zack1978 Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Hey everyone, I am the proud owner of a 1995 SE-V6 Pathfinder 5spd with 170,000 miles on it. My mom is looking for a new/used car and she came upon a 1999 Pathfinder SE limited with 82,000 miles on it. I know a lot about my 1995, however I have no clue about 1999's! What are the potential trouble spots? What should I look at or look for? What are their weak points? What are their striong points? IS 1999 a cross-over year, because KBB has 1999, and 1999 and 1/2, what is that about? This Path looks like the 01 Paths, so is it a 1999 and 1/2? This Path is also auto, is the auto in 1999's weak? One thing that I did notice is that the auto front hubs are gone, and they have been replaced with Warn manual hubs, no auto hubs. Please give me some feedback, as I don't want her to get stuck with a POS Path. Thanks, Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OR99.5Speed Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Mine has been great but I would try to pony up for a 2001. The 1999.5 and 2000 are identical. It may have been wheeled, you don't want an abused truck. However, I prefer manual over the auto hubs. Just IMHO. Nothing crazy, and they have fewer flaws than the WD21. There really is not R50 trouble spot. The auto trannys are fine, pretty stout. I have a manual, but I would probably put a tranny cooler on the auto, but it's not like on the WD21 where the tranny will grenade with the stock cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Here are a couple of used reviews: 01-03 Pathy 96-00 Pathy They are split by the motor, not the change in body style of the 99.5. Hope these help. All the R50's are rock solid and very durable, no major issues that I am aware of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 All the R50's are rock solid and very durable, Unless you slam them straight down from 6 feet in the air... Don't ask how I know.... Damn Jeep... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zack1978 Posted August 1, 2006 Author Share Posted August 1, 2006 What about a timing belt? Is it the same as my 1995, do it every 105,000 miles? Is the amount of labor the same on a 1999.5 as it is on my 1995? I told her if she gets it, to plan on doing a timing belt, getting all fluids changed, a full tune up, and check to see why it has Warn hubs. My gut tells me that is was never wheeled, looking at the owner? Zack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 If it's got Warn hubs, it was probably wheeled (but I wish I had them!!!) Doing all the things you mentioned is an excellent idea, but then again that's something you would want to do w/ any vehicle you get. Someone w/ a VG chime in on the amount of labor for the timing belt?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 (edited) I would start with a carfax as the seller might not be the orignal owner. I personally would pony up the extra money for an 01 or 02. Edited August 1, 2006 by John Boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Sounds like you have a 99.5 if it looks like the newer R50's, which is what I have... in general, the only things I know that typically are problems on the R50's are the struts, (mine were replaced by the dealer when I bought it) and if you have the bose 6 cd changer stereo (dunno if that was an option in the 99.5, might be a newer thing) you might have stereo issues. re: the warn hubs.... it may have been wheeled, best way to check is get under there, have a look at the splash guard, any cross members, for scrapes, gouges, dents... the hubs simply may have also been put on to save gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 she came upon a 1999 Pathfinder SE limited with 82,000 miles on it. Wait, what's an SE Limited? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Wait, what's an SE Limited? It's a trim line introduced for the 99.5 and 2000 models that sits between the standard SE and the LE. It's got some, but not all of the LE features, in an SE package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Ok I think I know what your talking about...wasn't there like a smoke-colored badging on the drivers' and passengers' side doors right behind the front wheels that said "SE" something or other? I think Nissan used this package on the Pathy's, Alty's and Max's of that era... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Yes, that would be the one.... It's got a big badge that says SE in huge letters and then Limited underneath it in litlte letters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OR99.5Speed Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Sounds like you have a 99.5 if it looks like the newer R50's, which is what I have... in general, the only things I know that typically are problems on the R50's are the struts, (mine were replaced by the dealer when I bought it) and if you have the bose 6 cd changer stereo (dunno if that was an option in the 99.5, might be a newer thing) you might have stereo issues. Pezzy's right but the 6-disc was a 2001+ thing. The VG timing belt is 105k, the VQ uses a non-maintenance timing chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OR99.5Speed Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Ok I think I know what your talking about...wasn't there like a smoke-colored badging on the drivers' and passengers' side doors right behind the front wheels that said "SE" something or other?I think Nissan used this package on the Pathy's, Alty's and Max's of that era... You are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0ast Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 In regards to the hubs and wheeling, check and see if the suspension has been changed - eg: the OEM shocks and struts had black bodies. Not necessarily saying changing suspension means wheeling, but you can kinda get a feel for how hard (or wheeled) the pathy was driven if the suspension was redone. Expect to pay about $600-800 for the timing belt, although you'd still have a good 20k before the change. Also I'm not sure if they fixed it in the 99.5, but the exhaust manifolds (headers) in R50s have been known to crack and leak exhaust so check if that got fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Also I'm not sure if they fixed it in the 99.5, but the exhaust manifolds (headers) in R50s have been known to crack and leak exhaust so check if that got fixed. Huh?? :confused: I've not heard of this...but one of my resonator tubes was totally rotted away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Not a problem with the VQ engines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 k that explains it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbopath Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 so what if it's been wheeled as long as it's in good shape...I would say that half the path's on this board that have been wheeled are in better shape than a lot of the junk I've seen for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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