Nissan Pathfinder

lofquist · January 2001

Parena (Paul),
That pmt sure sounds high to me. Here's what my magic lease calculator says:
Sell price: 31091
Residual: 20606
Term: 36 mos
Cap cost reduction: 0 (because I don't know how much of the down pmt is for this)
Money factor: 0.0024 (5.7%)
Equals a monthly pmt (before taxes) of $415.32. That's a big difference from $561! I think you want to look at this closer, not that I would ever doubt the word of a car salesman....

But also, my loan calculator says that you could go to Canada to buy a Path LE AWD and with nothing down, pay it off COMPLETELY in 60 months for $558 a month. (Assuming 7% interest, purchase price of $28,200).

-Jon

brian60 · January 2001

How do you keep up with the Dakar and rallying in general? I caught an odd ESPN2 rally some years back and have been very interested ever since. Unfortunately, if it doesn't have a carburetor and predominantly make left turns, it doesn't get good ratings in the good ole US of A. What's your secret?

jblaze13 · January 2001

You'd have to give the MSRP on that vehicle to figure out what the lease payments should be.

parena · January 2001

I am about to close on a lease for a 2001 PF LE 4WD and noticed that the Nissan Lease form (from NIMAC) calculates the monthly lease payment based on what they call "Gross Capitalized Cost", which is the price I negotiated with the dealer plus tax, but isn't really the "selling price" of a vehicle (which is before taxes, and fees)as everyone here seems to define it. Is this legitimate? Can I negotiate with the dealer to have the "selling price" be the starting point for this calculation, or is it a Nissan thing? Put another way, does line four (4), of the lease example (page 536) in Edmund's 2001 Truck Buyers Guide ("Invoice Price of the Car-incentives, aka net capitalized cost") include taxes? This makes a BIG difference in the monthly cost. Please advise. Thank you.

lofquist · January 2001

As long as the residual is expressed as an absolute dollar amount (and not a percentage) there is no need to know the MSRP to calculate lease payments.
-Jon

pathstar · January 2001

You can catch rallying on Speedvision, and the Paris-Dakar will be shown starting on the 15th at 8PM eastern (one hour) each day for 10 days (except the 19th). This from the Speedvision site. Of course, the Paris Dakar is the only "professional" rally with an SUV class. They usually use 4WD cars with huge turbos (500 and up HP). The cars only "resemble" production units - they are purpose built for racing.

darius2 · January 2001

I am interested in buying a PF LE model with Leather and other options (except the navigation system, TV, and other things such as that). The lowest I have been able to negotiate the price to is
$29,700. Does that sound like a good deal or I should press some more?

zamphir · January 2001

For the info about the Dakar Rally. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get my PF over to Paris for next year...

Z

zamphir · January 2001

While I was playing hoome-grown CD-R's. However, it only jammed after I added a press-on label to the CD. Luckily the CD only stopped playing and still let me eject it out. I made another one, did not put a label on, and I've had no problems since. I guess the thickness of the label combined with the slightly thicker CD-R interferes with the playing mechanisms. From now on I only use a pen to mark the CD-R's I use in the PF. Hope this helps any fellow burners. Cheers.

Z

zamphir · January 2001

I'd like to get the salt and other muck off my PF but am leary about going to a drive-through car wash. I've been using the self-serve hand wash but now that it's cold out the water begins to freeze almost as soon as it hits the car. How is everyone else handleing this? Brushless or not, I'm still worried about scratches.

Z

phil47 · January 2001

When temperatures are close to freezing, I'm still using a wand wash. When things get colder (or I get lazier), I'm using the newer touchless (not brushless) washes. The only thing that touches the truck is water or soap. They work best when the truck is not too dirty (otherwise they leave a slight residue), and I've never seen any damage (and I watch closely for that). I always choose the option that adds an undercarriage wash as its important to me to keep the undercarriage free from salt and built-up road muck. Nothing does this as well as an old-fashioned wand wash, but this is a good alternative.

One thing to watch out for is those damn dryers. Some are so badly designed they can blow the bug/rock guard right off the front of the truck (or damage it badly).

pathstar · January 2001

Here in Edmonton we have indoor hand car-washes (run by Hughes Petrolium). You may be able to find one like that. I use a mit (and keep washing the mit to keep sand etc. out of it) and dry with a cotton bath towel. Once done, I spray all rubber door seals with silicone spray (I use LPS brand as it is harmless - even approved for use in food processing). This prevents the door seals from freezing the door shut as the silicone chases the water off the seals. Kind of important.

xplorer2 · January 2001

Z~

I have been going through a soft cloth drive thru car wash. I used the touchless the first 3 weeks I owned the PF, and it didn't get the dirt off completely after a while and left a film. I went through the drive thru ever since, and it's been fine. I hand towel dry it afterwards, but in this NE cold weather it is usually ice by the time I get the towel out. So I just drive down the road fast and hope the excess the dryer didn't get flies off... streaks somewhat, but not bad if you find a GOOD car wash. I recommend the soft cloth.... good luck! It hasn't scratched or anything on my '01 BLACK PF LE and I have owned it for 7 months now.

X2

phil47 · January 2001

If you've been happy with a soft cloth wash on a black truck, I'm willing to try one, especially when my truck is very dirty (which is when the "touchless" are useless and I usually resort to a wand wash). Are you saying that they don't even leave that light "spidery" scratching?

Pathstar:

I agree totally with using silicon spray. If applied a couple times during winter, it eliminates problems with doors freezing shut after washing (l live in Calgary so I understand your pain!).

drew_ · January 2001

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lofquist · January 2001

Hi folks,
When I start getting emails asking "what's this Americans buying a Pathfiner in Canada all about?" I know it's again time to put a little note out here. This new Edmunds format doesn't have search (does it??) so it's harder to find the info I've posted before. You can look above at post #1 in this forum - it has much of the basics outlined.

But a quick summary The strong US dollar makes Pathfinders in Canada much less expensive than in the US. So just go up there, bring one home and save the cash! Me and about twenty others have done it in the last few months. Most people have told me they figured they saved $3000 - $4000. There's a little paperwork, but it's not hard at all. Many people are surprised how close to Canada they really are. Anyone from Chicago to D.C. to Maine is easily within a one days drive of Toronto or Ottawa. And much of the west coast is close to Vancouver. Some dealers say they might ship too.

I have all the details documented and know reputable contacts at dealers that will sell close to cost with no hassle. I'm glad to help anyone out. Just email me.

-Jon
jonlofquist@aol.com

xplorer2 · January 2001

Phil47,

I have not noticed any of the "spider effects" that you speak about. I used to own a black acura a few years back, and I could notice on that, but the paint on the pathfinder seems to be different. I had gotten overspray from a bridge painting in Maine the first week I had the car and had to have it detailed by a professional to remove it. I could not get it off myself and did not want to ruin the paint finish. At that time, he put on a sealant which I think helps the car too. I will have it done every 8 months or so, once in the spring, once in the fall. I hope you can find a reliable car wash that maintains their equipment. I have been to some that are dirty and disgusting, but there is one in my town that is impeccable.

I am going to buy the silicone spray this weekend and wash and clean the car and apply it. I need to remove the salt/sand from the roadways. Thanks for that advice!!

~X2

rkj · January 2001

How does pathfinder perform on the snow and ice?

rcsutton · January 2001

Does anyone one know the capacities of the differential & auto transmission? I am looking at replacing the rearend fluid and having the tranny flushed. I have a 2000 SE auto 2WD.
Bob
S. Lf
70 Degrees here

meca2 · January 2001

I have about 2600mi. on mostly snow and ice going sking. The awd
works great in the packed snow and ice. Use the 4wd in soft snow.
Steve

meca2 · January 2001

I have a 2001 auto trans with AWD. The rear diff. holds about 3 qts.
Fill with lube until it runs out the filler plug. I use amsoil in both front
and rear diff. Be sure and check if the rear is limited slip or not! It might
have a sticker on the diff next to the fill plug. The trans holds about 9qts.
In the Nissan Service manual it recomends the best way to "flush" is
drain the oil through the drain plug,install the plug,fill with oil until it full
on the dip-stick and start the engine,shift the trans though all the gears
then drain the trans again then refill again. If you want to flush the system?
Look in your owners manual for the viscosity. For warmer areas 80w90 in
diff ect. I use Durablend in the trans and transfer. Works good!
.

lspangler · January 2001

I put a K&N Air cleaner in my '01 PF and I noticed the stock filter is a pink, oiled filter of some kind. Does anybody have any idea what kind of filter construction the stock filter is?

Also, the little drain spout under the oil filter is a nice touch and much appreciated.

I noticed that you can see the amp for the stereo behind a vent on the left side in the back. Does anybody know if you can tap into the line level side of the amp to drive aftermarket amps?

Things have been quiet in here lately

highup · January 2001

2001 LE. I just did this to add an infinity beta 100 Class D (400 watts rms) and an infinity perfect 12.1 subwoofer/box. I tapped into the pre-amp wiring for low-level signals and also tapped the amp-on wiring for the sub amp. The curious thing about the amp-on signal is that it is "on" when the key is in the ACC position and not affected by the radio being off. I also used a crossover because it is only the sub frequencies I needed. For those considering this upgrade, be advised that my setup is bordering on overkill. I think an amp with 200 watts rms and a 10' sub would be sufficient.

crikey · January 2001

...will damage paint. Like phil47 said, the spidery scratching will become evident after a while. Touchless washes are OK, but do not really wash the car extensively. The only thing that I recommend is a handwash using either two sponges or mitts. I've been able to keep my PF spider scratch-free using two wash mitts, california water blade, and the absorber. Of course, Zaino keeps it shiny. Just washed it yesterday, I might apply some of that Zaino for good measure.

pathstar · January 2001

It's embarassing, I'm becoming a fanatic. If you wash and wax with fore/aft motions only on horizontal surfaces and up/down only on vertical surfaces the scratches you do leave will be much less noticeable (anytime you touch the vehicle you will leave a scratch, they just may not be obvious). Of course the first time I take my Pathfinder off-road the bushes will scratch it up nicely, but that's life.

I agree with what you posted crikey. I haven't tried the water blade though - I'm conservative and use the cotton towel as per the Zaino recommendations.

crikey · January 2001

...is good because it speeds up the drying process. The Absorber finishes it off. Cotton towels soak too much liquid. But, I agree that it's safest to prevent scratches.

lspangler · January 2001

Highup

Is there any chance you could give me a quick wire code if you happened to write them down. I think I am going to do the same thing. I am assuming you tapped into the pre-amp side and converted the wires to an RCA cable to plug into the amp? I am only looking at amping the front speakers and adding a subwoofer. How did you wire the Sub in? Did you just take parallel connections off the front output?

Thanks for the info, I am looking forward to a little bottom end being added. The underfloor storage looks to be perfect for the amps.

nismofreak · January 2001

I don't understand why Nissan integrated the rear window defogger and the outside rear view defogger on the same circuit on the '01. Driving home last night the switch would switch off prematurely because the rear glass was always clear but side rear view windows remained foggy.

On my '91 300zx TT, there is an individual switch for the side rear view windows. Perfect every time!

highup · January 2001

All the wiring work I did was at the rear amp wiring harness located in the left rear quarter panel. I didn't need to get to the wiring behind the radio. If you feel confident enough to pull the radio, (actually it's the fake wood surround that looks tricky) there are some companies (Audiolink) that make plug-in wiring harnesses to do exactly what you plan to do.

To wire the subwoofer, I tapped into the rear left and right pre-amp signal wires. I used 18 guage wire and soldered rca plugs to the end of each pair and then plugged them into a Coustic XM-3E crossover (again overkill but good piece of equipment for future upgrades, also has a remote bass level knob which is now tie wrapped to the base of the hand brake lever). This crossover filter is set for 80 hz and then the signal is sumed mono which is then routed to the bridged Infinity amp. I have the color codes at home so I will be posting them later.

arodov · January 2001

Hi,

I am hoping you can steer me in the right direction on what are my options.

In February of last year I've purchased a '97 Nissan Pathfinder LE. Almost
immediately I noticed that it was consuming much more fuel that my previous
Pathfinder ('93 SE). It is consuming 28 liters/100km (or 13 MPG). I went to the Nissan
Dealership where they ran all the diagnostics (for big $$ of course) and
concluded that everything is fine and that many other Pathfinder owners
experience the same problem. They've also suggested that this should
improve during the summer time and recommended that I monitor and keep the
log of my mileage and fuel. However, they said, no matter what - they
cannot do anything.

Well, it has been almost a year and I am averaging 350 km on an 80 liter
tank.

Perhaps you can suggest what are my options.

Thank You very much.

loboy · January 2001

The almost unthinkable just happened Saturday night: a cracked windshield! :-( Hardly broken in and having to replace the windshield already. Just my luck. I've been driving all these years and never once had to replace the windshield on my own vehicles. I did have to replace one on a company rig but someone else did the damage. Question: Can anyone recommend a reputable windshield company in the Puget Sound area?

Here's a dumb question but I'll ask anyway: can this be under warranty? Reason I ask is because I didn't see much of a ding. Usually a crack starts from a ding and propagates out. I know what the dealers will say but has anyone tried for a warraty repair on this?

Thanks much

jblaze13 · January 2001

A friend of mine had a cracked windshield on his 99.5 with 13k on it. Fortunately, it cracked all the way to the edge and there was no large indenture where a rock hit it. The dealer couldn't tell that it was hit by a rock. Got it fixed under warranty. Unfortunately for most, rocks usually leave an indenture. The dealer did question him extensively about the crack.

ddssjsk9 · January 2001

Being a dealer employee for many years. About the
only time I have seen a windshield warrantied is
from a stress crack which would start usually from
an outside edge and continue toward the center or
from a defect such as waves in glass that would
distort your vision. GOOD LUCK!!!

sanandton · January 2001

Here in SC, if your windshield cracks, the insurance companies cover the entire cost of replacing it. They usually try to talk you into "patching" if appropriate. The final decision is yours. The deductible does not apply, and no rate changes either.

pathman2 · January 2001

Well since my wife gets to drive the '01 pathfinder, I'm getting jealous and am thinking of getting rid of my accord for a four wheel drive vehicle. Anybody now how well the earlier model pathfinders hold up ('93-'94). I like the lines on these models and have seen several for sale I/ 100,000+ miles for around $3,000-$6,000.
Are they worth it?

rcsutton · January 2001

Thanks for the info. I'm planning on putting Amsoil (synthetic) in the rear end and Amsoil (synthetic) in the tranny as well. There is a new system that actually flushes the transmission fluid system, out with the old & in with the new I've used it in my Suburban and it works quite well. Any tricks to get the drain holes loose in the rear end? They are on pretty tight I make have to take it somewhere to have the loosened.
Bob
S. Fl
70 degrees & sunny

suvluv · January 2001

I put in an Alpine MRV-100M 150 watt amp and a MTX 10' sub in my '01 LE. The gain is only half way up and it sounds great. There is more than enough power and I've got all my bass down and treble up. It even surprised my sales rep how good it sounds.

rcsutton · January 2001

Has anyone found a custom sub box for the Pathy. JL audio makes a fiberglass one for $450.00 och! Q-Logic has one for everything but a Pathy. Any other ideas I am trying to take up minimal space.
Bob S
S.Fl
70 degrees here

pathy57 · January 2001

Can someone please tell me what a water blade is and how it is used. I am also very particular and do not like anything washing my vehicle but me. I do however use the brushless car wash when I have to.

phil47 · January 2001

I don't think I've ever run into a situation where the sideview mirrors fog up continuously while driving. Here in Calgary, we usually suffer from a bit of frost buildup on the mirrors (and windows) which is very quicky cleared up with the defroster (works within 30 seconds on the sideview mirror, very impressive). Once clear, the mirrors don't freeze/fog up again while the truck is moving, only when it's been stopped for many hours. What conditions were you driving through?

phil47 · January 2001

If you're truly getting 28 L/100 km, something is DRASTICALLY wrong with your truck. The worst I have ever gotten on my 99.5 or 2001 LE is around 18 L/100 km, and that is during the coldest winter months, with 4WD engaged and lots of idling. I usually get closer to 15 or 16 L/100 km.

Are you sure you're calculating it correctly? You mention you get 350 km on an 80 L tank. That is closer to 23 L/100 km (still bad) but that would also mean you ran the tank dry or you extrapolated the range. Even when the low fuel light comes on, you have only consumed around 60-65 L which would bring you down to around 18 L/100 km (more reasonable). How do you calculate your economy?

phil47 · January 2001

Just to confirm what others have said, if the crack originates from the edge of the windshield and there is absolutely NO evidence of a rock chip anywhere along the crack, you can likely get it replaced under warranty. I owned a Honda Civic about 12 years ago and had 3 (yes count'em, 3) windshields replaced under warranty that way. It was a defect in the windshield frame (bad weld) causing a pressure point which would contact the glass and break it when the frame flexed during hard cornering, something I used to do way to much back then :-) .

danog · January 2001

Wow, really took some time to get here since the changes.
We took our 2001 PF LE in last Wednesday to have the tranny(again) and A/C compressor checked. The service guys say they cannot find any problems with the tranny. Since it only happens occasionally it will hard to remedy. But they A/C noise was plain as day. So they are going to replace the compressor and dryer. The parts were ordered sometime Wednesday or Thursday and have nor arrived yet! One was shipped from California and the other Texas. Has anyone had this same procedure on your Pathy? Did it work? Were there any problems afterwards? I will check back soon so I don't loose it.

Thanks,
Dano

loboy · January 2001

on the cracked windshield. Sounds like a battle with the dealers to get it under warranty but I'll give it a shot. I don't have a deductible so thats a plus in case its not under warranty. I'm just concerned about having a third party do a bad job and suffer the consequences of water leaks.

zamphir · January 2001

I've noticed that some of the older songs I've been playing on the CD don't always behave as the newer songs do. Generally, the songs seem to play either in the back speakers, or in the front speakers but not in both like the newer ones do. I'm guessing this is because of how the songs were recorded/made. Anyone have any idea what kind of logic the sterio uses when faced with older (maybe mono) recordings? Just curious.

Z

zamphir · January 2001

I've been hearing about? Is it a car store item or would I have better luck at a hardware store? Sounds like something a plumber would use. Thanks for the help.

Z

nismofreak · January 2001

I was driving through PA this past weekend. It was pretty toasty in the truck. The outside temp was around 36 or so degrees. Not sure what the dew point was but I have been in conditions before where the rear window is clear and the side mirror fog.

Yeah, I still love my Pathy but it is just a minor annoyance.

nismofreak · January 2001

I know it has been discussed before but just to add a little more info:
Drove about 20 miles with the low fuel light on. Parked on a down sloped driveway with the nose pointing down. Left it over night outside (*sniff*) in the cold.

The next morning, it didn't start after the first attempt. But roared to life after the second. (Gravity may have had an effect on the lack of initial fuel delivery to the engine) Drove to the gas station and crammed 18.7 gals in. So I figured that I had 30 additional miles before empty for a total of 50 miles after the light comes on. Not too bad.

Cheers

xplorer2 · January 2001

The A/C compressor noise you hear, what does it sound like? This weekend when I started the engine, and let it idle, there are 2 sounds... one is a twangy metallic rattle sound, and another is a loud humming like the A/C is on... I did have the defrosters on, but that seemed loud, and I have not heard it previous to this. I am in my 7th month of owning my '01 LE. I will have the techs. look at it when I take it in for an oil change this weekend.

pathstar · January 2001

The water blade is a very soft "squeege".

The silicone spray can be purchased at electronics parts stores - try to get as high % of silicone as you can (it's ususally specified on the can - 4%, 7%, and I've seen 11% too). I use LPS part no. C01516 because there are no aggressive solvents in it. Curiously, they do not quote a % of silicone, even in the material saftey data sheet.

A/C noise - remember if you have the system on "defrost" the A/C will operate (to remove moisture from the interior).

Nissan Pathfinder

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