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Do you take your Pathfinder off road?


Guest Arizona Slim
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Also, they kept slamming the old Xterra in their report.

I too am dissapointed about the lack of a Pathy in their report...however none of the major mags (C&D, R&T, etc) liked the old X's...probably partly because 50 year old plus men write a lot of reviews and partly because they NEVER liked the 3.3L/170 h.p. combo. It was a little too underpowered and overweighted in their opinion, though, I always loved them. It's more than capable Off Road IMO.

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I know that those guys like trucks that drive ans act like cars. Pilot, Highlander, Ridgeline, etc. I liked the old X and Frontier as well but never had a chance to see one in action off road. Most of the trucks are around that do leave the pavement are of the old Big 3 variety.

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And there's nothing "car based" about the X's, Pathy's, etc. They're built on a truck chassis. What do those guys expect? Mind you, the '06 X being Motor Trend SUV of the Year IS pretty cool... way to go Nissan :cool2:

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The X's are cool, NSIMO Frontier crew cab is awsome. I always wanted a Pathfinder and the new one being on a scaled down Titan frame sealed the deal. Just wish there were more aftermarket options for my Pathfinder.

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Those Xs are monsters with that VQ40. I cut off and X, I guess he was pissed cause he flew passed me. Nearly blew my doors off. FAST! I wonder how powerful the Pathy is.

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I looked at an X before buying my Pathy, though the Grand Cherokee was my other option (employee discounts, I have both Chrysler and Nissan, etc.) I liked it's ( the X's) capabilities but price wise I thought I was getting more for the money with the Pathy. As for the Pathy, I could do without the VDC, though you can turn it off (sort of), I can live w/ IFS but I am not sure about the IRS. Time will tell. Being slightly upscale did come into play when considering the Pathy but it was not the only deciding factor over the X. As much as I liked the X I just couldn't stand all the unpainted plastic. But with starting a family and traveling the freeways alot I just wanted the larger vehicle, so the Pathy won. Plus I really like the styling.

 

As far as the power is concerned, the X has 265 horses, the Pathy has 270. The difference is in the weight. My Pathy weighs in at a portly 4700-4800 lbs. I believe the X is at least 300-400 lbs less. Anyone, please correct me if I am wrong! I figure that my truck is in the mid 7 second range to 60, which is good for this class but I'm not running the 1/4 mile so I really don't care. It's pretty quick, it can pull a boat and as I said before, I like it.

 

As far as being a grocery getter, that's what most SUV's end up doing anyways. At least where I live, those that venture off road in search of fun are in the minority.

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I jumped on a friends new 4runner with the V8 and was able to pull past it.

That's cause it's a wimpy V8...The Pathy outpowers it w/ 2 less cylinders (if my memory serves me correctly)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest epdjr
That's cause it's a wimpy V8...The Pathy outpowers it w/ 2 less cylinders (if my memory serves me correctly)

Yeah, I have to agree. 291 lb ft of torque out of a 6 cyl DOHC is sweet. I actually just drove an 05 jeep GC 5.7L hemi and I couldn't tell a difference with my pathfinder. I know officially the GC is 0-60 in 7 sec and the pathfinder is 0-60 in 7.4 sec but it didn't seem too accurate. In fact I timed mine 0-60 and it came in at 6.7 sec. Granted this was with a friend using a stop watch but it's still pretty good for a 6 cyl suv. Did anyone else check the times for their stock pathfinder?

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Yeah, I have to agree. 291 lb ft of torque out of a 6 cyl DOHC is sweet. I actually just drove an 05 jeep GC 5.7L hemi and I couldn't tell a difference with my pathfinder. I know officially the GC is 0-60 in 7 sec and the pathfinder is 0-60 in 7.4 sec but it didn't seem too accurate. In fact I timed mine 0-60 and it came in at 6.7 sec. Granted this was with a friend using a stop watch but it's still pretty good for a 6 cyl suv. Did anyone else check the times for their stock pathfinder?

I try to keep my accelerator pedal off the floor these days...especially when I go past another gas station :lol:

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I try to keep my accelerator pedal off the floor these days...especially when I go past another gas station :lol:

Wait...Pathfinders can go 60?? LMFAO.

 

I agree with you there Nav! Gas prices, while they're not as ridiculous as they used to be, are still about 75 cents higher than I'd like them to be..hah.

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Gas prices, while they're not as ridiculous as they used to be, are still about 75 cents higher than I'd like them to be..hah.

I'd rather get it for free :D Maybe I'll build my own refinery in my back yard :)

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest lkillebrew

I have owned several 4x4 vehicles over the years. Am not a competitor, a casual user, a weekend warrior at best.

 

The Nissan 05 I bought a couple of weeks ago performs better offroad than my 01 chevy truck, it does better than my '54 Jeep, beats the heck out of the dune buggy with steering brakes. It is near as good as my 4x4 honda quad.

 

If you are wanting competition, keep lookin, if you are wanting good 4x4 performance, this one has it. Might not be a world beater, but it is solid, predictable and works well. (keep in mind I have less than 2000 miles on it at this point.)

 

I have not modded this thing at all, 2 mods that are coming are skid plates, and grill guard... got the itch, dont have the scratch right now.

 

my $.02 worth

lkillebrew

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  • 2 weeks later...
A '54 Jeep. What did they call those back then, a CJ? Wow. That amazes me. I thought Jeep Wranglers and their predecessors were the epitome of an off-roading beast.

True...but creature comforts like heat and working turn signals tend to cha nge people's minds :lol:

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  • 1 month later...
Guest epdjr

As I posted in another thread. Mine does more than I could ask for an offroad truck. Makes it up all the hills I need it to and can ford an 80 foot wide creek.

 

PICT0058.jpg

 

PICT0059.jpg

 

PICT0060.jpg

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Guest lkillebrew

New '05 4x4 Pathy in my garage, 12 miles when we bought it in March, 8k miles now in August... the wifes daily driver, hauls jr. hi. kids to various events. Pathy replaced a Suburban, this is our first "import car." So far I am pleased.

 

01 Chevy 4x4 4dr pickup is my daily driver. (read very solid very costly to operate fuel wise). Previous owner of a 1954 military surplus Jeep (money pit), 72 Volkswagon rail dune buggy (how many times did I hike out?), a herd of honda 4 wheelers and dirt bikes... (task specific, do what they are supposed to do).

 

About the Pathy, I am a "husky" boy 240@5' 8". The jap seats are built for skinnier folks with better backs, but Nissan must use japanese models that are larger than Toyota's... I suspect that Nissans are built for the sumu'ish japanese... but they are still to short and tight for 40 something redneck boys like me... at least on long trips.

 

Offroad, this SUV does everything we have asked of it, the CD player seldom skips a beat. Biggest challenge we have thrown at it is the very rocky Alpine Loop around Lake City, Ouray, Silverton CO. topping out at 12.4K' altitude. Never had an issue with the Pathfinder loaded with 6 adults and ice chest, no complaints. Oh yeah not to mention a greasy slick very steeply crowned dirt road in S.W. Oklahoma, could barely stand up on this road without doing the splits, but with the electronic thingy that limits wheel spin we made it. Oh yeah, and a dry sandy beach that would have sucked my old Jeep under in S. Texas. (The dune buggy would have fared better, but probably would have broke down just about the time we got to the low tide mark.) Did I mention that it did pretty well hauling 1,000 lbs of people and a weeks worth of their luggage, while hauling a 12' trailer loaded with 2 quads, a bike, and 30 gallons of fuel, up and down Slumgullian Pass, or Wolf Creek pass? Never even smelled the brakes getting hot or the temp rising much above normal... did I mention we had one heck of a time? and it wasn't interupted with mechanical problems or any vehicle issues at all? (Well one of our crew had to pee an inordinate number of times... but that wasn't the vehicles fault.)

 

If you are looking for something to tear up, get an old jeep. After you spend a ton of money you will get over it, or you will find sponsers. If you are looking for an occassional offroad adventurer the Pathfinder outshines our old Surburban, our old jeep and our old dune buggy. It has more creature comforts than the Jeep, keeps you cleaner than the dune buggy, and is safer than anything else I own... but is not nearly as fun as a 4-wheeler. However, it pulls a trailer loaded with 4-wheelers fairly well.

 

Gas mileage while pulling a 12' trailer loaded with 2 quads, a dirt bike and 5 fat people at 70+mph on interstate highway is around 17.

Gas mileage while hauling teenaged brats around town is around 17, unless you run the air conditioner alot and stop at stoplights and the Sonic Drive-in... then it is 15.

Unloaded highway miles with conservative driving is 18. (We got 20 mpg on one trip, but I suspect we had a good tailwind and no fattys in the back seat.)

 

If you want to sling mud and chunk rocks, buy a 4-wheeler. If you want to explore, hike, go where few venture and then go further... buy a 4x4 4-wheeler. If you want to bounce off mountain rocks, jump hills and scream through the dessert buy a dirt bike.

But,

If you want to drive to the trail head, explore a little, go fishing where few go, hike in remote areas, and when you get stuck in 2wd... be able to get back out in 4wd... buy a suv with 4x4 and a shovel... when you get home you can still haul a bunch of 10th graders to the ballgame. The pathfinder is was a very good choice for our family. But I dont have to drive it every day... my wife loves it, I love my big old 4x4 chevy truck, but I pay dearly at the pump for it.

 

p.s. for you young folks... Sorry, the dad in me has to say this... fwiw, if you are in your early twenties... unless you are making real real good money, dont buy a newer car. Save your money, buy used or only buy what you can afford in a year. Never lease! When your career is made, buy your expensive play toys. Until then invest in home, land, or property... something that will be worth more as time goes on. Toys... cars... bikes... are not investments... they are toys. Oh I know you want to have fun now. My 75 year old father in law just bought a Honda Rancher, a 35 foot 5th wheeler, and a 1 ton Ford dually 4x4. He never made more than 35K in his career... but he managed the wealth he had. He has always had toys... sometimes they were older, sometimes he had to use sweat equity... dont get caught up in the roses dealers and finance managers will sell you, there are thorns under the sweet scent of those roses.

LK

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Guest chechatonga

I push it

 

I don't bash it

 

with a MSRP of 38,000

 

That would be a little rich for my blood.

 

But it has done fields

\

muddy lanes

 

/

logger trails

 

/

 

 

and pulled more than my Jeeps ever would have even attempted.

 

I love mine.

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  • 1 month later...

Here's a pic from a little sand fun a couple of buddies and I had. It was my 05 SE, a 01 RAM 4X4, and a 04' Tundra 4X4. Not much, but it was fun.

 

Hill.JPG

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I go off road every weekend (soft sand) and let me tell you the path will circle just about anything out there. I also own a titan 4x4 and a couple other solid axle rigs. Sure most of the new paths will be grocery getters but that same ride will freakin blow through the sand just as smooth. Might not be a rock crawler, but i'm about 6hours from any rocks and 10 minutes from beach and sand.

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