily discounting the Pathfinder. More than I would have expected for a 2001 vehicle that has been significantly improved. For example: new engine and transmission.

    2. The vehicle rides like a car. Very smooth ride.

    3. The car is noisey. Interior noise levels are higher than the Toyota Highlander that I test drove a couple of weeks ago. The Highlander has an even smoother, car-like ride than the Pathfinder. I test drove an Infiniti QX4 which is much quieter and a little smoother than the Pathfinder.

    4. Gas mileage for the Pathfinder is medicore. Especially, considering it requires premium fuel. The Highlander gets much better gas mileage, and only requires regular fuel. This is a significant plus for the Highlander, given the cost of fuel.

    5. The Pathfinder has a very modest payload capacity of 795 pounds. This equates to approximately 4 adults and a briefcase. The Highlander has a payload capacity of 1100 pounds. Not bad for a car-based SUV.

    6. The Pathfinder has very little headroom above the rear seats. I'm 5'10" and my head scraped the ceiling with the rear seat backs in the fully upright position. Of course the rear seats recline, but you should not have to recline them to prevent your head from bumping the ceiling. I'd hate to have someone taller than me in the rear seat and then hit a pothole. I'd feel sorry for their head.

    7. The rear cargo area also has a tight distance between the floor and the ceiling. Much smaller than you would expect. The Highlander has a wider distance between the rear floor and the ceiling. This could limit the ability to carry some cargo.

    8. The rear seats have very little leg and foot room. Too tight for a $30,000 + vehicle.

    9. The PF is using rear drum brakes instead of 4 wheel disc brakes. My 1988 Honda had rear drum brakes. What's up with this Nissan?

    10. The rear doors don't open very wide. They force you to rub your clothes against the rear door/wheel wells as you enter or exit the vehicle. Thus getting your clothes dirty.

    Overall, I think the Pathfinder is nice, but it falls a little short. Hopefully, the next major re-design will address these issues. Nissan is a good company that sells it's vehicles at decent prices. However, for $30,000 I expect a little more.
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    HI Y'ALL:

    First of all, I think this is a great board. Many posters here seem very knowledgeable. Secondly, a vehicle as fine as the 2001 PF deserves a board like this. It is awesome to share our experiences with a work of art like the PF.

    With 2 kids, I just had to trade my 97 Acura 1.6 EL. I was getting claustrophobic everytime I had to use this car. We batted around the idea of trading to a Sienna or Odyssey. A combination of poor experiences with a 93 Merc Villager and the relatively small cost increase to get the PF led us to purchasing this SUV.

    Now the finanicals for those of you who are interested. Bear in mind all figures are in Canadian dollars. Also note the different features in a Canadian SE trim >>> these include: AWD, power moonroof, fender flares, rear spoiler, upgraded suede-like upholstery, aluminum step rails and 65 series tires. What the Canadian SE lacks in comparison to the LE is leather, climate control and power seats. NAV and mobile TV are not avaiable in Canada from Nissan.

    $40,200.00 MSRP
    - 3,600.00 Discount
    $36,600.00 NET
    962.00 Freight
    500.00 GAS & A/C Tax
    150.00 Dealer Prep
    5,731.80 Tax @ 15%

    $43,943.80 Cdn on the road

    Any fellow Canadians think this is a fair deal. At the prevailing outrageous exchange rates, it is undoubtedly a great deal for Americans!

    P.S. They gave me $13,300.00 for my 97 Acura 1.6 EL Premium which had 75,000 km on the odo. Car had leather, roof, rear spoiler, auto tranny & security. For the Americans, an Acura 1.6EL is a glorified Honda Civic 4-door sedan.

    All comments greatly appreciated.
  • alkcalkc Member Posts: 9
    Lexol can be purchased at shoe repair stores.
  • linleylinley Member Posts: 12
    This may not make sense but here goes. I recently bought my loaded SE model (leather, sunroof, side airbags, mats, bodyside moulding... for 27,900. They also gave me 2000. more for my van than any other dealer so I am very happy with the deal. I was looking on edmunds to compare msrp, invoice and actual price and I noticed there were two listings for the SE 2WD 4dr SUV . One was 3.5L 6cyl 5M(made in Japan. The other was 3.5L 6cyl 4A(made in Mexico-(or maybe just the opposite.. Anyway one was 1000. less than the other. I was just curious to find out which one I had purchased and if it effected resale or trade-in later.. Did anybody understand that or know what I was talking about?
  • ballfire8888ballfire8888 Member Posts: 131
    Does anyone have a remote starter installed on their 01 PF ???

    I was told by my dealer this was a hit and miss proposition due to the computer chip embbedded keys. I'm wondering if he is full of *** !!!
  • meca2meca2 Member Posts: 284
    scottc3: There is 2 different settings high/low and I think the service manual states that the temp reaches 95 to 113 F. It does take a few minutes to reach that temp. About the transmission,most Nissan auto trans do roll backwards on a steep incline in drive with the engine running at an idle. It is not a problem whatsoever with the transmission. Nissan (JATCO) does not have a sprag (one-way) clutch in first gear. There might be web sight that goes into detail but there is not enough room here. Cheers.......
  • starcheckerstarchecker Member Posts: 28
    Although I knew I couldn't afford the Nav system I was tempted by it until I found out it doesn't track your position. It's more or less a fancy map CD that shows you routes from point A to point B. You can update your present position manually though. As neat as that may be its not much more than a really fancy rand mcnally map. My advice for the $1800 is buy a light weight notebook with a DVD Rom Drive with a 14" screen for $1600.(an example is the 5lb Dell Inspiron 4100 series) Then buy a kick butt Map CD. Now you have pretty close to the same thing, except now you also have a nice substitute for the $1200 entertainment system since the notebook will play DVD's on a nice 14" screen which is much bigger than the one on the factory entertainment system.
    Not to mention all the other uses you can get out of a notebook computer. If you already have a notebook with a DVD, then you just saved $3000! I'm using my notebook/nav system/entertainment system to type this message. I think I will put the $3000 I saved toward an 11" GPS based telescope that will automatically point to and track any planet, nebula or galaxy in the sky. A perfect toy to pack into the SUV for a trip into the mountains for some serious dark sky observing. My 2 cents anyway! We are going to pick up our Pathfinder LE with everything except these discussed options on Saturday, can't wait!
  • skips2skips2 Member Posts: 52
    Linley,

    All PFs are made in Japan. period! The difference between 3.5L 6cyl 5M and 3.5L 6cyl 4A is the transmission. 3.5L 6 cycl 5M has a manual transmission while 3.5L 6 cycl 4A has an automatic transmission. The manual transmission costs less than the automatic transmission. Hence the difference in price that you alluded to. I hope this helps.
  • npathfindernpathfinder Member Posts: 21
    I would have to disagree with you about the Nav system. I have one in my new PF and it does track your position!!! True it does have a glorified map, but as your are driving it knows exactley where you are. You can pull up your exact latitude and longitude...Not sure where you got your info from...but the PF Nav system is GPS based so it does track your exact position...Any questions, let me know.
  • npathfindernpathfinder Member Posts: 21
    I have a remote start installed in my 2001 PF LE and it works great!! You do have to give up a key for them to mount in the dash. I had Circuit City install mine and it was about $200.00 installed. The remote start system came with its on remote, plus I had them tie it into the factory remote so that I can just press the lock button and the vehicle starts! It is a very nice touch. The remote that came with the system does have a much farther range then the factory remote, but it is nice to be able to use either one. If you have any specific questions regarding the remote start system, let me know.
  • li_sailorli_sailor Member Posts: 1,081
    The Highlander looks like a great, quality vehicle. It wasn't out yet when I got my PF, so I couldn't consider it. I have a few comments on your observations...thought it might add a little for anyone who is similarly comparing the two:

    1. Yup, heavy discounts..I think this is mostly due to the overall car market being depressed. After the Highlander has been on the market awhile, I'm sure there will be discounts for them too.
    2. Yup, PF has a nice ride for an SUV
    3. Hmm...the PF is pretty quiet...for an SUV. Haven't driven the HL, so you may be right...but the PF is quieter than any other SUV I've been in (haven't been in an RX300, either :-))
    4. Yup, HL is better...but 15/19 vs 18/22 is not a huge diff
    5. Don't know about your payload numbers. Edmunds lists 1001 lbs for PF vs 1100 for HL...not much diff
    6. You're right on the headroom...lucky for me, my family has no 6 footers :-)
    7. Cargo space is 85 for PF vs 81 for HL...so, if the PF gives up vert space (the least useful dimension) the HL must be giving up even more in the other 2 dimensions
    8. You're right on the rear legroom...my son agrees. It's still a lot better than many sedans
    9. I agree with you on the rear brakes
    10. Rear door entry...another negative I agree with

    There are other areas that the PF betters the HL, though. For one, the towing capacity is only 3500 lbs (vs Pf's 5000 w/ auto trans). This would disqualify it for me since I tow a 4500 boat/trailer. Also, less power and torque (not a lot, PF:240/265 vs HL:220/222) but significant for towing. PF has an extra inch of ground clearance. The PF has an extra inch of front legroom.

    As for price, I didn't crunch the numbers (I gotta work, ya know) but...although the HL's list price is lower than the PF's, a quick glance at the HL's option list makes me think that an HL equipped like an LE would cost much more.

    Just my 2cents...you probably wouldn't go wrong with either one.

    Tom
  • brentm1brentm1 Member Posts: 4
    npathfinder & starchecker,

    Thank you both for your input. I would agree that if the system does not move with you on the map as you go, it is no better than a regular old paper street map, so much for effective use of technology. I have an appt. tomorrow to do another test drive and I am planning on giving the nav system a good run through to help make my decision.

    npathfinder,
    Can you please confirm (since you have the nav system) that you can operate the nav system with the PF in drive? This is one of my biggest concerns. Also, how do you find using the climate control system with the touch screen?

    If anyone else has any input on the Nissan nav system or any of the aftermarket ones (Alpine's, Garmin's street pilot portable, etc.) I sure would appreciate it.

    Thanks!

    Brent
  • tofunricetofunrice Member Posts: 20
    Hi Brent...

    I have the NAV system in my Pathfinder LE and I LOVE it. The system works flawlessly and it has been able to "navigate" me to so many places where I was clueless about!

    I'd have to disagree with starchecker... the system DOES pinpoint your location on the map in realtime as you drive. But to answer your question about usability... There are safety measures built into the system where input functions are limited while the car is moving. Therefore, while your driving, you can't enter a destination unless it is already in your "Address Book" (which stores 99 locations or one of 10 previous locations you manually entered. When you are moving, you can also "touch" the screen and it will give you several options... two of which are the most useful... "where am I" which shows your current location and the the streets ahead of you... as well as "Quickstop"... which bascially allows you to find ATMs, BANKs, Restaurants, Gas Stations, etc, "near" your current location.

    Other than the above mentioned features, the rest of the input features are disabled while the car is moving. You don't have to be in Park when you want to input entries... the car just can't be in motion.

    As for the on screen climate control... works fine... I'd prefer the climate control panel on standard Pathfinders, but I guess dash space limitations prevent them from including it.

    Overall, I highly recommend the NAV system if you can find a Pathfinder with one! I would just check and make sure that you're located in an area where there is detailed info. I live in the bay area, CA and there is A LOT of information! Even when you go outside of detailed areas, there is still good info. Best of luck on your purchase!
  • tofunricetofunrice Member Posts: 20
    npathfinder...

    you mentioned that you could pinpoint longitude and lattitude on the nav system... how do you do that??? I can't figure out how to do that on mine. Any info would be great! Thanks!
  • bimmer4mebimmer4me Member Posts: 266
    I looked at the HL before purchasing my PF LE. I would have paid more for the HL with all the bells and whistles my PF comes with standard. The 3.9 interest rate was a really nice motivator. Although the HL is a very nice car, oops! wants to look like an SUV...it reminds me of the last generation Honda Odessey! MINI VAN. I like the looks of the PF, it looks like a SUV/Truck is the real reason for my purchase over the HL.
  • smithmdsmithmd Member Posts: 167
    The idea of having the Nav system built right into the dash is pretty cool. I just can't help being practical, though. For my money, I'd buy the Garmin ColorMap and slap it up on the dash of whatever car I happen to be driving all while saving about $1,000. True, you don't get the voice directions and it probably can't re-route on the fly (but I don't really know). For $150, you can get a set of maps that cover the entire country on 2 CDs. You upload the maps you need to the GPS from your computer.

    I have the Garmin eTrex (not a mapping model). I use it for backpacking, hiking, fishing, boating, and driving. I set up a track or route the night before my trip on the PC and then upload it to my GPS.

    If I decide to get off of the highway in a large city, and have to make several turns to get to the fast food restaurant that I want, I can just follow my path back to the highway (no more of the "do I remember driving past that building?" game).

    If I were to use my GPS strictly for driving, I would get the Garmin ColorMap. Every time I drive anywhere with my GPS, I see big advantages to having a mapping model.
  • npathfindernpathfinder Member Posts: 21
    I forget off the top of my head, but I think if you touch the setting button on your screen then go into system setup their is an option that says "exact location" I beleive. I am not sure though. I will have to try it later, but I know you go into settings and then system setup (where you could turn the beep on or off etc..) I will check later today and let you know. What CD coverage area do you have? Have you purchased any additional CD's for the system yet?
  • filodfilod Member Posts: 189
    While I agree with most of Skip's observation, my decision to buy a PF was primarily because it was not based on a car platform (Highlander is based on the Camry)

    I wanted something that can really handle off road driving and the Highlander does not have the extra-low gear for rugged off-roading

    Strange on how people can differ in their buying decision for a vehicle

    A majority of Highlander owners are happy with it so Good Luck and happy driving
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