I drove one of these in college, it was a hand-me-down from my parents. It lasted 308k miles then blew a head gasket. I wish newer nissans were this reliable. Truly a great car
Dude mine was also a hand-me-down from my folks. It's currently at 201k, but I loved working on it and it taught me a lot about working on engines like changing the radiator to prevent SMOD and the timing chains needing replacement after 150k (which develop that funny supercharger-like whining noise). I loved it so much I even bought a used 2017 Frontier with the same engine.
can a car with a blown head gasket be fixed or is it usually an “uneconomical repair”? my friend blew up his dad’s 2003 Toyota 4Runner’s head gasket at 301,000 km
@@SilverScarletSpider the gasket itself can be replaced fairly easily, but if the head gasket blows, that usually means you have heat-related damage to other components (warped metal). In most cases, it's cheaper to just buy a used engine from a junkyard and swap it in
@@SilverScarletSpider there's the real way and the cost cutting way to go about it. The real way as @chasenewberry6866 said is replacing the head gasket altogether which also means machining the head to even out the surface because the block might have been warped. It's expensive but it's a safer and more guaranteed solution. The cost cutting way is to use a liquid head gasket sealer that you pour right into the coolant reservoir and let it flow throughout your engine's coolant jackets and lines to find the leak and seal it. ChrisFix on UA-cam did a step-by-step video on this with great results but it's different for everybody.
The only generation of Pathfinder to have a V8. I guess they did it to better compete with the 4th generation 4runner and Ford Explorer, both of which had V8 engines at the time.
I bought one of these in the LE trim during the pandemic for 3k cash. Great vehicle, leather; wood trim int., auto climate control, great stereo, 4WD and good towing amount for it's size. I also bought a small cheap travel camper to pull behind it. This SUV saved my sanity during the pandemic allowing me to travel the country in it for over a year. I did my own oil changes on the road; and needed to charge the A/C which I got done at a JiffyLube for super cheap. It preformed remarkably for the amount paid and for it. I have owned many "luxury" brands Mercs; BMWs, Audis, Lexus and I found it to be very comfortable and most importantly reliable. I sold it last year and went to a Nissan Titan as it suited my needs better, but looking back at it; I kind of owe it my life since it kept me safe during a harsh time in our country.
A proper suv that is also a companion. Long live REGGIE the pathfinder! Your memories will never be forgotten. Wish nissan was still building things like they used to.
I just bought a 2011 LE fully spec’d out to tow my RSX to the track. Bought it off the auction for $2200 and it has 78k miles. So far I am $4550 into it. It’s so underrated, has a few issues if your handy you can take care of it yourself. I plan on ripping out the back seats and building a platform so I can sleep in the back of it when I go to the track. Eventually once I get 3-4 years out of the pathy I will eventually move on to a new frontier Pro4x.
I was born in March 2004, and I remember seeing lots of these everywhere everyday going to school, going on road trips and vacations and elsewhere. They were used as normal family SUVs, and one of my older friends had one growing up. I can't believe that I would say this, but those 3rd Gen Pathfinders are becoming cool now!!
Oh man, this brings back memories. My dad had a red 2007 Pathfinder SE for 13 years and 180k miles on it. The interior held up better than this one's, the only wear was a little bit on the edge of the driver's seat. The 4.0L V6 engine survived the strawberry milkshake of death shortly after Nissan's warranty on that expired but he got them to cover it anyway. The airbags and tire sensors stopped working so the center of the gauge cluster had a piece of tape down the middle for the last few years. Cruise control went out somewhere around 120k miles and my dad decided it wasn't worth getting it fixed even though it was our family road-trip car. It had a rattle from the exhaust but otherwise was still going strong. The steering was heavy and the gas was touchy so I never really liked driving it, though it did great donuts in the snow. The second row was comfortable and roomy enough growing up and the third row was fine for kids. His had hard plastic in the cargo area instead of carpets. If the gas cap retainer strap got caught in the hinge, the gas door would break so he ended up cutting the strap off. I was impressed that the Pathfinder lettering on the roof rack never wore off. These are good old-school SUVs that can be had for fairly cheap.
great video , I am not saying Nissan interior was great for this generation, but man this one has had a very rough life. The wear and tear you show here , i rarely see on trucks with triple this mileage . would have been nice to call out strawberry milkshake issue with these and also the fact that for some reason even though it has the exact same power plant as Xterra , this calls for premium gas. keep up the great work
My neighbor had one of those in base 2w model. He got it used with 150k on ,put on another 60k or so and totaled it during winter before COVID time. He liked it and it was very reliable ride for his needs. He's driving used Hyundai Tucson now.
2012 4WD. Love it! Every vehicle has weak points. In my opinion, the 3 weak points of this vintage of Pathfinder are: 1) I get between 15~18 mpg on the highway (with a tune up and new air filter.......granted, I do have about 200lbs of 'stuff' in the back). The flip side of this is, I think that mileage is about common for body on frame SUV's of this size and vintage. Overall, I think Nissan makes the best value trucks, their weak point being their catalytic converters. That being typed, mine was 10 years old with about 185,000 miles before mine went. It's not uncommon to have to replace the cam shaft position sensor. Not an uncommon thing on any vehicle, but it can leave you stranded. Had to replace mine at about 175,000 miles. Other than those two repairs, no issues. Owned mine for 4.5 years and have not really had the opportunity to drive it in any snow worth typing about, but with good tires I would expect it to be perfectly fine. Perfect size if you live in a city or densely populated area. 10/10. I would definitely buy another 2012.
0:40 technically, that's the 80's Pathfinder since it came out in 1985. Yes, it was sold until 1995, but it's still an 80's car. BTW, while you can find a Pathfinder of this generation with a manual transmission, it wasn't available in the US. The only way you can get this engine with a manual transmission from the factory (in the US)is either the Xterra or Frontier.
I'm so happy this car is finally getting the recognition it deserves. My dad has an 06' LE with 142k miles. I remember seeing 4Runner forums shitting on this car for it's rare SMOD issue. Little did they know 4Runner's use to suffer from SMOD too lmao. Thankfully, that means you can get these and X-Terra's, and Frontier's for a steal nowadays compared to those Yota's.
My mom had one of these when I was younger and she always says it was a piece of junk. It always had problems with the engine and transmission and we ended up selling it. That’s all I remember about her pathfinder😂
I had a 2012 Pathy. It was the last year for the body on frame construction and, I absolutely loved it. Traded it last year for a 2024 Rock Creek Pathfinder. I really enjoy the Rock Creek but I wish I had kept the 2012 too.
Glad my 178k 11 silver edition 4x4 has all those perks you noticed were missing like rear air, heated leather seats, “infotainment” radio with better lasting buttons and the radio controls on the left side of the steering wheel. I’ll also agree to the minus points to the stupid cup holders that spill everything. I pretty much agree though with your assessment after 3 1/2 years; rear seats are lacking, suspension and turning is truck like, 4.0 has good low end power. It’s a great boring suv 😂
I got passed down a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder my stepmom being the only owner It only has 172,000 miles on it so far has been the best suv that I can say I have owned so far had it almost a year got it for Christmas last year
What you didn't mention was that the generation before this was also unibody, but while that kept some of the offroad abilities from the first generation, the one after this lost all the offroad tech and went front wheel drive to compete more directly with the likes of the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.
This car reminds me of childhood there was a mom of 6 at my karate place that had one of these with 250,000 miles and was basically a food and water dispenser for kids.
I was given a ‘92 Pathfinder a few years ago and even not running right now it’s a great looking SUV. It would run but the fuel line rotted because I let it sit for years but I have too many cars right now to work on it
Yes it is smaller but the Pathfinder and the Armada (Titan, Frontier and some others) have the same platform. One is just a stretched version. @3:50 Ghosn... Cloth beats leather any day!
The original Pathfinder was body on frame from 1985-1995. 1996-2004 was unibody construction. The in 2005, they want back to body on frame until 2012. Finally, from 2013 on has been unibody, as well as fwd/4wd.
also maybe it’s northern thing but I just checked Facebook Marketplace and none of the ones here in Georgia have interior that is that worn. The silver is still in great shape
My grandma has a 2007 pathfinder that's the highest trim level I think. It has leather, Bose with navigation. They got it brand new and she's still running strong but becoming a rust bucket (thanks Illinois winters) I think it has 140,000 on it about
Shockingly enough, I got to drive the very expensive GTR a few times from the 2000s and believe it or not the Plastic was The SAME!! It was all worn and scraped off, though the rest of the car was in great condition! I've had both a 73 Datsun 240Z and a 92 240SX and the quality was very good with both of those. I think the 2000s is probably when the trim quality became a real issue for Nissan.. too much cutting corners to save money..
My dad has one it's decent for what it is has 226k on it for a Nissan that's pretty good those door handles on back still are very ugly does decent off-road and for fuel economy better than his 1992 e150 2wd van.
These were the times when Nissan made real offroad cars not just crappy Jukes and Qashqais. That gen Pathfinder had weak rust proofing. Just like the similar looking pickup that often broke in half. Otherwise they were able to handle terrain and dirt roads just as good as Toyota
Had a 2006 that I bought new and at 58k the engine blew due to a faulty catalytic converter sucking a piece of metal inside the motor. The fuel tank sensor was faulty, the rear quarter panals were rotting after 4 years transmission went at 120k and there were numerous bugs and gliches, one of the worst pretentious suv's I ever owned. So was my 2005 Nissan Murano and 06 Maxima. So I swore off Nissan. They are the Japanese Chrysler of the big 3 Japanese brands 💩🤥
These were some of the very last Nissans that were decent. One CRITICAL item to note is the transmission cooler built into the radiator. They were prone to failure, allowing coolant to get into the transmission, which would ruin it. Antifreeze does not play well with the clutch packs and valve body. It's been a few years since I've dealt with one of these, but even a replacement radiator was known to still have this issue eventually. These are outstanding midsize body-on-frame SUVs, and I would not hesitate to recommend someone get one because they are really good and they are overlooked because Nissan now has a bad reputation. But if you do purchase one, I would recommend immediately installing an aftermarket transmission cooler and eliminating the connection to the radiator. Just cap off the built-in transmission cooler in the radiator and run the transmission fluid through an externally mounted air to fluid aftermarket transmission cooler instead. Do this one thing, and you'll have a reliable body-on-frame midsize SUV that can easily hit 400,000 miles. Or buy manual transmission one if you can find it and skirt the issue entirely.
im guessing the scrachedness depends on the climate . my parents 08 altima isnt scrached up but the roof leaks .... that back seat dont seem too bad but not best either. the gen after was just an altima wagon cross. complete butcher of the pathfinder name
My mom still drives this, dealer kept trying to buy it a few years back. I think it has about 130k on it now She does have dumb issues on it: Window switches loose or breaking, the grey trim scratching up, fuel level meter going bad, the radio light going out, and now airbag light
I drove one of these in college, it was a hand-me-down from my parents. It lasted 308k miles then blew a head gasket. I wish newer nissans were this reliable. Truly a great car
Dude mine was also a hand-me-down from my folks. It's currently at 201k, but I loved working on it and it taught me a lot about working on engines like changing the radiator to prevent SMOD and the timing chains needing replacement after 150k (which develop that funny supercharger-like whining noise). I loved it so much I even bought a used 2017 Frontier with the same engine.
can a car with a blown head gasket be fixed or is it usually an “uneconomical repair”? my friend blew up his dad’s 2003 Toyota 4Runner’s head gasket at 301,000 km
@@SilverScarletSpider the gasket itself can be replaced fairly easily, but if the head gasket blows, that usually means you have heat-related damage to other components (warped metal). In most cases, it's cheaper to just buy a used engine from a junkyard and swap it in
@@SilverScarletSpider there's the real way and the cost cutting way to go about it. The real way as @chasenewberry6866 said is replacing the head gasket altogether which also means machining the head to even out the surface because the block might have been warped. It's expensive but it's a safer and more guaranteed solution.
The cost cutting way is to use a liquid head gasket sealer that you pour right into the coolant reservoir and let it flow throughout your engine's coolant jackets and lines to find the leak and seal it. ChrisFix on UA-cam did a step-by-step video on this with great results but it's different for everybody.
Fun fact for a stint This was available with the 5.6 V8 in the Titan and Armada
The only generation of Pathfinder to have a V8. I guess they did it to better compete with the 4th generation 4runner and Ford Explorer, both of which had V8 engines at the time.
its rare i learn something new about post recession cars from a youtube comment, thank you sir 🫡
@@iCarlyfan4534 it was only available for 08-12
I bought one of these in the LE trim during the pandemic for 3k cash. Great vehicle, leather; wood trim int., auto climate control, great stereo, 4WD and good towing amount for it's size. I also bought a small cheap travel camper to pull behind it. This SUV saved my sanity during the pandemic allowing me to travel the country in it for over a year. I did my own oil changes on the road; and needed to charge the A/C which I got done at a JiffyLube for super cheap. It preformed remarkably for the amount paid and for it. I have owned many "luxury" brands Mercs; BMWs, Audis, Lexus and I found it to be very comfortable and most importantly reliable. I sold it last year and went to a Nissan Titan as it suited my needs better, but looking back at it; I kind of owe it my life since it kept me safe during a harsh time in our country.
A proper suv that is also a companion. Long live REGGIE the pathfinder! Your memories will never be forgotten. Wish nissan was still building things like they used to.
I just bought a 2011 LE fully spec’d out to tow my RSX to the track. Bought it off the auction for $2200 and it has 78k miles. So far I am $4550 into it. It’s so underrated, has a few issues if your handy you can take care of it yourself. I plan on ripping out the back seats and building a platform so I can sleep in the back of it when I go to the track. Eventually once I get 3-4 years out of the pathy I will eventually move on to a new frontier Pro4x.
I was born in March 2004, and I remember seeing lots of these everywhere everyday going to school, going on road trips and vacations and elsewhere. They were used as normal family SUVs, and one of my older friends had one growing up. I can't believe that I would say this, but those 3rd Gen Pathfinders are becoming cool now!!
Oh man, this brings back memories. My dad had a red 2007 Pathfinder SE for 13 years and 180k miles on it. The interior held up better than this one's, the only wear was a little bit on the edge of the driver's seat. The 4.0L V6 engine survived the strawberry milkshake of death shortly after Nissan's warranty on that expired but he got them to cover it anyway. The airbags and tire sensors stopped working so the center of the gauge cluster had a piece of tape down the middle for the last few years. Cruise control went out somewhere around 120k miles and my dad decided it wasn't worth getting it fixed even though it was our family road-trip car. It had a rattle from the exhaust but otherwise was still going strong. The steering was heavy and the gas was touchy so I never really liked driving it, though it did great donuts in the snow. The second row was comfortable and roomy enough growing up and the third row was fine for kids. His had hard plastic in the cargo area instead of carpets. If the gas cap retainer strap got caught in the hinge, the gas door would break so he ended up cutting the strap off. I was impressed that the Pathfinder lettering on the roof rack never wore off. These are good old-school SUVs that can be had for fairly cheap.
great video , I am not saying Nissan interior was great for this generation, but man this one has had a very rough life. The wear and tear you show here , i rarely see on trucks with triple this mileage . would have been nice to call out strawberry milkshake issue with these and also the fact that for some reason even though it has the exact same power plant as Xterra , this calls for premium gas. keep up the great work
Do an Xterra Next
You're like a salt-of-the-earth Doug Demuro, and I'm here for it
“It’s too big”
- the big freaking bottle
Back when the Pathfinder was a proper SUV.
My neighbor had one of those in base 2w model. He got it used with 150k on ,put on another 60k or so and totaled it during winter before COVID time. He liked it and it was very reliable ride for his needs. He's driving used Hyundai Tucson now.
I’ve owned a couple Xterras and have considered buying one of these.
2012 4WD. Love it! Every vehicle has weak points. In my opinion, the 3 weak points of this vintage of Pathfinder are: 1) I get between 15~18 mpg on the highway (with a tune up and new air filter.......granted, I do have about 200lbs of 'stuff' in the back). The flip side of this is, I think that mileage is about common for body on frame SUV's of this size and vintage. Overall, I think Nissan makes the best value trucks, their weak point being their catalytic converters. That being typed, mine was 10 years old with about 185,000 miles before mine went. It's not uncommon to have to replace the cam shaft position sensor. Not an uncommon thing on any vehicle, but it can leave you stranded. Had to replace mine at about 175,000 miles. Other than those two repairs, no issues.
Owned mine for 4.5 years and have not really had the opportunity to drive it in any snow worth typing about, but with good tires I would expect it to be perfectly fine.
Perfect size if you live in a city or densely populated area. 10/10. I would definitely buy another 2012.
0:40 technically, that's the 80's Pathfinder since it came out in 1985. Yes, it was sold until 1995, but it's still an 80's car. BTW, while you can find a Pathfinder of this generation with a manual transmission, it wasn't available in the US. The only way you can get this engine with a manual transmission from the factory (in the US)is either the Xterra or Frontier.
I'm so happy this car is finally getting the recognition it deserves. My dad has an 06' LE with 142k miles. I remember seeing 4Runner forums shitting on this car for it's rare SMOD issue. Little did they know 4Runner's use to suffer from SMOD too lmao. Thankfully, that means you can get these and X-Terra's, and Frontier's for a steal nowadays compared to those Yota's.
My mom had one of these when I was younger and she always says it was a piece of junk. It always had problems with the engine and transmission and we ended up selling it. That’s all I remember about her pathfinder😂
I had a 2012 Pathy. It was the last year for the body on frame construction and, I absolutely loved it. Traded it last year for a 2024 Rock Creek Pathfinder. I really enjoy the Rock Creek but I wish I had kept the 2012 too.
Glad my 178k 11 silver edition 4x4 has all those perks you noticed were missing like rear air, heated leather seats, “infotainment” radio with better lasting buttons and the radio controls on the left side of the steering wheel. I’ll also agree to the minus points to the stupid cup holders that spill everything. I pretty much agree though with your assessment after 3 1/2 years; rear seats are lacking, suspension and turning is truck like, 4.0 has good low end power. It’s a great boring suv 😂
I love regular ass car reviews lol
I got passed down a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder my stepmom being the only owner It only has 172,000 miles on it so far has been the best suv that I can say I have owned so far had it almost a year got it for Christmas last year
What you didn't mention was that the generation before this was also unibody, but while that kept some of the offroad abilities from the first generation, the one after this lost all the offroad tech and went front wheel drive to compete more directly with the likes of the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.
This car reminds me of childhood there was a mom of 6 at my karate place that had one of these with 250,000 miles and was basically a food and water dispenser for kids.
I was given a ‘92 Pathfinder a few years ago and even not running right now it’s a great looking SUV. It would run but the fuel line rotted because I let it sit for years but I have too many cars right now to work on it
Yes it is smaller but the Pathfinder and the Armada (Titan, Frontier and some others) have the same platform. One is just a stretched version.
@3:50 Ghosn...
Cloth beats leather any day!
Would you prefer this to the R50 series?
You can get this generation of pathfinder with the 5.6 v8 equipt!!! Killerrrr spec if you can find one
i had a burgundy one just like this as my first car in high school!
I had the exact same one! Same color and everything!!
The original Pathfinder was body on frame from 1985-1995. 1996-2004 was unibody construction. The in 2005, they want back to body on frame until 2012. Finally, from 2013 on has been unibody, as well as fwd/4wd.
wonder if one could install a steering quickener to fix the excessive steering wheel turns
also maybe it’s northern thing but I just checked Facebook Marketplace and none of the ones here in Georgia have interior that is that worn. The silver is still in great shape
Very few of these came with a v8 from an armada would be cool if you managed to find one
My grandma has a 2007 pathfinder that's the highest trim level I think. It has leather, Bose with navigation. They got it brand new and she's still running strong but becoming a rust bucket (thanks Illinois winters) I think it has 140,000 on it about
Nissan really needs to bring back the Xterra as the more rugged SUV based off the Frontier platform to compete against the Toyota 4Runner.
LoL, this one seemed a bit harsh. It's funny, but a little grrr 😂
Extremely well made
it's the the same exact truck but only the Nissan Frontier crossed over, same headlights and front end but without the fixed antenna on the right side
Shockingly enough, I got to drive the very expensive GTR a few times from the 2000s and believe it or not the Plastic was The SAME!! It was all worn and scraped off, though the rest of the car was in great condition! I've had both a 73 Datsun 240Z and a 92 240SX and the quality was very good with both of those. I think the 2000s is probably when the trim quality became a real issue for Nissan.. too much cutting corners to save money..
Could you do the 08 and up model pathfinder with the updated interior and exterior to compare ? Preferably an se
I had a 2007 Altima for a short time. 'Nuff said.
I actually don't think you said enough
achieved escape velocity, congratulations!
My stepfather has a 2010 and it has been very reliable but I don't like the suspension, it's very hard.
It is also similar to the nissan patrol.
My dad has one it's decent for what it is has 226k on it for a Nissan that's pretty good those door handles on back still are very ugly does decent off-road and for fuel economy better than his 1992 e150 2wd van.
They had a V8 for that gen of the Pathfinder for one year I believe it’s a rarity
Making me miss the terrano sadly sold it
This is the last pathfinder which was based on front engine rear drive .....after this every pathfinder after is front wheel drive first
These were the times when Nissan made real offroad cars not just crappy Jukes and Qashqais. That gen Pathfinder had weak rust proofing. Just like the similar looking pickup that often broke in half. Otherwise they were able to handle terrain and dirt roads just as good as Toyota
I like these. 😊
This engine might have been a better option vs 3.5 in 6th gen Maxima 2004-2008.
Many of them are parked at high schools around here. They don’t age well.
thats how trucks look like when people add an ugly topper on their truck 🤣
Cool. My exact vehicle. Nice SUV
6:48 Don’t get the Nissan Quest! As far as I heard they had horrible reliability problems
After Renault bought Nissan, Nissan's quality went down. They used cheap plastics in the interior
Nissans without a cvt were decent
Had a 2006 that I bought new and at 58k the engine blew due to a faulty catalytic converter sucking a piece of metal inside the motor. The fuel tank sensor was faulty, the rear quarter panals were rotting after 4 years transmission went at 120k and there were numerous bugs and gliches, one of the worst pretentious suv's I ever owned. So was my 2005 Nissan Murano and 06 Maxima. So I swore off Nissan. They are the Japanese Chrysler of the big 3 Japanese brands 💩🤥
These were some of the very last Nissans that were decent. One CRITICAL item to note is the transmission cooler built into the radiator. They were prone to failure, allowing coolant to get into the transmission, which would ruin it. Antifreeze does not play well with the clutch packs and valve body.
It's been a few years since I've dealt with one of these, but even a replacement radiator was known to still have this issue eventually.
These are outstanding midsize body-on-frame SUVs, and I would not hesitate to recommend someone get one because they are really good and they are overlooked because Nissan now has a bad reputation. But if you do purchase one, I would recommend immediately installing an aftermarket transmission cooler and eliminating the connection to the radiator. Just cap off the built-in transmission cooler in the radiator and run the transmission fluid through an externally mounted air to fluid aftermarket transmission cooler instead. Do this one thing, and you'll have a reliable body-on-frame midsize SUV that can easily hit 400,000 miles.
Or buy manual transmission one if you can find it and skirt the issue entirely.
Nice
im guessing the scrachedness depends on the climate . my parents 08 altima isnt scrached up but the roof leaks ....
that back seat dont seem too bad but not best either.
the gen after was just an altima wagon cross. complete butcher of the pathfinder name
Don’t forget Nissan xterra
My mom still drives this, dealer kept trying to buy it a few years back. I think it has about 130k on it now
She does have dumb issues on it:
Window switches loose or breaking, the grey trim scratching up, fuel level meter going bad, the radio light going out, and now airbag light
If mines wasnt so modded you could have used my rare V8 model
6* gauges
the third row in this car is for kids or people you dont like
I absolutely HATE the new Pathfinder. It’s bloated, cantankerous, and it has a CVT.
Russia 🇷🇺