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What Is It About Pathfinders


GreenEnvy94Pathy
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My dad bought Shelly for me and ever since he did, I've been wrenching on her and I love every second of it. A lot of time, money, and blood has been spent. Tough love. Sadly, my dad is no longer with us and I just can't see myself letting her go.

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If I bought a Nissan 4x4 newer than 95, it would be a Hardbody or Frontier only. I've seen and worked on R50s, no thanks. 05+ Yeah, they have a frame again, but otherwise they ruined any ability it could have had.

 

Not trying to start an e-war... more curiousity -- why the hate on for R50s?

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Not trying to start an e-war... more curiousity -- why the hate on for R50s?

 

Not trying to start a war either, just giving my opinion.

 

If I wanted a unibody I'd buy an XJ and at least get a solid front axel. I don't want a unibody vehicle if it is something I am going to haul with or take offroad. Make all the excuses you want but they are still going to twist to pieces if really stressed.

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Not trying to start a war either, just giving my opinion.

 

And that's all I wanted!

 

We wheeled with an XJ on the last day of Camp NL, he said he's tweeked his unibody pretty good.

I suppose I've been lucky, or just havent been that hard on mine.

 

Anywho... back on topic...

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What about it????

 

I need a rear Main Seal, would like to have a wing window with the gold factory tint, and the Armrest is annoying as hell...

 

R50's are perfectlly acceptable for going to the Grocery Store...

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Wow! What a freakin' like fest! :laugh:

 

I would have to say Big Homie has been quite the trooper. He has seen rocks to the underside and trees to the sides. Mud flinging and belts flying. What a great rig. Man its been almost four years now since I traded my Z for him. That was hard to do. But working for Nissan was a great way to scope out all of the problems and know just what it was going to cost me. Jeep was right next door and that is a whole other set of headaches.

I think the WD's just look tough! Leke the short kid in school who was just solid musce and would take down the bigger kids all day long, not afraid of anything. I searched for a long time to get just what I wanted, 95 SE with Chrome package! He has been great to modify and upgrade. I love the fact I dont drive the same thing as everyone else, which is another reason for buying a pathy. Matter of fact, I see more pathfinders on the roads that jeeps.

Anyway, I have left jeeps behind on the trail and pulled fords off of rocks and they just keep shaking thier heads. Right now he is taking on his biggest challenge ever. Being a commuter, almost 90 miles a day. That has not been the easiest thing to do, being that Im 3+3+33'S. But, Im getting better gas mileage than I was before, and now I actually get to see my low fuel warning lamp come on! What a great rig. I have gotten my money out of him and he is not going anywere. I will get a commuter rig soon, and it will be D21. I should be able to make them run forever. I keep waving to the guys who overpaid for thier 4runner and that it sags in the back! Ok, thats my 2 cents.

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Why a Pathfinder?

 

Originally i wanted a roomy and reliable 4x4. The Grand Cherokees have a long history of electrical issues, the Durango we test drove handled like crap, the 4runner just was spartan and the seats were practically on the floor (not comfy). The pathfinders had a GREAT customer satisfaction history, my SE has a bose 6 disk with with steering wheel controls and super comfy front and rear seats. It really had everything i was looking for. And the price i got it for, wow, we lucked out. But it was always intended to be a utilitarian vehicle for us. Anyway, i always hoped to mod it, but wanted to wait till it was paid off.

 

Now, with the help of the great people of this board, I've made it into my "Man Mobile" and REALLY love it. I'm not super thrilled with the UNibody or McPherson struts, but it's never let me down. OH, and like Simon said, this thing is super unique where i live. I've never seen another modded pathy around here. Jeeps and pickups galore, but no pathfinders. I like that, even if it's a drag theres so little after market support. I'd also like to emphasize, this website and the great people on it have really been a huge part of my current truck,and the love i have for it. I don't think without them i would have been able to polish this gem.

Edited by PDCCD
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Why a Pathfinder?

I'd also like to emphasize, this website and the great people on it have really been a huge part of my current truck,and the love i have for it. I don't think without them i would have been able to polish this gem.

*wipes tear* that was beautiful. just beautiful. *sniffles*

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Just yesterday my nephew was telling me his wife may be interested in her own pathy.... That would be number 3 for their family! His oldest bought my old Little Grey ('87) and we are in the process of resurrecting Little Blue for his youngest ('95).

Edited by mws
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I got my pathy from my dad, and then he bought a 2000 r50, so like simon and pezzy, I have the best of both worlds. I can off road in my stock wd21, and go pick up groceries for my dad in the r50 (just kidding). I do love these trucks though, I don't know what nissan did to them, but they must have done something right. And now I might be getting another one, a 95, to drive to college with. Even though it has 445000 kilometers on it, and people tell me thats too much, I just look at them and say, thats nothing for a pathy.

 

And when I was at my orientation for college today someone asked me how I'm commuting, and I told them, I'm driving a nissan pathfinder, they said and i quote "holy @!*% you have one of those bad ass trucks? ME: damn right and i wouldn't have it any other way!"

 

My dads new wife (can you feel the love) is trying to get him to sell the r50 pathy now, well if she does succeed, the last time i drive it, it'll be in 4x4 driving over her junker corvette, which by the way, has had more money put into it repairs wise than both our pathys combined, and its only got 160,000 kms on it. While the r50 is around 200k km and the wd at 340k km. Top that domestic s*** heads

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And that's all I wanted!

 

We wheeled with an XJ on the last day of Camp NL, he said he's tweeked his unibody pretty good.

I suppose I've been lucky, or just havent been that hard on mine.

 

Anywho... back on topic...

 

 

 

Unibody can be just as strong if not stronger than a frame if engineered correctly. (goes to show how well the xj was built) The only disadvantage to having unibody is the modifications, while not impossible they are more expensive or time consuming to perform. If you are not going to mod then the r50's are a great SUV and I believe to be just as capable to a stock Wd. However add a few mods and the wd rules. The same mods would cost more (money/time) to do on the r50. The advantage of the R50 is they superior on road, so much that the WD could never compete. Just my 2 cents.

 

Mark

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I agree with that almost 100%.

 

Pezzy's R50 goes everywhere my WD goes......so I don't know about the WD ruling in that case. Granted, I can still go larger, and right now, she can't (commercially) but as we sit, she's just as capable as I am, in her green grocery getter. :aok:

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Ok I have a story to tell as well.

 

 

I first learned of a pathfinder when my dad was shopping around for an suv. He was trying to decide between the axes van or the pathfinder. Thank God he chose the pathfinder. When he brought it home I fell in love. It had so many features and gadgets I played with it for hours. It was a 1990 SE 4X4, and it had everything, It was a dealer driven gem. I borrowed the truck several times over my teen years (even more than my dads 1987 944 porsche, but that another story) I went on my first coed unsupervised camping trip with it (oh the memories). I ended up doing the first bit of damage to the truck, while wheeling on that trip I backed into a ditch and crushed the tailpipe slightly. I was lucky it went unnoticed. Later when the vehicle had served its usefulness to my father he handed it down to me. It had 289,000 miles on it and was well abused. It had no major work done on it until I got a hold of it. I then drove it until about 360,000 and the transmission went out. I then spent about $3,000 on getting it rebuilt (automatic transmission) then 200 miles later the flywheel broke (should have been replaced with the trans IMO) then at 376,000 the engine blew a head gasket. The engine went in for a rebuild for about another $3000 then I wreaked it at 409,000. It sat at my dads for about 4 years. Some parts thieves ransacked it along with the Rats and squirrels. I then decided the only way to keep it safe was to move it to my house (now that I owned one) I then started adding up all the stuff I needed to fix it and get it back on the road. I added it all up to about $4,000 for parts and materials. I then decided that I could probably find a parts vehicle for less. I started the hunt. To my suprise I found one the exact color model everything except for 2 differences. The replacement was a 1991 and a Manual transmission. It was selling for $2500. The pathfinder was in almost perfect condition. I bought it. Next I pulled any parts I needed off the wrecked one (which was not much). I then found this board and was awakened to all of what my pathfinder could be. First began the maintainence. Since I did not know much about the truck I began with replacing the timing belt seals ect. Then the tuneup. I then began the mods. Body lift, wench, suspension lift, lockers, Argh I began to go mad. Before I knew it I had sunk 5 grand into it on top of the cost of the truck. I then sold my wrecked pathy to Slick. I have now began to start wheeling it instead of working on it. This is where the real fun begins. So everyone in my family thinks that i have the same old truck. LOL I can totally see how you guys get addicted or start collecting pathfinders. I only have 1 now but It is my baby.

 

Mark

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I agree with that almost 100%.

 

Pezzy's R50 goes everywhere my WD goes......so I don't know about the WD ruling in that case. Granted, I can still go larger, and right now, she can't (commercially) but as we sit, she's just as capable as I am, in her green grocery getter. :aok:

 

 

I meant with mods that are not available for the r50 the wd rules. Mods that increase articulation that are not available for the r50.

 

If the same mods are done to both vehicles they would be even in my eyes.

 

Mark

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You can't increase articulation on the front end of either vehicle, short of removing the sway bar, and that does very little. And you can put longer shocks in the rear of both, and remove the swaybar to increase travel in the rear.

 

The only thing the R50's can't do is body lift. That doesn't increase articulation at all. It simply gives you the opportunity to run bigger tires.

Edited by Simon
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Better be 110% sure that it's fixed right.....and it's not just body pucks. You need the right bolts, and a few relocation brackets for things.

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Better be 110% sure that it's fixed right.....and it's not just body pucks. You need the right bolts, and a few relocation brackets for things.

 

Oh it will get fixed right, whether i learn to weld or I pay someone to do it, its going to be done right. I hate half ass jobs, especially when safety is on the line. I want to really beef up the frame though, as it looks like even if it wasn't rusted, its not really that strong.

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What I want to do is build it up to what it used to be, and then from there weld in additional supports and get a hitch that I'll weld into the frame, and bolt it in as well. Would the mig or the arc welder be better for what I want to do?

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You can't increase articulation on the front end of either vehicle, short of removing the sway bar, and that does very little. And you can put longer shocks in the rear of both, and remove the swaybar to increase travel in the rear.

 

The only thing the R50's can't do is body lift. That doesn't increase articulation at all. It simply gives you the opportunity to run bigger tires.

 

 

not true body lift increases departure and approch angles. allows you not to scrub the front or the rear when climbing over things.

 

Mark

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